Within the dark, empty Magic Lantern Body space, Pain's violet Rinnegan locked firmly onto Itachi, devoid of the slightest warmth.
"I want you to leave at once, infiltrate Konoha, and assassinate Chenshu Senju."
Pain's voice was hoarse and low, like an unquestionable divine decree. "Besides eliminating this variable that seriously obstructs God's plan, bring Sasuke Uchiha back to the organization while you're at it."
Hearing those two utterly outrageous demands, the scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Itachi's eyes remained as still as an ancient well, but the fingers hidden inside his wide sleeves twitched uncontrollably.
Unbelievable.
Did this boss not even look at the combat data reports and just assign KPIs based on gut feeling?
Assassinate Chenshu Senju?
That freak who had just soloed Root's entire base, stomped Danzo into a mangled stump, was immune to Tsukuyomi, and could even use Wood Release from afar to make memes mocking God—was he someone anyone could assassinate?
Even if Akatsuki threw its entire fortune at him, it might not be enough for that little monster to smash with True Several Thousand Hands like a potted decoration.
And now they wanted him to go alone? How was that any different from sending him there to feed the enemy a free kill?
And bringing Sasuke back?
Sasuke had been tied up by that bastard in a humiliating Tortoiseshell Bind and publicly executed before the entire village beneath red banners. That fragile teenage heart of his had probably already shattered into powder.
What was the point of bringing back such an utterly disgraced clown? So he could perform upside-down kicks for the entire Akatsuki?
"I understand."
Although he had already mentally ripped this damned mission apart and was even thinking he really did not want to keep working this lousy job, Itachi's expression remained perfectly steady