"What about Mirai...?"
"There's no need to worry about Mirai. We have plenty of time. This time... let's treat it as an introduction," Deva Path said softly. "Besides, Mirai isn't valuable enough for us to invest too much effort in."
"Yes..."
After answering Pain's question about the heavens, Zetsu did not leave. Instead, he quietly waited.
The rain continued to fall, raindrops landing on Pain's cheeks with the wind before sliding down.
Pain touched his cheek, speechless. After a while, he asked again, "How are things with the Nine-Tails?"
"Ever since the last failed attempt to capture the skunk and the beetle, the Nine-Tails seems to have been following Jiraiya. It also seems to be... training with him." Zetsu's hoarse voice carried a trace of hesitation, though it was unclear what he was hesitating about.
Upon hearing this, Deva Path's eyes seemed to gain a faint hint of bloodlust. He murmured, "Jiraiya...?"
"Haha..." Pain walked from the edge of the high platform into the air, yet he did not fall, as though something were supporting him.
Pain walked through the air as if stepping on solid ground. Finally, he stopped and slowly spread his arms.
"Teacher Jiraiya... Yahiko... haha... peace..."
Land of Tea, Cherry Blossom Teahouse—a newly opened, elegant little teahouse. It was beautifully decorated and suited for young couples to come and court one another. Of course, courting was out of the question here.
Jingle...
The exquisite pale-green wooden door suddenly opened, ringing the bell hanging from it with a sweet, crisp sound.
"Welcome to Cherry Blossom Teahouse." The owner, a woman named Song Ziling, possessed an unforgettable charm. Hearing the bell, she reflexively called out in a sweet voice while lifting her lovely face.
The visitors were a boy and a girl, not very old, around sixteen or