Sasori had nothing more to say. Even if he wanted to argue, he couldn't find a reason.
It was just like when he himself had first been tested by the organization. Back then, Sasori had just left Sunagakure, wandering through the ninja world. He thought he understood its limits—until he was defeated and recruited into the Akatsuki, and only then did he realize the true weight of its power.
Now that he was the one conducting the test, he could see for himself that the target had the necessary strength. There was no need to continue. Even if Sasori wanted to kill him, the Akatsuki would stop him. After all, every powerful rogue ninja was a potential asset for the organization.
Grinding his teeth, Sasori muttered:
"I understand. I'll report this to the leader. The rogue ninja Aoyama has the strength required by the organization. The mission ends here."
"Then I'll be taking my leave."
Zetsu's body slowly sank into the ground until it vanished completely.
The bizarre exit left both monsters growling curiously, their eyes wide in fascination, as though they wanted to drag Zetsu back out just to examine him. Though more likely, they just wanted to see if he was edible.
Promising his little Godzilla that they'd go hunt wild prey later, Aoyama turned back to Sasori's resentful glare and said with a mocking smile:
"Well, that's it? You're done? Your organization only sent two of you for this test? By the way, this half-dead lump of meat—" he nudged the beaten Kakuzu with his foot, "—do you still want him? If not, I might take him to the black market and sell him."
Kong mimicked Aoyama's expression, throwing the same taunting look at Sasori. But on his towering, muscular frame, the gesture looked ridiculously comical—though no less provocative.
Sasori's voice was low and cold:
"The mission is complete. Your assessment is finished. Welcome to the Akatsuki. Zetsu will deliver your cloak and hat later. Whether you truly join will depend on whether you put on the uniform."
"The rest is none of my concern. If you have no objections, then hand Kakuzu over to me."
Aoyama considered it. Joining the Akatsuki didn't seem to bring any harm—if anything, it could unlock another kaiju. Compared to wandering the ninja world alone, it didn't sound bad at all.
Still, Akatsuki was a villainous group. Their members all looked undeniably cool, yes, but they shared one strange curse: none of them could take off their cloaks. Anyone who dared bare their upper body seemed destined to die shortly afterward—as if it were a direct ticket to meet the Shinigami.
With a dismissive kick, Aoyama sent Kakuzu's limp body rolling aside like a lump of rice cake. Then he waved for Kong to return, his voice firm:
"So, the group is called the Akatsuki, huh? Interesting name. Fine, I'll join."
"Good. We'll meet again soon."
Shouldering the battered Kakuzu, Sasori gathered what puppets he could still salvage and leapt away into the distance. Soon, his figure vanished.
Aoyama let out a whistle, calling Kong and Godzilla to follow him into the forest. Unexpectedly, he discovered a cluster of villagers lying unconscious, piled together like sacks. No wonder none of them had shown up despite the battle's commotion.
Thinking it through, the culprit was obvious—Uchiha Obito. With Kamui, he was the only one in Akatsuki who could silently knock out so many villagers without leaving a trace.
Hunting was easy. Aoyama simply let loose Kong and Godzilla, then lit a bonfire. Before long, they had a mountain-sized pile of prey.
Godzilla's appetite was massive—he ate two-thirds of the haul by himself. Kong devoured nearly a third. Aoyama barely managed half a roasted chicken.
After feasting, Godzilla roared at the clearing. From the ground sprouted a strange pitcher-plant, and from within emerged Zetsu's half-black, half-white face.
Kong growled loudly, baring his fangs and raising his massive fists like twin hammers. At the slightest order from Aoyama, he would have torn the plant apart.
"I am Zetsu," the newcomer explained. "A member of the Akatsuki. I specialize in intelligence gathering, and I've also come to deliver the items you'll need."
Realizing Zetsu was only here to deliver the uniform, Aoyama calmed the two beasts. Tilting his head, he asked:
"So, you're here to bring me clothes? That black cloak with the red clouds?"
Zetsu nodded. "Yes. It's the standard uniform for members: the black cloak with red clouds, plus a bamboo hat. From now on, it's your basic gear."
"Basic?"
Catching on to that particular word, Aoyama raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, basic? You're not giving me the full set?"
Zetsu shook his head.
"Every full member receives not just the cloak and hat, but also a ring. The ring is extremely important—it allows you to receive the leader's summons and comes with a special jutsu tied to it.
"Without a ring, you are only a provisional member. But given your overwhelming strength, the organization has decided to give you a chance to become full-fledged—if you complete a mission."
Sliding into character, Aoyama's expression turned cold, like a professional assassin. His voice was sharp:
"Who is the target?"
Zetsu fell silent for a while, staring at him with an odd look. Only after Godzilla and Kong roared impatiently did he finally reveal the task:
"Your mission is simple—find Orochimaru, and invite him to join the organization."
Aoyama blinked, surprised. Orochimaru hadn't joined yet? But thinking about it, it made sense. The year was still only 52. The Uchiha Massacre wouldn't happen for another six years. Orochimaru not being in Akatsuki yet wasn't strange at all.
"So I just need to find my old teacher? That's doable. It's been a while since I last saw him, but if anyone can track him down, it's me."
"Good. The mission is yours. Complete it, and you'll earn full membership."
Donning the sleek black cloak with red clouds and the wide-brimmed jingling hat, Aoyama felt a surge of satisfaction. After dispelling the summoning and returning the two monsters home, he gazed out across the horizon, contemplating his next move.
Having spent two years as Orochimaru's apprentice, he had some sense of his teacher's habits.
For snakes, only moving things draw their attention. And what drew Orochimaru's attention most were forbidden jutsu and rare kekkei genkai.
It was highly likely he would be lurking around Iwagakure or Kirigakure.
Konoha was still engaged in skirmishes with Iwa, making it a likely hunting ground for Orochimaru to abduct bloodline-limit shinobi as test subjects.
But Kiri's situation was even worse. With Obito secretly manipulating the Mizukage, the village had become a blood-soaked nightmare of civil strife. Kekkei genkai clans were being hunted and slaughtered without end.
Which made it all the more likely Orochimaru would be there—collecting rare children from those clans for his experiments.