Kisame looked toward Pain and began his report. "We just finished capturing the Four-Tails Jinchūriki. I had to truss him up to make sure he didn't bolt, which caused a bit of a delay."
"So," Kisame asked, "what did you summon us for?"
"There is intelligence that I must share with everyone immediately."
The group fell silent, waiting for Pain to speak.
"Orochimaru has been killed."
At those words, everyone was momentarily stunned. Kisame, however, let out a dismissive, cold chuckle.
"Heh... ten years after deserting the Akatsuki, it seems someone saved us the trouble of hunting him down." He glanced around the projections. "I truly wish I could have seen the look on his face when he died. Why are you two zombies still kicking? I'd much rather see the looks on your faces when you drop dead."
"You bastard, Kisame! Once my body is restored, I'll definitely show you what I'm capable of!" Hidan yelled indignantly.
"I'll be waiting," Kisame replied, completely unfazed.
"Hidan and Kakuzu are our comrades. Watch your tongue," Pain said softly.
Hearing Pain's reprimand, Kisame nodded politely. "My apologies. It's true that the ones who nearly finished off Hidan and his partner were..."
"The lot from Konoha, right?" Kisame smiled.
"It was Kakashi and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki's team," Zetsu added, finally speaking up.
"They're really strong, that team. Deidara-senpai got thrashed pretty hard, didn't he?"
"It seems the only one who didn't end up on the back foot was Kanon... senpai? Or is it Kanon-chan?" Tobi scratched his head.
"Call me whatever you want," Kanon said indifferently. She had no warmth for Tobi; she still wasn't certain if this buffoon was the same masked man from back then.
"Tobi! You bastard, say one more word and I'll blow you to bits! My 'patience bag' is about to burst!" Deidara roared.
"Now, now, a 'patience bag' exists so that you can actually be patient."
"Deidara-senpai's should be called an 'explosion bag' since he's always about to pop."
"Damn it, Tobi, get over here!"
"Deidara-nii, you're being too loud!" Kanon complained, covering her ears.
"Kanon-chan! This guy is really asking for a beating!"
"I support you beating him, but senpai has something to say."
Pain spoke up again. "Deidara, quiet down. Otherwise, you're proving Tobi right."
"Tsk," Deidara huffed, turning his head away.
"Hahaha! Getting lectured by the boss!" Tobi snickered.
"And you, Tobi. You talk too much. Show some respect to your seniors!"
"Yes! My apologies!"
"With things like this, can we even gather the remaining Jinchūriki?" Kisame scanned the group. It would take time for Kakuzu to recover, and as for Hidan, it wouldn't be possible within the year.
If those two were useless, could the remaining members really handle the captures?
Pain sighed softly. Kanon was planning to withdraw from the Tailed Beast capture missions for a while to handle her own private affairs. Pain wouldn't interfere with her choices; she had already done more than enough for the organization.
It seemed Pain would have to take action personally.
"Still, being able to take down Orochimaru... that's quite the feat," Kisame mused. He looked directly at Pain. "So, who did it?"
Pain turned his gaze toward Kanon, clearly signaling for her to answer.
"My brother, Sasuke Uchiha."
Everyone froze at the revelation. Deidara's expression shifted.
"I had already decided that I was the one who was going to kill Orochimaru…" Deidara muttered, clearly annoyed.
"Impressive. Itachi-san, he truly is your brother," Kisame said, looking at Itachi.
Zetsu then spilled the rest of the intel on Sasuke. "He's currently gathering comrades, and they're all rather troublesome individuals."
"Zetsu, you're certainly quick with your information," Kanon said, her lips curling into a slight smirk.
Zetsu gave her a meaningful look from across the spiritual space.
"For example?" Kisame asked.
"You should be quite familiar with this one," Pain said quietly. "One of the Hōzuki brothers from the Hidden Mist."
"So it's Suigetsu. How nostalgic."
Pain continued to address the group. "Jugo of the Scales is also with them. You must be careful, Itachi, Kisame."
"The rest of you should also be wary of Sasuke Uchiha. He may target the Akatsuki to gather information on Itachi and Kisame."
"That won't be necessary, senpai."
"Hmm?"
"I'm with Sasuke-nii right now. I haven't leaked any Akatsuki intel, but as for that bastard..." Kanon shot a cold, sharp glare at Itachi.
"Sigh..." Pain looked down. Kanon and Sasuke were incredibly close; there was no way she wouldn't point Sasuke toward Itachi.
At that moment, Deidara spoke up. "Kisame, what kind of guy is this Suigetsu?"
"That was ten years ago. Back then, he was a smiling child with a cute face, a prodigy known as the second coming of the 'Demon' Zabuza Momochi."
Deidara's smirk widened. "These people sound interesting."
Hearing this, Tobi panicked and waved his hands frantically. "Wait, wait, Deidara-senpai! Please don't develop any weird interests!"
"Regardless," Pain commanded, "Itachi, Kisame, bring the Four-Tails immediately and prepare for the sealing."
With that, the gathering dispersed.
…
Kanon opened her eyes in the physical world.
"Kanon, did you see that guy?"
"I did," Kanon nodded.
"The organization still has work to do. Sasuke-nii, I have to go prepare as well. I've already given you all the intelligence on Itachi. From here on, I must prepare for my own revenge."
"Kanon, you... I told you to leave killing Itachi to me."
"As if! You understand, don't you? My hatred for him is the same as yours. Just as you don't want me to take risks, I don't want you to take them either."
Sasuke was momentarily speechless. He looked at his sister with a complicated expression. He wasn't a fool; he knew her feelings for him mirrored his own. Neither wanted the other in harm's way.
"In that case, let's make it a contest," Sasuke said. "To see who kills him first."
"Fine... I'll go stand guard for a bit, then I'm going to find Deidara-nii. It sounds like he's going to try and get in your way."
As Kanon spoke, she was enveloped in a vortex of rose petals and vanished, leaving the four members of Team Hebi behind.
"And she's off," Suigetsu remarked.
"We should move too," Sasuke nodded. He patted Karin, who was still leaning against him with a lingering look of longing. She immediately leaned further into him.
"Kanon-chan's brother, Sasuke, is just as good!"
…
At the entrance of the Hidden Leaf Village.
"To find Sasuke, we'll target the Akatsuki members with the highest probability of leading us to him."
"That's sound logic, but what exactly are we going to do about Itachi Uchiha?" Tsunade sat at her desk, lost in thought.
Sakura offered her suggestion: "If we can capture even one member of the Akatsuki, we can have Ibiki-sensei interrogate them for Itachi's whereabouts. We should be able to get something out of them."
Tsunade sighed helplessly. "I have indeed ordered the teams to capture any Akatsuki members and bring them back if possible, but..."
Kakashi pushed the door open, finishing her thought: "In reality, that will be extremely difficult."
"Those people aren't the type to let secrets slip easily. Judging by the abilities of those we've faced so far, I wouldn't call them 'dangerous,' I'd call them lethal. Subduing them will be a monumental task."
Hearing Kakashi's grim assessment, Naruto gritted his teeth. "Then what are we supposed to do?!"
"We have no choice but to search patiently until we cross paths with Itachi."
Jiraiya, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke up. "Tracking Itachi just to find Sasuke and Kanon... but even if you find Itachi, what then?"
"On that point, I have an idea. Could you give me a little time?" Kakashi asked the group.
…
Ichiraku Ramen.
Naruto and Jiraiya sat in the shop, slurping noodles.
"Honestly, Kakashi-sensei... I need to start moving right now."
"It can't be helped. You need to make proper preparations before setting out."
"Preparations?"
"Team 1 can't handle this alone."
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, confused.
Jiraiya looked at the puzzled Naruto and smiled warmly as he explained:
"Listen. If Itachi is killed, Sasuke and Kanon's objective disappears. That means we must capture Itachi Uchiha alive. To do that, we need a larger team to operate together. Kakashi is likely busy arranging that right now."
"Is that it?" Naruto seemed to understand.
"Yes. But the opponent is incredibly powerful. This mission won't be solved with ordinary methods."
Naruto took a bite of his noodles and nodded slightly. "I figured as much. But no matter what, I can't run away from this mission."
"Is it to bring back Kanon and Sasuke?"
"I think you know as well as I do, Sasuke now has power comparable to Orochimaru. And as for Kanon, even as her master, I can't accurately judge the full extent of her strength."
"I know that," Naruto said. "But Kanon is my best friend. And I made a promise to Sakura. I will definitely bring Sasuke back. I can't break my word!"
Jiraiya looked at the look of sheer determination in Naruto's eyes and smiled. Having a disciple like Naruto was truly a blessing.
Naruto and Kanon were like two extremes, yet Jiraiya still believed that the most important talent for a ninja wasn't the number of jutsu they mastered. It was the unyielding perseverance to never give up.
A student's Nindō was destined to be passed down by their teacher.
Jiraiya looked at Naruto, then at his reflection in the broth, where he almost seemed to see Kanon's face alongside Naruto's.
"Honestly, you and Kanon are both idiots, as usual."
"Can't help it, right? We're the Pervy Sage's disciples."
"Good grief... I really do have two worthless disciples."
"Worthless? What do you mean worthless?!" Naruto yelled.
"Exactly what it sounds like, you dimwitted student!"
"If that's the case, then Pervy Sage is exactly what Kanon says, just a crummy, perverted old man!"
"Here, eat this too." Ignoring Naruto's backtalk, Jiraiya placed a piece of chashu pork into Naruto's bowl.
Naruto's anger vanished instantly at the sight of the pork. He ate with a look of pure satisfaction.
Jiraiya rested his chin on his hand, watching Naruto with a grin.
"Seriously, Ichiraku's chashu is the best!"
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