Obito's eyes sparkled the moment he heard that. Truly, this boss was an extraordinary individual.
He had to admit, the boss's idea was not only clever but also entirely feasible.
After all, his teacher was the famed Yellow Flash of the ninja world. With the Flying Thunder God technique at his disposal, delivering takeout could easily become a lucrative business!
Obito said with enthusiasm, "Thank you so much for the advice, boss. I'll take my leave now!"
He bowed respectfully to Peter once again before turning and stepping out of the shop.
As one of Peter's biggest clients, Obito knew the importance of showing gratitude — gifts were customary in these matters.
Standing at the doorway, Peter called after him, "Young man, make sure you earn well this time, and don't let anyone cheat you again!"
Obito nodded earnestly, a grateful smile on his face.
Instead of rushing off to make a quick buck, however, Obito headed straight toward Rain Shinobi Village.
He needed to inform Nagato about everything. There was no way he would allow them to fall into the same trap again.
...
Rain Shinobi Village — Akatsuki Base
In the dim depths of the Akatsuki base, Orochimaru sat cross-legged on a worn futon, eyes closed in deep meditation.
Next to him, Biwa Juzo watched with surprise and curiosity.
A faint, shimmering light flickered from Orochimaru's abdomen — subtle but unmistakable in the darkness.
After what felt like an eternity, Orochimaru slowly opened his eyes.
Biwa Juzo asked in amazement, "Orochimaru-kun, what was that light in your abdomen just now?"
Orochimaru blinked in surprise. "There was a light? I hadn't noticed."
"Yes, a faint glow," Biwa Juzo nodded, eyes wide.
A wide grin spread across Orochimaru's face, one of ecstasy and excitement. "Hehehe… I never expected I had such talent buried inside me."
He reached into the folds of his Taoist robe and pulled out a small, ancient tome — the legendary Book of Immortality.
His fingers traced the worn cover as he eagerly began to read.
"The book says this light is a sign of spiritual energy entering the body," Orochimaru said, licking his lips with anticipation. His eyes glittered like a child with a new toy.
Biwa Juzo leaned closer, his voice tinged with skepticism, "The Secret of Immortality? That's what it's called?"
Meanwhile, not far away by Feili Lake, the Red Sand Scorpion had just emerged from the water.
He sat on the ground, meticulously fiddling with one of his intricate puppets.
Pleased with his handiwork, he nodded approvingly. "Puppets… truly, they are eternal art."
Across the room, Kakuzu was busy counting a huge pile of money, muttering to himself, "When will the leader finally deliver on his promise of 100 million taels...?"
He grumbled as he shuffled through the piles, carefully separating stacks. "This pile came from the Fire Country, this one from the Wind Country…"
Amazingly, Kakuzu still remembered exactly where every single tael had originated.
With a content hum, he recounted the money again, as if sheer willpower could somehow increase the total.
The Red Sand Scorpion, irritated by the constant clinking and tapping of coins, glanced over at Kakuzu. "You've lost count how many times now? My ears are almost bleeding."
Suddenly, the door opened.
Chief Pain and Konan strode in.
Kakuzu immediately stopped and looked up expectantly. "Chief, when will you be delivering that 100 million taels you promised me?"
Orochimaru, who had been reading quietly, raised his head and licked his lips, saying, "Chief, here is my experiment fund."
Then, without another word, he returned to his book.
Pain's face was unreadable as he replied calmly, "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."
Konan glanced around the room, then asked, "Have any of you seen Zetsu today?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Who would bother with that black pitcher plant? It was strange — Zetsu, who was normally around at all hours, seemed to have vanished without a trace.
And their self-proclaimed leader, Madara, was missing today too.
Konan's gaze narrowed thoughtfully. What could those two be plotting in secret?
Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the hallway.
All eyes turned to the door, tense and curious.
A man with spiky, hedgehog-like hair and half of his face horribly disfigured stepped inside.
Every member present stiffened, alert to the threat. Who dared to show their face here?
Orochimaru's curiosity was piqued. "Why are there Uchiha here?" he murmured to himself.
Pain's sharp gaze fixed on the newcomer.
Though this man wasn't wearing a mask, Pain recognized him immediately.
"Ah Fei?" Pain asked quietly.
Within the Akatsuki, Obito went by the codename "Afei," though he rarely appeared publicly.
Pain's brows furrowed in curiosity. Why was the man who called himself Uchiha Madara exposing himself now?
Obito's eyes flickered with complex emotions as he looked at Pain.
Nagato was far more competent than himself.
Though used by Obito as a pawn, Nagato's goal was clear: collect all the tailed beasts to create a military deterrent so no village would dare start a war recklessly.
Back when Obito laughed at Nagato's idealistic plans, he had no idea he was merely the fool in the game.
"Pain, Project Tsuki no Me is a lie. I was used…" Obito said bitterly.
The room fell silent. Everyone looked at Obito with curiosity.
Pain said nothing at first, just stared at Obito quietly.
After a long pause, he said calmly, "I know."
Nagato had never truly supported "Madara's" Project Tsuki no Me. Their relationship was purely mutually beneficial.
Nagato had even contemplated turning against "Madara" once all the tailed beasts were gathered.
Obito was stunned by Pain and the others' calm reactions.
Why didn't they seem shocked?
Why were they so composed?
Pain seemed to read his thoughts and explained softly, "My goal has always been peace in the ninja world. It was never Project Tsuki no Me."
Obito finally understood — his and Nagato's alliance was one of wary mutual exploitation.
Both were constantly suspicious of the other.
Biwa Juzo suddenly asked, "Speaking of which, why did all of you join the organization?"
"I joined because I lacked a sense of belonging," Biwa Juzo answered plainly.
Orochimaru put down his book and said, "The leader told me to bring him funds for experiments, so here I am."
Kakuzu grinned darkly, "The leader promised me 100 million taels if I joined."
The Red Sand Scorpion shrugged, "I was bored. Figured I'd come and check things out."
Obito was speechless.
He worried these people were diving deeper into the fake Infinite Tsukuyomi dream…
But, to his surprise, he was the only one in the entire Akatsuki who truly believed in Project Tsuki no Me.
Looking at the group, the corners of his mouth twitched in disbelief.
In short — they were all insignificant people with no real ambition.
Obito turned to Pain, voice serious, "Even though Project Tsuki no Me is a lie, there's a shop on the border of the Land of Fire you should visit. It could be very helpful in realizing your dream…"
At this, Orochimaru and Kakuzu both instinctively looked toward Obito.
Neither had expected him to have met the boss.
Biwa Juzo and the Red Sand Scorpion noticed Orochimaru and Kakuzu's interest and became curious.
Perhaps all the organization's secrets came from that shop.
The two silently made a mental note — they would have to visit it themselves sometime.