Just as it seemed like a clash between both of them was about to erupt, Alex poised, smirking, with chaotic power coiling around him and Obito already reaching for his space-time jutsu... Alex suddenly did something no one expected.
He grinned, a soft chuckle escaped his lips, which soon deepened into a relaxed laugh, casual and cocky.
He shrugged his shoulders and slowly turned away from Obito, facing the rest of the Akatsuki members who stood stiffly in the dimly lit hideout.
"You all can relax," Alex said with a nonchalant wave of his hand, as if dismissing the tension that choked the room. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead. No need for introductions or warnings…"
His voice was calm and smooth, but the underlying power that rolled off his words made everyone uneasy.
The implications of what he said weren't lost on the group. Even someone like Kakuzu clenched his fists tighter, hiding the tremor in his bones.
Sasori took a step back involuntarily, his usual charm gone.
Even Pain narrowed his eyes slightly, silently calculating.
No one spoke a word or would dare to lower their guard.
That silence was enough of an answer, and Alex nodded in satisfaction.
"Good," He said.
With lazy ease, he walked forward, each step echoing in the large hall. He reached the table where the Akatsuki usually held their meetings, pulled out a chair, and sat like he owned the place. He stretched his arms up above his head and yawned.
Then he looked at them all with that maddening smile of his.
"I'm actually not here to fight. I'm here to recruit you all for my goal."
That simple sentence ignited the next wave of tension.
Kakuzu scoffed, still scared of the power displayed by the red haired man.
"Recruit?" He said dryly. "Didn't you just claim to be a god or something? Why would a god need help?"
Before Alex could reply, Konan stepped forward slightly, her eyes sharp, filled with suspicion.
"What kind of goals are you talking about?" She asked. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried weight as her every word was measured and cautious.
Alex's grin stretched wider. He clapped his hands once dramatically, as the sound echoed off the cold stone walls.
"Ah, beautiful and brilliant. That's a rare combo," He said with an amused chuckle, winking at Konan in the process. "Sharp mind. Keeps the conversation on track. You're making sure I'm not wasting your time, right?"
Konan didn't respond to the flirt. Her expression remained firm, though a slight twitch of her lips betrayed her irritation.
Pain finally spoke, his tone devoid of warmth. "Just say it."
Alex turned his attention to the orange-haired Rinnegan wielder, his grin never wavering. "Alright, alright. Since you're all being so tense, I'll get to it."
He stood up slowly, his hands behind his back as he turned in a circle to face them all.
"My name is Alex Dragneel," He began, his voice dipping into something darker, more commanding. "And let me correct one thing... I'm not a God."
He paused for effect, his grin sharpening into something devilish.
"I'm a Devil… maybe even an Evil God."
The moment the words left his mouth, the room changed.
A jolt of dark, suffocating pressure washed over the Akatsuki, heavier than anything they'd felt before.
It was spiritual and sinister and it made the air harder to breathe.
Instinctively, several of them took a step back. Even the more stoic ones like Kisame and Sasori tensed.
Zetsu muttered under his breath. "This isn't normal chakra…"
Alex waved his hand again, casually dismissing the energy, and the pressure vanished like mist in the morning sun.
"Don't worry," He said with a laugh. "If I was here to hurt you, you'd be nothing but ash and bones already. No, no. I'm serious. I want to recruit you."
He resumed his seat and leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head.
"As for my goals… well, let's talk about yours first."
Pain's eyes narrowed.
"Your desire for world peace," Alex continued, his tone shifting into something resembling admiration. "It's noble. But the path you've taken is fatally flawed."
Obito, still standing to the side with a single glowing Sharingan, spoke then, voice low and cold. "And what would you know about peace?"
Alex looked at him directly and grinned. "More than you ever will."
That answer hit hard, and Alex saw the twitch in Obito's lips.
Ah, had I hit a nerve... Perfect!
Alex stood again and began pacing slowly, his arms folded behind him like a teacher delivering a lecture to stubborn students.
"You want to gather the nine tailed beasts to create some ultimate weapon, right?" Alex asked, though it wasn't a question. "A deterrent or something so terrifying that no one will dare wage war again."
He snorted. "That was a failure before it even began."
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"
Alex turned sharply, eyes glinting. "Because you're not creating a weapon. You're summoning a monster. One that even the Sage of Six Paths nearly have to give his all to contain."
That sent a chill through the room.
Everyone looked at Obito who, for once, didn't hide his reaction as a flicker of panic passed through his lone eye.
Konan saw it instantly. She stepped forward, her paper wings twitching behind her.
"What kind of monster…?" She asked. "What are you talking about?"
Alex stopped pacing and clapped his hands once.
"I'm talking about the thing your dear Nagato summons," He said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "That giant, hideous statue. That's not just some beast or jutsu... it's the husk... The dried-up corpse of the Ten Tails."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Even Kisame's ever-present smirk was gone.
Sasori's eyes flicked toward Obito, then back to Alex.
"Ten Tails…?" Deidara whispered.
Konan turned sharply toward Obito, her eyes now sharp with accusation. "You told Nagato about the statue... about the plan. So you knew... You knew this would release something like that, didn't you?"
Her voice rang across the room.
Obito didn't answer.
Alex, however, laughed loudly.
"Oh, he knew," He said, chuckling like it was the best joke in the world. "The poor guy is still living in a dream… planning to create a false world where he can cuddle up with his long-dead love, Rin."
He leaned forward, resting one elbow on the table, and pointed a finger at Obito.
"He's even planned when to kill Nagato and Konan… you know, to take back that lovely Rinnegan. Can't let those stay out of reach for too long, right?"
Obito's silence was more damning than any confession.
Konan's hands balled into fists at her sides. "You… bastard."
Alex smiled. "No, no, that would be Obito's title now."
Orochimaru broke the tension with a wild laugh. "This is getting good, yeah? I like this guy."
Kakuzu glared at him. "You like anyone who brings chaos."
"Of course, I do," Orochimaru said with a grin.
Pain's eyes hadn't moved from Alex. His voice, when it came, was deeper. "If what you're saying is true… then why tell us?"
Alex walked slowly around the table again.
"Because," He said seriously, "you all have power, vision, intelligence. And most importantly… the desire to change the world."
He stopped beside Konan, lowering his voice slightly.
"You were just misled," He said, his tone now almost gentle.
Konan didn't move, but her lips were pressed tight as her mind was racing.
Alex turned to the rest. "I want to offer you a different path. One where peace is a false dreamworld."
Kisame scoffed. "And what's the price?"
Alex smirked. "Pretty simple... just swear loyalty to me. That's all."
---- ✦ ✦ ✦ ----
Spoilers for the next five chapters!
Chapter 231: Dangling Temptation
Chapter 232: Zetsu's Secret
Chapter 233: The True History
Chapter 234: The Real Threat
Chapter 235: Broken Heroes
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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