Konan interrupted their fight.
The woman with pale blue hair grabbed Uehara Naraku by the collar and pulled him close, her voice cold as she spoke: "What do you think you're doing?"
"Phew…"
Uehara Naraku let out a relieved breath. Seeing the Akatsuki members appear, he pointed at the masked man and Uchiha Itachi and immediately leveled a dramatic accusation: "Lady Konan, these two tried to kill me…"
"No, no, no…"
The masked man hurried forward, waving his hands wildly, explaining in an exaggerated tone: "We were only testing the combat ability of the organization's intern. We didn't expect him to defeat someone strong enough to become a full member!"
Although Itachi hadn't used his Mangekyō Sharingan, his normal combat ability alone was far beyond most shinobi.
Yet this kid had suppressed Itachi with his strange jutsu, even nearly killing him before Itachi could use his trump card.
If the masked man's observation was correct, the final technique the boy had used might have been space-time related—he had seen the space around him warp.
This kid… really was extraordinary!
He could certainly be used as a powerful asset to help Akatsuki gather tailed beasts. Akatsuki members were constantly rotating, leaving groups with vacancies, and occasionally exchanging teammates for money.
As for any threat Naraku might pose, the masked man considered it for only a second before dismissing it.
This kid didn't seem to have any kekkei genkai. His chakra was slightly above average, but not the kind of potential that would go far.
Still, his talent was undeniable—creating a jutsu that could be unleashed with a single hand seal was impressive—but that was as far as it went.
The masked man knew that only someone with a strong bloodline could truly advance.
Naraku's space-warping techniques had slight delays; once known, they could be easily avoided. Itachi had been hit by the Shockwave Command because of surprise.
Had Itachi used his Mangekyō right away, the battle might have ended instantly. Fortunately, he hadn't. Otherwise, Akatsuki might have lost a strong asset, and it could have upset Konan.
"Hm?"
Konan's expression showed slight doubt. She looked down at Uehara Naraku beside her, running her hand through his hair. "Is this true?"
It was hard to believe—a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, a wandering shinobi, having the strength to face a full Akatsuki member?
But the earlier briefing had mentioned intelligence suggesting that Naraku was indeed highly gifted.
"Some of it is true, some isn't."
Uehara Naraku's face turned serious. He kept his eyes on the standing Uchiha Itachi and said softly, "I fought him with a secret technique I developed, but he wasn't taking it seriously. His Sharingan… is incredibly strong."
He paused, then continued: "Once he used his Sharingan, I immediately fell into a genjutsu. I couldn't break free…"
"I understand."
Normal shinobi did struggle against kekkei genkai users.
Especially the Uchiha clan—they were rumored to be unbeatable one-on-one.
Konan nodded, believing him.
When she first encountered Uehara Naraku, she had wondered about his identity and which faction he might be a spy for.
But in the briefing, information had been provided about Naraku. His father, Uehara Nochiyo, was a shinobi from a small village in the Rain Country.
Nochiyo himself had been an ordinary member of the first-generation Akatsuki.
Uehara Naraku had lived in his father's village all his life, occasionally taking jobs from villagers under the pretense of being a shinobi. Only after his mother passed away more than a month ago did he leave that small village.
Since his identity was verified, nothing else was an issue.
Konan lightly patted Uehara Naraku on the shoulder. "Naraku, go rest for now. We have some matters to discuss with Uchiha Itachi…"
After all, twelve was still very young. At that age, survival had been their priority. Now that Akatsuki had the means, it made sense to nurture the next generation.
"Wait…"
Nagato interrupted with a sly smile. "Konan, I think this kid could easily become a full member of the organization…"
Naraku's father had died protecting Konan, killed by Konoha's Root under Danzo Shimura.
Given his talent, with proper guidance and a little push toward darkness, he could become an exceptional asset.
"He's too young, and his combat skills aren't enough, right?"
Konan countered softly. She had other plans for Naraku. Women's instincts were often gentler than men's, and she wanted to shield him from the darker side of Akatsuki for now.
"But his combat ability isn't lacking," Nagato disagreed coldly. "And if I remember correctly, the new member we welcomed today is only thirteen, right?"
Indeed, Uchiha Itachi was only thirteen.
Shinobi matured far too quickly. Twelve-year-olds in battle were nothing unusual. Itachi had witnessed the Fourth Great Ninja War at age four, taking the life of an Iwagakure shinobi on the battlefield.
After a moment's thought, Pein spoke: "Konan, let him join. Even with Itachi's addition, the organization still has a vacancy…"
Konan lowered her head and whispered, "Pein, we're about to attack Amegakure… to take revenge. I want Naraku to participate too."
"…."
Pein's brow furrowed, his Rinnegan eyes hesitant, but he finally nodded, accepting her request.
For years, he had cultivated the Rinnegan, waiting to take revenge on Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure.
Now, with the Six Paths completed, it was time to strike Amegakure and taste vengeance.
Originally, only he and Konan had been enacting revenge. Now, with one more, it was better.
"Then, Nagato, continue recruiting suitable members for Kakuzu!"
Pein scanned those present, stopping on Uchiha Itachi, whose intelligence he already knew.
In Pein's eyes, Itachi was a ruthless young man who had killed his own clan; his pain and darkness were undeniable.
After a brief conversation, Pein pulled a ring from his sleeve. "Welcome to Akatsuki. Your codename is Suzaku. From today, you are Akatsuki's Uchiha Itachi. From now on… you will act under the organization's name."
"…."
Itachi nodded slowly, taking the ring. He removed his forehead protector, marking it neatly with a kunai.
The Konoha spiral emblem reflected Itachi's slightly grim face. What passed through his mind as he stared at the symbol remained unknown.
Uehara Naraku stood beside Konan, observing. Suddenly, he looked up and said: "When you get your uniform, could I have one too?"