Chapter 59: The Akatsuki Moves
"Anyone else?" Naruto tilted his head, thinking for a moment.
"I heard Kakashi-sensei mention someone named Obito. Does he count?"
"Obito?" Jiraiya was startled. He had read the report, so he knew a bit about this mastermind.
He made an immediate decision, grabbing Naruto's arm. "Let's go, Naruto."
"Huh? Go where? I thought we were practicing the Rasengan! Look, I just succeeded!" Naruto pointed to the spot where he had condensed the chakra sphere.
"Training is suspended!"
"We have something more important to do. We're going to see Tsunade."
"Granny Tsunade?" Naruto paused, then remembered the blonde woman who had issued that "declaration of terror" at the training ground. He shrank back. "Why? She's scary!"
Jiraiya didn't give Naruto a chance to argue. He grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward Tsunade's house. "Stop complaining! It's urgent."
Jiraiya knew the way well and dragged Naruto straight to Tsunade's residence.
The result, ultimately, was inconclusive.
Even Tsunade, the greatest medical-nin, couldn't explain how someone could inexplicably gain correct information that clearly didn't belong to them.
Amegakure.
Nagato had received the news of Kakuzu and Hidan's deaths.
Nagato had trusted the abilities of the "Immortal Duo."
"I never expected even those two would fail."
Nagato—or rather, the Deva Path Pain—stood alone atop his tower, contemplating.
"Kakuzu survived from the era of the First Hokage and fought legendary ninja. His strength was far beyond that of an ordinary shinobi."
He recalled recruiting Kakuzu. That man's eyes had shone with an obsession for money and a disregard for life, but he had shown genuine wariness when faced with the Rinnegan.
That fear was what convinced Nagato that Kakuzu could be a valuable asset to the Akatsuki.
After all, only those who know fear can be controlled.
"And Hidan's immortality should have been the ultimate safeguard."
"Even if they couldn't defeat the enemy, they should have been able to retreat safely."
He found it hard to imagine what kind of opponent could kill two ninja who possessed such seemingly unkillable abilities simultaneously.
"Naga... Pain. A message came from that side. They want us to proceed with the plan immediately."
Konan appeared quietly behind Pain. She, too, had heard the news of the Immortal Duo's demise.
"Notify Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. They are to proceed to Konoha immediately."
Three days later.
Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki stood at the entrance to Konoha.
"So this is your hometown, Mr. Itachi? The air is so dry. I hate it." Kisame, with his shark-like face, sniffed the air, trying to memorize the scent of the village.
"Compared to the Hidden Mist, this place is like an oven." He nudged Itachi with his elbow. "So, returning to your old stomping grounds... planning to take a tour?"
Itachi slowly raised his eyes. His gaze landed on the iconic gates of Konoha. The kanji for "Konoha" on the archway was bold and strong. The patrol ninja were vigilant, scanning passersby. Everything was almost exactly as he remembered, yet separated by an insurmountable barrier of time.
"We are here on a mission, not a tour," Itachi's voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "Pain's orders were clear: investigate the cause of Kakuzu and Hidan's deaths. We don't have time to waste."
Kisame waved a hand dismissively. "Just investigating a cause of death? Why make it so complicated? Just grab a couple of Konoha ninja and interrogate them. We'll get the answer soon enough."
As he spoke, he shifted his weight forward, seemingly eager to start. Samehada, wrapped in bandages on his back, seemed to sense its master's mood and buzzed in anticipation.
"No." Itachi immediately shut down the idea. "Konoha's defenses are tighter than we imagine. If we act rashly and alert them, we won't just fail the mission—we'll expose our location."
"We need to infiltrate, gather intelligence first, and then wait for the right opportunity."
Kisame was usually unruly, but he respected Itachi Uchiha. He knew Itachi's judgment was always accurate, and Pain had specifically emphasized listening to Itachi's arrangements.
"Fine, fine. Your call." Kisame pouted, straightening up. "So what now? Walk right in? Or find a place to hide first?"
Itachi glanced at the two gatekeepers sitting at the entrance. "Those two won't discover us. Let's go."
As soon as they entered Konoha, they were struck by the scene before them.
The wide streets were lined with shops filled with goods. Villagers walked by with peaceful smiles. Children chased each other, their laughter clear and bright. It was a bustling, harmonious scene.
Kisame looked at it all, a flash of disdain in his eyes. "Hmph. Such a comfortable life. No wonder Konoha's ninja are getting softer."
The scene reminded him of the "Village of the Bloody Mist."
There, thick fog shrouded everything year-round. The air always smelled damp. You rarely saw villagers this relaxed, and you certainly never heard children laughing like this.
In his memory of Kiri, both ninja and civilians wore expressions of lingering wariness and oppression, as if bracing for sudden slaughter or betrayal.
Itachi paused slightly. He sensed the shift in Kisame's mood and guessed his thoughts.
He looked at Kisame and spoke slowly. "Every village has its own way of surviving. Konoha hasn't stood tall in the shinobi world for so long just by being comfortable."
At the same time, he was constantly observing his surroundings. There were many hidden sentries along the street. Though well-disguised, they couldn't escape his eyes.
And with patrols passing at regular intervals, the vigilance was much higher than it appeared on the surface.
"There's an inn ahead. We'll stay there." Itachi pointed to a building with a sign that read "Welcome Inn." "Let's get settled. We'll go out to gather intel tonight. Too many eyes during the day; it's easy to draw attention."
Kisame nodded, eyeing the inn with a smirk. "Alright. Might as well see how Konoha's inns compare to Kiri's dumps. Hope the rooms are big enough. Being cramped is uncomfortable for a guy my size."
They quickened their pace toward the inn.
"I have to say, Konoha's inns are pretty nice. Much better than the holes back in the Mist."
"Don't act unless absolutely necessary. Our priority is intelligence gathering, not starting a war with Konoha."