The rising sun climbed high. In a mountainous region, two figures slowly walked forward.
The morning sunlight fell over them, yet their current bodies felt not the slightest warmth from it.
Ghost Clan's Three Tomoe slowly spun as Uchiha Itachi looked toward the sun and said quietly, "We've really traveled quite a distance since daybreak. It seems the time for battle isn't far off."
Nagato, slung over his shoulder, sighed as well. "Yeah. We just don't know who our opponents are."
"By the way, how much do you know about Akatsuki?" Uchiha Itachi asked quietly as they walked.
Nagato gave a bitter smile. "To be honest, not much more than you. I really was a failure as the leader. Many things were shrouded in mystery. All I knew was that the ones pulling the strings behind the organization were Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Shin.
"Uchiha Madara was the first to approach me back then. It was only after a series of events, after I became Akatsuki's leader, that I learned of Uchiha Shin's existence. I only met him a few times in total. In my opinion, Uchiha Shin was even more terrifying than Uchiha Madara."
"Yeah, I feel the same. But none of that has any meaning to us now. We're already dead, yet we're still being controlled by Kabuto Yakushi. What a tragedy."
Itachi spoke softly, his Sharingan turning faintly. Then his gaze sharpened. "They're here!"
After passing through the forest, two figures appeared before them. One had dark skin, many long swords strapped to his back, and camouflage paint bearing Kumogakure's insignia on his face—the Eight-Tails' Jinchuriki, Killer B.
Yet neither Uchiha Itachi nor Nagato focused on him. Instead, they looked at the person beside him.
A blazing cloak of chakra covered him, six tomoe were marked beneath