Chen Xiaoxi froze when he heard that.
What was going on?
Was he really in a squad by himself?
Chen Xiaoxi blinked, wondering if he'd heard wrong.
But just then, Juzo Biwa spoke up beside him, interrupting his thoughts.
Juzo Biwa frowned and looked at Pain.
"I have a question."
"Since we've all joined Akatsuki, that means we're all top-tier powerhouses, right?"
"Why do fighters of our caliber still need to work in teams?"
"Especially..."
"You've even paired me with this new kid from the Leaf Village."
As he spoke, Juzo glanced at Itachi Uchiha, looking rather impatient.
Honestly,
the moment he'd first seen the boy, Juzo Biwa had taken an instant dislike to him.
Now he was expected to partner with someone like this? He'd rather just go on missions alone.
At that, Chen Xiaoxi kept his expression still, but inwardly he was delighted.
This guy didn't look much like someone who'd later take a Tailed Beast Bomb for Itachi...
While Chen Xiaoxi was mulling that over,
Pain spoke calmly.
"Because you can think that way, we need to work in teams.
"That's right. Everyone in Akatsuki is powerful.
"But because we all have such confidence in our own strength, overconfidence is inevitable.
"And that overconfidence is Akatsuki's greatest weakness.
"It could make us underestimate our opponents or stay too long in a fight, leaving us in danger and getting us killed.
"That's why we work in teams: to prevent that from happening."
At this point,
Deva Path Pain paused briefly, then continued in the same calm tone.
"The other reason is intelligence.
"Akatsuki exists outside the nations of the Ninja World, so protecting our secrets is vital.
"To survive, we must prevent spies from infiltrating our ranks.
"By working in pairs, we can keep an eye on each other and make sure neither of us betrays the organization.
"That's why."
After he finished, Pain looked at Juzo Biwa and fell silent.
Having heard all this,
Juzo Biwa was left speechless, staring blankly.
Simple-minded as he was, he hadn't expected such an ordinary team assignment to have so many hidden purposes...
Even so,
Juzo Biwa still seemed unwilling to give in. Suddenly, he pointed at Chen Xiaoxi.
"What about him?"
"Why is he different from the rest of us? Why does he get to work alone?"
"Even if it's because we're short on people, that's still too careless. I want to switch places with him!"
"Let Chen Xiaoxi work with that guy from the Leaf Village. I'll go solo!"
Juzo Biwa spoke quickly.
He'd outright asked to switch teams with Chen Xiaoxi.
Clearly, he still wanted to work alone. Maybe that old battle involving the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had left him with some trauma...
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Xiaoxi's gaze sharpened.
Honestly, he'd also found the assignment strange...
The Masked Man, Obito, had never trusted him and had even assigned all sorts of White Zetsu to keep watch on him.
So why hadn't anyone been assigned to monitor him when the teams were formed?
That made no sense...
Perhaps in response to Juzo's question, or perhaps to clear up Chen Xiaoxi's confusion,
Konan, who had been silent until then, spoke up.
She raised her eyes slightly and looked at Juzo Biwa without a ripple of emotion.
"The reason Chen Xiaoxi was assigned to a team by himself
"isn't just because we're short on people.
"More importantly, so far, he's the most well-rounded and strongest member in the entire organization.
"Whether it's speed, destructive power, defensive skills, or tactical sense,
"he's among the very best.
"That's why Pain and I decided to let him work alone for now.
"His main duties are to support other teams whenever necessary, and—
"to eliminate any and all enemies of Akatsuki!"
"?"
At that, not only Juzo Biwa, but even Chen Xiaoxi's eyes flickered.
I'm being put in charge of eliminating every enemy of Akatsuki?
That doesn't sound like an easy job...
They're dumping all of that on me?
Chen Xiaoxi felt torn between laughter and tears.
But Konan didn't stop. She gazed impassively at Juzo Biwa and asked,
"You can switch teams with him, of course.
"But first, you'll have to prove to us... that you're stronger than Chen Xiaoxi.
"Well?
"Can you do that, Juzo Biwa?"
"...Huh?"
The moment Juzo Biwa heard Konan's words,
the man who'd just been so bold turned pale and let out a strange sound.
Did I hear that right?
What's going on?
I have to prove I'm stronger than Chen Xiaoxi?
Y-you've got to be kidding...
How could I possibly beat him?
"..."
Juzo Biwa wore a strange expression as he glanced at Chen Xiaoxi.
He couldn't help recalling something that had happened before.
He hadn't been in Akatsuki long and had never gone on a mission with Chen Xiaoxi or seen him fight.
But Juzo Biwa had once worked with Kakuzu.
On that mission, he'd witnessed firsthand the fearsome strength of the man known as the "Immortal Ninja."
Wielding the powerful secret technique Earth Grudge Fear, Kakuzu had fought several elite jonin on his own and wiped them all out.
Even Juzo Biwa, a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, had to admit that he was indeed weaker than Kakuzu.
But
not long afterward,
Juzo Biwa had encountered Chen Xiaoxi by chance during a mission.
He'd assumed Chen Xiaoxi was an enemy, only to see that he was wearing the exact same Akatsuki Uniform and had the Jade Ring reserved for official members.
Juzo Biwa had immediately looked down on him.
He'd demanded to know why Akatsuki would let a kid like him join.
But
before he could finish, Kakuzu beside him suddenly changed expression, grabbed Juzo Biwa by the arm, and dragged him away.
At the time, Juzo Biwa had been completely baffled.
What was going on?
Why had the Immortal Kakuzu changed his expression as soon as he saw this boy?
When Juzo asked Kakuzu why,
Kakuzu had only snorted, his expression cold.
"Tch. Because Chen Xiaoxi destroyed two of my hearts on the very day he joined Akatsuki..."
Juzo Biwa had been stunned.
He knew just how powerful Kakuzu's secret technique, Earth Grudge Fear, was.
And yet that golden-eyed kid, who looked completely clueless, had managed to destroy two of his hearts?
That was just ridiculous!
Ever since then,
whenever Juzo Biwa saw Chen Xiaoxi, he did what Kakuzu did and took a detour.
After all, the guy was always grinning and seemed friendly enough.
But once he started fighting, he was more ruthless than anyone!
A textbook case of a low-key powerhouse.
Before you continue