"What did you say?"
Uchiha Obito halted his steps as he brushed past Uchiha Itachi, casting a sidelong glance. Beneath his mask, the Sharingan had already morphed into a three-pronged scythe pattern.
"What's that?"
"You looking to start something?"
Before Itachi could make a move, Kisame spoke up first, his small, mocking eyes fixed intently on Obito.
Back when Kisame was recruited into the Akatsuki, it was Obito who had used the name of Uchiha Madara to pull him in. Now that Obito's true identity had been exposed, how could the deceived Kisame possibly accept it? Even if he didn't abandon the Akatsuki, he was itching for a chance to teach this guy a lesson.
Obito, however, paid Kisame no mind. Kisame's strength was noteworthy, but he posed no real threat to Obito. Only Uchiha Itachi was worthy of Obito's full attention.
"Such a simple remark, and you can't even handle it?"
Itachi didn't stop Kisame but instead activated his own Mangekyo Sharingan, meeting Obito's gaze head-on. This man had once used the name of Uchiha Madara to deceive him and had even played a role in the Uchiha clan's massacre. If given the chance, Itachi wouldn't mind exacting a bit of interest from him.
The atmosphere grew heavy, the air turning icy and tense. Kisame made no move to intervene, instead preparing to join Itachi in crushing this so-called Uchiha Obito, who had appeared out of nowhere. Without the veneer of Uchiha Madara's identity, what did Obito have left?
Kisame's killing intent was palpable, no longer concealed.
Just as Itachi, Kisame, and Obito were on the verge of clashing, Pain appeared at the end of the steel corridor, his Rinnegan eyes calmly observing the trio.
Seeing Pain, Itachi's Mangekyo faded, and he restrained the eager Kisame, redirecting his gaze to Obito, who stood before him in defiance.
"Uchiha Obito, with your identity exposed, what do you have left?"
With that light, parting remark, Itachi walked toward Pain without a backward glance, Kisame in tow.
The moment Itachi learned that "Uchiha Madara" was actually Uchiha Obito, his first reaction wasn't relief at the revelation that "Madara" was a fraud. It was anger—anger at himself for being fooled by such a clumsy ruse. How could the real Uchiha Madara be someone who skulked in the shadows? In his plans, "Uchiha Madara" was a crucial figure. Though the shift from "Madara" to Obito lessened the pressure on him, Itachi felt no trace of relief.
As he approached Pain at the end of the corridor, Itachi's eyes lowered, the scarlet hue of his Sharingan gradually giving way to a deep, unfathomable black.
The issue of "Uchiha Madara" had been resolved, but the man before him now was, in some ways, just as formidable an adversary. Unlike the eerie, unfathomable aura Obito had projected while posing as Madara, Pain's presence carried the undeniable weight of overwhelming power. Itachi was acutely aware of the vast gap between himself and Pain.
"Itachi, is something up?" Pain asked, looking at him.
"The Two-Tails has been captured by Konoha," Itachi replied, his expression unchanging. "To ensure we can accurately track its location in the future, it's necessary to head to Konoha again to gather intelligence."
Pain gazed calmly at the man before him, his Rinnegan betraying no hint of emotion.
Gather intelligence? That was Zetsu's job, not Itachi's.
"Fine," Pain agreed to Itachi's request.
It was a request, not a suggestion. Pain knew Itachi's heart wasn't fully with the Akatsuki, but that didn't matter to him. As long as Itachi dutifully carried out the organization's work, Pain had no interest in meddling. Or rather, his absolute confidence in his own strength allowed him to tolerate Itachi's restlessness.
In this war, the Akatsuki had already exposed itself to the Five Great Shinobi Villages. But what did that matter? Even if Konoha learned Itachi was part of the Akatsuki, what could they do about it? To challenge the Akatsuki, they'd first have to overcome Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure—three of the Five Great Villages already aligned with the Akatsuki's interests. Sunagakure, in particular, lacked high-level combat power and relied heavily on the Akatsuki's presence, even if they weren't fully under its control.
Itachi got the answer he wanted and left without lingering. But just as he was about to turn the corner, Pain's voice echoed from the end of the corridor.
"Kisame is needed on the Wind and Earth battlefield. This time, Scorpion will accompany you."
Itachi paused briefly, responding without inflection, "Understood."
Scorpion was different from Kisame. Kisame had been personally recruited by Obito into the Akatsuki, essentially making him Obito's man. But with Obito's identity exposed, Kisame had decisively cut ties with him. After all, Uchiha Madara's reputation was legendary—Obito was a nobody by comparison.
Scorpion, however, had been defeated and recruited by Konan, making him wholly loyal to Pain's faction. Additionally, Kisame had previously clashed with Scorpion and Deidara, and since Itachi was partnered with Kisame, this new arrangement was bound to cause friction. Both Itachi and Scorpion were strong-willed, each commanding respect through their own power—whether it was Kisame or Deidara bending to their will.
Itachi sighed inwardly at the complication but left without further comment.
In truth, Pain hadn't thought too deeply about it. He simply believed it was too dangerous for Itachi to head to Konoha alone and that having a partner would be prudent. Deidara and Hidan were unreliable, leaving Konan and Scorpion as the best options. But sending Konan with Itachi to Konoha? Pain deemed that impossible.
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my patreon:
pat reon .com/yuuwand