"I'm actually quite curious… with that body of yours now, how are these sights being transmitted into your brain?"
At the cliffside, Sasori quietly watched the river below without turning his head.
In a hoarse voice, he replied, "Chakra transmits the signal. A very simple principle. If you'd like to experience it for yourself, perhaps I can grant you that wish."
The threat in his tone was obvious, leaving no doubt about his desire to turn Ku into one of his puppets.
Akatsuki itself was an organization made up of S-class rogue shinobi, each powerful in their own right.
Because of that, no one ever bowed their head willingly, unless they were beaten into submission.
Uzumaki Ku ignored Sasori's intimidation and calmly stepped forward, stopping not far from his side.
"Sasori of the Red Sand… that was once your name, the pride of Sunagakure's greatest talent. But now… aren't you tired of it?"
"Shhh!"
A tail laced with purple poison rose from Sasori's back, swaying menacingly. Yet it did not strike at Ku below.
"Confident, aren't you? With your power… you do have that qualification," Sasori muttered.
Ku shook his head. "Ever since I joined Akatsuki, everyone in the organization must have obtained a dossier on me from the black market. Which means… you should know. I don't die."
Sasori lowered his tail, shaking his head. "No. No one in this world is unkillable. It only means the weakness hasn't been found yet."
Ku smiled, looking straight at his chest. "That's a statement that suits you best, doesn't it? Turning yourself into a puppet, hoping for eternal life. Seems White Fang of konoha killing your parents left quite the mark on you…"
The sound of gears turning echoed in the air. Sasori slowly raised his head toward Ku. "Do you… really have a death wish?"
No one reacts calmly when old wounds are torn open. Ever since White Fang killed his parents, Sasori had spiraled into darkness.
People who were both brilliant at creating and prone to overthinking often ended up pursuing immortality in their own way.
Sasori preserved only his heart as his true body, making the rest of himself a puppet. It had flaws, yes, but it made him nearly unkillable.
Similarly, after Orochimaru's disciple, Nawaki, died, the desire that had festered since the loss of his parents erupted completely.
Soon after, the Living Corpse Reincarnation was born. Flawed as well, but according to what Ku remembered, that scientific madman lived to the very end.
Now, Ku ignored the nearly enraged Sasori and calmly continued, "You've always hated waiting. When your parents left you to go to war, you hated waiting for them to return."
"In the end, it was all because of war. But the root of Sunagakure's wars was their hunger for Konoha's rich resources, wasn't it?"
Ku smiled at him. "I heard… the Third Kazekage you killed and turned into a puppet used his Magnet Release to pan for gold in the desert, just to sustain the village's economy. Isn't that right?"
Sasori went numb. 'How did this Uzumaki know everything?!'
He truly wanted to turn him into eternal art…
"Shhh!"
His tail, sharp as a blade, erupted from the earth, striking from below.
But-
Boom!
A blue skeletal frame appeared instantly, blocking the strike.
Ku gave him a calm smile. "So eager to kill me and make me your puppet? That won't happen. But kill me, and maybe you'll understand what eternal art really is."
His hands flashed through seals,
"Wood Release!"
Trees burst from the earth, binding the tail tight.
Sasori's gaze sharpened. This was the legendary power of the First Hokage.
Ku said, "Wood Release, the power of the God of Shinobi. From the Warring States to the founding of the villages, only Uchiha Madara could rival him."
"And Madara's power was…"
BOOM!
The Susanoo appeared in its Tengu form, towering and armed. A massive chakra blade swung down.
BOOM!
The cliff split, rocks crashing into the river below, sending water surging.
Sasori's tail lay severed, picked up casually by Susanoo.
"Sasori, if power like this were eternal… wouldn't that be art?"
The Susanoo crushed the tail into fragments, scattering poisoned shards that had no effect on its chakra body.
When Susanoo vanished, Sasori finally asked, "What exactly do you want?"
Ku smiled. "Your loyalty. What do you say?"
Sasori shook his head. "If all you have is the power of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara, legends though they are, they can't compare to the leader's Rinnegan. And if I were to pledge loyalty… what can you give me?"
Ku exhaled. "I know nearly all the secrets of this world. The Six Paths of Pain, the truth of the Rinnegan. Four years ago, in Amegakure, when all Six Paths fought together, they were nothing more."
"…Four years ago?"
Like Jūzō before him, Sasori knew of that incident. Pain avoided mentioning it, but everyone knew the intruder back then had been terrifyingly strong.
"That was you?" he asked, shocked.
Ku nodded. "There are many secrets even Pain himself doesn't know. And the Rinnegan… is not a power that cannot be easily recreated."
Sasori froze. The Rinnegan, the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, could be recreated?
This man knew too much…
"…What can I gain?" His voice already carried hints of submission. In this world, only strength ruled.
Ku asked softly, "So tell me, what do you want? Eternal art? Your parents brought back to life? Or… a world without war, where no child watches their parents march to battle?"
The cave grew silent.
Sasori thought hard. Eternal art? No… after turning himself into a puppet, he already knew that wasn't what he wanted. Puppets were cold, lifeless… they couldn't even cry.
"Your grandmother, Chiyo I have some intel on her you might find interesting. Want to hear it?"
Sasori ignored the bait. "If you could defeat the Six Paths of Pain like that, then yes, you have earned my loyalty."
Ku smiled and raised his hand.
Shhh!
Thud…
His hand pierced straight into Sasori's puppet body, stopping beside the heart.
Sasori showed no fear. Inside, a Flying Thunder God seal appeared directly on his true heart.
"I'm not Akatsuki. Once you pledge loyalty, betrayal is not allowed. If you do, I'll know no matter where you are."
Ku withdrew his hand. "Your grandmother developed a technique called Reanimation, giving life to the dead at the cost of her own. Why do you think she created it, at her age?"
Sasori lowered his head, old memories flooding back. She must have seen that day…
But now, he no longer longed for his parents' return. Killing the Third Kazekage had already severed his path back.
"I hope your goal… truly succeeds."
Sasori's deep voice sounded before he departed.
Ku let him go. With the Flying Thunder God seal placed, Sasori was already his.
…
In a dark cave, Pain stood with Konan before the masked man, Tobi.
"Speak."
Tobi looked back at him. "Nagato, Ku just met with Sasori."
Pain frowned. "There is no rule against comrades meeting."
Tobi pressed, "But he set up a barrier. Zetsu couldn't eavesdrop! I've told you, Ku has his own schemes!"
Pain shook his head. "No matter how mortals plot, they cannot threaten a god. Uchiha… Madara, not even you."
Behind the mask, Obito's eye twitched. Ever since Yahiko's death, Nagato had been obsessed with this 'god' nonsense.
If not for him four years ago, Pain's Six Paths would've been wiped out. Where did Nagato's confidence come from?
Obito sneered and turned to Konan. "You know how dangerous Ku is. A man with his power won't join without an agenda. And he constantly guards against Zetsu."
He looked back at Pain. "That man isn't just some Uzumaki. The Eye of the Moon plan cannot be risked."
Pain nodded calmly and left with Konan, giving Obito no face at all.
…
In the rain, Pain stopped.
"Konan. Go test him. Though a god fears no shinobi, that man… has never been ordinary."
Konan thought for a moment. "Wood Release, Sharingan, space-time ninjutsu… yes, we should watch him closely."
Pain nodded. "Ku… the rumors say he even has a way to resurrect. Be cautious. Animal Path will follow you, Pain's Six Paths can appear at any time."
Konan nodded. "Understood."
She scattered into paper and vanished.
…
Elsewhere, after subduing both Jūzō and Sasori, Ku was in good spirits.
Paper sheets fluttered behind him, gathering into a figure.
Without turning, Ku said, "Oiled paper instead of regular paper, flammable, waterproof. And explosive tags as a combat method. Jiraiya taught you that. How many have you made over the years?"
Konan froze.
He even knew that? Just as Nagato had said, this man's secrets ran deep.
"Where do you get your intel?" she demanded.
Ku shook his head. "That's not a question you ask. Not even your leader has that right."
He turned, smiling. "So… want to make a deal?"
"…What kind of deal?" she asked cautiously.
"Tell Nagato this: the Uzumaki are indeed descended from the Sage of Six Paths… but the ones who inherited the Sage's eyes were not the Uzumaki."
Konan froze. "…What do you mean?!"
Ku shook his head. "The saddest thing is when you hate with all your soul, yet don't even know who your true enemy is. Calling oneself a god, but not even knowing the origin of his own power."
"Those eyes are draining him dry. That uncontrollable power isn't even his."
With that, Ku's figure vanished.
Konan clenched her brow, scanning with her senses, but he was gone. The words echoed in her mind, the information was too great. She needed to report back.
…
In the shadows, Ku watched her leave as paper.
The bait was cast.
Now to see if the fish would bite.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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