Konan nodded, then asked:
"Nagato, how is your progress with integrating the Rinnegan?"
At the mention of this, Pain's voice grew a little more serious.
"According to the original estimate, I would need another nine years to master it completely."
"But now..."
He looked out the window. Beyond the curtain of rain, the Shinobi World seemed shrouded in mist.
"New variables have appeared in the Shinobi World."
"Azure Dragon, Hyuga Hiashi... both are stronger than expected. Especially Azure Dragon, who was already called the 'God of Shinobi' three years ago. His strength is unfathomable."
"And this year, he is only twenty."
A rare trace of gravity flickered through the aloofness and confidence of a "god" in Pain's Rinnegan.
Hyuga Hiashi's appearance had clearly given him a sense of crisis, replacing his previous dismissiveness toward Lin Ze.
Konan also clearly understood the gravity of the problem.
"So... you need to speed things up?"
"Yes."
Pain nodded. "I must fully master the Rinnegan's power as soon as possible. Otherwise, if I face Azure Dragon in the future, I won't be certain of victory."
He looked at Konan and asked:
"How is the recruitment of new members for the Akatsuki going?"
Konan replied:
"It's still underway."
"We recruited several new members after Shū died, but the strongest is only at elite jōnin strength. As for 'Madara Uchiha'..."
Pain turned back to the rain outside the window and said flatly:
"Keep recruiting powerful missing-nin. They must be at least Kage level!"
"As for 'Madara Uchiha,' leave him alone for now."
"Let him keep putting on his show. A clown... is ultimately just a clown."
Konan said nothing more. Her figure dissolved into sheets of paper.
Only Pain remained in the Tower, a cold gleam flashing through his Rinnegan:
"Azure Dragon Lin Ze... Hyuga Hiashi..."