Intern Tobi

"So that's how it is..."

After hearing all this, the Masked Man's eyes suddenly flashed with a profound, strange light. He murmured in a low voice:

"A Mysterious Eye Technique with golden pupils?"

"Things seem to be much more complicated than I imagined..."

For the first time, the expression beneath the orange mask grew grave—almost unpleasant.

He had never expected that an Eye Technique unknown to him might exist...

After a long silence,

he raised his head again. Only after his gaze swept over Pain and Konan did he slowly speak in a low voice:

"About this man,"

"there are too many strange things about him. We'll need to keep observing him."

"As it happens, I have a mission here. Why don't we... let him handle it?"

"I'll personally observe him during this mission—and go with him as an Akatsuki intern."

"..."

At that, Konan's gaze shifted slightly. She asked:

"What mission?"

The Masked Man slowly rose from his chair. In the darkness, the blood-red Sharingan in his eye gleamed with an eerie light.

A moment later, he slowly said:

"Hunting down the man who was once one of the Konoha Sannin..."

"Orochimaru."

Hunt down Orochimaru...

After hearing the Masked Man's words, Konan and Pain exchanged a glance. Both saw the confusion in the other's eyes.

They had no idea why he would suddenly propose such a mission.

However,

the Masked Man seemed to see through their doubts and explained coolly:

"After receiving your message,"

"I went to the Land of Wind, where I spoke with one of Sasori's subordinates."

"From his intelligence, I learned that Orochimaru, the Leaf Village's missing-nin, seems to be investigating Akatsuki."

At this, the Masked Man paused and narrowed his eye.

"However, the Orochimaru I know is deeply suspicious. He shouldn't have been able to obtain information about us so easily."

"That means... he's probably deliberately revealing his whereabouts, with some other goal in mind."

"If that's the case, then we'll play along."

"Let's see for ourselves who comes out on top: Chen Xiaoxi, the wielder of the Mysterious Eye Technique, or the sinister Orochimaru..."

As he spoke,

the Masked Man rose to his feet.

His figure began to vanish into the air like a whirlpool, leaving behind only a cool remark.

"Pass the order on to him."

"I'll meet him as Tobi, an Akatsuki intern."

As his words fell,

his figure had already disappeared completely into the whirlpool before his right eye.

Meanwhile,

on the other side of Amegakure,

Chen Xiaoxi sat by the window of his home, flipping through a book.

The title was simple: Tales of a Gutsy Ninja.

But its author was anything but ordinary.

The renowned Jiraiya, one of the Konoha Sannin, a gallant ninja known as the Toad Sage.

Half a day later,

Chen Xiaoxi finally finished reading the entire book. He closed it and let out a soft breath.

"Phew..."

"Though the story's uplifting, it seems a little lacking in entertainment value. No wonder it ended up being a flop."

Chen Xiaoxi smiled wryly and shook his head.

If he hadn't needed to complete the system's side quest, he might not have been able to keep reading.

Ding! Congratulations, host. Side quest completed!

Collect one of Jiraiya's novels, Tales of a Gutsy Ninja (1/1), completed. Reward: Reiatsu +1!

Read one of Jiraiya's novels, Tales of a Gutsy Ninja, in full (1/1), completed. Reward: Reiatsu +1!

Promote Jiraiya's novel Tales of a Gutsy Ninja to any five Kage Level or higher ninja (0/5), incomplete. Reward unknown.

As the string of notifications ended,

Chen Xiaoxi immediately felt a slight increase in his Reiatsu and smiled with satisfaction.

At least the reading hadn't been for nothing.

But that last quest was a real pain.

Couldn't find the book by title? Try searching for the author instead. Maybe it was just retitled!

Chen Xiaoxi reluctantly closed the system panel.

I'm supposed to promote this book to any five Kage Level or stronger shinobi...

Wouldn't they think I was crazy?

"Ah, it's a shame. I can't find Icha Icha Paradise anywhere in Amegakure's bookstores..."

"Looks like I'll have to buy it somewhere else."

Chen Xiaoxi sighed softly.

Of course,

he was only doing it to complete the side quest.

As for the book's contents?

He, Chen, was a gentleman through and through. How could he possibly be interested?

After all, a certain Kakashi from the Leaf Village had supposedly ruined himself by reading this book every day—now even using chakra left him with kidney failure...

"Hey, newbie."

Just as Chen Xiaoxi was thinking this over, a voice suddenly came from the ground.

Then a pitcher-plant-like creature poked its half-black, half-white head out of the ground and said in a low voice:

"You've got a mission."

"Leader Pain wants you to report to the base now."

"?"

At that, Chen Xiaoxi's eyes shifted. But before he could ask anything, Zetsu sank back into the ground and slipped away.

"My first mission's already here?"

Chen Xiaoxi stood up, a faint smile appearing on his face.

Going out on a mission sounded good. Maybe he could even find some of Jiraiya's other works in another country.

A little while later,

Chen Xiaoxi arrived once more at the familiar cave meeting room.

However,

the moment he entered, Chen Xiaoxi froze.

Something unexpected had happened.

Besides Pain and Konan, there was another man in the cave, and he wasn't wearing an Akatsuki Uniform.

He wore an orange Spiral Mask, and his right eye seemed to sink into darkness.

That getup was...

Chen Xiaoxi froze on the spot.

He had never expected to see him make an appearance this early.

The mysterious Masked Man—

the mastermind behind Akatsuki!

The moment Chen Xiaoxi saw him, the Masked Man noticed him too.

But in the next instant,

he sprang high into the air and rushed straight over to Chen Xiaoxi. As he circled around him, taking a quick look from every angle, he let out a ridiculous cry.

"Waaah!"

"Are you really Senior Chen Xiaoxi, the one who defeated Sasori of the Red Sands?"

"I can't believe you're so young! Darn it! You're so young, and already a full member! I'm so jealous!"

He flailed about and shouted at the top of his lungs, making a tremendous racket.

Yet Pain and Konan, watching from a distance, remained expressionless, as if they were already used to this.

A moment later, Pain looked toward Chen Xiaoxi and said flatly:

"You're here, Chen Xiaoxi."

"Allow me to introduce him."

"His name is Tobi. He's an Akatsuki intern and your temporary partner for this mission."

"He'll assist you in completing it successfully."

"...Hmm?"

Hearing this, Chen Xiaoxi raised an eyebrow. Sensing something was off, he deliberately said:

"What's going on?

You're giving me an intern for a partner?"

At that, Tobi seemed to crumple. Then he clenched a fist and said, sounding somewhat aggrieved:

"Waaah! Senior Chen Xiaoxi, don't say that about me!"

"I may only be an intern for now, but I'll definitely become a full member someday! I'm really strong, you know!"

At the end, Tobi even struck a pose, brandishing his Kunai.

He was putting on quite a show, as if he were about to perform right there on the spot.