[Sunday Special - I have Bulk today (1/4)]
[~ 950 Words]
~ Days after Uchiha Massacre.
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Location : Someplace in Amegakure.
The sky above Amegakure was heavy with storm clouds — a curtain of eternal rain fell from above, dampening the endless steel and concrete that jutted like spears from the earth.
Each drop echoed.
Each second hung like judgment.
Uchiha Itachi stood silently in the main chamber of the Akatsuki's hideout — a place etched into the stone walls of a forgotten mountain, cloaked in seals and Genjutsu. Though the air was still, something oppressive slithered through the shadows, ancient and watchful.
He had arrived only moments earlier, brought by a trail of whispers — a rogue shinobi, exiled by blood, cloaked in silence. His ANBU mask was long discarded, his Konoha hitai-ate slashed and on his forehead.
Now, he wore only black and the weight of his decision.
Across from him, seated on a platform carved into the rock, stood Pain — the Rinnegan glowing faintly beneath the hood of his cloak. Beside him, ever quiet, stood Konan, her paper flower drifting slowly down her shoulder.
"You are Uchiha Itachi," Pain said, his voice hollow, almost mechanical.
"Yes," Itachi replied. Calm. Controlled. As always.
"You killed your clan… and walked away from the Leaf," Pain continued. "You understand what that means?"
"I do," Itachi said. "I am no longer a shinobi of Konoha. My life is now my own."
"Good," Pain said. "Because your life now belongs to Akatsuki."
A faint crackle echoed from the far side of the chamber.
From behind a twisted column stepped Kisame Hoshigaki, dragging Samehada along the stone with a lazy scrape. His shark-like grin widened as he saw Itachi.
"So you're the famous Uchiha Itachi, huh?" Kisame said. "You don't look like a killer."
Itachi didn't flinch. "Looks can deceive."
Kisame chuckled. "Fair enough. I hear you killed your entire clan. That's cold-blooded — I like it."
Konan stepped forward and handed Itachi a simple red ring. Its surface was etched with the kanji: 朱 (Shu) – Scarlet.
"The ring is a symbol," Konan said gently. "And a mark. It binds you to us. Each member has one. You'll wear it on your right ring finger."
Itachi slid it on without hesitation.
"You'll also be partnered," Pain said. "You will work with Kisame."
Kisame snorted. "Just like that? No introductions?"
A moment later, more shadows emerged from the tunnel entrance behind Pain. The Akatsuki members arrived one by one, each bearing the signature black cloak with red clouds, each cloaked in their own madness.
Sasori stepped in first — cloaked, face hidden beneath his Hiruko puppet form. His voice was low and disinterested.
"Hmph. Another child. Let me guess… he specializes in Genjutsu and thinks he understands art?"
Next came Kakuzu, dragging a blood-soaked sack behind him. Coins jingled from a pouch at his side. He didn't look at Itachi. Didn't acknowledge anyone.
"Another recruit," he muttered. "Don't care. Just make sure he pulls his weight. I'm not splitting contracts with a child."
Behind him, Hidan followed — silver hair, a gleam of zealotry in his eyes. He wore no shirt beneath his cloak and bore the strange scythe of his faith.
"Welcome, brother," Hidan said with a strange smile. "I hope you pray before battle. Lord Jashin loves a good ritual sacrifice."
Itachi gave him a blank look. "No, thank you."
Hidan grinned wider. "We'll work on that."
Finally, the dual form of Zetsu emerged from the far wall — one half black and the other pale white.
The white half chuckled. "He's cute! He doesn't even blink."
The black half whispered, "He'll be useful… if he survives."
Pain raised his hand and silence fell.
"You are all here," he said. "Today marks a new phase. The Akatsuki will begin taking on external contracts. Bounties, mercenary work, assassination missions. You will wear no village headbands. You will operate through false names. You will bring income to us and expand our reach."
Sasori asked, "And the real mission?"
"Not yet," Pain answered. "There will be a time. For now, you are to sow confusion, weaken nations, disrupt economies."
"And when the world is unstable?" Kisame asked.
Pain's Rinnegan glowed.
"Then we rebuild it… as god."
No one spoke.
Itachi, standing among the monsters, said only, "Understood."
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Location: Later That Night – Rainfall and Firelight
The new team of Itachi and Kisame walked side by side through the dark corridor leading out of the main hideout. Samehada thudded behind them.
"You don't talk much," Kisame said.
"I say what's needed," Itachi replied.
Kisame laughed. "We'll get along fine."
They stepped out into the rain, cloaks billowing.
Their first assignment was already etched in a scroll — take out a daimyo's retainer rumored to be spying for Kumogakure. A high-value target.
"It's strange," Kisame mused. "You kill your clan, then join a criminal organization. But you don't feel like a murderer."
Itachi stared into the rain. "You speak too much."
"Maybe," Kisame smirked. "But you're interesting."
They disappeared into the mist, two cloaked figures — one born of blood and silence, the other of madness and war.
The black clouds rumbled overhead.
And far above them, from within the sealed tower of Amegakure, Pain watched — his eyes fixed through the rain, unmoved.
Beside him, Konan whispered, "Do you trust him?"
"No," Pain replied. "But he will serve his purpose."
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