"What's going on in there now? Zetsu went in too, and still nothing?"
Outside the base, Nagato pondered.
It wasn't that Obito had been inside too long. In fact, only a few minutes had passed since he went in.
But flames had shot skyward as soon as he entered, and an orange-red giant had briefly burst through the floors. It had clearly looked like a fierce battle was underway.
Yet after that explosive opening, there had been no movement whatsoever.
It had been quiet for several minutes now.
That wasn't normal.
"With their abilities, surely they couldn't have settled the fight right at the start?"
"Should we send Pain to take a look?"
Konan made the suggestion.
Nagato considered it. "Whether one of them came prepared or the other did, I don't want to reveal the Six Paths of Pain this early. But Deva Path Pain alone might not be enough. Contact Hiruko, the new member, and have him go with Pain."
It was a precaution. After all, they knew Zetsu's abilities well. Even if Obito was no match for Itachi, surely two Akatsuki members couldn't both be... Remembering Itachi's earlier claim that he had captured Sasuke Uchiha too, could Itachi have...
"In any case, something this abnormal can't be innocent. Whoever subdued the other so quietly, whether it was Itachi or Obito Uchiha... there's definitely something seriously wrong with both of them."
"All right. I'll contact him now."
Nagato's earlier order had been for every Akatsuki member to assemble, so naturally, Konan had also called on the only "outsider" in the organization they could still reach.
But shortly after a Paper Crane flew away, Konan's expression suddenly changed.
"This is bad, Nagato! My Paper Clone was destroyed!"
"..."
Meanwhile, inside Akatsuki's hidden base.
"...Just who is that fellow wearing