Akatsuki Hideout.
A frog hiding in the corner trembled.
Because Jiraiya, utilizing the Toad Concealment Jutsu and hiding inside the frog's belly, was constantly shaking, the tall man's mood felt as if it had been struck by lightning.
His disciple, Akihara Kagura...
Was actually colluding with the Akatsuki all along!
Jiraiya recalled when he took Akihara Kagura to meet Nagato and Konan; at that time, Akihara Kagura joked about joining the Akatsuki...
Originally thought...
It was just a joke.
But it turned out that the joke was true.
Knowing Akihara Kagura's extreme personality, perhaps it's not surprising he would collude with the Akatsuki? Nagato, Konan, and Akihara Kagura—these three troublesome disciples colluded together.
Jiraiya thought about it and felt somewhat fortunate.
Luckily, he had come to the Akatsuki's hideout; the fact that Akihara Kagura was a spy for the Akatsuki had never been exposed, and not even the Akatsuki members knew.
If this message didn't get out, when the Akatsuki tried to capture the Nine-tails in the future, with Akihara Kagura's covert help, Konoha might face tremendous trouble...
Compared to Jiraiya...
Certain members of the Akatsuki couldn't take it.
Deidara held his head with one arm, shaking his head desperately, unable to accept that his long-hated Akihara Kagura was actually a member of the same organization!
"Ahhhhh, how could that bastard be a member of the Akatsuki!"
Deidara shouted in dissatisfaction, extremely annoyed at Akihara Kagura, whom he saw as a perpetrator: "I joined the Akatsuki just to kill that guy!"
"..."
Red Sand Sasori gave Deidara a sympathetic look.
If Deidara knew that his companion, who he was with day and night, was Akihara Kagura's puppet, and that Akihara Kagura could know his every move through him...
Deidara, that guy...
Wouldn't he explode in rage on the spot?
"Calm down, Deidara."
Red Sand Sasori sighed and started to console his fragile teammate: "This is how it is, no one wanted this, at least since Akihara Kagura is one of ours, you can challenge him any time now..."
"Now I'm no match for him."
Deidara's head drooped down directly.
"..."
A group of Akatsuki members were filled with black lines.
Even Jiraiya and Orochimaru, hiding in the corner, felt somewhat suffocated.
Is Deidara an idiot?
Since he's not a match for Akihara Kagura, why bother expressing opinions here?
Does he think the Akatsuki would kick Akihara Kagura out just because of his objection? Who in the Ninja World would want to give up Akihara Kagura?
Even after Jiraiya learned that Akihara Kagura joined the Akatsuki, his first thought wasn't how to kill his disciple but to find a way to change his disciple's mind...
"Alright."
Konan stepped forward and sternly said: "Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, concerning the issue with Akihara Kagura, we'll revisit this matter in the future..."
"I've heard that Konoha is deploying troops en masse to search for Uchiha Itachi's information. To prevent Konoha ninja from launching a covert attack, you should head to the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire and monitor for any enemies. Pain and I have important matters to discuss..."
"Are you worried Konoha would send people to hunt us down?"
Pain frowned, feeling it's a possibility.
After all, the Akatsuki made such huge waves in the Ninja World, and with the four Hokage allegedly revived through Reanimation Jutsu getting out of control, they might indeed come to hunt them down.
"Then let's go there once."
Red Sand Sasori was the first to turn around and leave the Akatsuki hideout.
"Lord Scorpion, wait for me!"
Deidara quickly followed.
"..."
Kakuzu and Hidan glanced at each other and also immediately turned around to leave.
"Konan."
Pain looked somewhat surprised at Konan, somewhat understanding what she meant: "Why did you send them away, is there something going on?"
"Someone infiltrated the base."
Konan raised her finger, her gaze landing on the position where the frog was hiding, and slowly, the walls of the Akatsuki hideout began to crack, revealing traces of origami.
This was the Paper Person of God Jutsu.
Compared to the past, Konan's ability had become more refined.
The Akatsuki hideout was still filled with Konan's origami; when Jiraiya sneaked in using the Toad Concealment Jutsu, he didn't notice that the frog he was hiding in was squatting on a piece of origami.
"Jiraiya-sensei."
Pain's gaze fell on the frog, a grim expression forming on his face: "You haven't learned from the lesson of ten years ago..."
"..."
Jiraiya was still hiding inside the frog's belly. The frog even hopped a few times, seemingly not like it was being controlled.
However...
Everything the frog did after infiltrating was under Konan's observation, making it impossible for this frog to be an ordinary small animal.
Even if it were an ordinary frog...
It had already overheard too many secrets; for safety, it must be eliminated!
A stack of origami gathered in Konan's hand, forming a paper spear. She raised her hand and threw the paper spear directly at the frog!
"!!!"
The frog was so scared it opened its mouth wide!
A broad hand suddenly extended from the frog's mouth, catching the paper spear Konan had thrown. A sigh echoed in the hideout: "Konan, once, you were the most loving person. I didn't expect you to become so ruthless now..."
As he spoke, Jiraiya's figure gradually emerged from the frog, his gaze locked onto Pain and Konan, intending to have a heartfelt conversation with his two disciples. Knowing from their encounter a decade ago, Jiraiya was already aware that behind Pain was Nagato.