When did they appear? Their strength… it's considerable.
All of Akatsuki, except Pain and Konan, were inwardly shaken.
Only Hidan and Deidara had the same thought:
Wait a second—aren't we a villain organization?
"Of course not. Akatsuki is an organization with noble ideals."
As if he had read their minds, the blond youth spoke as his form became clear. With a bright, sincere smile, Naruto Uzumaki appeared before Akatsuki's members.
"Our ultimate goal is to maintain peace in this world."
In a way, he wasn't wrong. Akatsuki's end goal really was "world peace."
"Who are you?" Naruto's unfamiliar face made the group freeze.
Only Zetsu recognized him instantly.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto introduced himself without hesitation. "Your future comrade."
"Hahaha, Sasori-danna! I like this guy!" Deidara jumped up, pointing straight at Naruto.
"Shut up, Deidara," Sasori snapped, silencing him before turning his gaze on Naruto.
"The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki?"
Uzumaki Naruto… a direct descendant of our ancestor, and one of the few remaining of our clan.
Pain cast him a steady look.
When I first learned the Nine-Tails' host was a clansman, I was shocked too.
"That's right, Kurama is inside me." Naruto nodded readily. "Want me to let him out to say hello?"
At that, several Akatsuki members immediately backed away, eyes sharp with vigilance.
Releasing the Nine-Tails? That could trigger a full-scale battle.
"Leader… if I recall correctly, our original plan was to begin capturing the Tailed Beasts three years from now," Kakuzu said slowly. Inwardly, he was already calculating the bounty on the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—though, come to think of it, the black market didn't really offer much for him.
Alive, he'd be worth far more.
The implication was clear: if the plan wasn't due yet, why bring a jinchūriki into the organization now?
This is bad, thought Black Zetsu, unease gnawing at him. Don't tell me…
Pain nodded. "That's the second matter I wished to address.
Our objective of gathering the Tailed Beasts remains unchanged. However—if a jinchūriki truly recognizes our ideals, then we can welcome them as comrades."
"After all, we share the same ultimate purpose."
"Do any of you object?"
In truth, Nagato's plan was to use the Tailed Beasts to forge a weapon that would intimidate the shinobi world. Since a jinchūriki was already such a weapon, if one accepted Akatsuki's ideology, there was no reason to refuse them.
During Nagato's era, there wasn't necessarily a kill-or-be-killed conflict between Akatsuki and jinchūriki. No irreconcilable contradiction existed.
As for reviving the Ten-Tails and the Eye of the Moon plan—that was Tobi's and Madara's goal, not Nagato's.
"Makes no difference," Kakuzu said flatly, so long as it didn't interfere with his money-making. Hidan also shrugged—it was all the same to him.
"Heheheh…" Kisame gave a low, chilling laugh, but didn't object either.
Damn it, Black Zetsu cursed inwardly. It must be that 'Uzumaki' brat who got to Nagato. He's becoming unpredictable.
Of them all, only Zetsu opposed, but he kept silent for now—he'd bring it up with Tobi later.
"…That works," Sasori finally said, nodding his acceptance. "Then the other two are also jinchūriki?"
"No, they aren't." Naruto shook his head, glancing back. "Come on, introduce yourselves."
"Uchiha Sasuke." Sasuke spoke curtly, hands shoved into his pockets.
"Hyūga Neji." Neji, too, wore an expression of cold pride.
"Uchiha and Hyūga…" Sasori muttered. "So the two great dōjutsu clans of Konoha have come as well."
"You're the one who defeated Itachi, aren't you?" Deidara's eyes lit up as he studied Sasuke. "How about a fight with me sometime?"
"Fine." Sasuke replied coolly.
"Good." Pain nodded at the exchange. "It seems no one has any objections."
"M–me, me, me!!" Deidara shot his hand up and waved furiously.
Pain asked, "Deidara, what is it?"
"What's our organization's purpose again?"
Pain: "…"
"The leader explained it a long time ago, didn't he?" To everyone's surprise, it was Naruto who answered. "It's to prevent the world from being destroyed, and to protect peace."
"COOL! A bunch of S-rank missing-nin, dedicated to world peace!" Deidara laughed joyfully.
How fun—being in Akatsuki was the best.
He had comrades who shared his passion for art (Sasori), a grand ideal to pursue, and most importantly, it would never be boring.
"…Wait a sec. You guys don't look like S-rank missing-nin at all," Hidan blurted out, as though he had just uncovered a massive oversight.
"Who said only missing-nin can join Akatsuki?" Naruto shrugged, then pointed straight at Zetsu. "If I'm not mistaken, this pitcher-plant senpai over here isn't a rogue ninja either, right?"
"I'm Grass—"
"You don't mean to say you're from Grass Village, do you?" Naruto's eyes widened in mock disbelief. "No way, no way, no way—don't tell me someone's still out here claiming to be a Grass ninja?"
"A few years ago, Kusagakure was wiped out," Pain added calmly. "I saw it myself."
Zetsu: "…"
"If being an S-rank missing-nin is the only qualification, that's not a problem either," Naruto continued, shrugging. "I'm on pretty good terms with the Fifth Hokage. I could always ask her to post a bounty."
Akatsuki: "…"
"As expected of you—I like you more and more!" Deidara shouted gleefully. Naruto's personality was absolutely his style.
"One last question." Kisame, the only one seriously weighing the implications of the three joining, spoke. "There are three of you, but only one vacant ring.
Only those who possess a ring are considered members of Akatsuki.
So do the other two plan to join as 'apprentices'?"
"Well…" Naruto reached into his pouch and produced another ring. "Now we have two."
A ring engraved with the character 'Sky' rested in his palm.
"That's Orochimaru's ring," Sasori said at once, recognizing it as his former partner's. "Did you kill him?"
"Nope," Naruto replied, shaking his head. His answer was deliberately vague. "I just took the ring from him."
Sasori gave him a deep, measuring look. To have taken Orochimaru's ring… at the very least, Naruto's power had to rival Orochimaru's. It reminded him of himself back then—defeating the Third Kazekage at only twelve years old.
Another prodigy, then?
"Still, there are only two," Kisame remarked curiously. "How do you plan to divide them?"
Naruto walked over to Pain, took the 'Scarlet' ring, and handed it to Sasuke. Then he placed the 'Sky' ring into Neji's hand.
"That should do."
"And you?" Hidan asked.
"I don't think my strength is enough yet. I'll join as an Akatsuki apprentice." Naruto smiled.
"I'll be in your care from now on, senpai."
Pls drop some power stones supper me at my
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