After controlling the Deva Path to leave the meeting, Nagato took out a bone and infused it with chakra.
Meanwhile, Rorin, who had just left the Hidden Leaf Village and was traveling through the Land of Water, received the message. He frowned and stopped.
Rorin gave a wry smile. He hadn't even started investigating yet and already had to pause again. Then he used Flying Thunder God to arrive beside Nagato.
Nagato and Konan had already left their previous paper-tree shelter and were now waiting under a large tree.
"Nagato, what's the matter?" Rorin asked.
Nagato nodded slowly before speaking.
"Itachi has succeeded. I've also followed the original plan and guided Uchiha Madara to go find him."
Rorin froze. "That fast?"
Nagato smiled helplessly.
"I didn't expect him to learn so quickly that the Eight-Tails jinchūriki had been captured. I thought it would take a few more days."
Rorin lowered his head in thought, then said slowly, "Everything really is happening all at once."
"Also, you mentioned before that I might be exposed, so I'm not sure whether Uchiha Madara will believe what I said, or think I deceived him and never contacted Itachi at all," Nagato added.
Rorin shook his head.
"Don't worry. Even if he suspects you over the Eight-Tails, it'll only be temporary. After all, in his impression, you're still someone with limited mobility. The distance from the Land of Fire to the Land of Lightning isn't short."
Hearing this, Nagato's eyes lit up—he had been overthinking things.
"Next, we need to unite the Five Great Ninja Villages against Uchiha Madara. As for that, I think the Raikage will help us," Rorin said, stroking his chin with a slight smile.
"The Raikage? Why would he help us?" Konan, who had remained silent, asked in confusion.
Although she had been present during earlier discussions, much of it had been vague, leaving her unclear on several points.
Nagato also had doubts. At the time, Rorin had mysteriously said someone would take the initiative to unite the Five Great Ninja Villages, but didn't specify who. Nagato had assumed it would be the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.
"Because the Eight-Tails jinchūriki is different from the others. He has an older brother who deeply cares for him," Rorin explained.
Nagato and Konan were still puzzled.
"The Eight-Tails jinchūriki's brother is the Fourth Raikage. He'll do whatever it takes to rescue his younger brother. I believe he will convene a Five Kage Summit to discuss how to deal with the Akatsuki," Rorin elaborated.
"But why would it be him who convenes the summit? Couldn't it be someone else?" Konan asked.
"No. It has to be him," Rorin said with a smile.
"The reason is simple. The other four Kage don't have the right opening, but the Raikage holds the moral high ground. Because, on the surface, the Akatsuki currently has no missing-nin from the Hidden Cloud Village," Nagato explained after understanding.
Rorin nodded slightly. "Exactly. That's why the Raikage is the key to initiating the summit."
Nagato nodded. Previously, the situation hadn't crossed the Raikage's bottom line, so he had no reason to step in. But this time, it involved his beloved younger brother.
Nagato glanced at Rorin, silently admiring his insight into human nature and strategic foresight.
"Did you notify Itachi to prepare?" Rorin asked.
Nagato nodded. "Yes, I've already sent him a thought wave. The first one was a warning, just as we agreed."
"In that case, I'll handle the Eight-Tails situation as well. Please contact Itachi—I'll go find him," Rorin said.
Nagato sent another thought wave, and this time Itachi joined the video meeting.
During the meeting, Nagato informed Itachi that Rorin would come to meet him and told him to find an excuse.
After confirming, Uchiha Itachi left the meeting.
Using a bathroom break as cover, Uchiha Itachi looked around before returning to Uchiha Sasuke's side, glancing at Killer B nearby.
"Sasuke, we can't keep carrying him around like this. Stay nearby and keep watch for any signs of Uchiha Madara. He'll definitely come to the Land of Lightning. I'll find a way to settle him somewhere. After all, our target is Uchiha Madara, not babysitting him."
Sasuke glanced at Killer B and nodded slowly.
Then Uchiha Itachi walked over, hoisted Killer B onto his shoulder, and used Body Flicker to head elsewhere. When he arrived at a secluded cave, he took out the bone and infused it with chakra.
Before long, Rorin appeared.
The two approached Killer B together. Rorin looked at Itachi and asked softly,
"Is he under a genjutsu?"
Itachi nodded.
Rorin stepped forward, flipped Killer B over, and placed a skull-shaped Flying Thunder God mark on his back. After finishing, he smiled.
"Done. Added an extra layer of insurance."
Rorin returned to Itachi's side. "Let's go."
Itachi nodded, and the two left the cave together. Then Itachi released the genjutsu.
Rorin used Flying Thunder God to take Itachi away from the scene.
Inside the cave, Killer B slowly opened his eyes and stood up, stretching lazily.
"Yo! Already out of the village?"
He walked to the cave entrance, looked around, then nodded.
"Left the village, still within national borders—YEAH! Baby~"
...
In a forest, Rorin and Uchiha Itachi reappeared.
"Are you sure he won't return to the Hidden Cloud Village?" Itachi asked.
Rorin nodded. "Don't worry. He won't go back anytime soon. Time-wise, it's enough."
Itachi nodded, and the two parted ways.
After Rorin left, he informed Nagato, then resumed his search for the Byakugan.
Land of Water.
Rorin opened the Byakugan system map and headed toward the highlighted location.
"I hope it's someone like Ao—an outsider who obtained a Hyūga clan Byakugan. Even one left eye is fine. If it's a pair, even better," Rorin muttered as he traveled.
After three hours, he finally reached the vicinity of the marked location. About two hundred meters away, he stopped.
He clasped his hands in prayer, then activated the Byakugan and scanned ahead. His gaze landed on the target's back. Seeing the outfit, Rorin muttered inwardly: No way...
The target seemed to sense Rorin's presence and turned to face him.
Rorin froze.
How could it be him!!!
----------------
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (156 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)