Chapter 52 – The Akatsuki Organization
After a full day of continuous travel, the trio finally arrived at the gates of Amegakure.
"This is Tsunade from Konohagakure. We've come to speak with Hanzo-sama," Tsunade declared clearly to the shinobi stationed at the entrance.
Moments later, a ninja wearing a forehead protector engraved with the symbol of the Hidden Rain stepped forward.
"Tsunade-sama, thank you for making the long journey. Please follow me. Hanzo-sama has been expecting you," he said respectfully. In this world, strength spoke louder than status—those with power were honored, no matter where they stood.
The escort led Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Yusuke through the rain-soaked village before politely withdrawing once they reached Hanzo's quarters.
Yusuke's eyes narrowed as he took in the man before him. Towering and clad in tactical armor, Hanzo wore a breathing apparatus over his face that gave him an ominous, otherworldly presence. Every movement exuded the seasoned pressure of a battlefield veteran. Yusuke could feel it—the sheer weight of power behind this man was on par with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
But even so, in a true fight to the death, Hanzo still wouldn't match Hiruzen. After all, Konoha's foundation was deep and steeped in high-level Ninjutsu—techniques that even other villages could barely comprehend.
"We meet again, young one," Hanzo greeted.
"We do," Tsunade answered, stepping forward. "This time, we come with a proposal—for an alliance."
"An alliance, you say?" Hanzo replied with mild interest. "And what kind of terms is Konohagakure offering?"
"If war does break out," Tsunade said, "we hope Hanzo-sama will side with us."
"And what," Hanzo grinned beneath his mask, "would Konoha offer in return?"
Tsunade hesitated. "That..."
"Then perhaps you should state your terms instead," Yusuke interjected calmly.
Hanzo's gaze shifted, studying the boy with renewed curiosity.
"Very well," Hanzo replied. "I want official recognition from Konoha that I am the Kage of Amegakure. In addition, I want one-third of the Land of Fire's resource flow diverted to aid our village's development."
"That's impossible!" Tsunade snapped instantly.
"Then there's nothing more to discuss," Hanzo said, shaking his head with feigned regret.
"…This is…" Tsunade faltered, unsure how to respond.
"If there's nothing else, you may all leave," Hanzo dismissed them with a single wave.
Without arguing further, the trio exited the chamber. Though Yusuke could've negotiated further, he had no real intention of working with Hanzo. This was not the same man from the tales of the previous war. Now, Hanzo was just another power-hungry schemer—no different from Danzō.
Morality aside, the fact that the founders of Akatsuki were Jiraiya's former students was enough reason for Yusuke to distance himself. One of them—Nagato—possessed the legendary eyes of Uchiha Madara: the Rinnegan. There was no way Yusuke believed Madara hadn't left some kind of trap in those eyes.
Besides… could the Rinnegan really be defeated so easily?
Those divine eyes, gifted by the Sage of Six Paths himself, had the power to reshape the world. In terms of raw potential, they even surpassed Yusuke's Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Despite combining several Devil Fruit abilities, he hadn't yet matched the mysterious power of the Rinnegan.
Yusuke admired that power—but he wasn't foolish enough to expose himself to Madara's gaze just yet. Nor was he interested in stealing someone else's eyes. Even if he did, they'd never truly be his. Using them would burn through his energy and limit his potential.
That's why he had a different ambition. One far more dangerous—to create his own Rinnegan.
Without Uchiha blood or Senju lineage, his only path lay in acquiring the fruit of the God Tree. Theoretically, the Rinnegan was the pure manifestation of Yin chakra, given physical form through Yang. Like the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, it was born from overwhelming pain and an indomitable will.
In the original manga, Kurama Yakumo could manifest illusions into reality—pure Yin release. So even if the God Tree's fruit didn't immediately awaken the Rinnegan, it would still enhance his chakra and bloodline dramatically.
There was one possible method—combine the Ope-Ope no Mi (Operation Fruit) to extract and refine genetic lineage, with the Yami-Yami no Mi (Darkness Fruit) to absorb and integrate it. Through that, he could strengthen his own biology and awaken the legendary eye naturally.
(Yes, this was all Yusuke's own wild speculation—but that didn't make it impossible.)
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Back to the present.
After leaving Hanzo's residence, the trio didn't return to Konoha right away. They decided to stay another day in the Land of Rain to reconsider their strategy.
"Looks like an alliance with Hanzo is off the table," Tsunade muttered.
"Who knew his ambitions ran that deep…" Jiraiya said, frowning.
"He wants to make his village the sixth Great Shinobi Nation," Tsunade added with a scoff. Only the Five Great Nations had the right to call their leaders 'Kage.' Even if others claimed the title, the shinobi world didn't recognize them.
"We should stay in the Land of Rain a little longer. Watch how Hanzo moves," Jiraiya suggested.
"Agreed. What do you think, kid?" Tsunade turned toward Yusuke, who had been quiet until now.
"…Actually, I do have a way to get Danzō to work with Hanzo," Yusuke said nonchalantly.
"Wha—Why didn't you say that earlier?!" Jiraiya shouted, nearly leaping out of his seat.
"Shut it," Tsunade growled, slamming her fist into his face and sending him flying across the room. She knew Yusuke wouldn't have kept quiet unless he had a reason.
"If we help Hanzo eliminate a certain group that's been bothering him," Yusuke continued calmly, "I'm sure he'll agree to a temporary alliance."
"There's another group in the Land of Rain… strong enough to trouble Hanzo?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"Akatsuki," Yusuke answered.
"…Akatsuki?" Tsunade repeated. The name was unfamiliar.
"They're a new organization of mercenary ninja. Led by three individuals—two men and a woman. One of them has striking red hair."
Yusuke paused meaningfully.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed.
"Red hair… Could they be from the Uzumaki Clan?" Tsunade asked. As a descendant of the Uzumaki through her grandmother, Mito, she was familiar with their traits.
"One of them... seems to have the Rinnegan," Yusuke said, locking eyes with Jiraiya.
The moment he said it, Jiraiya stiffened.
A red-haired boy with Rinnegan—no way. That could only mean one thing: Nagato. No one else had those eyes. Not unless they were Madara himself.
"Rinnegan…? The legendary eye of the gods?" Tsunade gasped.
"Jiraiya-nii," Yusuke said with an unreadable expression, "what do we do now?"
"No," Jiraiya said, voice tight. "We can't lay a hand on him. No matter what."
Nagato was his student. Even if he couldn't stop Hanzo, he would never allow anyone to harm the boy he once believed to be the prophesied child destined to change the shinobi world.
(He didn't yet know that the true Child of Prophecy was Naruto.)
Tsunade sensed it too—something was off. Jiraiya was far too emotional.
"How do you know all this?" Jiraiya asked at last, suspicious.
"You don't need to know," Yusuke replied flatly. "I have my own ways."
Jiraiya didn't press further. With Yusuke's Door-Door Fruit, he could travel through space undetected. No information was beyond his reach.
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