Unlike the adult workwear, this student version highlighted youth and energy, almost like a teenage sports outfit. Though he'd been eager to graduate for some time, now that the day had arrived, he felt a mix of nervousness and hesitation.
After all, after all these years, he hadn't made any progress unraveling the academy's strange incidents. Clenching his fists tighter, he muttered, "Why do weird screams echo across the academy grounds?
How did an extra student suddenly appear among dozens? And who, or what, is the employee from the night school?
What secrets are hidden behind all this? The Akatsuki will uncover the truth sooner or later."
He nudged Nagato, who was clearly ignoring him. "Nagato, what are you doing? Graduation's almost here, you should join my Akatsuki too!"
"Don't bother me! I'm busy," Nagato snapped irritably. "And your pathetic little group doesn't even have five members. You'd be better off just disbanding it."
Yahiko frowned. 'This so-called organization was a joke, why bother continuing after graduation?' Still, he wasn't ready to give up.
"Hey, what do you mean pathetic? This is a serious group!" he said, pouting at Nagato. "If you count me, plus Konan, Kongo, and Renjiro, that's already five people!"
Before he could say more, "Sorry, I've been pretty busy lately," Kongo said, shaking his head as he arrived for their graduation ceremony, dressed in a worker's labor uniform. "I'm really not interested in joining any joke of an organization."
"I told you it's not a joke!"
"That's beside the point."
Kongo's loose-fitting uniform hung stiffly on his broad frame, making the normally rough man look surprisingly upright and proper. He turned to the trio, smiled warmly, and pulled out a bouquet of flowers he'd brought for the occasion. "Congratulations, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, you've graduated!"
They all said, "Thank you!" together, their faces lighting up. Hearing the words from Kongo brought back memories of when they first met him.
It happened in the Land of Rain, where Kongo was holding their propaganda posters. Those very posters had been taken by Charlie-Sensei and used by Amegakure to put them on the wanted list.
At first, they thought Kongo was an enemy carrying their wanted posters and were ready to attack. But then he quietly pointed to the line under the image that read, "Join us, and let's create a better future together," and asked, "Do you want to change the Land of Rain?"
Honestly, they were completely confused. Who would have thought those posters could have such an effect? But seeing how serious Kongo was, they had no choice but to nod yes. That's how Kongo ended up joining them.
Not long after, Mujie appeared. What happened after that is better left unsaid. Judging by how Kongo has been doing lately in the kusagakure, working hard during the day and studying seriously at night, if it weren't for his special status, he might have already won both "Outstanding Employee" and "Most Improved Student" awards. Now, dressed in his work uniform, he looked more happy than ever.
"Don't forget me!" Renjiro pouted as Kongo pulled out flowers. "Congrats on graduating!" he added, though his tone was a bit reluctant.
"It's just shinobi students becoming Genin, nothing special. They made such a big deal out of it, and I had to take time off!"
The three smiled at Renjiro, ignoring his grumbling. "Thanks, Renjiro!"
As for Renjiro... well, never mind! Even though he always complained, saying things like, "I'm not building walls. shinobis take missions, complete tasks, and get revenge," that's just how it is, he still worked hard.
Speaking of which, Kongo glanced down at the cement stuck to Renjiro's shoe. They'd both changed a lot over time.
Just then, a cheerful voice interrupted them. "Hello! Excuse me. I'm a reporter sent specially by KusaWood to do filming and interviews. May I have a moment of your time?"
Uzumaki White Zetsu known as Jugen smiled warmly as he looked at the three standing before him: Nagato, the bearer of Madara's powerful eyes; Yahiko, the founder of the Akatsuki, who often seemed lost in thoughts about his past; and Konan, an unassuming student who also happened to be a lord from the Land of Grass.
Both Yahiko and Konan shared a strong bond with Nagato. Just as Jugen was about to ask if he could interview them, Yahiko suddenly rubbed his chin and eyed Jugen carefully from head to toe. "You look so familiar... Why is that?" he asked with genuine curiosity.
Jugen's cheerful expression flickered for a moment but he quickly recovered with a laugh. "Maybe I just have a common face! Anyway, can I interview you all? I was sent by the lord himself. I want to capture this important moment."
At the mention of Charlie-Sensei, Yahiko's suspicion eased, and he nodded casually. "If it's Charlie-Sensei, then go ahead."
Jugen let out a relieved breath and smiled brightly again. "I only have a few simple questions, so don't worry. First off, are you happy here at the academy?"
Yahiko answered immediately, "Happy! Thanks to Charlie-sensei giving us this chance to study here, we've learned so much and gained a lot of knowledge.
Plus, the Akatsuki is recruiting right now. Anyone who graduates from the academy can join us. We're ready to explore the academy's secrets, uncover mysterious students and staff, and reveal the hidden truths of the shinobi world!"
Jugen's smile tightened, silently begging, Please don't turn this into an ad! But he kept his composure and said, "Thanks for cooperating." Then, turning to Konan, he asked, "What's your dream?"
Konan smiled softly, thinking for a moment. "To never go hungry again, and to protect everyone. And of course... to protect the Land of Grass."
"A dream of peace," Jugen said approvingly. 'That's a dream worth supporting.' Then he looked to Nagato, ready for the next answer.
When the question, "How do you feel about your eyes?" was suddenly asked, everyone froze, puzzled by the unexpected shift in topic toward Nagato's eyes.
After a brief pause, Nagato, the top student who had completed six years of rigorous education, seemed to grasp the deeper meaning behind the question. On the surface, it was about his eyes, but really, it was about his perspective on the world.
This was a kind of puzzle, perhaps even a subtle test set by Charlie-Sensei. Realizing this, Nagato's expression grew serious. "Thank you, Charlie-Sensei, for this opportunity. During our time at the academy, we didn't just gain knowledge, we broadened our horizons.
We learned to use our own eyes to explore and discover a world that belongs to us. By opening our eyes, we began to understand the shinobi world and built lofty ideals based on what we saw. Our eyes shouldn't just focus on ourselves, they need to take in the entire shinobi world."
The others exchanged confused glances, unsure what to make of his words. Jugen's face tightened, though he forced a smile and asked, "Have you been taking good care of your eyes?"
Nagato replied firmly, "By shaping the right values, we can set great ideals and follow the right path!"
Jugen pressed further, "So, what exactly do you plan to do with your eyes?"