In Amegakure.
Dressed in a brand-new Akatsuki cloak, Lin Ze strolled down the street.
He seemed to be wandering aimlessly, but he was actually familiarizing himself with this base he would need to visit frequently in the future, while also sorting through the information he had just acquired.
Joining Akatsuki had been a successful first step. Not only could he monitor Obito and Nagato's movements up close, but he could also use the organization's channels to obtain intelligence that was otherwise difficult to acquire.
"Mr. White Tiger?"
A hoarse voice came from behind him.
Lin Ze stopped and turned to look.
Kisame Hoshigaki emerged from an alley, also wearing an Akatsuki cloak, his face still bearing that sharklike expression that was not quite a smile.
"Mr. Kisame."
Lin Ze nodded slightly.
"I didn't expect you to be out wandering around too."
Kisame walked over to Lin Ze and looked at the endless curtain of rain before them. "It's hard to like the weather here. The mist in our Land of Water is much more comfortable."
Something stirred in Lin Ze's mind, and he followed the opening.
"The Land of Water? Kirigakure? I heard things haven't been peaceful over there lately."
"Peaceful? That's putting it mildly."
Kisame grinned, exposing a mouthful of sharp teeth. "The Third had only just died, and the Fourth had barely settled into his seat before he mysteriously vanished too. Now the village is a complete mess."
Lin Ze played along and asked:
"Oh? What exactly happened?"
Kisame did not seem averse to his new partner, Lin Ze. Or perhaps he simply felt this intelligence was hardly secret. He continued:
"Who knows the details? When it comes to the higher-ups' affairs, even those of us in ANBU are nothing more than tools following orders."
"All we know