Konan's Request

Coming out of the hot water, I drank the milk and exhaled noisily with pleasure. I was no longer wearing my mask and cloak. I usually go to such places in ordinary clothes without hiding my face. Rarely appeared in the same hot springs twice - a habit in case they were tracked down. Sitting on the bench, I caught my breath a little. The incredibly relaxing atmosphere and the smell of the bath made me forget about the world outside.

After another half an hour, I put on my clothes and went to the exit. Taking out the money, I paid the owner by giving him a lot of tips. Saying goodbye, I stretched my hands and calmly walked towards a tree in a small grove. Raising my hand to the bark, I tore off the paper, which mimicked the bark of a tree, and stretching out my things, put them on quickly. Now it's time to be not yourself but a Cat again. As much as I would not like to show my true self, but considering that Itachi and Obito are in Akatsuki, I do not want to mess with them. At least until I am confident in my abilities.

Slowly by my standards, I ran towards the new assignment. Even without a partner, I can do it without any problems. The task was quite simple - to destroy some kind of bridge of the local lord. I didn't know the customer, and it doesn't matter because the mission is simple by the standards of the organization, the payment has already been issued. Arriving at the place, I realized that this was not Naruto's bridge, since the bridge was quite large and pretty well guarded by the standards of the local lord, there were even two who, with their abilities to hide and hide chakra at the Jоunin level.

It is a pity that the bridge was rusty and, having cut its steel supports into many pieces, collapsed into a stormy river.

Coming back from the land of the land, I immediately went to the main base of Akatsuki. Initially, I thought that our group was outcasting, but when I first came to the land of rain, I saw how many people were under them. And everyone speaks and worships Angel and God. Deciding not to get involved in this belief, I just took the cloaks and left then, but now I need to find Conan or Pain.

When I got to the country, I was not stopped and there was no security. Stretching out my hand under the falling rain, I felt that the rain is man-made, since there was chakra in the water. Only Pain could do this, and not been surprised, I headed towards a tall building, unfolding chakra waves around the chakra house in search of a paper Angel.

I found her with someone in the same room and going through the window to the fourth floor I walked along the corridor. Approaching the door, I heard a voice.

"Angel-sama, I assure you that we are a company proven by the experience of many clients and worthy of your trust. As a sign of confidence, we can add an additional 12% to the total cost. " - the voice was thin as if someone was trying to rape someone's brain.

"I will not repeat our demands again. Your way of getting rid of competitors by underpricing will hit too hard on other merchants who have difficult relationships with the suppliers we have a relationship with. Come in, "Konan said.

Realizing what was addressed to me, I went in and saw two people sitting at a low table. On one end sat Konan in her cloak and looked calmly at me.

On the other sat some fat man in a strange hat as if made of expensive fur and looked at me with displeasure that I interfered with him in the negotiations, but he saw Akatsuki's cloak on me, he instantly changed his look to helpful and kind, as if he did not mind that they were interrupted.

"I have good news and bad news, where do I start?" I asked Konan playfully.

"Anyone."

"Okay, let's go on a date to a restaurant?"

Conan paused after hearing the news and after a while replied, "What's the good news then?"

Pffff... The fat man spat out the tea laughing. But when he saw the black mask turn towards him, he instantly returned to his pale appearance.

Hanging hands depicting disappointment around me, there was an atmosphere of hopelessness.

Although I said to tease, it hit me right in the heart. And this was said to me by one of my favorite characters in this world!

"Well, the second news, Orochimaru betrayed us and tried to kill me. He was probably trying to get rid of me like a mission accident and find another partner. His initial target was Itachi and his eyes. "

Konan didn't react to this as if she knew in advance that Orochimaru would betray them.

"And where is Orochimaru now?"

"Well, we didn't get along a bit, and we destroyed the forest, the temple and the entire peninsula. He lost his snake about forty meters in length, I ate it. Well, plus I fried the whole lake with lightning where Orochimaru jumped. But knowing him, he is probably already somewhere resting after running away. Slippery type. "

Konan nodded, thinking of what I had said.

"Then from now on, Orochimaru is our enemy. At the next meeting, we will give everyone the news. Now we can go together to complete the mission, but after this, you will find a new partner. "

Hearing her words, I realized that she would go with me only in order to preserve the reputation of the organization and not to fail the task.

"No, I did it myself on the way back, it was not so difficult."

"Then that's all. Take the payment you know where and take new tasks or go on your business. Now, as you can see, I have things to do. "

Looking at the pale fat man, I saw him already sweating hard. Not surprisingly, he sits here like an ordinary mortal, and here they say how they fought with Orochimaru with the famous Sanin of the leaf village and ate his pet. I think Conan deliberately didn't make me go out and speak right in front of him to intimidate him.

As I closed the door, I heard the merchant begin to persuade quickly.

"We promise that we will not manipulate the market on your village. And we will raise the annual rate by 35%, how are you? Such an offer cannot be found by anyone, right? "

Grinning, I went to the counter and took my money. Since Orochimaru wasn't there, I got all the money. A million to me, 500 thousand to the bank of the organization. Honestly starts to disappoint.

The tasks here are too simple, albeit well paid. But soon the fun will begin here as collecting tailed beasts. It will be interesting to participate.

The days went by imperceptibly, I continued to perform tasks to collect money, resources, equipment. I studied many useful seals and made them in my own way in my language. The hardest part was making explosive seals. They came out with difficulty as originally intended and exploded instantly.

Finally, one immortal dude joined our group. Fortunately, he did not go to me, and I was left without a partner again. Every time we met, I looked at Itachi wondering what to say to him and why I wasn't mad at him anymore. But Itachi constantly looked at everyone with black eyes from behind his collar and showed coldness. It was difficult to reconcile it with the fact Itachi laughed with me in the days when I lived with my parents.

Elimination mission, destruction mission, protection mission.

Everything was going just fine and having collected mountains of money, I spent it, not sparing for information and for underground auctions. I found a lot of old artifacts, looking at some was even scary. There was one dried heart, but the most unpleasant thing was that the Mangyoku Sharingan saw energy. It was not a soul, chakra, or anything else i have seen before. The dark thick one seemed to be motionless in the heart and did not react in any way. The heart was called, The Heart of a Fallen Monk. I bought quite a few such items and spent tens of millions of ryos. And I used the information I bought to replenish my arsenal. Old things, books, scrolls, weapons were all collected by rich people. Having found out which ones - I robbed them. Once I searched the house of some rich lady, I found her collection. It contained two horns. The horns were made from sealed pure chakra. Their shell was thin and almost blinded by such an abundance of strange pure white chakra, I stole it, deciding to figure it out later. It is possible that the Otsutsuki is not the only clan in space, and I have every chance of finding artifacts forgotten by time.

Everything was going great until one day Konan came to me in person. In the hallway after the salary was collected for a simple mission, I decided to sit on the windowsill watching the rain. I liked the rains in both lives.

"Cat I have a special mission for you."

"Who is the customer and how much do they pay?" I asked immediately. Special missions meant a very delicate approach and sometimes the most problematic of all.

"I am your customer. 3 million ryos. "

There was a silence. Looking at each other in silence, we expected each other to react. Konan continued to stare at me coldly. I wondered why she needed mascara over her eyelashes. It looks beautiful, but at the same time unusual.

However, the price was quite low for a special assignment. But since Konan asks, I will listen.

"Why do you need mascara over the eyelashes? Oh wait, pretend i didn't say that. " - I was confused. Conan's lip twitched from irritation or something else.

"And what is the mission?" - I continued.

"The mission is risky and dangerous. As you know, we are now hiding that the head of the rain village Hanzo is dead, and I am replacing him. You need to infiltrate enemy territory and protect the three rain land genin. They are taking part in the chuunin exam and they have a special mission. "

"So you want me to infiltrate the Leaf village, filled with the fighting forces of all the villages, and protect three children? Why me and not, let say, Itachi and Kisame? "

"If you think the pay is low, I can raise it. Yes, I want you to enter the village and save them if necessary. As for Kisame and Itachi, I don't think they are the most capable team for quiet penetration. They would rather make noise by entering the inner gate. You work in secrecy. Almost all of your work has been done quietly and quickly. Few people know how much you really did in the shadows. "

"It sounded like a threat," I frowned.

"It's not. I'm just saying that for the one who has to protect from the shadows, you are the most suitable option. "

After thinking a little, I decided to agree. I'll visit the village and see how Sasuke is doing. Haven't seen him for half a year. I wonder if Itachi visited him already? And i need to make sure that old man dies. Hopefully, Orochimaru hasn't canceled his plan to attack the village.

"Ok, I agree."

"Then let's go and introduce the team. Payment at the end of the mission. "

After walking to the exit from the building, she introduced me to three kunoichis who looked at Konan with adoration. Standing in the courtyard under a canopy, they talked. I even shuddered from the fanaticism that poured from their eyes at the sight of the Angel. Konan continued, seemingly oblivious to their gazes.

"This is Cat is one of the nine members of the Akatsuki. He will protect you while you are in Leaf Village. Cat, this is the team you have to protect. Ajisai team. Ajisai, Suiren and Fuyo. " The girls looked around but saw no one.

Looking at them from a blind spot in the shade of a tree, I decided to make an impression. Having dispersed the chakra through the body, I directed it and wrapped my body. Having folded the seals with one hand, I plunged into the shadow and stepped out of the shadow of one of the girls. They were decent sensors and immediately felt me ​​appear behind them. Jumping back, they tensed at first, but when they saw my cloak and my mask, which absorbs light, they immediately switched their fountain of fanaticism to me. I jerked awkwardly at these looks that Konan noticed and smiled out of the corner of my mouth.

Kneeling before Konan, they reported and went to the exit of the village. I, waving my hand to Konan, followed them out of the shadows. This meeting reminded me that I am only 10 centimeters taller than these girls. I keep forgetting how old I really am. Remembering how, at the age of 13, ninja children chase cats or take chunin exams, I remembered my path.

Sitting on a tree, I looked at three girls who were standing under a tree near the entrance to the city-village and were waiting for something. After waiting half an hour, I got tired and appeared next to them and asked what they were waiting for.

"What are you waiting for?"

One of the girls named Ajisai jumped up in surprise and said politely as leader of the group: "We were waiting for you when you come to us."

"I've been here for half an hour and waited for you to go. You seem to have misunderstood. You will not see me except in dangerous situations. But I'll be around. "

They blushed, realizing the awkward situation and bowing as an apology, ran along the road. Jumping after them into the thick of foliage, I began my new mission.