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After ending the "Projection Technique," Pain walked to the window.
The rain outside had been falling for three days straight, but in this village, such heavy rainfall was nothing unusual.
He was used to it.
Konan approached Pain from behind and asked softly, "What do you think of Itachi and Danzō?"
"Itachi… He is a talented individual. Unfortunately, he hasn't completely severed his ties with Konoha yet. I hope that with time, he will come to understand the true purpose of the Akatsuki. War and conflict are unacceptable—we need lasting peace," Pain replied.
Konan could tell that deep down, Pain still held expectations for Itachi.
However, for the Akatsuki, every member was a valuable asset. After all, not everyone could fully grasp the significance of the organization's existence.
Just then, a masked man in a black trench coat approached. "If I get the chance to meet Itachi, I'll have a talk with him. That should rid him of his naivety."
"You?" Konan was surprised.
"He is, after all, a member of the Uchiha clan. And right now, the Uchiha's standing in Konoha isn't exactly stable. A teenager his age already understands things. If we explain things clearly, he should be able to recognize the greatness of Akatsuki. After all, the outcome he desires aligns with our ultimate goal."
"But all he wants is to find his brother," Konan pointed out.
"…" Obito stared at her, slightly embarrassed. After a long pause, he asked, "Isn't he troubled and helpless about the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha?"
"Maybe, but finding his brother is his real motivation for joining Akatsuki," Konan reminded him.
The conflict between the Uchiha clan and Konoha wasn't a recent issue—it had existed since the village's founding.
As an Uchiha, Itachi was likely accustomed to it and wouldn't feel an urgent need to resolve it.
In comparison, his missing brother was the more pressing matter.
"Hmph… Fine. But sooner or later, this issue will confront him. When that time comes, I'll talk to him." Hitting a soft wall, Obito quickly changed the subject. "By the way, I heard there's another newcomer—Danzō?"
"What do you think of him?" Pain inquired.
"I'm not entirely sure, but he does have a way with training new recruits. In a sense, he's someone we can use. What do you two think?"
"But entrusting the training of new members to an outsider—isn't that too risky?" Konan voiced her concern.
"Your worry isn't unfounded. We can always assess him later, even rearrange the teams. The reason Akatsuki operates in pairs is also for mutual supervision, right?" Obito strolled to the window, gazing at the heavy rain outside.
"When do you think we can move to the next phase?" Pain asked.
"We need sufficient manpower first… I've been in contact with other minor nations. We might see results soon. When that happens, we may need to gather everyone again."
Pain nodded.
Only by sitting in the leader's seat could one truly understand how crucial "funds" were to keeping an organization running smoothly.
After Obito left, Konan clasped her cold hands.
They had already come this far—there was no turning back.
"Don't worry. Everything is going according to plan. A world without war will be realized sooner or later."
"I know. I just hope that day comes quickly." Konan said.
---
"Congratulations. With this, you've officially become a member of Akatsuki." Orochimaru smiled as he looked at Danzō, who had just undergone surgery.
"For me, Konoha is my true home, and becoming Hokage is my ultimate goal. Joining this organization is merely a temporary measure—I have no other way to return to the village right now." Danzō examined his newly sealed right arm, satisfaction evident in his expression.
The past year had been grueling for him.
The loss of his Sharingan had only intensified his thirst for power. However, Orochimaru had been preoccupied with another matter—researching the forbidden Reanimation Technique. So much so that even Sasuke, whom he had captured, had been locked away without much interaction.
It wasn't until half a year after Danzō fled Konoha that Orochimaru finally emerged from his lab. Soon after, he began "training" Sasuke—by killing the boy's "roommate," who had been imprisoned with him for six months.
Right in front of him.
That day, a grief-stricken Sasuke awakened his Sharingan—precisely what Orochimaru needed.
For him, the ideal "vessel" would always be Itachi. But if capturing Itachi proved impossible, then Sasuke, with his newly awakened Sharingan, was the next best option.
However, Sasuke had his flaws—he was still too weak.
This left Orochimaru in a dilemma.
On one hand, Sasuke's physical condition might not withstand the entire process of the "Living Corpse Reincarnation" technique. On the other, even if the transfer succeeded, Orochimaru would only inherit a half-finished vessel, far from the level of power he desired—requiring extensive effort to improve.
This was far from his original vision.
He wanted a perfected vessel—someone like Itachi or, at the very least, possessing Kimimaro's strength.
Thus, even after Sasuke's awakening, Orochimaru remained unsatisfied. He ordered Kimimaro and the Sound Four to train Sasuke rigorously.
Meanwhile, through three surgeries, Orochimaru transplanted seven Sharingan eyes into Danzō's body.
"But the Konoha you left is no longer the same. After Tsunade became Hokage, she purged your faction and even brought Jiraiya back." Orochimaru glanced at Kabuto, who stood by the door. "Do you really think there's still a place for you in Konoha?"
Danzō's expression darkened. "But joining some obscure organization doesn't appeal to me either—unless I'm the one leading it."
"This organization is powerful. Its leader is no weaker than a Kage," Orochimaru reminded him.
"Which is precisely why I don't plan to stay long…" Danzō forced a smile, covering his right eye. "From the beginning, my goal has only been one thing—the Byakugan in Akatsuki's possession."
After Shisui's eye was reclaimed by the Uchiha, Danzō had been lacking a true trump card—a move capable of turning the tide of battle.
Though he had used "Kotoamatsukami," that Sharingan's power had greatly diminished afterward. Losing it wouldn't be a significant blow, but he still needed an ace up his sleeve.
With the Mangekyō Sharingan out of reach for now, the only power that could bolster his strength was the "Byakugan," which had fallen into Akatsuki's hands.
For the time being, cooperating with Akatsuki wasn't a bad idea.
"But do we really have a chance to obtain the Byakugan?" Danzō questioned.
"Yes. Absolutely." Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smile. "As long as we can enter Amegakure, the opportunity will present itself."
"Amegakure…" Danzō was taken aback.
He was no stranger to that village—it had been the epicenter of the Second Shinobi World War.
After all these years, he wondered what had become of it.
"Kabuto, why don't you scout Amegakure first?" Danzō suggested, eyeing the silver-haired ninja.
Kabuto nodded and turned to leave, but Orochimaru stopped him.
"You'd really send him now?" Orochimaru asked. "That's no different from sending him to his death. Akatsuki can detect any outsider who enters Amegakure."
Danzō was skeptical, but Orochimaru didn't seem to be joking. "Then what do you propose?"
"We wait for them to contact us. Then, the two of us will go to Amegakure together. Besides the Byakugan, we might even get to see Itachi." Orochimaru licked his lips, his grin widening.