"You need me for something?"
Naruto blinked in surprise.
'Could it be that I was caught sneaking into Konan's room last night?'
'Or perhaps Konan had complained to Nagato?'
'But the latter possibility was very small. After all, Konan was not an ordinary girl. There was no need to complain about such a small matter.'
'And if Nagato had noticed, he would have acted last night rather than waiting for me until now.'
'Besides, I used Flying Thunder God Technique to enter Konan's room, and others would not notice it at all.'
'If Nagato had noticed it last night, it would undoubtedly be because Nagato had the bad habit of peeping at Konan taking a bath and sleeping every day.'
'But I guess doubted Nagato was that depraved. And even if he was, Nagato wouldn't openly admit it.'
With these thoughts, Naruto's initial unease subsided.
'Whatever this was about, it probably wasn't related to Konan.'
As expected, the issue was something else entirely.
Pain said, "It's like this. The organization's funds are a bit tight. As the second-in-command, you should contribute. With your abilities, completing some assassination missions would bring in significant funds."
"Uh…"
Naruto had never expected that Nagato would use him as a tool to make money.
"Why assassination missions? Can't I take escort missions instead?" Naruto asked in confusion.
Pain explained, "You are currently a 'captive', and cannot reveal your true identity. So assassination missions are easier to handle discreetly. Besides, I'll eventually need you to return to Konoha to gather intelligence."
Hearing this, Naruto suddenly realized.
If he didn't show his true face, his identity wouldn't be exposed. Officially, Naruto was still considered a prisoner of the Akatsuki. Later, he could simply claim to have escaped. Even if he returned to Konoha, it wouldn't raise suspicion.
Nagato's plan was clever, no doubt.
Unfortunately for him, Sandaime already knew Naruto had joined Akatsuki willingly. And the Destructive Blood Rot Pill couldn't control Naruto forever.
Naruto's ultimate goal was to take over the Akatsuki and become its new leader.
Nagato would eventually have no choice but to submit. That had been Naruto's plan from the start.
But for now, until he found Nagato's real body, Naruto would play the role of obedient follower.
Of course, truly being a yes-man wasn't in Naruto's nature. He had his own agenda.
Becoming a leader like Pain wasn't Naruto's endgame.
In the original work, the Akatsuki's downfall boiled down to one thing: lack of cohesion. Everyone pursued their own agenda, leading to betrayal and the group's eventual destruction.
Naruto's vision was to unite the Akatsuki under a shared purpose, ensuring every member followed him willingly and wholeheartedly!
Only then could the Akatsuki achieve its full potential!
After thinking for a while, Naruto said, " As the second-in-command, it's only right for me to contribute to the organization. But who manages our organization's finances? I'd like to meet and discuss the specific matters with them to see how to fill in the gaps."
Hearing this, Pain nodded in satisfaction and said, "It's good to see you so sensible, Naruto-kun. The one in charge of finances is Kakuzu. He resides on the second floor. You can meet him now if you wish."
"Got it. I'll head there shortly."
Naruto's eyes glinted with mischief as he added, "By the way, Leader, the reason I came here was to learn more about the organization. If it's convenient, could you share some details?"
"No problem."
Pain nodded and began to talk about the situation of Akatsuki.
Naruto listened attentively, occasionally nodding in agreement, just like what happened in Konan's room last night.
But of course, Naruto's true goal was to successfully sign in at this room.
Compared to Konan's detailed explanations, Pain's summary was much more cursory. He skimmed over key topics, such as the Akatsuki's founding and its growth over the years.
Because of this, Naruto had to interrupt and ask questions, which allowed the narration to last for an hour.
Hearing the system prompt in his mind, Naruto secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you for sharing this information, Leader. I'll head over to find Kakuzu now."
"Go ahead."
Pain nodded slightly.
Creaaak!
As Naruto stepped out of the room and walked down the stairs, he ran into Konan coming up.
Konan spoke first, "I have something to discuss with the Leader. Why don't you wait for me here? Once I'm done, I'll continue explaining the Akatsuki's structure to you."
Naruto waved his hand and said, "Big Sis Konan, I already feel bad about disturbing your rest last night. That's why I went to ask the Leader instead. Now I've got all the info I need about the Akatsuki."
"Is that so?" Konan pondered aloud.
Naruto nodded and said, "That's right. Besides, the Leader has assigned me a task, so I have to get going now."
"Alright, then take care." Konan said, waving goodbye to Naruto.
Naruto proceeded downstairs, this time without any interruptions.
To put it bluntly, the Akatsuki didn't have that many people left. Once you count those out on missions, the remaining members could be counted on one hand.
Arriving at the second floor, Naruto knocked on a door.
"Come in."
A deep voice came from the room.
Naruto opened the door and walked in to see someone sitting behind a desk.
The man wore Akatsuki's cloak, with a gray hood covering his entire head and a scratched-out forehead protector from Takigakure. His face was hidden by a mask, and his whole body was covered up tightly, leaving only a pair of piercing green eyes visible.
This person is none other than Kakuzu, the one referred to as 'old monster'.
"What do you want?" Kakuzu asked in a flat tone.
Naruto explained, "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, a new recruit to the Akatsuki and currently the second-in-command. I heard the organization is facing financial difficulties, so I came to lend you a hand."
As he said that, Naruto took out all the money he had collected in Konoha that was stored in the system inventory, and slapped it onto the desk.
Seeing this, Kakuzu abruptly stood up. The dark, oppressive aura around him vanished instantly. He quickly strode over to Naruto, bowed respectfully, and said, "So it's Naruto-kun! My apologies for not recognizing you earlier. Please, have a seat."
"Bring the tea."
Naruto casually took the main chair and crossed his legs.
He knew that what truly intimidated Kakuzu wasn't his title as second-in-command, but the pile of money he'd just displayed.
Naruto understood Kakuzu's personality well, he was someone who lived for money. Among the Akatsuki's various ideals, Kakuzu's represented the dream of wealth.
Naruto wasn't sure if money could make the world go round, but it could definitely ensure Kakuzu's obedience.
"Naruto-kun, please have some tea."
Kakuzu said, hurriedly pouring a cup and presenting it to Naruto.
Naruto nodded slightly and said, "You've got a good attitude. Consider the money on the table as a tip for you, no need to put it on the organization's books."
"Thank you, Naruto-kun!"
Kakuzu accepted the money without hesitation. When it came to wealth, he had no reservations whatsoever.
After carefully inspecting each bill to confirm its authenticity, Kakuzu pocketed the money and then asked, "Naruto-kun is so generous, might I inquire if you have any lucrative ventures?"
"I don't have a particular venture in mind, but I am rather well-off."
Naruto pondered and said, "By the way, do you know Gato?"
Kakuzu thought for a moment and said, "Gato? Of course, I know him. That man is so wealthy it makes people envious. But his whereabouts are elusive and difficult to track. Don't tell me you're planning to rob him?"
Naruto's lips curved into a sly smile. "Rob him? That guy is one of my subordinates. Why would I need to rob him? All I have to do is beckon, and the money flows in."
"What!?"
Hearing this, Kakuzu was utterly dumbfounded and stood frozen in disbelief for a long time.