Pain looked at Konan, who still seemed troubled. "Itachi and Kisame just sent word. They succeeded, and the false identity needed in the Land of Fire is ready. Go notify them. We can arrange for that fellow to head to Konoha now. As for Jiraiya..."
"I'll go."
Konan suddenly spoke up. "The time isn't right yet. As our leader, Pain, you should hold off on taking action yourself. I'll make arrangements for the others. Teacher Jiraiya... no, I'll handle Jiraiya."
Most importantly, Madara Uchiha's movements are still unclear...
Konan did not say that aloud, because she knew Nagato did not care what the other man thought at the moment. Bringing it up would only upset him.
As members of the same organization, she should not have been guarding against him. Besides, Konoha was currently the greatest obstacle in plain sight to Nagato's plan to use the tailed beasts as a deterrent.
But Konan kept feeling that something was wrong on Madara Uchiha's end. His group in Kirigakure had not reported every detail of their activities to the organization either.
Pain looked at Konan, seemingly understanding her thoughts, and nodded. "All right."
Konan then dissolved into countless scraps of paper and vanished, leaving Pain alone, gazing quietly at the sky. There was no telling what he was thinking.
Inside the Daimyo Mansion in the Land of Snow.
"Lady Koyuki, it's about time to prepare for departure."
"...Can I not go?"
Kazahana Koyuki looked at Sandayu with despair written all over her face.
"...We've already agreed to it, after all. Besides, Konoha invited us themselves. As an allied nation, we have no reason to refuse!"
"But... but..."
Kazahana Koyuki could not help looking at the letter that had appeared on her desk that morning—
[To Her Majesty, the Queen of the Land