Rain fell without pause.
At the highest tower of Amegakure, the Path of Deva stood motionless, gazing down at the city drowned beneath iron-gray clouds. Water streamed from the edges of the tower, disappearing into the mist below.
Footsteps approached.
Konan stopped beside him, a folder in hand.
"The operation failed," she said quietly. "The Konoha missing-nin is dead."
There was the faintest pause.
"Dead?" Deva Path asked. "Who confirmed it?"
"Hayato's team," Konan replied. "They encountered Hatake Kakashi. Our ANBU unit was intercepted by Konoha's. Neither side escalated."
Rain struck the tower harder, drumming against metal.
"And the missing-nin?"
"Killed in a one-on-one fight," Konan said. "By Uchiha Sasuke."
The name lingered.
"Uchiha," Pain repeated. "So the younger brother has reached that point."
Konan's gaze lowered slightly. "Kakashi is his jōnin instructor. Uzumaki Naruto is also in that team."
That drew his attention.
Pain accepted the file from her and scanned it in silence. After a moment, he closed it.
"The loss is insignificant," he said. "The man had no further value."
The sword he carried. The strength he claimed. None of it mattered.
Dead tools did not require mourning.
Konan nodded. "Understood."
She hesitated, then continued. "There is another matter. A former Takigakure jōnin named Shibuki has requested our support. He intends to overthrow the village leadership."
Pain considered it.
"Stalling him is enough," he said at last. "He believes he can buy our cooperation with myths."
Konan knew what he meant.
Takigakure's relics were old stories. Water that promised power. Legends clung to the village like moss.
Pain had no interest in legends.
"What matters there," he continued, "is the Seven-Tails."
If Takigakure could be hollowed out quietly, so much the better.
"Leave him waiting," Pain said. "If he grows desperate enough, we can reconsider."
Konan inclined her head. "I understand."
The rain did not stop.
Konoha. Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen Sarutobi listened as Kakashi finished his report.
"So the engagement escalated," Hiruzen said. "And Sasuke handled it alone."
"Yes," Kakashi replied.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly. "Then the mission is reclassified. B-rank."
Kakashi bowed his head. "Thank you, Third."
Hiruzen tapped ash into a tray, eyes thoughtful.
"Uchiha Sasuke," he murmured. "He's progressing faster than expected."
The missing-nin had not been weak. Hiruzen knew the reports well enough.
To defeat him cleanly meant something.
Kakashi hesitated. "There is one matter remaining. The Second Hokage's blade."
Hiruzen waved a hand. "Let the boy keep it."
Kakashi looked up.
"He's been training in Lightning Release under you," Hiruzen continued. "The weapon suits him."
The blade was powerful, yes. But power unused was meaningless.
Kakashi nodded once. "I'll inform him."
Hiruzen smiled faintly. "Dismissed."
Kakashi turned and left.
Alone again, the Hokage stared out the window, pipe smoke curling into the dim light.
Somewhere beyond the village walls, the rain continued to fall.