A special thank you to all my patrons:
—Cain, Jacob Mooe, HADES, Varun Madhu, Gonzalo Sumalavia, kevin Williams, merp., Jose Carrillo, Derek M, DancingMonkey65, Joseph, Jose Sierra, AR3S, Nuro.
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Sasori emitted a "thought wave," projecting his image into an empty space through Pain's "Projection Technique."
This time, he arrived relatively early—only Pain, Konan, and Kisame were present.
After exchanging greetings with Pain and Konan, Sasori's gaze settled on Kisame.
He hadn't interacted much with Kisame. Their meetings had been few, and they had never worked together. Kisame was also a rather "quiet" man, preferring action over words. Thus, before any real conversation started, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
However, Pain soon broke the silence, asking first: "Have you met Itachi, the one Hidan and Kakuzu recommended?"
"I have," Sasori nodded.
"How's his strength?" Pain inquired.
"He's definitely skilled. I heard Hidan and Kakuzu suffered losses against him before. I have to admit, the 'Mangekyō Sharingan' is truly formidable—though I haven't seen it myself," Sasori shrugged.
"Why not?" Konan asked, puzzled.
"I don't know. I've heard the Sharingan drains the user's chakra heavily. Since I don't have one, I can't say for sure. But if he's genuinely willing to join us, he's definitely more reliable than most of our previous recruits… No offense, Kisame." Sasori glanced at Kisame and decided to add that last part, given his presence.
Kisame smirked coldly but remained silent.
As a newcomer, it was best to stay low-key when necessary. Besides, what appeared here was just a projection—even if he was displeased, he couldn't change Sasori's attitude with his fists.
"Still, I suggest we test him first. After all, he was once a ninja from Konoha. If he just joins Akatsuki outright, what if he's a spy?" Sasori proposed.
"How should we test him?" Pain asked.
"Have him kill a few Uchiha clansmen. How many members of Akatsuki haven't killed their own people?" Sasori glanced at Kisame again. "Even Kisame killed one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and became a rogue ninja from Kirigakure."
Pain nodded. "Kisame, what do you think? He might be your partner."
"My requirements for a partner are simple—don't interfere with my missions. After all, ninja strength varies, and even within Akatsuki, there are differences in power. As long as he's strong, I have no objections," Kisame replied.
As the two conversed, three more projections appeared simultaneously.
"What are you all talking about? Seems lively," Hidan spoke first.
"We were discussing Itachi. I was thinking—Itachi's strength is undeniable. Kakuzu, Hidan, and I have all witnessed it firsthand. He definitely has what it takes to join Akatsuki. But whether he's trustworthy is another matter."
Instantly, all eyes turned to Itachi.
"I refuse," Itachi stated.
Kisame's brow twitched slightly. "Care to explain why?"
"First, you were the ones who invited me to join Akatsuki. That means you've already vetted and approved me beforehand. I don't believe I need to prove myself again. Second, I came here seeking cooperation—to find my brother. If you can help me with that, I'll do whatever you ask. If you refuse, I'll simply find another way."
"Any condition?" Pain asked.
"Yes."
"Including killing your brother?" Sasori interjected.
"…" Itachi didn't answer, instead wondering if the person asking this was an idiot.
"Our missions have nothing to do with his brother. But they might be exhausting or dangerous," Pain mediated.
"That doesn't matter. The moment I became a ninja, I was prepared to die," Itachi replied.
"Good. Your new partner will be Kisame. Once you meet, you'll carry out a new mission together."
Kisame gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
"Speaking of which, where's Orochimaru? I heard he was supposed to attend this meeting. If it's just us, it's pretty boring," Sasori glanced around at the projections.
Itachi's heart tightened. Orochimaru was one of the reasons he had joined Akatsuki. If he could just learn Orochimaru's whereabouts, he'd even leave Akatsuki immediately.
At the same time, his eyes unconsciously scanned the other projections, wondering which one might be "Madara Uchiha."
"Sasori, I didn't expect you to miss me so much. My apologies—certain circumstances kept me away for months. But now that the matter is resolved, I can resume my duties." Orochimaru explained his absence before noticing Itachi. "A newcomer?"
"He's from Konoha, like you—a prodigy of the Uchiha clan, named Itachi Uchiha. Have you heard of him?" Konan asked.
"Ah?" Orochimaru paused briefly before smiling. "Of course. The Uchiha clan's geniuses have always stood out. Even in Konoha, they're a special group. So yes, I know of Itachi Uchiha. I just didn't expect you'd actually join Akatsuki. Welcome."
Itachi gave a slight nod but remained silent.
At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to strangle Orochimaru—but reason told him to endure.
After all, this Orochimaru was just a projection.
"By the way, seeing a new member join Akatsuki reminds me—I'd like to recommend someone as well," Orochimaru said.
"Who?" Sasori immediately grew wary.
"Danzo, the former leader of Konoha's Root. Due to… certain misunderstandings, he lost in a power struggle. Though he escaped Konoha, he lost everything. Now, all he wants is revenge. Given that he once led Root, his personal strength and ability to cultivate new talent have already been proven. From that perspective, he's more than qualified to join Akatsuki," Orochimaru explained.
"But isn't he too old? Our business involves killing—can he handle it?" Sasori questioned.
"Danzo still retains considerable combat ability. Having lived through the Second Shinobi World War, his experience surpasses most. Besides, I can coordinate with him—we can watch each other's backs."
"What about me?!" Sasori snapped. "You're my partner!"
"Then either find yourself a partner like I did, or wait for the organization to assign you one," Orochimaru turned to Pain. "What do you think, Pain?"
Sasori also looked at Pain, his eyes fixed on him.
Partners made missions easier, but they also served to monitor each other.
If Orochimaru and Danzo already knew each other, wasn't that cheating?
"Let's leave it at this for now. We'll regroup later and reassign partners. But Sasori, you should find a suitable ninja soon. Otherwise, even after reassignment, we'll still be short one person."