Board Thread:Theories and Speculation/@comment-36512555-20200202084241/@comment-9782468-20200207220948

And? He never questioned it because he didn't care lol.

So now you're just inflating Itachi's words. Itachi said with more back up, so now he means the whole Akatsuki. Lol alright..

Yeah I know he said with more. I'm saying that most Akatsuki members wouldn't really contribute to his fight with Jiraiya. As in, they're on a level where their moves are beyond the others, at least ones he'd consider back up. Which I doubt was Pain.

Though Pain himself admitted he'd lose to Jiraiya if Jiraiya knew his secret, so.

Kakashi couldn't take Hidan down because he was essentially fighting to S-Rank criminals while watching over 2 useless Chunin and another that was useful but not particularly powerful. He's worried about the whole battlefield, Hidan was just trying to cut Kakashi.

Kisame literally is suspicious right after Itachi says it. He doesn't believe Itachi's motivations. Itachi knows Kisame, and obviously Kisame still didn't believe Itachi, but followed his lead. There was no reason to lie. Itachi had several alternatives that were true and would have done a better job of deterring Kisame without raising doubts.