Itachi felt unsettled, unable to grasp what Haruto intended for Konan. He dared not overthink it—any stray thought would be laid bare before Haruto, whose insight made hiding anything nearly impossible.
In truth, Itachi wasn't eager to serve Haruto. He had agreed only to observe, to delve closer and see for himself before making any binding choice. After all, the one thing that haunted him was his beloved younger brother, Sasuke. Should he follow his original plan and entrust Sasuke to the Third Hokage, whom he had always trusted, or risk giving Sasuke to this clan "senior," once a mere Genin?
This choice was both troubling and, oddly enough, a flicker of hope.
---
Itachi's brow furrowed slightly; he sensed something unusual. Haruto, noticing this, asked, "What's wrong?"
"My body has received a summons from the leader of the organization. I can't linger. From now on, our contact will be through this crow..." No sooner had he spoken than Itachi's form dissolved into a dark raven, which vanished into the shadows.
---
At the Akatsuki base, in front of the ghastly demon statue, shadowed figures appeared one by one, forming a circle. Scorpion and Deidara arrived last, returning from Orochimaru's hideout.
Payne's piercing purple eyes opened as he spoke: "Scorpion, Deidara, did you handle Orochimaru?"
Red Sand Scorpion replied, "We exchanged blows, but he retreated to his lair. Deidara bombed it to rubble, and we combed through every stone but didn't find a body. I can't guarantee he's dead."
Deidara huffed arrogantly, "Hmph. If he's alive, I'll handle him myself next time!"
Payne dismissed it. "Fine, just keep an eye on his movements. If he resurfaces, finish him off."
Deidara muttered, "People who survive my art are just...annoying."
Konan then interjected, "We received a mission request from Tangyin Village. There's a killer on the loose, and they want us to take care of him."
Kakuzu scoffed, "They have their own Yugakure ninjas, don't they?"
Konan replied, "Their ninjas couldn't handle him. He seems...unkillable."
Kakuzu chuckled, "Oh? Interesting."
Payne ordered, "Itachi, Konan, Kakuzu—head to Yugakure and investigate."
---
Meanwhile, in Konoha Village at the Uchiha clan's training grounds, Haruto was sparring with Sasuke. No matter how busy he was, Haruto set aside an hour daily to practice with Sasuke, honing their reactions and jutsu speed. After all, it would be foolish to wield such power without the skill to control it.
A familiar call of crows echoed from the branches. Haruto was puzzled; he'd seen Itachi just this morning. Why would he be contacting him again so soon?
"Sasuke, keep practicing; I need a quick break."
"Got it, Brother Haruto!"
Haruto slipped away, following the crow to a secluded spot. There, Itachi's form slowly materialized. "Haruto, you expressed interest in meeting Konan. Here's an opportunity. She, Kakuzu, and I are heading to Tangyin Village."
This crow will guide you to us. Come quickly."
Itachi's image faded back into a crow, which flew off into the distance.
---
By the time afternoon arrived, Konan, Itachi, and Kakuzu were already in Tangyin Village, standing before a large tree. There, a bloodied old man hung from the branches, with a strange circular pattern drawn beneath him in blood.
Kakuzu shook his head in disgust. "Not for money or revenge, just mindless killing. This one's a lunatic."
Itachi examined the scene, then ventured, "If this was about killing, there are easier methods. The ritual suggests a deeper purpose—maybe a sacrificial ceremony."
Kakuzu sneered, "If I didn't know better, I'd think you had a soft spot for murderers, Itachi."
Turning to Konan, he added, "The leader must've sent you here because he thought I might kill Itachi if left unchecked."
Konan replied flatly, "No, I'm here because I can sense things. And as a seemingly weak woman, I make perfect bait."
"Bait? What are you talking about?" Kakuzu demanded.
"Just wait and see," Konan replied calmly. "Follow me."
---
After about a hundred meters, Konan found herself alone on the forest path. Suddenly, a voice called out, "Hey there! Alone, are you? Care to join the Cult of Jashin?"
A silver-haired man with a wild grin and fashionable clothes stepped into her path.
"Cult of Jashin?" Konan raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, yes! In the Jashin faith, you can kill without punishment! The god of Jashin even celebrates each kill!"
"Really?"
"Absolutely! So, how about it? Care to join?"
"I'm not interested…but I take it you're the one responsible for these killings."
"Killings?" the man scoffed. "That's just a sacrifice to Jashin!"
With a maniacal laugh, he twirled a red scythe in his hand. "Blasphemy cannot go unpunished. I'll sacrifice you to the Jashin cult! Prepare to feel pain that'll bring you to heaven!"
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