Hattori Heikawa.
A diligent tool person.
Since Hanzo of the Salamander was killed, due to surrendering the earliest, Hattori Heikawa gradually began to be entrusted with important tasks by Konan and Uehara Naraku.
Today, he received a special mission again, acting as a team-leading Jonin to take Uehara Naraku, Kaguya Kimimaro, and Haku to participate in the Chunin Examination.
This task puzzled Hattori Heikawa.
The future leader of the Hidden Rain Village still needs to participate in the Chunin Exam?
However, Hattori Heikawa is merely a tool person, and he can only carry out the mission.
Aside from Uehara Naraku's team, the Hidden Rain Village has no other ninjas participating in the Chunin Exam because Uehara Naraku knows this Chunin Exam won't be peaceful.
Even if the Fourth Kazekage was killed by him, the Konoha Collapse Plan is likely to proceed as planned, after all, Uehara himself is also one of the masterminds behind the Konoha Collapse Plan!
Back when Uehara Naraku was pretending to negotiate with Ebizo under the name of Shimura Danzo, he specifically reminded Ebizo that the Konoha Collapse Plan was to promote Danzo becoming Hokage.
Adding Granny Chiyo's hatred towards Konoha...
No matter who wants to collapse Konoha, Granny Chiyo will definitely bring Hidden Sand Ninjas to help, it's a debt left by Kakashi's father.
"This is your Genin registration certificate."
Konan handed Uehara Naraku a registration certificate and helped him tidy up his Hidden Rain headband, "How did you persuade Nagato to agree to let you participate in the Chunin Exam?"
"Uh."
Uehara Naraku patted his forehead and softly explained, "Lord Nagato told me he'll have the Six Paths Pain on standby, and if I encounter any unsolvable danger, I can directly summon the Six Paths Pain."
This is also related to Nagato's body gradually recovering.
The Six Paths Pain requires Nagato to provide Chakra, but now under Uehara Naraku's treatment, Nagato can fully support long-term actions of the Six Paths Pain, no longer needing to keep the Six Paths Pain in a secret room to reduce Chakra consumption.
Hearing Uehara's words, Konan nodded, feeling slightly relieved.
However, she still said somewhat displeased, "Lately, Nagato has been too lenient with you. If this continues, it will spoil you. One of the Konoha Sannin, Tsunade, was indulged by her elders in childhood, and that's why she developed bad habits..."
"Teacher, I've grown up."
Uehara Naraku looked a bit speechlessly at Konan.
Because over these four years, as Uehara Naraku gradually matured, his relationship with Nagato became better and better, generally directly seeking Nagato for things, even if he wanted to sneak out and play for a while, he also needed Nagato's cover.
How should Uehara explain this to Konan?
Generally, the younger boys are curious about women and like to play with girls; as they grow older, they realize they prefer playing with boys.
Nagato rarely disturbed Uehara Naraku, only calling him when there was something happy to share.
For instance, weapon modifications of the Asura Path, every time Nagato successfully modified, he liked dragging Uehara along to test the real combat effects, guns and cannons are originally a man's romance.
So every time Uehara saw Nagato, he was quite happy.
Unfortunately, these could not be shared with Konan.
Konan is a woman, fond of folding different paper flowers to decorate Uehara Naraku's room, but Uehara Naraku couldn't even understand the floral language of each bouquet.
Compared to those beautiful paper flowers, Uehara actually preferred Konan to make a simple version hand grenade using an Explosive Charm for him to play with.
If that's too much, even a pack of explosives would do.
Of course, such a wish was impossible to be fulfilled.
Uehara Naraku sighed, looked at his ninja registration certificate, where the photo showed him smiling with narrowed eyes, seemingly exuding a friendly vibe, truly a good person.
Career advancement mission: Become an official Genin (1/1), Mission accomplished, reward 100 points of Life Energy, 100 points of Chakra.
"..."
Uehara Naraku felt somewhat bad. He's already sixteen this year, why is there still an advancement task, hasn't he been losing out over these years?
"Alright, the weather is turning cold, be careful at night..."
Konan chattered on and on, advising Uehara Naraku on precautions, and after walking him to the gathering point, the gentle look on the woman's face instantly vanished.
Konan glared at the gathering point, Kaguya Kimimaro, Haku, and the team-leading Jonin Hattori Heikawa, and coldly said, "In this kind of Chunin Exam, protect Naraku, got it?"
"Yes, Angel!"
"..."
Uehara Naraku couldn't help but pat his forehead, if something really happened in the Chunin Exam, he might have to be the one protecting these guys!
The high tower of the Hidden Rain Village.
The Deva Path of Pain pushed Nagato's wheelchair to the window, overlooking the backs of Uehara Naraku and his group leaving the Hidden Rain Village, with a slightly heavy gaze of expectation: "Youngster, bearing the future of the Hidden Rain Village and Akatsuki, fly away!"
The Deva Path stood behind Nagato, calmly started forming hand seals, unleashing the Illusionary Body Jutsu to convene two Akatsuki members active near the Land of Fire.
Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi.
When these two received Pain's summoning, they were a bit puzzled, but the Deva Path straightforwardly explained their next task.
"Uehara's gone to the Chunin Exam to gather intelligence."
The Deva Path's gaze slowly settled on Uchiha Itachi, speaking softly, "Your mission is to infiltrate the Land of Fire, and if any changes occur during the Chunin Exam, immediately support Uehara in leaving the danger."
If Uehara encounters danger, Pain feels it's not suitable to expose themselves to Konoha right now.
Hence, they can only dispatch a team of members.
Hoshigaki Kisame felt a bit speechless.
If Uehara Naraku encountered danger, what use would it be for him and Uchiha Itachi to go over?
Is it to deliver themselves to death?!
Kisame's teeth felt a bit sore, is his boss too good at lurking? Four years have passed, why does Pain still think that intern in the organization is frail?
"Understood."
Uchiha Itachi nodded indifferently, anyway, he wanted to take this opportunity to sneak back to Konoha and secretly see Sasuke, who had already become a ninja.
A while ago, Momochi Zabuza had been injured by Hatake Kakashi, and that guy claimed he'd kill Hatake Kakashi and the Seventh Class the next time he encountered them.
Uchiha Itachi was somewhat worried about his brother.
After Hoshigaki Kisame nodded, his gaze slightly shifted to Uchiha Itachi, obviously aware of his thoughts.
Hoshigaki Kisame wouldn't expose Uchiha Itachi either.
The Hidden Rain Village was visible, and Akatsuki was hidden.
Uehara Naraku was under this light and hidden protection, crossing the border of the Land of Fire, arriving at the Konoha Village where the Chunin Exam was conducted.
This was also his first time coming to Konoha Village.
No matter the environment or scenery, the Konoha Village situated in the most affluent area of the Ninja World was evidently much better than the Hidden Sand Village, the Hidden Rain Village, and the Hidden Mist Village.
"The air is nice."
Uehara Naraku leaped onto a boiler on a tall building, taking in the entire scenery of Konoha. Below the Hokage Rock stood a red Hokage building.
Side quest: Arrive at Konoha (1/1), Mission accomplished, reward 100 gold coins.
Side quest: Find the best scenic spot of Konoha in Naruto Shippuden (1/1), Mission accomplished, reward 500 gold coins.
"These kinds of tasks are too lovable!"
Uehara Naraku couldn't help but clasp his fingers, worthy of being the most popular place in Naruto, how many treasures are there waiting for him to uncover!
Just as Uehara was feeling delighted, Haku suddenly followed in Uehara's footsteps and jumped up, softly saying, "Uehara, the ninjas from the Hidden Sand Village are here too!"
"I know."
Uehara Naraku glanced down at the numerous Hidden Sand Ninjas.
The team-leading Jonin was still Maki, apparently, his position hadn't dropped much after Granny Chiyo took over governance.
Following behind Maki were still the three little ones: Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, the rest were all inconsequential people.
Uehara Naraku stroked his chin, a slight smile played at the corner of his mouth, "Tsk, seems like I need to greet my old friends to prevent them from saying the wrong things here and ruining my peaceful travel!"