On the rooftop.
Standing beside Konan were the Immortal Duo.
Hidan and Kakuzu.
Chuan Yu naturally had no idea why they had appeared here.
"Are they reinforcements?"
Mei Terumi quickly formed Hand Seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Kakuzu stepped forward beside her.
"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!"
The water and fire mingled, creating a massive explosion.
In an instant, mist filled the air.
"Who are you?!"
Mei Terumi seemed to sense that her opponents were strong, so she stopped attacking.
"There are still people who don't know about Akatsuki!"
"You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?!"
Hidan threw back his cloak.
A giant scythe appeared, spinning in his palm.
Hearing their answer, Mei Terumi suddenly froze.
"Are you that organization that's been making the rounds in the Ninja World lately?!"
"Ao! Call in reinforcements!"
"Yes!"
Mei Terumi leaped across to the opposite rooftop.
The four faced off against one another.
Chuan Yu and Karin were caught in the middle.
"Uchiha Chuanyu, I never expected you to be connected to Akatsuki."
"Then if I kill you, I'll be doing the Ninja World a favor, won't I?"
Mei Terumi stared coldly at Chuan Yu.
At this moment, he seemed like a piece of meat on a chopping board.
As long as he remained in Mist Village,
Mei Terumi wouldn't let him go.
Chuan Yu gave a bitter smile. "I have absolutely nothing to do with Akatsuki. You're pretty good at making excuses, though."
"You've been hostile toward me from the very beginning."
"Is this how Mist Village treats its guests?"
"But it doesn't matter. I was leaving anyway."
"Goodbye!"
Chuan Yu took Karin and jumped down to the ground.
Then they hurried toward the village outskirts.
"Damn it! Don't let them get away!"
Mei Terumi chased after them.
Konan hurriedly held her off with Hidan and Kakuzu.
The Kirigakure Ninja led by Ao and Chojuro were no match for Chuan Yu.
As Chuan Yu broke through the defenses and escaped,
Mei Terumi's anger erupted.
"I'll take care of all of you while I'm at it!"
"Boil Style: Skilled Mist Technique!"
Mei Terumi exhaled a cloud of scalding mist.
The air filled with an acidic stench that invaded the three of them.
"Hold your breath!"
Konan and the others quickly retreated.
"You two keep her occupied. I'll go after Uchiha Chuanyu!"
After giving them instructions, Konan beat her wings and flew into the sky.
Kakuzu faced Mei Terumi with a sinister laugh.
"I've stolen the hearts of countless people..."
"But this is my first time dealing with a woman..."
"Let's see if you can melt my toughest technique!"
"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"
Kakuzu clenched his fists, and his skin turned black in an instant.
The battle was about to begin.
Meanwhile, Chuan Yu had already passed through Mist Village's final line of defense.
He suddenly looked up.
Konan had caught up.
Chuan Yu finally stopped when he reached the mountain opposite.
Konan hovered behind him, watching him without expression.
"I just don't get it."
"Why do you keep following me?"
Chuan Yu turned around and asked in confusion.
He had escaped Mist Village because he wanted Konan and the others to keep Mei Terumi occupied.
The woman wouldn't have become the Fifth Mizukage without being strong.
Besides, Mei Terumi was after him.
Chuan Yu didn't want to get dragged into a fight.
But the one thing he couldn't understand was how Konan knew he was in the Land of Water.
"I came to ask you to join Akatsuki."
"What do you say?"
"We can talk about your terms."
Konan folded her wings and landed in front of Chuan Yu.
When their eyes met,
Chuan Yu genuinely saw sincerity in hers.
"Join Akatsuki?"
"Why should I?"
Chuan Yu's brow furrowed.
When he thought of Akatsuki, the only person who came to mind was Itachi.
"You know, if you like this book, add it to your bookshelf so you can find it again next time."
"We've seen what you can do."
"With you on our team, we'll be even stronger."
"Besides, you're no longer a Konoha shinobi."
"You might as well consider it."
As soon as Konan finished speaking, Chuan Yu froze.
He hadn't expected Akatsuki to be so well-informed.
They even knew he had left Konoha.
It seemed they'd had their eye on him for a long time.
Seeing that Chuan Yu had been silent for a while, Konan understood what was on his mind.
"You're worried about Itachi, aren't you?"
"I've already reached an understanding with Itachi."
"If you join Akatsuki, we'll let bygones be bygones."
At the mention of Itachi, Chuan Yu's heart thumped.
He hadn't expected Itachi to agree to let him join Akatsuki.
Still, Chuan Yu felt that there was no affection left between them.
Itachi had treated him like a tool.
So there was no reason for him to keep longing for the past.
People had to look ahead. His heart only hurt because he was still clinging to the past.
Besides, he had no real ties to the Hyuga. Even if Itachi wiped them out,
Chuan Yu had saved the Uchiha, so he'd also taken that burden off Itachi's shoulders.
They owed each other nothing.
Shisui was dead. A promise couldn't give the dead more time.
After all, the most fragile thing in this world
was still the heart...
How could he become strong if he let emotions control him?
"I understand..."
Chuan Yu replied calmly.
Konan's face brightened.
"Then if you want us to help you wipe out the Uchiha, we can..."
"No need. I deserve whatever happens..."
Chuan Yu cut Konan off.
"Then..."
"Come on. I'll take you to see Itachi."
"Now that we're all in the same boat, we should help each other."
"I think you should catch up with him."
Just then, Kakuzu and Hidan returned.
"Move! That crazy woman's right behind us!"
Hidan and Kakuzu ran past the three of them without looking back.
To keep Mei Terumi from holding them up again,
Chuan Yu and Karin followed Konan toward Akatsuki's hideout.
Inside a dim cave,
a wild rabbit appeared silently.
A white snake with patterned scales slowly crawled out from a crack in the rocks.
The rabbit was still worrying about finding food
when the white snake had already reached its back.
A pair of Mangekyo eyes suddenly opened in the darkness.
Itachi slowly rose and looked toward the cave entrance.
In a daze, a figure gradually made its way toward the candlelight.
"Itachi, long time no see."
The candlelight stretched their shadows.
In the flickering flames,
Itachi saw Chuan Yu clearly.
But his face showed no emotion.
"Yeah."
"You've grown up, Chuan Yu."
The two stared at each other.
A dull thud suddenly came from the cave.
Outside, Karin sensed something was happening inside.
She started forward and ran toward the cave.
"You can't go in."
Konan quickly went to Karin's side and stopped her.
"They're brothers!"
"Are you going to let them kill each other?!"
Karin looked anxiously toward the cave.
"If they don't settle some things..."
"They'll fester sooner or later."
Konan replied calmly.
At the same time.
The two people in the cave had held the same pose for five minutes.
Neither had spoken. They simply watched each other in silence.
Suddenly, the Mangekyo in Chuan Yu's left eye began to spin rapidly.
Then there was Itachi.
The Mangekyo in both his eyes did the same.
Their vision began to warp.
Red gradually crept across their eyes.
At some point, countless crows appeared above them.
The moment the crows cried out,
the two each took a step back. The world of the genjutsu was like a mirror.
Cracks spread across it, shattering it to pieces.
Blood immediately began to run from the corners of Itachi's eyes.
"Chuan Yu..."
"Let me see just how far you've grown..."
Before you continue