The morning rain in Amegakure was just as cold as the night rain.
Uehara Naraku woke up early. The first thing he did was open his system panel. He was disappointed to find that his chakra had not increased at all during his sleep.
"It seems sleeping doesn't grant experience points," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "I have to rely on missions."
He washed his face with cold water and stared at his reflection in the rusted mirror. He looked like a standard, innocent twelve year old boy. Dark eyes, black hair, and a face that could easily deceive others.
"To be a mastermind," Uehara whispered to the mirror, adjusting his expression into a bright, determined smile, "one must first be a good actor."
He left his room and went to the main hall of the tower.
Konan was already there. She stood by the open balcony, staring out at the grey village. Her Akatsuki cloak with the red clouds fluttered slightly in the damp wind.
"Good morning, Teacher Konan!" Uehara greeted her loudly, full of energy.
Konan turned slightly. "Morning, Naraku. Did you rest well?"
"Yes! I feel full of power!" Uehara pumped his fist. "I am ready for any training or mission you have for me today. For the sake of the village, I will work hard!"
Konan looked at him. Usually, children his age would be complaining about the weather or the harsh training. Uehara's enthusiasm was... bright. Almost too bright for this dark village.
"There is no special training today," Konan said calmly. "We are simply waiting."
"Waiting?" Uehara blinked. "Waiting for what?"
"Waiting for a change," Konan said vaguely. She turned back to the rain. "The current situation in the Ninja World is unstable. We must be patient."
Uehara narrowed his eyes slightly. Patient? He didn't have time for patience. He needed to trigger a mission. If sitting around did nothing, he had to force the plot forward.
He walked up to the balcony and stood beside her. He made sure to look down at the village with a gaze full of sorrow and longing.
"Teacher," Uehara started, his voice dropping to a somber tone. "I hate this rain."
Konan glanced at him. "Why?"
"Because it feels like the sky is crying," Uehara recited the line he had prepared. "Every day, the people down there struggle in the mud. I see them hungry. I see them scared. Hanzō rules this tower, but he doesn't care about them."
He gripped the railing, his knuckles turning white.
"I want to change this country," Uehara declared, turning his face up to look at Konan. He put every ounce of emotion he could muster into his eyes. "Teacher, you and the other leaders... you are fighting for peace, right? I want to be part of that! I don't just want to be a disciple. I want to be a comrade! I want to help you end this rain!"
Konan froze.
For a moment, she didn't see Uehara Naraku.
She saw a boy with orange hair. She saw Yahiko standing in the rain, shouting about his dreams of changing the world.
"I will become the god of this world if that's what it takes to bring peace!"
The resemblance in their spirit was uncanny. Uehara's words struck the softest part of her heart, a place she had sealed away years ago after Yahiko's death.
[Ding!]
A familiar chime rang in Uehara's head.
[Side Mission Triggered: The Will of Fire (False)] Description: You have successfully deceived a key plot character with your acting. Your words have resonated with the ideals of the Akatsuki's founders.
Objective: Meet the leader of the Akatsuki, Pain.
Reward: 100 Gold Coins.
Uehara mentally cheered. It worked! The emotional card is always super effective against Konan.
On the outside, he remained serious, waiting for her response.
Konan closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. Her gaze was warmer than he had ever seen it. She reached out and gently patted his head.
"You are very much like an old friend of mine," she said softly.
"An old friend?" Uehara asked innocently.
"Yes. He also wanted to change this country," Konan withdrew her hand. Her expression hardened back into her usual stoic mask. "Naraku, you have the resolve. But resolve alone is not enough. You need power."
"I have power!" Uehara argued. "I learned the technique you taught me, and I developed my own!"
"That is still not enough," Konan shook her head. "But... perhaps it is time you met him."
"Him?"
"The leader of our organization," Konan said solemnly. "Pain."
Uehara's heart skipped a beat. Meeting Pain—Nagato—was a huge step. Nagato was the current ceiling of power in the Naruto world. If Uehara could trigger a mission from him, the rewards would be astronomical.
"Is he... scary?" Uehara asked, feigning nervousness.
"He is a god," Konan replied simply. "Come with me."
She led him deeper into the tower, toward the upper levels where the unauthorized were forbidden to enter. They climbed endless spiral staircases until they reached a large, dark chamber filled with strange machinery.
In the center of the room sat a skeletal figure.
He was emaciated, his ribs showing through his pale skin. Huge mechanical walkers supported his frail body, and dozens of black metal rods were pierced into his back, transmitting chakra.
It was Uzumaki Nagato. The real body of Pain.
Uehara kept his head down, pretending to be overwhelmed by the pressure in the room. In reality, he was scanning Nagato.
This guy looks even worse in person than in the anime, Uehara thought. He's practically a corpse on life support.
"Konan," a raspy, weak voice echoed from the skeletal man. "Is this the child?"
"Yes, Nagato," Konan replied respectfully. "This is Uehara Naraku. He has... potential. And his heart is in the right place. He reminds me of Yahiko."
At the mention of Yahiko, the air in the room seemed to stagnate.
The skeletal figure slowly raised his head. Through the messy red hair, Uehara saw a pair of eyes.
Purple concentric circles. The Rinnegan.
The eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
[Ding!]
[Main Mission Triggered: The Witness of God] Description: You have come face to face with the owner of the Rinnegan.
Objective: Survive the scrutiny of Pain.
Reward: Trait: High Chakra Reserves (Passive).
Uehara swallowed hard. This reward was massive. High Chakra Reserves meant his base mana pool would skyrocket. He had to play this perfectly.
"Raise your head," Nagato commanded.
Uehara slowly lifted his head, meeting the gaze of the Rinnegan. He made sure his expression was a mix of fear and awe, but with a stubborn set to his jaw.
"So," Nagato said, his voice void of emotion. "You want to change this world?"
"Yes!" Uehara shouted, his voice echoing in the empty metal chamber. "I want to end the rain! I want to help Teacher Konan and you bring peace!"
Nagato stared at him for a long, uncomfortable silence. The Rinnegan seemed to peel back the layers of his soul.
Finally, Nagato closed his eyes.
"Ignorance is a form of innocence," Nagato whispered. "But the world will teach you pain soon enough."
He looked at Konan.
"Keep training him. If he survives the coming war with Hanzō... he may become a useful pawn for our peace."
"Understood," Konan bowed.
Uehara breathed a sigh of relief internally. He had passed.
[Mission Complete: The Witness of God] Reward: Trait: High Chakra Reserves (Passive) acquired.
Immediately, Uehara felt a surge of heat in his abdomen. His chakra coils expanded rapidly. The amount of energy flowing through him doubled, then tripled. He felt like he could throw Blue Cards for days without stopping.
"Let's go, Naraku," Konan said, guiding him out.
"Yes, Teacher," Uehara replied, bowing deeply to Nagato before leaving.
As the heavy doors closed behind them, Uehara smirked.
He had successfully infiltrated the inner circle. Now, he just needed to wait for the war against Hanzō to start, and he could begin his real performance.