Itachi and Konan were walking along the road, one behind the other.
Konan led the way, while Itachi followed a few steps behind her.
A three-person distance separated them, and the atmosphere was heavy with silence.
"Konan, how about we find something to eat?"
Itachi's voice broke the quiet. He was starting to feel a bit hungry.
…
Hearing Itachi's suggestion, Konan stopped in her tracks. She turned around to look at him.
"What would you like to eat, Itachi?"
Konan suddenly remembered that she was older than Itachi and should take care of him in some ways.
That was why she asked.
"Anything is fine as long as it fills me up and isn't too bad. I'm not picky."
Itachi was slightly taken aback by her question but quickly responded.
He found the situation amusing and grew intrigued. After all, Konan's words implied she was planning to get him something to eat. As long as he didn't have to do the work, he was fine with it.
"Wait here for a bit. I'll be right back…"
Hearing this, Konan nodded.
A pair of large wings made of paper formed behind her. With a single flap, she disappeared from Itachi's sight.
…
Watching Konan fly away on her paper wings, Itachi felt a twinge of envy and amazement.
He wished he could fly too—to experience what it felt like to soar through the air.
Not long after, Konan returned.
She was carrying two items wrapped in oiled paper.
Konan landed gracefully, and the paper wings behind her gradually dissolved into fragments, disappearing into the air. The scene was stunning, like an angel descending from the heavens.
"I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I brought back two grilled fish."
Ignoring the heated gaze Itachi was giving her through his hat, Konan spoke softly.
"Alright."
Itachi accepted the bundle Konan handed him, sat down on the ground, and placed his hat beside him. He started unwrapping the food as he responded.
"It's still warm. Nice."
When he opened the oiled paper, the rich aroma of the grilled fish wafted up, and the warmth in his hands brought a sense of satisfaction.
"Eat it while it's hot."
Hearing Konan's words, Itachi felt a wave of contentment.
"Not bad, huh? Your big sister knows her stuff~"
Konan unwrapped her own package. Her grilled fish was small, just the size of her palm. Compared to Itachi, who needed more food to grow and maintain energy, her appetite was modest.
"Mm, it smells great."
Realizing there were no utensils, Itachi picked up the fish, held it close to his mouth, and took a big bite. He mumbled a muffled reply through a mouthful of food.
…
Watching Itachi eat with such gusto, Konan felt satisfied too. Helping others and making them happy always brought her joy.
The grilled fish in her hand tasted even better as a result.
"Konan, does using those paper wings consume a lot of chakra?"
Having eaten most of his fish, Itachi noticed Konan was still eating daintily. He decided to ask her a question.
"It's not too bad. If I'm not in battle, it doesn't use much."
Konan tore off a piece of fish, carefully picking out the bones before putting it into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully as she answered.
"I think our group is still too small. We need to improve our efficiency with missions…"
Itachi's words carried a tone of reflection and melancholy after hearing Konan's response.
Konan paused, then rolled her eyes in exasperation. She gave him an annoyed look.
"Don't even think about it. I'm not giving anyone a ride."
She bit her lip gently, her expression fierce.
Itachi looked at her and scratched the back of his head, feeling a little sheepish.
"Alright, alright. Don't get worked up. Be careful with the fish bones."
Realizing that Konan had caught on to his intentions, Itachi had no choice but to raise his hands in surrender.
"No way! You have to promise! Don't even think about using me in your plans, or I'll beat you up."
Konan didn't calm down despite Itachi's compromise. Instead, she continued eating her fish while mumbling in a slightly muffled voice.
…
"Alright, alright…"
Watching Konan's suddenly adorable demeanor, Itachi felt bewildered.
He buried his head in his meal, finishing off the remaining fish.
"Women are truly terrifying creatures. Just a moment ago, she was so gentle, and now she's suddenly fierce..."
Itachi secretly glanced at Konan and thought to himself.
After finishing lunch, the two rested briefly before continuing their journey.
Konan seemed to have a carefree attitude, which lightened Itachi's slightly gloomy mood.
They traveled at a leisurely pace, crossing forests, meadows, mountains, and rivers...
Itachi caught the pleasant fragrance carried by the breeze from up ahead, and the world seemed a bit brighter to him.
In the purest version, as seen on a certain online platform!
"Itachi, what kinds of attacks do you use?"
It was late afternoon.
The two found a spot to spend the night and had no plans to travel after dark...
After all, Konan needed her beauty sleep.
Once Itachi had gathered some firewood and started a small campfire, Konan softly asked her question.
"Me? I can throw shuriken, and I'm skilled in Fire Release techniques. I'm pretty strong," Itachi answered without hesitation.
"Really? Throwing shuriken isn't exactly special, and your Fire Release is... fine, I guess," Konan said, a bit speechless at his response.
If she hadn't read Itachi's dossier beforehand, she might have actually believed his nonsense.
"What's for dinner tonight?"
Just as Konan was about to ask another question, Itachi interrupted her train of thought.
Hearing him mention dinner, Konan lost interest in her inquiry and perked up slightly.
"It's getting late, and I don't feel like buying anything. Why don't you go find something for us to eat?"
After some thought, Konan decided to leave the task of dinner to Itachi, the man of the team.
"Alright, I'll go see what I can find..."
Watching Itachi's figure disappear into the distance, Konan pulled out a sheet of paper and started folding it.
She seemed to be in a good mood.
Itachi tidied up the mess left from their earlier dinner.
Looking at Konan, who was resting with her eyes closed against the base of a tree, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
He thought having Konan as a teammate wasn't so bad.
At the very least, she was easy on the eyes, and the occasional whiff of her pleasant scent lifted his spirits.
Just as Itachi was about to create a few shadow clones and take a break, a faint noise caught his attention.
He quietly got up and moved toward the sound.
He sensed a familiar presence.
Walking a few dozen meters away from the firelight, a viper, about as wide as three fingers, slithered out of the grass.
"Itachi-sama, Orochimaru-sama sent me to deliver something," the snake said, startling Itachi slightly.
"Orochimaru? Did he succeed?"
Hearing the snake speak, Itachi's expression changed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
However, the snake didn't respond further, seemingly not intelligent enough for a proper conversation.
It simply spat out a scroll from its mouth and spoke again.
"Orochimaru-sama said this contains his current location. He invites you to visit when you have time. He's looking forward to collaborating with you. Akatsuki isn't a long-term solution..."
Like a programmed machine, the snake finished its message and reverted to a blank, mechanical state before slithering back into the grass.
Watching the snake disappear, Itachi picked up the scroll with some reluctance.
He then headed back to the campfire.
After all, Konan was still resting there, and he didn't want to leave for too long in case something happened.
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