Chapter 205 – Akatsuki's Midnight Talk
Through their recent clash, Obito had more or less gauged Uchiha Makoto's current strength. The gap between them was no longer as vast as before—it was no longer a divide between heaven and earth.
If they were to go all out now, Obito was confident he'd be the one left standing.
After all, he could use two Mangekyō techniques, while Makoto only had one functional eye. Obito could summon Susano'o, something Makoto, with just one eye, clearly couldn't do.
Makoto understood this as well, and it only deepened the hatred he held for both Kazane and Obito.
Yet despite Obito's harsh words, Makoto found them laughable.
Sure, he only had one Mangekyō technique—but thanks to Madara's teachings, his combat experience far exceeded Obito's. Plus, he could use the Mangekyō without limit, and he had mastery over Wood Release, which was another major advantage. These were the sources of Makoto's confidence.
Originally, Makoto hadn't intended to step out into the open at all. His plan was to secretly manipulate Nagato from the shadows, using him and Akatsuki to serve his grand design.
Once the Nine Tails was secured, he would force Nagato to use the Rinne Rebirth to revive Uchiha Hanshan.
As for Madara—Makoto had no interest in following through with that old man's vision.
> A world where everyone lives in a dream and gets whatever they want? What value does humanity even have then?
Makoto, a genius destined for admiration, couldn't accept the idea of being trapped in a dream world with the masses. That wasn't his path.
Unfortunately, with only one eye, Makoto found he couldn't defeat Nagato.
That changed everything.
From his original plan to become the puppet master behind the scenes, he now had to settle for being a reluctant collaborator—one with less power and influence. At any moment, he could be reduced from "partner" to "pawn."
And for that, Makoto blamed Kazane and Obito entirely.
If Obito had simply died back then, Kazane wouldn't have discovered Makoto's presence.
If not for Kazane's interference, Makoto would have long since captured the Nine Tails and ascended to supremacy—instead, he'd lost everything, including one of his eyes.
In his mind, it was all their fault.
His only consolation was that Nagato was arrogant to a fault. Makoto simply needed to say a few things, and Nagato would believe them.
After their recent conversations, Nagato believed he had uncovered some of the shinobi world's deeper truths, and even altered parts of his original plan.
After the last incident, Obito had come to view Nagato as a confidant, and now didn't want to see him and Makoto fight again.
So, after a brief pause, Nagato made a decision and stepped in as the "villain" of the moment.
"Enough. I don't want to see this happen again. From this moment on, Uchiha Makoto is one of us. Anyone who harms a comrade will answer to me."
Then he turned to Obito, speaking sincerely:
"Obito, I know there's history between you and Makoto. But that's the past. For the sake of our shared dream, I hope you'll let it go—for now. Once our dream is realized, you can fight all you want, and I won't stop you."
Knowing they couldn't act with Nagato present, Obito and Makoto exchanged one final look and simultaneously let out a cold snort before stepping back.
Satisfied that tensions had eased, Nagato turned to Kakuzu.
"As for you, this time I'm pairing you with Zetsu. I don't want any more mysterious disappearances from your team. Zetsu has his own unique intelligence network—he's far more capable than you think. With your combined strengths, I expect you to gather plenty of resources for the organization."
Nagato had long held strong opinions about Kakuzu.
Though Kakuzu had only been with Akatsuki for two months, the damage he caused was staggering.
Initially, Nagato was reassured by Kakuzu's power and assigned him an S-class rogue ninja—wanted by all five great nations—as a partner, hoping Kakuzu could protect them.
But within a week of their first mission, Kakuzu returned alone, claiming the partner was careless and got killed by their target.
Nagato, though slightly pained by the loss of a strong asset, believed him and assigned another partner.
That trust didn't last long. Within two weeks, the new partner also "died"—again, supposedly in battle.
Still, Nagato chose to believe him. After all, Kakuzu had joined voluntarily, and he was powerful. As leader, Nagato wanted to show tolerance and magnanimity.
And so, partner after partner came and went. Within just two weeks, Kakuzu had gone through five new teammates.
Eventually, Nagato's own informants reported what kind of person Kakuzu really was—and even witnessed him walking into the underground exchange with one of his partners' severed heads.
Upon hearing that, Nagato flew into a rage and nearly stormed off to kill Kakuzu on the spot—but Konan managed to talk him down.
Considering his long-term plans and Kakuzu's undeniable strength, Nagato reluctantly swallowed his fury.
Still, seeing Kakuzu standing around with a casual, smug look on his face ignited that anger all over again.
Thankfully, Nagato's self-restraint won out. Otherwise, the newly rebuilt Akatsuki base might've needed another overhaul.
Pairing Kakuzu with Zetsu wasn't just about punishment—it was also to protect Kakuzu.
Nagato had fought both Kakuzu and Uchiha Makoto. Despite having only one eye, Makoto had nearly overwhelmed him.
Makoto seemed able to predict every move Nagato made. If not for Nagato's own overpowered eyes, he might've lost.
As for Kakuzu?
Well…
Nagato admitted Kakuzu was strong. That's why he hadn't eliminated him outright for his prior crimes.
But strength was relative. At Nagato's level, without decisive jutsu, Kakuzu was simply outclassed.
Kakuzu excelled at crushing weaker foes or fighting groups—but when up against stronger enemies, if his weaknesses were exposed, he was easily defeated. Shinobi like Minato Namikaze, with their terrifying speed, could likely one-shot Kakuzu.
Of course, Kakuzu would never admit that.
Another big reason Nagato didn't pair Makoto with Kakuzu was money.
Makoto had a bounty on his head—a massive one. When Nagato first saw the amount, even he was tempted.
But Kakuzu, who worshipped money? He might not be able to resist. If he acted recklessly, he'd be handing himself over for death.
And Makoto, being Makoto, wouldn't hesitate to take revenge in the name of fallen comrades. If Kakuzu died, Nagato had no idea where he'd find another powerhouse like that.
Of course, maybe Nagato gave Kakuzu too much credit.
Kakuzu was cunning. He never took risks he couldn't handle.
Especially after that humiliating encounter with Kazane, he was more cautious than ever. He avoided enemies unless he was certain of victory. Uchiha maniacs? No, thanks.
Zetsu, on the other hand, had no bounty.
That's right—Zetsu was worthless.
No one wanted him. No one was hunting him. He simply wasn't worth anything.
Nagato, having studied Kakuzu's profile, knew he was obsessed with money. Giving him low-value teammates was like throwing meat buns at a dog—gone for good.
But Zetsu had an expansive intel network spanning the entire shinobi world—something Kakuzu had lost when Kazane robbed him and his black market broker betrayed him.
Zetsu would fill that gap. Nagato trusted that Kakuzu, being no fool, would recognize the advantage.
And honestly, Nagato still hadn't forgiven Kakuzu.
After learning just how much money Kazane had taken from him, Nagato couldn't help but think:
> Maybe I should rob Kakuzu too.
Kazane had proven it—robbing Kakuzu could save Akatsuki ten years of effort.
Unlike Kazane, Nagato did his homework. Through careful observation and intelligence analysis, he even discovered Kakuzu's accountant.
Apparently, that person managed almost all of Kakuzu's accumulated wealth.
Nagato made up his mind—when Kakuzu outlived his usefulness, he'd be "punished" in the name of fallen comrades.
"An intel network, huh? Looks like we'll be good teammates."
Hearing Nagato's introduction, Kakuzu gave Zetsu—strange-shaped as he was—a glance filled with interest and relief.
Nagato had handed him exactly what he needed.
After losing his intelligence network, Kakuzu had been operating blind—especially when it came to intel on Konoha, and more specifically, Kazane.
The last time Kazane let him go, he gave Kakuzu an "offer"—become Akatsuki's spy, and there'd be big rewards. Refuse, and Kazane would personally visit him for "withdrawals" during every major holiday.
Kazane wouldn't reinvest, only collect.
Of course, Kakuzu didn't trust him—but with no choice, he agreed outwardly.
He joined Akatsuki and began sending minor intel back to Kazane, all while searching for a way out.
Zetsu's appearance offered him hope.
In Kakuzu's eyes, Kazane was the only real threat in Konoha. The others? Not so much. Not because they weren't strong—but because Kakuzu didn't fear them.
Konoha's true power was still a mystery, well-protected behind layers of secrecy. As far as Kakuzu and many others were concerned, the village's top-tier forces were ranked like this:
First Tier: Universally acknowledged—Kazane
Second Tier: Hiruzen Sarutobi, followed by the Sannin, Fugaku Uchiha, Might Duy, and Minato Namikaze
While Hiruzen had been outclassed by Ōnoki in battle, surviving at that level still meant something. In the shinobi world, surviving a top-tier opponent was itself a mark of strength.
As of now, no one had survived Kazane's blade and lived to tell the tale.
Kazane robbing Kakuzu was still an inside secret. The black market had suppressed it to save face.
But after Kakashi and Might Guy stirred chaos in Amegakure, two new names had been added to the top of the second tier. As for Tobirama Senju, Shisui Uchiha, and the like, they kept a low profile and were rarely mentioned.
Konoha was known for having many strong ninja—but to Kakuzu, unless it was Kazane or Minato, none posed a real threat.
If Zetsu's intel could extend into Konoha, Kakuzu might track Kazane's every move. If Kazane ever left the village, Kakuzu could simply vanish.
When it comes to longevity, I've never feared anyone.
As Kakuzu entertained these thoughts, he found himself grinning at Zetsu—thankfully hidden behind his mask.
What Kakuzu didn't know was that during Makoto's negotiations with Nagato, he had deliberately left out whether Zetsu's network reached Konoha—only vaguely describing it as "extensive." That ambiguity might have led to a serious misunderstanding.
Seeing Kakuzu's apparent cooperation, Nagato nodded in satisfaction.
He then turned to the dazed Sasori, and declared:
"As for Uchiha Makoto, you'll be paired with the Jade Maiden."
Before the two could react, Nagato raised his hand and continued solemnly:
"Now, I'll announce the next phase of Akatsuki's plan."
Everyone's attention locked onto Nagato—even Kakuzu stopped daydreaming and turned away from Zetsu.
This—this was what they'd truly been waiting for.
If today was just about introducing new members, a simple message would've sufficed. The fact that everyone had been summoned meant only one thing:
Something big is about to happen.