"I'll go back to the base first."
After talking with Uehara Naraku, Pain coldly instructed, "Uehara, you should also return to the Akatsuki's base immediately, don't let your teacher worry."
After saying that, Pain released the summoning and vanished in a puff of smoke.
Because the Deva Path of Pain was too far from Nagato's main body, the chakra within the Deva Path was nearly exhausted after using two dojutsu techniques.
If it can't receive chakra transmission from Nagato, the Deva Path of Pain would be of little use and staying here would be meaningless.
Better to return quickly and gather intelligence from Uchiha Itachi.
Uehara Naraku didn't linger either; he summoned Pain merely to let the covertly spying Uchiha Obito realize that his role as an actor had been stripped away.
Has Uchiha Obito realized the truth by now?
It's just a pity that Orochimaru managed to slip away quietly.
With everything settled, Uehara Naraku, accompanied by Hoshigaki Kisame, Hozuki Mangetsu, and Haku, left the Land of Water and headed home.
After everyone left.
In the shadows of the mountain forest.
The figure of a mysterious masked man appeared, mumbling with some melancholy, "Miscalculated, that brat can actually summon Pain..."
The identity will be completely exposed!
However, the mysterious masked man had already made the worst plan.
If Nagato wanted to kick him away and start collecting the Tailed Beasts alone, it was simply impossible, because only Zetsu could gather all the Tailed Beasts' intelligence.
This exposure only affected his position and image, not hindering him from continuing the Eye of the Moon Plan.
The mysterious masked man didn't come out empty-handed.
He suspected that Orochimaru had realized his identity and leaked it to Kakashi; after all, why else would Orochimaru appear in the Land of Water for no reason?
Logically, Orochimaru was the most likely candidate.
"Forget it, I'll have to give up blocking the news..."
A flash of light appeared in the mysterious masked man's eyes, and a spiraling vortex opened behind him, pulling him into the swirl.
Land of Rain.
Akatsuki's base.
Pain canceled Uehara's Summoning Jutsu and had just returned when he was met with the worried expression of Konan.
Konan and Kakuzu had just returned to the Akatsuki base after recruiting Hidan with Uchiha Itachi.
"Nagato, did something happen with your main body?"
"No, it's Uehara."
Pain shook his head, his expression darkening, "Perhaps we can uncover the truth from twelve years ago; first, go and control Uchiha Itachi, we must not let him escape!"
"What's going on?"
"The man claiming to be Uchiha Madara is actually a ninja named Obito, and he's likely a Konoha spy trying to use us!"
Pain's expression turned grim as he continued in a deep voice, "Uehara discovered his true identity and is currently being hunted by him!"
"I'll go save Uehara!"
Konan spread her paper wings, ready to leave.
Deva Path Pain stopped her, explaining softly, "Don't worry, Uehara just happened to run into Orochimaru, and I've already helped him; he has the protection of three members of the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist, so there shouldn't be any issues..."
"Then let's go see Uchiha Itachi first!"
Sheets of origami fluttered around Konan, her voice cold, "We'll extract information from him!"
Since Uehara hadn't returned yet and Uchiha Itachi didn't have a new partner, he couldn't go on missions and was sitting by the lake outside the base, contemplating life.
A group of paper butterflies suddenly floated down in front of him, converging into a blue-haired woman standing on the water, causing ripples.
Konan looked at him, frowning slightly, "The infamous Itachi the Clan Annihilator, could you possibly have any worries?"
"Konan-senpai, is there something you need?"
Uchiha Itachi was feeling a bit melancholic, wanting to sit quietly by himself, not inclined to chat with the woman in front of him.
Konan, however, ignored his mood, only coldly asking, "Uchiha Itachi, as a Konoha Traitor, have you ever heard of the name Obito while you were in Konoha?"
"Obito?"
Uchiha Itachi recalled a funeral he had attended long ago, raising his head in puzzlement to supplement the full name Konan mentioned, "Uchiha Obito?"
Konan's brow furrowed slightly, carefully observing Uchiha Itachi's expression, surprised to see no unusual reaction from him.
Uchiha Itachi also doesn't know the masked man's identity?
Konan continued asking in a deep voice, "You are from the same clan, you should know the person named Uchiha Obito, right?"
"Hmm?"
Uchiha Itachi lowered his head, merely gazing at the lake and softly answered, "Uchiha Obito died during the Third Ninja World War, and since his body was never found, he was the only hero not buried at the Konoha Memorial Stele."
"Oh?"
Konan nodded with interest, "Keep talking!"
Judging solely from Uchiha Itachi's words, there was at least an eighty to ninety percent chance the mysterious masked man was Uchiha Obito.
Yet from Uchiha Itachi's demeanor, he seemed unaware of the masked man's real identity?
If that's the case, Uchiha Itachi might not be a Konoha spy, after all, he did annihilate the entire Uchiha Clan.
"..."
Uchiha Itachi glanced at Konan in confusion; Uchiha Obito was long dead, what else could he say?
What was there to say!
Would he have to recount Obito's entire life?
Why was a long-deceased person of interest to Konan?
Uchiha Itachi carefully observed Konan's expression as he quietly continued, "It's said that Uchiha Obito didn't have good grades, perhaps because of this, during the Konoha ninja graduation allocation, Obito was paired with the then most talented ninja, Hatake Kakashi, becoming a disciple of the Fourth Hokage..."
A story of a dropout gradually unfolded from Uchiha Itachi's lips.
The information Uchiha Itachi had gathered from other family members, coupled with his own understanding and embellishment, created a positive growth story of a dropout eventually becoming a Konoha hero.
As Konan listened, she couldn't help but glance sideways, surprised that Uchiha Itachi had a knack for storytelling.
The ninja story told by Uchiha Itachi was more engaging than Jiraiya's.
The book "Strong Willpower Ninja Chronicles" by Jiraiya was so obscure it was impossible to get through, truly not as compelling as the stories of Uchiha Itachi.
"...Ultimately, Uchiha Obito became a hero of Konoha, resting eternally in a foreign land, while the genius ninja Hatake Kakashi, carrying the will of his comrade, achieved the honor of Sharingan Kakashi with the Sharingan given by an old friend."
This story didn't constitute revealing any secrets, as much of the content was well-known, and it exemplified a story of spreading the Will of Fire.
As Uchiha Itachi finished the story, he himself was moved by Obito in the narrative; he slowly turned his head towards the composed female ninja, perplexed...
Wasn't his story captivating?
Did the Will of Fire not resonate with Konan's heart?
"Finished?"
Konan's brow furrowed, thinking that if she didn't already know the mysterious masked man was Uchiha Obito, she might even have admired him.
"Yeah..."
Uchiha Itachi's expression looked a bit unpleasant, feeling this woman beyond salvation, "Konon-senpai, why are you interested in Uchiha Obito's affairs?"
Konan didn't answer his question; she just spread her paper wings and coldly said, "Come with me, Pain wants to see you!"
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Asking for recommendation votes!