Inside the Akatsuki base.
The extraction and sealing of the Tailed Beasts continued in an orderly manner.
This long-term project involved sealing seven Jinchuriki at once.
It was manageable at first, but over time, members with less patience began to get restless.
"My arms are getting sore. This is so annoying!" Deidara pouted, feeling disgruntled. "I'm a great artist! Making me do this is such a waste of my talent! Yeah!"
Sasori responded, "Shut up! Be quiet. You should be grateful you're even allowed to do this."
Just hearing the word "art" from Deidara made Sasori want to retort and take action against him.
Despite his words, Sasori was also running out of patience.
Pain opened his eyes slightly and said, "This is all for Akatsuki's grand plan. If you're feeling frustrated, bear with it."
Kisame Hoshigaki chimed in, "What's the status with Kakuzu and Hidan? Aren't they done yet? With them here, we could speed up the extraction process."
Pain replied, "Zetsu, tell me their current situation."
Black Zetsu responded in a ghostly voice, "Kakuzu and Hidan are currently battling the Fourth Raikage, A, along with two elite Jonin, Darui and C. Their strength is not to be underestimated..."
White Zetsu added, "It's not just them. Several strong chakras are converging on the battlefield at high speed. These are the powerful ninjas of Hidden Cloud Village. I feel like Kakuzu and Hidan might not be able to hold out..."
Upon hearing this, Deidara's eyes lit up, and he immediately thought of a way to escape this "prison."
"Leader! Normally, I don't think much of Kakuzu, but he's still a comrade. No matter what, there's some camaraderie. For the sake of this bond, I'll go help him. Yeah!"
Kisame mockingly said, "Heh... They're facing the entire Hidden Cloud. Can you handle that?"
Sasori shot a glance and said, "If Deidara goes, I'll go too. If you don't trust him, you should trust my strength."
Kisame replied, "Sorry, but I don't see any difference..."
"What did you say!" Sasori was furious, feeling humiliated by a shark.
"Enough, stop arguing!" Pain's purple eyes glowed as he made his decision. "Right now, extracting the Tailed Beasts is our top priority. Everything else is secondary. To speed up the sealing process, we need Kakuzu and Hidan's strength."
"Itachi, Kisame, go support them. Remember, the goal is not to defeat the Hidden Cloud but to get Kakuzu and Hidan back."
Itachi Uchiha looked up, expressionless, and said, "Understood."
Deidara was visibly upset, "Why! Leader, I was the one who volunteered first! Yeah!"
Sasori agreed, "Yes, I need a reasonable explanation as well."
Pain explained, "Deidara, you're too playful. If you go, not only might Kakuzu and Hidan not come back, but you might get yourself caught too."
"Besides, Itachi and Kisame are closest to the Hidden Cloud. They can get there in under ten minutes."
"Zetsu, you go too. You can move quickly underground. Remember! Do not engage in prolonged battles. Bring them back at all costs."
"Go!"
Pain gave the final order, not allowing Deidara any room to argue.
White Zetsu remarked, "With the personalities of those two immortals, I doubt they'll listen to reason."
Pain reassured, "It's fine. I'll transmit the orders directly into their minds."
"Then I'm relieved. They'll listen to you."
With that, the projections of White Zetsu, Itachi, and Kisame vanished instantly.
...