Amegakure, the Tower.
Deva Path Pain sat in the seat of honor, his Rinnegan sweeping over Lin Ze and Kisame, who had just returned.
Konan stood beside him as usual.
"Is the mission complete?"
Deva Path Pain's voice was as cold as ever.
"Three S-Rank targets, all killed."
Lin Ze answered calmly, taking three Sealing Scrolls from inside his clothes and placing them on the floor before releasing their seals.
The white smoke cleared, revealing three corpses neatly laid out.
Konan stepped forward to inspect them. After confirming their identities, she nodded to Deva Path Pain.
"Very good."
Deva Path Pain turned his gaze to Lin Ze. "And the mission report?"
Lin Ze handed over the mission record scroll he had prepared in advance, along with the scroll of Kumogakure secret techniques he had obtained from Yotsuki Rō.
"I found this on Yotsuki Rō. It records some of Kumogakure's secret techniques."
Deva Path Pain took the scroll and skimmed through it.
A flicker passed through his Rinnegan.
Although these Lightning Release Ninjutsu did not involve Kumogakure's most closely guarded hiden, they were still quite valuable.
"You completed the mission exceptionally well."
Deva Path Pain put away the scroll, his gaze settling on Lin Ze again. "White Tiger, you're stronger than expected."
Something stirred in Lin Ze's mind.
Was this a probe, or approval?
His expression unchanged, he answered hoarsely, "I simply gave it my all."
"You're being modest."
Deva Path Pain slowly rose and walked to the window, looking out at the unbroken curtain of rain. "Killing three powerful missing-nin in succession in less than a month-that efficiency ranks among the best in the organization."
Lin Ze did not know what he meant, but at least his strength had caught Nagato's attention, so he asked:
"What's the next mission?"
"There