After hearing Orochimaru's words, Pain asked with interest:
"Oh? You know us?"
"I know a little," Orochimaru replied.
"Then you should know the purpose of our visit, right?"
"I am Pain, leader of the Akatsuki Organization. I am here to invite you to join Akatsuki," Pain said coldly.
Orochimaru stared directly into Pain's eyes, licking his lips.
"The legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths?"
"If you want my eyes, then it depends on whether you are qualified enough," Pain frowned.
Orochimaru shook his head with a smile. "I have no interest in the Rinnegan."
In the past, he might have had some interest in the Rinnegan. But now that he had embarked on the path of cultivation, he no longer had any desire for it.
"You may allow me to join Akatsuki, but I require a vast amount of funding to carry out my experiments," Orochimaru stated.
He had been troubled about where to acquire money, and at this moment, Akatsuki had appeared right at his doorstep.
Pain hadn't expected Orochimaru to propose such a condition. After thinking for a moment, he still agreed.
"Very well, I accept. Welcome to Akatsuki."
Sasori pulled out a ring and an Akatsuki robe, handing them to Orochimaru.
The ring bore the character "空" (Sky/Void). Orochimaru accepted it and placed it on his finger.
Sasori curiously glanced at Orochimaru's robe and muttered in complaint:
"What is this outfit you're wearing? Why does it look so strange?"
"A robe," Orochimaru said as he put on Akatsuki's cloak.
"Our goal in Akatsuki is to create a world free of war and suffering. We are constantly working toward that objective…" Pain began to explain.
Orochimaru, however, didn't care at all about Akatsuki's so-called ideals. He joined purely for money.
The three were about to leave the laboratory.
"Wait a moment."
Orochimaru suddenly remembered that he had not taken his alchemy furnace. He grabbed the storage scroll on the table and tucked it into his sash.
Inside the storage scroll were herbs and firearms necessary for alchemy—items of great importance that absolutely could not be left behind.
As for the alchemy furnace, it was too large to fit inside the scroll. Orochimaru had no choice but to carry it in front of him.
Sasori looked curiously at the furnace.
"What is this?"
"An alchemy furnace."
"Oh, what's it used for?"
"I am an alchemist."
"What is alchemy?"
"…"
Orochimaru was speechless. Why was this guy asking questions like a curious child?
He couldn't help but begin doubting whether joining Akatsuki had been a mistake.
Outside the Gold Exchange.
"Bang, bang! I've earned one million, but I still need another eighty-four million!" Kakuzu exclaimed excitedly.
As long as he continued to take bounties, he believed he would soon be able to afford a complete set of nanobots.
At that time, Kakuzu felt that with both a metal heart and nanobots, he would finally be able to fight against Senju Hashirama.
Ever since Kakuzu had been defeated by one of Hashirama's wooden clones, every tree he looked at seemed to resemble Senju Hashirama.
Kakuzu had already made up his mind: when the time came, he would go to Konoha, dig up Hashirama's body, and desecrate it.
"Who's there?" Kakuzu suddenly lifted his head and looked toward the sky.
A mass of paper gradually gathered together, finally forming into a winged woman.
"Kakuzu, I invite you to join Akatsuki," Konan said arrogantly.
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "I'm busy making money. I have no time to join some organization."
To Kakuzu, making money was the most important thing. Nothing could stop him from earning it.
Konan had already expected that Kakuzu would refuse, so she spoke coldly:
"To make you submit, the only option is force."
She landed on the ground, her wings of paper scattering into countless sheets that swirled around Kakuzu.
Kakuzu raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Let me show you the new power I've discovered!"
As he spoke, his entire body was instantly covered in silver metal. Even the black tendrils extending from his back became coated in the same metal.
Konan was shocked—this wasn't how the intelligence reports had described him.
Slash!
In an instant, Kakuzu's tendrils cleaved Konan's body in half.
But her body immediately transformed into a pile of paper, which reassembled behind Kakuzu, forming Konan once more.
"Quite the power," Kakuzu muttered.
Konan was equally astonished. She hadn't expected Kakuzu to be this strong. His attack speed had been so fast that she had nearly failed to react.
Her gaze lingered on the metallic substance coating Kakuzu's body. Clearly, this was what had boosted his power so dramatically.
She didn't know where this metal came from, but she resolved to have Zetsu investigate it.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you go," Kakuzu said, turning to leave.
"One hundred million."
Kakuzu froze mid-step, then slowly stepped back. He turned his head with disbelief in his eyes.
"What did you just say?"
Konan replied: "If you join Akatsuki, I will give you one hundred million."
Kakuzu's eyes immediately lit up, and he broke into a smile.
"Money doesn't matter—I'm mainly moved by the ideals of this organization. By the way… what are those ideals?"
"To create a peaceful world."
"Yes, yes, exactly. I will join Akatsuki for the sake of creating a peaceful world!" Kakuzu said insincerely.
This line he had learned from Yun Xiao. He believed that by saying it, others would feel his "sincerity."
Konan was a little surprised—this detail wasn't in the intelligence reports.
Kakuzu was someone who valued money above all else. At times, the only way to lure him was with money.
Konan tossed him an Akatsuki robe and a ring bearing the character "北" (North).
Kakuzu put on the cloak impatiently. "Well? What are we waiting for? I can't wait to meet Senj— I mean, the other members of the organization!"
Konan nodded and flew off in one direction, Kakuzu following right behind her.
Before leaving, Kakuzu glanced toward the direction of the shop.
"Don't worry, nanobots—I'll be coming for you soon!"
After Kakuzu departed, a Venus flytrap sprouted from the ground.
It turned its gaze in the same direction Kakuzu had looked, muttering:
"As expected, something's strange. Let me see what's really going on."
With that, it dove toward that direction.
Amegakure. Akatsuki's Base.
A man carrying the Executioner's Blade looked curiously at the alchemy furnace Orochimaru had brought. This man was none other than Hidan.
"Orochimaru-kun, what is this used for?" Hidan asked with curiosity.
Without explaining, Orochimaru smiled and handed Hidan a golden pill.
Instinctively, Hidan accepted it. "Orochimaru-kun, what is this?"
"As it's our first meeting, I'll gift you an elixir that enhances strength. You can repay me when the time comes," Orochimaru replied.
"I see. Thank you, Orochimaru-kun," Hidan said gratefully.
Tap, tap, tap.
"What? There are so few people here?" Kakuzu grumbled.
Orochimaru noticed the silver liquid flowing through Kakuzu's body and was taken aback.
It was clear that this substance did not belong to this world.
He unconsciously licked his lips.
"You… have you been to that store?"
Kakuzu froze in shock and turned to stare at Orochimaru, stunned that he wasn't the only one in Akatsuki who had been there.
Orochimaru immediately understood from Kakuzu's reaction.
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