At dawn, a pale glow spread across the sky.
Only after using clones to confirm that they were safe for the moment did Juzo Biwa and Kakuzu finally stop.
As missing-nin who could die at any moment, they had no shinobi village to offer them a comforting refuge. They constantly watched for enemies that might appear around them-old foes, pursuers from their villages, or even arrogant newcomers to the ranks of missing-nin.
Joining Akatsuki had done little to improve that situation, but the organization had offered them terms they could hardly refuse.
Crouching on a tree branch, Juzo Biwa touched the ring on his hand. It marked him as an official member of Akatsuki and allowed communication over vast distances.
Focusing his mind, Juzo Biwa prepared to contact the other members.
This time, he reached not their leader, Pain, but the angel at his side, Konan. Pain was as powerful as a god, and naturally, his angel would not be much weaker.
"Juzo Biwa, what is it?" Konan's projection asked coldly.
Juzo Biwa wasted no words, giving her a rough account of the information he had gathered the previous night. Gathering intelligence across the various nations was also one of their duties as Akatsuki members.
After hearing him out, Konan nodded slightly and severed the connection through Demonic Illusion: Mirage Lantern.
"Juzo Biwa, you reported it to the leader after all," Kakuzu said as he watched him.
Juzo Biwa replied flatly, "If I didn't report it, you would. This is all part of our duties."
Kakuzu said little, tacitly accepting Juzo Biwa's explanation. The two then departed in opposite directions. They had never been teammates in the first place, and there were very few people in Akatsuki who could partner with Kakuzu.
Akatsuki was a gathering place for missing-nin, but