Back at the restaurant, Kaoru and Hinata returned to their seats. Kaoru picked up his chopsticks, ready to eat his shrimp, but found his bowl empty.
The lobster meat he'd cracked was gone.
"Wan'er..." Kaoru looked at Wan'er, the obvious culprit.
"Um, brother, the shrimp was getting cold. Cold food's bad, so I helped..."
Wan'er said, slumped in her chair, sucking her fingers. Her stomach was bulging.
"Sigh," Kaoru sighed. He could only rest three days. Otherwise, Wan'er would drive him crazy.
Three days felt long to most, but to the rogue ninjas it was a moment.
In a strange cave, Akatsuki members stood on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, performing the Illusionary Dragon Nine Consuming Seals.
The seal required three days and nights.
The Five-Tails Jinchūriki, Han, mouth agape, released the Five-Tails' chakra into the statue.
Finally, Han was drained. The statue closed its mouth, and its first eye opened. The seal was complete.
"Good. Mission complete," Pain said, looking at Itachi.
"Itachi, Akatsuki members are confident, even arrogant. But arrogance is our weakness."
Pain paused. "To avoid underestimating enemies or dying in battle, we work in pairs. It's the best way to overcome arrogance."
Itachi stared at Pain, silent.
"I'll assign your partner," Pain said, looking around.
"Let me," Kisame Hoshigaki said, shrugging.
"Good," Pain nodded. "This meeting is over. I'll inform you of future missions. Disperse."
The Akatsuki members left. Itachi, paired with Kisame, ignored him and left alone. Orochimaru followed, smirking.
Itachi walked until he reached a small mountain.
He looked up at the stone steps leading to a temple.
After a moment, Itachi climbed the steps.
"Guilt? Coming to repent?" a voice said. Orochimaru stared at Itachi, greedy.
"Hmph," Itachi said, ignoring Orochimaru and continuing.
Orochimaru followed silently, eyes gleaming.
"The Uchiha who destroyed his clan, joining Akatsuki..." Orochimaru thought, pleased. From his sleeve, a brown serpent emerged.
It slithered towards Itachi, who seemed unaware.
"Hiss!" The serpent lunged, binding Itachi!
"Someone with the Sharingan, coming to me... lucky," Orochimaru said, licking his lips. "Your body is mine."
Itachi's face didn't change. His eyes were Sharingan!
"Cough!" Orochimaru gasped, eyes bloodshot.
The scene shifted. His serpent was gone. Itachi was turned, staring.
"Genjutsu..." Orochimaru said, trembling. He felt pinned.
"Strong eye power. I envy it," Orochimaru said, smiling. He tried to make hand seals.
"Pfft!" Itachi showed no mercy, severing Orochimaru's left hand.
"Snap!" Orochimaru's Akatsuki ringed hand fell to the steps, bleeding.
"Agh..." Orochimaru groaned, clutching his stump. "Damn you..."
"Orochimaru, your jutsu are useless against my eyes," Itachi said, tossing the kunai and walking on.
"Useless?" Orochimaru thought, furious. "That's why he escaped. He's too strong. I can't win without Reanimation."
Though bitter, Orochimaru admitted Itachi was stronger. But he remembered his fight with Kaoru.
Orochimaru remembered Kaoru.
"That kid escaped the massacre. His eye power will surpass Itachi's. With his body, Itachi is nothing," Orochimaru thought, picking up his severed hand and returning.
No one knew if Itachi repented. He left the temple and descended, heading for the sea.
Itachi sat on a pier, gazing at the ocean, silent.
Sharks swam below, fins visible. Seabirds cried overhead.
"I'm your partner now," a voice said. Itachi turned to see the shark-faced man from Akatsuki, carrying a bandaged sword.
He walked towards Itachi.
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