A small, lonely island floated quietly off the coast of the former Uzumaki Country. Few knew that beneath its weathered cliffs and hidden caves lay one of Orochimaru's secret laboratories—one of many, scattered like serpents' burrows across the world.
Inside, a single woman stood as the base's warden—Uzumaki Karin, once one of Orochimaru's closest aides.
The faint echo of footsteps broke the silence.
"...Karin. I need your power."
The voice was cold, confident, carrying the weight of a storm. Sasuke Uchiha stepped into the dimly lit chamber, his eyes glinting with silent determination.
He didn't know that just hours before his arrival, someone else had already stood in that very spot and spoken to her—someone whose words still lingered in her mind like poison.
Now, as she faced Sasuke, Karin forced herself to stay calm. But beneath her composed façade, her heart raced in panic.
This boy… the aura around him—it's monstrous. Like he's fighting the gods themselves.
Still, despite the fear coiling inside her chest, a nervous flutter betrayed her instincts. Even in terror, she couldn't help but notice him—the cold beauty, the magnetic danger.
"...Karin?" Sasuke's tone sharpened. "Didn't you hear me?"
When she didn't answer, he frowned, his voice dropping to a command. "Fragrant Phosphorus, I'm talking to you."
She blinked, snapping back to reality. "Ah! Sorry… your goal is to use my ability to track Uchiha Itachi, right?"
"Yes." Sasuke's answer was blunt, detached. "I'll meet whatever conditions you ask for. As Orochimaru's subordinate, I can also ensure you won't be hunted by other villages. State your terms."
Karin wanted to shout the truth—My only condition is to stay alive!—but the words died in her throat.
Instead, she pretended to think, adjusting her glasses to hide her trembling.
"Do you have anyone else working with you?" she asked softly.
"Only one," Sasuke replied. "Jūgo of the Cursed Seal. No one else. For now, the goal is clear—[Akatsuki]. Through them, I'll find Itachi."
Karin studied him quietly. The fire in his eyes left no doubt—this was a man walking the edge between vengeance and madness. After a long pause, she nodded.
"...Alright. I'll help."
"Good. Let's move."
Sasuke turned, his cloak billowing as he left the base. Karin watched his silhouette fade into the mist, the words of the stranger from earlier echoing in her head.
'Your task is simple,' he had said. 'Do it, and you'll live. Fail… and you'll understand what true despair feels like.'
Her hand trembled.
Who the hell are these people I keep getting involved with…?
----
Meanwhile, in Akatsuki's hidden stronghold, the air shimmered with chakra. The slide-body technique had linked every member across the continents. At the center, Pain's voice rang cold and sharp.
"Orochimaru has been killed."
A murmur swept through the group. Some smirked. Others remained silent. All of them understood what that meant—one of the legendary Sannin, erased by his own student.
Sasori clicked his tongue. "Tch. That snake was supposed to die by my hand. Who did it?"
"Uchiha Sasuke," Pain answered.
The name silenced the room.
Pain's mechanical gaze turned to one man in particular. "He's forming a team. His next target is you, Itachi. What will you do?"
Deidara laughed. "Heh! Perfect! Let's just crush him now. I'll take care of the little brat myself!"
Itachi's eyes remained half-lidded, unreadable. Silence fell again—a silence that was as good as consent.
Sasori, arms crossed, scoffed. "Do what you want. I have other matters—Sand Shinobi and that old hag Chiyo won't stop chasing me."
"Separate missions, then." Deidara smirked. "Fine by me."
Before they dispersed, Pain added, "One more thing—Konoha has begun to move under Uchiha Kenya's leadership. Be cautious."
At the mention of that name, a subtle chill swept through the room. Even the fearless Deidara's smirk wavered for an instant.
"Shinigami, huh…" Kisame muttered. "Creepy just thinking about him."
No one disagreed.
----
At the same time, inside the Hokage's office in Konoha, Tsunade rubbed her temples in frustration. The desk in front of her was buried under mission reports.
"Sand is hunting Sasori. Kakashi wants to form a team to track Sasuke. Jiraiya says Rain Village's new leader calls himself 'Pain' and might be tied to Akatsuki… This is turning into chaos."
Across from her, Kenya sat calmly, hands folded, his gaze as unreadable as ever.
"Eight Tails and Nine Tails are all that's left," Tsunade continued. "Akatsuki isn't just a rogue group anymore—they're a global threat. What's your plan?"
Kenya smiled faintly. "There's no need to panic, Tsunade-senpai. Everything is already moving as it should."
He rose, turning toward the window. "All we need to do now… is wait."
Tsunade frowned. "Wait? For what?"
Kenya's eyes narrowed, a glint of light reflecting in them like the calm before a storm.
"For the world to change."