Chapter 120: Akatsuki's Invitation - He Is a Comrade!
Raindrops like pearls fell steadily, and
the gloomy dense forest grew wildly toward the sky, branches twisting like claws.
The raindrops broke through the flowing fetid miasma, fell to the ground, splashing water, and mercilessly striking grass and leaves.
The deep woods at the edge of sight were hazy, and the thick water mist stained with darkness seemed to hide unknown horrors.
The surrounding atmosphere was silent and solemn.
Tsukasa raised his head and looked at the three people from Akatsuki who were wearing black cloaks with red cloud patterns.
Their hoods were raised and their faces couldn't be seen clearly, but their hair colors were visible.
Orange, blue, and red hair.
These three were the founders of Akatsuki: Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.
Tsukasa's brows immediately furrowed deeply.
Why would Akatsuki, still in its early stages, seek him out at this time?
"Shisui?" He turned his head to look at Shisui, his tone questioning.
Shisui was about to explain to Tsukasa
when
Yahiko stepped forward and stood before him. He spoke in a very formal and solemn tone:
"Uchiha Tsukasa,"
"Please don't blame Shisui. It's me who wanted to see you."
However, facing Yahiko's sincere tone, Tsukasa frowned, his tone cold and distant.
"I'm sorry, I'm just an ordinary Chūnin. There's nothing worth seeing."
Yahiko shook his head, his expression unyielding, and took another step forward.
"No."
"Uchiha Tsukasa, after hearing about your deeds, I've wanted to meet you for a long time."
"You are a pioneer who truly walks the path of peace, a bridge between clan and village, and a noble person willing to fight to the death against Kirigakure and the evil cult for the sake of foreign civilians."
"I am inspired by what you've done, so I really want to see you."
He said sincerely, placing one hand on his chest:
"I want to know your thoughts, understand your philosophy, and also, I want you to listen to our beliefs."
At this moment, Shisui Uchiha, standing nearby, nudged Tsukasa's shoulder and offered his encouragement:
"Tsukasa, please. They're like-minded people fighting for peace and to resolve conflicts."
Tsukasa glanced at Shisui,
and seeing the gleam in Shisui's eyes, he couldn't help but frown slightly.
This kid was already naive, and now, in the Land of Rain, he'd encountered the even more naive and idealistic newborn Akatsuki.
It seemed he'd been completely taken in.
"Sigh," Tsukasa sighed, looking up at Yahiko.
He truly didn't want to be associated with these three people. He sympathized with their pursuit of dreams that would ultimately end in tragedy.
However, behind these three people lurked the mastermind behind everything—the true Shura of the Shinobi World,
Madara Uchiha, feared by the entire shinobi world!
And at this moment, the eyes of the naive Nagato were the product of millennia of meticulous planning by Black Zetsu, hidden behind Uchiha Madara.
These powerful figures were now beyond his ability to handle.
If Akatsuki's tragedy were altered, the story would truly plummet into an irreversible abyss.
With this thought, Tsukasa frowned and spoke coldly to Yahiko:
"I don't know where you got this gossip, but I'm not as great as you claim."
"I'm just an ordinary person, and all I've encountered along the way is failure."
Tsukasa glanced up at the nearby Konoha headquarters, then at their surroundings.
The foul miasma blocked the Inuzuka clan's keen noses, and Shisui had deliberately led them to this hidden corner of Root territory, concealed from the Byakugan's prying eyes, avoiding any detection.
If discovered, even Shisui would be held accountable.
"If you have something to say, please say it directly—"
"This is not a safe place for you. If you're discovered by Konoha shinobi, you won't be able to leave."
"Okay!"
Yahiko also knew the opportunity was precious. He took a deep breath and said solemnly:
"Then I'll be direct!"
"Uchiha Tsukasa, just as you risked your life for mutual understanding between your clan and village, and stood up and drew your sword for the suffering of foreign civilians—"
Yahiko placed his hand on his chest, his face full of energy, and spoke in the most resolute tone:
"The 'Akatsuki' I founded also acts for this ideal!"
Then he turned around,
pointed to the battlefield outside the camp strewn with corpses, pointed to this weeping country, and stated calmly:
"To prevent the Third Shinobi World War, to achieve a future where people can understand each other, and to save this country that continues to suffer."
"We won't rely on extreme force and power, but will create the belief in peace that everyone desires."
"So I want to invite you—"
"I want to invite you who, though younger than us, has walked ahead of us without hesitation."
"For this goal, we need your strength!"
Yahiko raised his head, gazing intently at Tsukasa.
He pulled out a brand new black cloak with red cloud patterns from beneath his coat.
He held it before Tsukasa with both hands, bowed ninety degrees,
and then, eyes closed, declared loudly,
"Please acknowledge me as your leader and join our organization—"
"Akatsuki!"
The words startled everyone present.
Tsukasa's eye twitched, wondering what was happening.
First Orochimaru wanted to be his father figure, and now Yahiko wanted to be his boss?
I haven't done anything!
At this moment, no one in the group could have anticipated
that Yahiko had come here to invite a Konoha shinobi—someone they'd just met—to join their fledgling organization.
Even Shisui, considered a friend by the Akatsuki trio, had never received such treatment.
"Yahiko?!"
Behind Yahiko, Konan and Nagato were startled and bewildered.
However, after processing Yahiko's actions, they immediately stood beside him and joined him in bowing to Tsukasa.
Just like when they'd become Jiraiya's students, Yahiko meant everything to them.
However,
looking at the three people before him, Tsukasa's face remained impassive. He spoke decisively,
"Sorry, I refuse."
The word "refuse"
was uttered, and Nagato behind Yahiko immediately raised his head and glared at Tsukasa with resentment.
However, Tsukasa wasn't intimidated. Instead, he watched the other's eyes light up with interest.
He even wished Nagato would summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path right there and crush him on the spot.
Tsukasa took a deep breath, looked at Yahiko, and bluntly exposed his point:
"You've said so much, but what you really want to achieve is just that last one."
"Just to save this country."
Then he demanded coldly:
"So how are you going to do it?"
"With just the belief in creating peace without resorting to extreme force and power, how are you going to achieve it?"
Yahiko stood up, his gaze firm despite being rejected.
He smiled confidently:
"I've thought about this question before."
"I used to think that as long as you make someone feel the same pain, they can understand each other."
"Feel pain, experience pain, accept pain, understand pain—and then fear it."
"As long as you make the world feel pain, the future I hope for will arrive."
Yahiko's tone was heavy, expressing his truest thoughts.
Hearing these words, Shisui's face changed slightly, looking stunned.
"But later, I found there's a better way than this—"
Yahiko raised his head, his tone changed, and he said firmly:
"Only by being open-hearted with your enemy, not hiding anything from each other, and showing your true self! Then sitting down and sharing sake together like brothers!"
"This way will make people truly understand each other!"
"This is the path most needed, most desired, and most difficult for the people of this world!"
Yahiko raised his head, his eyes firm, his tone resolute, and he said in a low voice:
"This is what I want you to hear—"
"The belief of our Akatsuki!"
However,
such words could not move Tsukasa.
He shook his head, looked at Yahiko expressionlessly, sighed and said:
"Well said, very inspiring."
"But I want to tell you, just this one thing."
"In this world, it's impossible and won't work."
Yahiko was not discouraged at all. Instead, his eyes lit up, and he looked at Tsukasa and asked:
"Why?"
"Ha, why?"
Tsukasa couldn't help but sneer, and spoke unusually calmly,
"Because this is a world where power reigns supreme!"
He coldly gazed at Yahiko, who was attempting to recruit him, his tone icy.
"I don't know if people can truly understand each other. That kind of idealism is too illusory for me."
"But the prerequisite for getting people to listen to you is first making them willing to listen."
"Reason is earned through strength, understand?"
Tsukasa said, giving Yahiko a deep look, unconcerned about whether he understood or not.
Even this suggestion was his greatest kindness.
Yahiko had undoubtedly chosen the most difficult path—
a path that even the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, ultimately failed to complete.
True sincerity could indeed be exchanged for true sincerity, but more likely, it would be met with cold betrayal.
With this thought,
Tsukasa, without even turning back, decisively grabbed Shisui by the collar and walked away,
sounding a solemn warning:
"Shisui,"
"Don't hang around with these guys anymore. That guy's way is too dangerous."
"If you're not careful, he'll lead you into a ditch."
The voice quickly drifted away on the wind.
The dreary atmosphere of the Land of Rain remained unchanged.
The relentless downpour pelted down, veiling the two figures in wind and rain.
In the gloomy woods,
Yahiko gazed at the Akatsuki cloak he hadn't been able to offer, sighed, and tucked it back into his sleeve.
Konan, standing beside him, looked at him with concern and asked, "Yahiko, are you okay?"
"He seems to have completely rejected it,"
Nagato shook his head as he watched Tsukasa's retreating figure. He then turned to Yahiko and offered consolation,
"But it's okay. We believe in you."
"Hahahahaha!"
However, Yahiko remained undeterred by his teammates' words of comfort, instead bursting into laughter.
"Who said he refused?"
Yahiko raised his eyebrows and patted Nagato and Konan on the shoulders,
"Listen, Nagato, Konan,"
"What I mean by mutual understanding—the key is being open-hearted and not hiding anything from each other."
"He has fully understood our ideas, and he has also expressed his ideas to us."
"This is exactly a kind of openness."
Yahiko smiled slightly, revealing a confident grin, and clenched his fists.
"Now that he understands us, the next thing we have to do is make him agree with our path."
"Make him our comrade!"
Hearing this, the two of them were momentarily speechless, not knowing how to respond. Finally, they looked at each other and asked helplessly:
"Yahiko, what are you planning to do?"
Yahiko narrowed his eyes slightly, looking across the rain at the disappearing figure.
He thought for a moment, then said with determination:
"Although this guy says it's impossible, everything he does is moving toward peace."
"Next, we'll continue acting normally. Konan, you keep an eye on him."
"Let's see what big moves he makes. Then—"
Yahiko slapped his thigh and declared his plan:
"We'll lend him a helping hand!"
End of Chapter 120
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