Through Hinata's Byakugan, Naruto saw Hotaru huddling beside Utakata, trembling.
"We don't need to worry about them anymore. Those two will stick together on their own."
"The Six-Tails is practically settled."
"The next target is the Seven-Tails."
Naruto turned around and saw Pain standing not far away.
Holding Hinata's hand, Naruto walked up to Pain.
"Nagato, is your body feeling better?"
Rather than answer Naruto, Pain first looked at Utakata lying on the ground through his Rinnegan.
Pain felt that life was truly unpredictable.
According to Akatsuki's original plan, capturing the Six-Tails should have been Pain's task.
Looking at Utakata, Pain felt awful inside.
Naruto became wary and asked, "Nagato, you aren't thinking of making a move on Utakata, are you?"
"I will wait until the day the truth is revealed," Pain said coldly. "If that so-called truth cannot satisfy me, I will still gather the tailed beasts."
"Hmph." Naruto sneered. "Then Utakata is under your protection."
Naruto then left with Hinata, leaving Pain behind.
From afar, Pain watched Hotaru tend to Utakata. They looked just like an ordinary young couple.
If they had not met Naruto.
Pain felt that he would have torn them apart, perhaps even extracted the Six-Tails from Utakata's body.
"Naruto, you really are a very special person." Pain silently guarded Utakata and Hotaru.
Naruto teleported with Hinata to a mountainous area.
Orochimaru and Itachi had already been waiting for quite some time.
Torune Aburame arrived late.
"Sorry," Torune Aburame said. "To maintain the medicine's effects and make Kakashi and Terumi Mei last longer, I was delayed."
Naruto noticed that one person was still missing.
After waiting for a long time, Kimimaro finally appeared.
Naruto asked, "Kimimaro, did something happen to you?"
Kimimaro was silent for a while. He glanced at Orochimaru, then said, "Nothing. I