Hot Spring Time

Orochimaru.

When Nagato spoke that name, Konan's pupils contracted in surprise.

Sasori laughed. "Hahaha, why did you think to come to me for information about that guy?"

"Some rumors. You two have a grudge, and you've been investigating his whereabouts. I don't actually know if it's true."

Sasori's gaze darkened. "That guy seeks the power of immortality through living human bodies. In my eyes, he follows a wicked path."

"A shortsighted fool who cannot even see past the life and death of the flesh—what right does he have to pursue eternity? In my eyes, this is blasphemy against eternity!"

"How could I tolerate someone like that continuing to exist in this world?"

A gust of wind swept by as Nagato quietly watched Sasori.

So that was it. Sasori's ill will toward Orochimaru came from his obsession with "Eternal Art"?

"Sasori... the following is only my personal view, not necessarily the truth. Life and death are a binary opposition. Orochimaru is obsessed with the eternity of 'life,' while you are obsessed with the eternity of 'death.' Neither of you has transcended life and death."

"Nagato..." Konan stared at Nagato in disbelief. She had never imagined he could say something like that.

Sasori, too, sank into a long contemplation because of Nagato's words. "Your perspective is quite novel. Though I cannot fully agree with it, I will take it under consideration."

Nagato smiled. "As long as it helps you."

Sasori's expression turned serious. "I do not know Orochimaru's current hiding place. I only know that he recently defected from Konoha, but..."

Nagato calmly waited for Sasori to continue.

"Before defecting from Konoha, Orochimaru took in a war orphan named Yakushi Kabuto as a capable subordinate."

"But he does not know that Yakushi Kabuto is actually my man."

"Oh? How did he become your man?" Nagato asked curiously. This had been mentioned in the original work, but the details had never been explained.

Sasori said, "During the Shinobi World War that just ended, Danzo of Konoha sent Yakushi Kabuto to travel among the various nations as a spy."

"While he was traveling through the Land of Wind, I found his identity and abilities useful, so I planted Brain-Control Sand in his brain, in case of need."

"What surprised me was that Orochimaru also took a liking to him. For me, that was an unexpected gain."

"Through Brain-Control Sand, I can sense Kabuto's current location. He is near Hidden Grass Village."

Konan said, "So Orochimaru is in the Land of Grass too?"

Sasori shook his head. "No. Orochimaru's bases are spread throughout the Five Great Nations, and he is not with Kabuto at every moment."

"But one thing is certain: Kabuto must know Orochimaru's whereabouts."

"As long as I release the seal on the Brain-Control Sand, I can immediately have Kabuto receive me and learn Orochimaru's location!"

"I see. Sasori, are you willing to help me find Orochimaru?"

"As the loser, it seems I do not have the right to refuse, do I?"

Nagato said with a smile, "It's all right. You can refuse... besides, you did not use all your trump cards in this battle, did you?"

This guy... he really knows a great deal about me.

Sasori pondered for a moment. "Fine. For the sake of those words, I will assist you until you find Orochimaru. But I do not like waiting for others, nor do I like making others wait for me."

"Let's split up. We'll meet at Heaven-Earth Bridge in Hidden Grass Village three days from now."

"Good. Let's do that."

"Then I'll get moving first..."

Sasori turned and left.

"Wait..." Nagato called out to him then.

"What?" Sasori stopped and looked back.

The wind and sand raged, and the atmosphere... suddenly grew tense again.

To guard against any unforeseen circumstances, Konan also went on alert.

Then Nagato scratched his head. "Uh, well... does the Land of Wind have any places for hot springs?"

The air... suddenly fell silent.

"Ah, sorry. Was I not supposed to ask you? With your puppet body, you probably can't feel the warmth of a hot spring, right?"

"In the Land of Wind's desert, there is a hot spring inn in the village beside the Difen River, the only remaining natural waterway. One hundred thousand ryo will reserve the entire place..."

After saying that, Sasori added, "Also, puppet bodies can soak in hot springs too."

With that, he leaped into the wind and sand.

Nagato and Konan came to the Human Puppet of the Third Kazekage, which was about to be buried beneath the sandstorm.

"Sasori did not even retrieve this."

Konan was more concerned about something else. "Could Sasori be pretending to agree, only to leave just like that?"

Nagato smiled faintly. "No. He is a true artist. He would never refuse an opportunity to elevate his art."

—Naraka Path!

Boom!

Amid the chewing of the King of Hell, the Third Kazekage's Human Puppet emerged with an entirely new appearance.

Konan stared in astonishment. "A puppet... can actually be made into a Pain too?"

Nagato said, "A Human Puppet is essentially the same as a corpse. Before I obtain 'that guy,' I'll temporarily make it my Asura Path of Pain."

That was right. In Nagato's mind, "that guy" was already the chosen candidate for Pain's Asura Path.

Konan asked, "Come to think of it, Nagato, why do you want to find Orochimaru?"

Nagato looked toward the dark night sky and said meaningfully, "Half of my future lies with that man."

Late at night, in a village beside the Difen River in the Land of Wind, Nagato found the hot spring inn Sasori had mentioned.

South Maple Hot Spring. Looking at the inn's signboard, Nagato smiled knowingly.

This name... was really quite nice.

Konan reserved the place for one hundred thousand ryo.

Before the "watershed" leading to the men's and women's baths, she smiled and suggested, "Nagato, since we're here, why not let Pain soak as well? After traveling through the desert all this way, they must have gotten quite dusty..."

What prompted her suggestion was Sasori's remark: "Puppet bodies can soak in hot springs too."

"Uh."

The rest... was manageable, but there was one issue that was hard to decide.

Pain Rin stepped forward, looking awkward as she asked, "Um... Konan, should I go into the men's bath or the women's bath?"

Konan's eyes flickered slightly. "Well..."

In the middle of the night, Nagato lay tossing and turning on the inn bed, his mind filled with images shrouded in mist.

So Nagato put on a yukata and came to the courtyard, hoping the night breeze would calm his restless heart.

Yet he had not expected Konan to be standing in the courtyard as well, dressed in nothing but a thin inner robe.

This... I came out to cool myself down, but now I'm even more fired up!

After steadying himself, Nagato asked, "Konan, you're not asleep?"