"Banshō Ten'in."
The assassin had barely used a substitution to escape the pull when her body seized in midair—dragged back toward the red-haired boy like gravity had changed its mind.
In the instant her eyes filled with despair, a black rod slid from Nagato's sleeve.
Thud.
It punched straight through her abdomen.
"Kh—!"
Blood burst from her mouth as she collapsed—and with horror, she realized she couldn't control her chakra at all.
"Give up," Nagato said, calm as stone. "Your chakra is completely suppressed. If you surrender, your village can still pay to ransom you."
He looked down at her without pity.
"You don't want a body with a precious bloodline to end up on someone's operating table… or be used as a breeding tool. Do you?"
Her pupils shrank violently.
"Ransom me?" she rasped. "Are you serious… Akatsuki's leader?"
Nagato pressed a hand to his forehead, suddenly annoyed.
"Why does everyone I catch assume I'm Akatsuki's leader? We've said it clearly—Yahiko is the leader."
He sighed and nodded anyway.
"Don't worry. Akatsuki exists for peace. When possible, we resolve conflicts with restraint."
His voice was gentle, almost patient.
"So. Have you decided?"
The kunoichi—hair tied in a black bun, with orange-dyed sidelocks—shut her eyes, teeth clenched against the agony in her gut.
"…Kill me."
Nagato's eyes sharpened slightly.
"My village won't acknowledge an assassin who failed to kill another nation's Kage. They won't want a captured me living either."
"If Akatsuki really is neutral and seeks peace… then kill me and bury my body where no one will find it."
Nagato shook his head, as if exhausted by the script.
"Same with Kumogakure. Same with Sunagakure. They all get caught and immediately decide they want to die."
He pushed chakra through the rod into her body, disrupting her balance.
The woman went limp, consciousness snuffed out.
A voice sounded from the corridor beside them.
"Pretty normal. Shinobi are raised like that."
Kaguya Ren stepped out, watching Nagato with a look that suggested he found the whole thing mildly entertaining.
"They're taught to do anything to complete the mission—and never bring trouble back to the village. If their village actually pays your ransom, that's basically admitting they sent you."
His purple eyes swept over the unconscious woman.
"Before they're ready to start a war and win it, they won't hand over a public handle that can be used against them."
Nagato glanced sideways. "And you're here instead of negotiating because?"
"I left a bone clone in the summit hall," Kaguya Ren said casually. "As long as nobody starts fighting, Konoha can't see through it."
His tone shifted—almost lazy.
"And I came out because I noticed Jiraiya is using a shadow clone at the summit too. Probably not just today."
Nagato's brows lifted. "Jiraiya-sensei?"
"I saw him last night in an izakaya," Kaguya Ren said, skipping over how. "And he got pulled away for a while by Reverse Summoning."
Nagato's expression tightened. "Mount Myoboku?"
"Jiraiya's an acknowledged sage," Kaguya Ren went on. "And he carries the Great Toad Sage's prophecy. He told you about the Child of Prophecy before, didn't he?"
"He did," Nagato said, eyes narrowing.
"So you think his movement is connected to that?"
"He's the Third Hokage's personal guard here," Kaguya Ren said. "What else would make him abandon his teacher and his student—leave them alone against me—and sneak off to handle something himself?"
Kaguya Ren snapped his fingers, one eye closing in a sharp little smile.
"So. Want to come see what Jiraiya is doing… Child of Prophecy?"
Nagato paused.
"…I'll send a shadow clone."
"Suit yourself."
Nagato formed the seal. His shadow clone appeared—and vanished with Kaguya Ren in the same breath.
The real Nagato watched them go, then exhaled slowly.
"…I need to make Akatsuki stronger. If this keeps happening, I'll miss everything interesting because I can't leave the others."
Meanwhile, in a small city in the Land of Iron…
Jiraiya, having slightly changed his appearance, walked along the not-so-busy street. Among the pedestrians, he searched for anyone who might match the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.
"A maiden of the Byakugan… a hero who knows past and future…"
He grimaced.
"Two clues that vague aren't exactly helpful."
"Byakugan probably means the Hyūga… but if I chase that angle, the target is likely in Konoha."
He clicked his tongue.
"Ugh. I hate people who speak in riddles."
Then two figures caught his eye—seated at a roadside shop, eating something.
The younger woman had sleek black hair, clearly well cared for. Her clothes were elegant, expensive—she looked like a noble lady. And every so often she rubbed at her eyes, as if uncomfortable, like she was wearing something unfamiliar.
The older man beside her—older than Jiraiya himself—had dull, dead-fish eyes, a mask covering the lower half of his face… and short white hair so familiar it made Jiraiya's skin prickle.
Jiraiya rubbed his eyes.
Then rubbed harder.
Great Toad Sage… are you messing with me? Or am I under a genjutsu?
Why am I looking at a Hatake Kakashi who's older than me?!