Rain pattered against the metal rooftop.
Zou Hyuga watched Deva Path Pain and Konan, waiting for them to explain why they had sought him out. After all, there was no fourth member of Akatsuki in Amegakure at the moment.
Were they sending me to capture a tailed beast? But the Four-Tails jinchūriki was Roshi of Iwagakure, and the Three-Tails jinchūriki was under Kirigakure's protection. Neither would be easy to deal with.
Instead of explaining his purpose, Deva Path asked about the Tailed Beast Merchant Association.
"I hear your merchant association has been expanding within the Land of Fire, even establishing a presence inside Konohagakure?"
Zou Hyuga nodded lightly, watching Deva Path with a hint of suspicion. He did not understand what Deva Path intended.
Then a possibility suddenly struck him. Surely Nagato wasn't going to send me to Konoha as a spy? That would be far too...
Yet Deva Path slowly said, "I intend to have you infiltrate Konoha and gather intelligence. What do you think? Given your close cooperation with the Land of Fire's nobles, that shouldn't be difficult..."
Zou Hyuga fell silent in thought. After a long while, he looked at Deva Path and asked, "You want me to infiltrate Konoha? Aren't you afraid I'll turn on you and betray the organization?"
Deva Path said expressionlessly, "You won't. If you wanted to join Konoha, you would have done so long ago, rather than waiting until now. Besides, someone capable of expressing such insights could never accept the order imposed by the Five Great Nations."
Zou Hyuga said nothing more. Almost sensing Nagato's gaze behind Deva Path, he grumbled inwardly, *Sure, I drew up plenty of grand plans with you, but they were only plans. I'm just a member of the Hyuga Branch Family who can barely keep himself