"Are you Ash Ketchum? Welcome to the Akatsuki."
Nagato spoke through the Deva Path, handing Ash a cloak, a ring, and a sealed scroll.
"These are your robes, your ring, and techniques you must learn."
Ash accepted them silently.
These Rinnegan… they aren't originally his, he thought, sensing the strange tension in Nagato's ocular power.
A true wielder of dōjutsu would never let their chakra flow so unnaturally.
At this point, Akatsuki's members were few:
Nagato, Konan, Obito, Zetsu, Kisame, Sasori, Kakuzu… and now Ash.
The Third Great Ninja War hadn't ended yet — the organization was still gathering its pieces.
The ring Ash received was the Sky ring — originally meant for Orochimaru in the original timeline.
"Konan, take him to his quarters. This will be his home from now on," Nagato ordered.
Konan guided him to a tall building just outside Amegakure's main tower.
The lower floors were filled with laboratories — the upper levels held roughly fifteen spare rooms for members.
"This is yours," she said coldly when they reached the room at the end of a dim corridor. She had no trust for anyone brought in by the masked man.
"Thank you." Ash replied politely — he wasn't familiar with Konan yet, and there was no reason to provoke her.
"Hmph."
She shot him a brief, surprised glance at his gratitude — then turned away with a chilly snort.
Ash watched her leave, a faint grin tugging at his lips.
When Nagato's life is burning out like an oil lamp… I will be the one able to restore him. With the vitality of Wood Release flowing in my blood… Konan will eventually come to me for help.
He opened the scroll.
There were two unique jutsu inside:
1️⃣ Astral Projection Technique
— By channeling chakra through the Akatsuki ring, a phantom body could appear anywhere the Deva Path designated, communicating and coordinating with the team.
2️⃣ Transfiguration Clone Technique
— A special clone ninjutsu that uses another person as the medium, granting them 30% of the user's power. The original controls all actions.
When defeated, the host reverts — and dies.
Ash learned both almost instantly — his Sharingan's chakra control was precise and overwhelming.
He slipped on the Sky ring.
It glowed faintly.
"So… they're calling."
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Ash performed the seals — extending his consciousness into a dark cavern.
A towering statue loomed ahead:
the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path — the vessel for sealing Tailed Beasts.
Akatsuki Meeting
"Oh? A new member?"
Green eyes glowed from a masked phantom perched on one of the colossal fingers.
He radiated murderous greed — Kakuzu, bearer of the North Star ring.
"Heh—didn't expect to meet you in person. You've been making quite a stir lately."
Kisame grinned with his serrated shark-like teeth from another finger.
"Good puppet material…"
Sasori muttered from his perch, voice flat and lifeless.
Ash didn't respond.
His eyes opened — and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan erupted with killing intention.
The sheer presence of his dōjutsu flooded the chamber — the Demonic Statue's cavern trembled beneath the pressure.
"Not bad…"
Even the most ruthless Akatsuki members silently acknowledged it.
A child he may look like —but his power demanded respect.
"Well said, Ash."
The Deva Path (Yahiko's body) acknowledged him with a calm nod after witnessing Ash's overwhelming dōjutsu.
Ash let his Eternal Mangekyō close.
He had proven himself — and now wasn't the time for pointless chakra exertion.
"This young man already knows you all," Obito said.
"From today onward, Ash Ketchum is one of us. Codename: Sky."
Nagato continued, voice steady but strict:
"Akatsuki is still recruiting. We must act independently for now. When the organization is complete, we will move as one."
"For now, our priorities are funding and manpower for future operations."
Then came Ash's first order:
"Ash — you will travel to Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist. A rogue shinobi named Zabuza Momochi is being evaluated. If he meets our standards… recruit him."
"Kisame Hoshigaki is nearby on assignment. Join with him and return once the situation is resolved."
Ash nodded.
"Understood."
He had lived in this world for months — yet had never visited another Hidden Village.
The chance to explore, and to recruit a future ally, was welcome.
But what drew his attention most was Nagato's final detail:
Zabuza did not travel alone.
Haku… Shui Wuyue Haku… right?
A tragic soul — but a talent too valuable to waste.
If Ash could intervene early…
I'll save her fate — and make her mine.
Ash stood, the newly donned red-cloud cloak fluttering behind him as he stepped out into the endless rain of Amegakure.
He had no hesitation.
The era of Ash Ketchum — shinobi, wielder of Aura and Sharingan —had just begun.
...
TN:
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