Akatsuki operates in two-person cells; it's both mutual support and a way to keep an eye on each other.
Itachi understood very clearly what kind of position he was in within Akatsuki.
Nagato and Uchiha Madara didn't believe him; they were merely using his power, not treating him as one of their own.
Konan, as Nagato's confidant, surely knew this as well. At such a critical time, it was in fact better that he was under surveillance.
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The city was like a pile of ruins; judging from the traces of its destruction, it had been that way for more than a hundred years. It was saturated with an ancient stench, empty of people, so silent that only the sound of wind and sand echoed in one's ears.
Walking through this ruined city, Kisame turned his face from side to side; from time to time black shapes flickered and vanished in the shadows of the rubble.
"Hey, Itachi, we're already being watched."
Kisame said to Itachi, who was walking in front, at the same time placing his palm on the bandage-wrapped hilt of Shark Skin, his gaze growing wary.
Itachi said nothing, continuing down the road until he came to a massive abandoned factory, where a solid wall blocked his way.
"Hm?"
Kisame stared at the derelict factory ahead, sensing that something was off.
He saw Itachi form Seals with both hands and say, "Release!"
The scene before them changed at once: on the previously solid wall, a large rust-covered iron gate suddenly appeared.
"So it was an Illusion Technique."
Kisame let out a small snort.
Itachi reached toward the iron gate, preparing to push it open.
Thud, thud, thud!
Thud, thud, thud!
A huge sound roared from the other side of the iron gate with overwhelming force, and both Itachi and Kisame leapt backward.
In the instant they jumped back, the iron gate exploded with a crash, flying into the air; thick smoke billowed up from the blast point, sketching the silhouette of a giant beast in black shadow.
Judging from its size, it was definitely not human, but some kind of beast.
Boom!
A massive Fireball whirled out from the smoke, sending the ambient temperature soaring.
"Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!"
The Fireball's area of effect was too large, so Kisame immediately formed Seals, retreating as he gathered water in this waterless place, shaping it into a gigantic shark that lunged to bite the Fireball flying through the air.
White, superheated steam spread outward, bleaching the view before their eyes until they couldn't see a thing.
After evaporating the water shark, the Fireball still had power to spare and continued to drive in toward Kisame.
"It actually overpowered my Water Style Jutsu. Looks like this one isn't simple."
With the Fireball's force diminished, Kisame didn't keep using Water Style Jutsu to block it; he simply sprang to the side, dodging the Fireball's charge.
But the fact that the opponent's Fire Style could suppress Water Style Ninjutsu, which should have a restraining advantage, made Kisame look at them in a new light.
Itachi calmly watched all this, his Sharingan sweeping to the side. One shadow after another spread around them, revealing their forms: cats of all kinds and breeds.
These cats moved quickly, with human-like glints in their eyes; they were clearly not ordinary cats, but well-trained Ninja Cats.
They were also members of the Ninja Cat Clan in the Ninja Realm.
Roughly thirty or so man-cats had appeared; the largest was about as tall as a grown human, the smallest about the size of a house cat. They bared sharp teeth, their fierce gazes locked on Itachi, brimming with hostility and hatred.
Seeing that every one of the man-cats was releasing killing intent aimed at Itachi, Kisame gave him a rather surprised look.
He had no idea what Itachi had done to provoke so many Ninja Cats.
"A traitor who betrayed his Clan, you really have the nerve to come here, Uchiha Itachi."
The large Ninja Cat, whose height was no different from an adult human's, spoke in a cold tone, killing intent bristling.
The Ninja Cat Clan's contract with the Uchiha Clan had a long history; many Ninja Cats had signed contracts with Uchiha ninja.
This contractual relationship was not just about mutual benefit; there were profound bonds of friendship tied into it.
But Itachi had annihilated the Uchiha Clan, which meant that many Contractors with whom these Ninja Cats had once faced life and death together had been personally slaughtered by him. This kind of searing hatred made many Ninja Cats wish they could tear Itachi apart.
Even the Ninja Cat that had signed a contract with Itachi, upon learning of the Uchiha massacre, immediately dissolved the contract with him, stating its position clearly: it would no longer fight or gather intelligence on his behalf.
"I want to meet Granny Cat."
Itachi ignored the hateful, hostile stares of these Ninja Cats and spoke calmly.
"You butchered the Contractors who were our friends. On what basis do you think Granny Cat would agree to see a clan-exterminating criminal like you, who acknowledges no kin?"
The Ninja Cat's claws on its forelegs extended, gleaming with a ghastly, cold white light under the sun.
"I don't want to fight you. You're not my opponents."
Itachi spoke as if merely stating a fact.
As soon as he finished speaking, the ground shook, and an enormous shadow emerged from the cloud of dust, revealing its true body.
It was an orange Ninja Cat, colossal like a fortress.
Its round, rotund body walked upright like a human; its belly nearly sagged to the ground. With a casual flick of its orange tail, it swept away the surrounding sand and stones, stirring up a powerful gust. Fearsome concave cracks appeared in the ground along with it.