Situation

A few days later, Itachi and Juzo arrived at their destination.

"Is this bounty target really that strong? He dared show up so openly in a place like this?"

Wearing a conical hat and carrying a long sword at his waist, Itachi looked at the bustling little city in the distance and asked softly.

Hearing Itachi's words, Juzo, who was also wearing a conical hat, fell silent.

After pondering for a moment, he finally spoke softly.

"He's in this city right now."

"What are the detailed records on this Rogue Ninja? Also, can you hide that big sword on your back? Otherwise, people will notice it, and we'll have endless trouble."

Juzo's words piqued Itachi's interest, but compared to hunting the bounty target, his compulsive tendencies made him want Juzo to hide that large blade more.

After all, the seven swords of Mist Village were quite famous and highly recognizable.

He already had a feeling that this mission would not be simple.

"Fine."

Hearing Itachi's words, Juzo answered softly.

However, rather than sealing it away with a scroll as Itachi had expected, Juzo picked up the Executioner's Blade, found a stone stool to sit on, and somehow produced a huge roll of bandages...

Then, under Itachi's speechless gaze, he started wrapping it up...

"You really are a genius..."

After that whole performance, Itachi looked at the Executioner's Blade on Juzo's back, its outline and edges still perfectly obvious, and mocked him speechlessly.

"Hehe, you flatter me..."

Hearing Itachi's words, Juzo smiled modestly.

Good grief, Juzo really thought Itachi was praising him.

Feeling somewhat exhausted, Itachi said nothing more. After all, Juzo had listened to his suggestion. Although the result was hard to describe and had the air of burying one's head in the sand, there was no point in continuing.

"This mission's target is an experienced Jonin who went through the Third Shinobi World War. He's one of Konoha's talented people."

Quite satisfied with his own handiwork, Juzo began introducing the intelligence.

"Oh? What's his name?"

Itachi was unmoved by Juzo's words. He was only a Jonin—as long as he wasn't a Genin, it was fine.

"His name is Yamamoto Jisi. Apparently, he's a ninja from a civilian background. His distinguishing traits are tremendous strength and abundant chakra. Konoha Village originally only offered a ten-million bounty for him. It seems he doesn't know much of your... Konoha Village's internal secrets, so he isn't worth much."

"He had originally changed his appearance and hidden himself well, but it seems he provoked some rich man recently. The rich man got furious and directly added another twenty million to the bounty, along with some recent intelligence, so he was exposed."

Juzo briefly explained the intelligence, inwardly despising Itachi for cramming at the last minute.

If Itachi knew what Juzo was thinking, he would probably be hopping mad.

The moment they left Hidden Rain Village, he had asked about the intelligence. This bastard had gotten him drunk and refused to say much, and now he was blaming him for it.

"Why did Pain have us take on this kind of mission? Aren't we not supposed to expose ourselves yet?"

After hearing Juzo out, Itachi was somewhat puzzled.

"It's fine. As long as we don't announce who we are, who would know we're Akatsuki? And even if they do know, it doesn't matter. They don't know what our ultimate plan is."

In response to Itachi's question, Juzo's lips curled upward as he laughed softly.

"Oh."

Hearing Juzo's words, Itachi suddenly remembered that, according to the intelligence of the other villages, Akatsuki was currently classified as a mercenary organization—the kind that worked for anyone willing to pay.

Overall, the situation was simple: don't panic, it wasn't a big problem...

The two entered the city and found an inn to stay at, with no intention of going out.

They looked just like travelers passing through, entering the city to rest for a while.

They had originally wanted to wander around and familiarize themselves with the terrain.

But they had not expected there to be so many people here. With so many eyes around, it was hard to move unnoticed.

Their own identities were not clean either, so they abandoned the idea and prepared to act at night.

"Is today some special day? Why is this city so lively?"

Inside the room, Itachi tossed his conical hat aside and lay sprawled on his side without any regard for appearances. One hand rested on the tatami in front of his stomach, its fingers dancing nimbly as though playing a tune. The elbow of his other arm propped against the tatami, his palm supported his cheek, while his legs lay casually arranged, one bent and one straight. Facing Juzo, he asked the question.

Juzo, kneeling opposite Itachi, shot him an annoyed look. Then he picked up the teapot from the small wooden table before him, leisurely poured himself a cup, and drained it in one gulp.

"I haven't been here either."

Only after drinking did Juzo speak softly.

His expression was profoundly inscrutable.

"Would it kill you not to act so damn smug..."

Itachi pushed himself up and sat cross-legged. Feeling somewhat stuffy, he undid the buttons of his robe.

Revealing the mesh-trimmed inner garment and his fair, attractive collarbones.

He lazily poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and found it utterly bland.

"Let's drink. This stuff is boring..."

Itachi suggested.

"Drinking with you is boring. You're not refreshing at all—you nurse one cup of wine forever."

Juzo glanced at Itachi disdainfully and spoke with contempt.

"That was out in the wilderness. I wasn't in the mood to drink. The setting and atmosphere are both nice now, so we can properly enjoy a few cups."

Itachi calmly offered his excuse, utterly unfazed by Juzo's words.

The room fell into brief silence, as though Juzo had been left speechless by Itachi's shamelessness.

"Senior, what do you think we should do for this mission?"

After the room had been quiet for a while, Itachi's voice sounded.

"Tonight, we spread out our senses, split up, and screen every ninja we detect. Wouldn't that do it?"

Hearing Itachi's question, Juzo answered without even thinking.

"Not bad. Great..."

Itachi praised Juzo's idea, though inwardly he was mocking him relentlessly.

That solution is so Juzo—reckless as hell.

At Itachi's approval, Juzo froze slightly. Then he found this annoying brat a little more pleasing to the eye.

"Brat, let me test you too. How do you think we should act?"

Since Itachi had not argued with him and had instead acknowledged his idea, Juzo was in high spirits and grew a little puffed up.

Then he asked the question with the air of a senior testing a junior.

"I think your method is quite good. Simple and direct."

"If it were me, now that this mission target has surfaced, both his identity as a Konoha Rogue Ninja and the high bounty will definitely attract plenty of people. When they've fought each other into mutual ruin, we can happily run over and clean up the mess. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Itachi first praised Juzo's idea before stating his own view.

"I think your idea is a little dangerous. I think it's safer to finish the mission and run while there aren't many competitors. There are only two of us. If too many people show up, wouldn't we be acting a little rashly?"

Juzo imagined a scene after hearing Itachi's idea and analysis, then shuddered and spoke softly...

The grand, world-conquering momentum he had displayed just moments ago vanished without a trace.

"I sensed the area earlier. Quite a few people have already arrived, and there are some outstanding ones among them. If we follow your plan, we'll draw everyone's hostility just the same. And at this point, they're all still at their peak."

Itachi had long known there would be disagreements, which was why he had first gone against his own feelings and praised Juzo.

Then he could pull off some top-tier maneuvering, so Juzo would not feel quite so upset.

"Not necessarily. They might not dare fight us either."

After hearing Itachi's explanation, Juzo said somewhat unwillingly.

"Right, they might not dare to make a move at first. But once they watch us capture the mission target right in front of them, do you think they'll go berserk..."

"Of course, no plan can possibly be flawless. Thirty percent depends on planning, seventy percent on strength."

At that point, Itachi spoke with some feeling.