Obito stared coldly at Pain.
After a long while, he slowly spoke in a low voice.
“That immature brat from back then really has grown up.” His voice was calm, giving away no emotion, but each word sounded as if he were confirming something.
Pain did not respond to Obito’s slightly mocking remark.
He only continued looking at him.
Those purple Rinnegan showed no ripple at all, like two bottomless wells.
Obito shrugged.
His tone turned light and flippant, like he was humoring a child.
“Yeah, yeah… understood, ‘Leader.'” He emphasized the word “Leader” especially heavily, as if reminding him of something, or mocking him for something.
Obito glanced one last time at Kurō, who was silently watching the drama from the side.
Then he raised his hand, formed a sign, and released the Astral Projection Jutsu.
His projection scattered soundlessly into the void like smoke blown apart by the wind.
Only empty darkness remained on that finger.
Kurō instantly understood what Obito’s look had meant.
He rolled his eyes inwardly, though the lazy expression on his face did not change in the slightest.
After Obito’s projection completely disappeared, Kurō shifted his gaze toward Pain and Konan.
His arms remained crossed.
His posture was loose and casual as he said offhandedly, “So, you went out of your way to keep me here.
What did you want to talk about, Leader?” To his surprise, Pain only slowly shook his head.
“I have nothing to say to you.” Pain’s purple Rinnegan remained calm and still.
“It is simply that the organization recently accepted a mission, and I intend to assign it to you.” ‘Huh?
That’s it?’ A trace of surprise flashed through Kurō’s eyes.
‘Was this little thing really worth making it so mysterious?
Couldn’t he have said it when everyone was here?
Did he really have to wait until the others left?
‘It feels like everyone else got off work and I’m the only one stuck doing overtime.
Annoying…’ He complained unhappily in his heart, though his face showed no change at all.
‘Sure enough, no matter the world, terrible bosses are all the same.’ “The details of this mission are not clear.
You will only learn the specifics after meeting the client.” Pain continued, “The client’s only requirement for whoever accepts this mission is that they possess extremely strong insight and analytical ability.
Preferably, they should also have a dōjutsu-type Kekkei Genkai.” ‘A dōjutsu-type Kekkei Genkai?’ Kurō felt a bit puzzled.
‘Isn’t that basically asking for me by name?’ After all, Itachi had only just joined Akatsuki.
Publicly speaking, Kurō was the only member in the organization known to have a dōjutsu-type Kekkei Genkai.
Although Kurō had accepted very few missions for Akatsuki, he had still built up a bit of a reputation in the field after all these years.
‘This mission is obviously aimed at me.’ Kurō thought about the training he still had to do, as well as his plan to investigate the Uzumaki ruins, and was about to refuse, telling Pain to find someone better suited.
However, Pain’s next words instantly forced the refusal back down his throat.
“The client has given very little information about this mission.
According to Akatsuki’s usual rules, a task like this would not normally be accepted.” “But… eight million ryō.
That is the price the client offered.” “H-how much?!” Kurō could not help crying out.
Eight million ryō?!
One had to know that the minimum standard for an S-rank mission was one million ryō.
This mission started at eight million, equal to eight S-rank missions.
Roughly speaking, that was about a quarter of Asuma’s bounty in the original story!
Even after the organization took its cut, leaving him only seventy percent, it was still a considerable amount of money for his current self.
“I understand your concerns.
This mission does indeed look suspicious.” Pain’s voice remained steady.
“If you feel it is inappropriate, this mission can be given to Itachi instead.
He has just joined the organization, and it would be a good chance for him to…” “No!” Kurō’s voice rose instantly, firm and decisive, like a warrior facing a battlefield.
“I have absolutely no problem with it!
Leave this mission to me.
I guarantee I’ll complete it!” He spoke so quickly it was as if he were afraid Pain might change his mind.
The laziness on his face vanished, replaced by an almost devout seriousness.
Pain was caught off guard by Kurō’s sudden one-eighty.
He forcibly swallowed the words that had already reached his mouth and subconsciously exchanged a glance with Konan beside him.
‘Long live Akatsuki!
Loyalty!’ Kurō shouted in his heart, looking at Pain with great warmth.
Although Pain was only a projection, at that moment, no matter how Kurō looked at him, he seemed pleasing to the eye.
Thinking about it now, he and Obito had something like a foster father and son relationship.
If you rounded things up, that made him part of the same generation as Minato Namikaze.
Nagato was Minato’s senior disciple-brother, so if you rounded that up too, weren’t they basically family?
They were brothers!
Kurō calculated this “relationship debt” in his heart, and the more he counted, the more warmly he regarded Pain.
‘He remembered me when there was money to be made.
As expected of my own brother.
Reliable!’ He finally understood why Pain had kept him behind alone to talk about this mission.
Money should not be flashed around in public!
If a huge-paying mission like this had been heard by that money-grubber Kakuzu, he would probably have come straight over, dug out Kurō’s eyes, installed them in himself, and happily gone off to do the mission.
‘My brother Nagato really thinks things through.
When I attend your funeral feast one day, I’ll make sure to stuff extra paper money into the offering envelope!’ Kurō silently gave thanks in his heart, and the smile on his face grew brighter.
Pain looked at Kurō, whose attitude had suddenly changed completely.
A subtle flicker passed through his purple Rinnegan.
After a moment, his reply came out somewhat stiffly.
“…As long as you accept it.” His voice carried a hint of helplessness that even he did not seem to notice.
He quickly returned to normal and continued, “The meeting point designated by the client is Mist-Sail Port, on the border of the Land of Water.
The meeting time is eleven at noon, three days from now.” ‘The Land of Water?
Mist-Sail Port…’ As Kurō listened to Pain, the name felt vaguely familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
His brow furrowed slightly as he quickly searched through his memories.
“Mist-Sail Port, that place…” Kurō murmured softly.
Just as he was thinking through the related information in his mind, Pain’s voice sounded again.
“As for the reward, the client has already paid the deposit.
The full amount will be delivered after the mission is complete.
“As for your share, remember to collect it from the base after you finish the task.” Kurō nodded, planning to think about it more carefully after he returned.
He raised his head and looked at Pain.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving first.” “Wait.” Pain’s voice sounded again.
It was not loud, but it made a trace of helplessness rise in Kurō’s heart.
‘Of course…’ He sighed inwardly.
He had known things would not be that simple.
After all, if Pain had only wanted to tell him those things, there would have been no need to avoid Obito.
On the surface, he still wore that playful smile and asked in a relaxed tone, “Anything else, Leader?” Pain looked at him with those Rinnegan and remained silent for a moment.
After a while, Pain finally spoke.
His voice was low and heavy, like he was saying something he had thought about for a long time before finally deciding to voice it.
“Kurō, you…” “Would you like to join us and become a true member of Akatsuki?” The moment those words fell, the void went silent.
Kurō’s smile froze on his face.