Akatsuki!

Evening.

A secluded training ground.

Clang clang

Accompanied by the sharp clang of metal, the two figures locked in intense combat each retreated.

Haku panted, saying, "Haa... Shinji, your progress is too fast!"

In just a few short weeks, he had witnessed Shinji grow from a Taijutsu novice to someone he had to take seriously.

Not to mention Sasuke, who had been making waves lately.

He deeply felt that the Uchiha Clan was indeed a thousand-year-old prestigious family in the Ninja World, their clan members' talent was simply astonishing.

"Haku, is your Taijutsu rank really only in the twenties in class?"

Shinji was also out of breath.

Haku was like a spring; the more pressure he applied, the stronger Haku's strength became, and the less pressure he applied, the more mediocre Haku's performance was.

This time, he had given it his all, but in terms of Taijutsu, he still hadn't gained any advantage.

"I didn't perform well in the last exam." Haku chuckled awkwardly, then added, "Let's take a break!"

Shinji nodded and walked to the bench by the training ground, picking up a towel to wipe his sweat.

Haku walked over, "Shinji, have you been competing with Neji and Sasuke in practicing the Shadow Clone Technique lately?"

Shinji feigned casualness, "I didn't expect even you to have heard."

Haku laughed, "The whole class has been talking about it for a long time, everyone is guessing who among you will master the Shadow Clone Technique first!"

Shinji asked, "Oh, so who do they think will win?"

Haku looked at Shinji and said, "Tenten and the others think Neji will win. Shion and I think you will win, Shinji. Many people also think Sasuke will win. After all, you three are rare geniuses, no one dares to say for sure who will come out on top!"

Shinji was silent for a moment, then said, "I might lose. I've been practicing this Shadow Clone Technique for days, but I still have no clue."

Haku quickly said, "Shinji, a B-rank Ninjutsu like the Shadow Clone Technique is not something we Ninja Academy students are supposed to master. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Besides, I heard that Neji and Sasuke haven't made much progress either."

Shinji shook his head and fell silent again.

He knew, of course, that the Shadow Clone Technique wasn't that easy to master. It involved the cutting and shaping of Chakra.

If one's own Chakra reserves were insufficient, nothing could be accomplished!

This was also why Naruto struggled with other Ninjutsu but could learn the advanced version of the Shadow Clone Technique, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, as soon as he tried.

Shinji himself was able to learn it so quickly only because his Chakra had doubled thanks to the previous gift from the Ninja World, exceeding the level of his peers.

Sasuke and Neji were only seven or eight years old.

Their bodies hadn't fully developed yet. Even with great talent, if their total Chakra reserves were insufficient, how could they master the Shadow Clone Technique in such a short time?

So, not being able to learn it was normal. Did they think everyone was Itachi Uchiha?

Seeing that night was falling, Haku suggested, "Shinji, let's go back. The Ninja Academy will resume classes tomorrow!"

"Okay!"

Shinji nodded.

Just then, a figure slowly walked out from the shadows towards the training ground.

"Who?"

Shinji and Haku looked over together.

But the moment Shinji's gaze met the other's, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Haku's face paled in shock, and he quickly gripped his Kunai, "Stop! Who exactly are you!"

The mysterious figure then emerged from the shadows.

The silvery moonlight shone upon him, revealing his black cloak with red clouds. He wore a mask, and through the eyeholes, a pair of sharp eyes were visible.

"You..."

Haku was intimidated by the figure's appearance, but he didn't choose to flee. Instead, he resolutely stood in front of the unconscious Shinji.

The mysterious person looked down at Haku indifferently, "You don't need to be nervous. You haven't forgotten what happened here on the night of the Fireworks Festival, have you?"

Haku's body trembled, "You helped me that night?"

"That's right!"

"What do you want? Why did you help me?"

Haku was truly panicking now. His biggest secret was known by this person, and he felt like he couldn't breathe for a moment.

The mysterious person didn't answer immediately, instead shifting his gaze to the unconscious Shinji on the ground.

Haku quickly moved to block the mysterious person's view, "My business has nothing to do with him!"

The mysterious person's tone was playful, "Oh, you seem to care about him quite a bit?"

"I told you, my business has nothing to do with anyone else. I just don't want to implicate others!" He paused, a look of relief appearing on his face, "If you want to report me to the village, then please do so!"

"Village?" the mysterious person chuckled. "As a spy Kirigakure planted in Konoha, your sense of identity seems to be having some issues."

Haku froze.

He had just said the word 'village' without thinking, but shouldn't Kirigakure be his village?

The mysterious person said, "Don't worry, I have no interest in reporting you. I'm only interested in your talent!"

"My talent?"

Haku was confused.

Konoha had countless young geniuses; Shinji, lying on the ground, was one of them. He couldn't understand why this mysterious person would choose him.

The mysterious person glanced at Shinji on the ground and laughed, "You're much stronger than this trash!"

Haku's face turned cold. "He's not trash!"

The mysterious person didn't dwell on that point and continued, "Now, I'll give you two choices: join my organization, or die! Of course, if you make the wrong choice, he'll die too!"

Haku knew he had no choice and questioned, "What exactly do you want me to do for you?"

The mysterious person said calmly, "You don't need to feel troubled right now. If something I ask you to do in the future goes against your principles, it won't be too late to refuse then."

Haku thought for a moment.

His weakness was now in the other person's hands, and this person could knock out Shinji, a member of the Uchiha Clan, with a single glance, so their strength was undeniable.

If he turned against them now, not only would he die, but he would also endanger Shinji.

After weighing his options, he nodded. "Alright."

The mysterious person said, "I'll notify you when the organization has a mission."

"Yes!"

Haku replied helplessly.

The mysterious person then emphasized, "You are not allowed to reveal anything about the organization to anyone! Remember, anyone, including your contact in Kirigakure! If you leak anything, the organization will punish you and everyone you care about with the most severe methods."

Haku replied, "As long as you don't make excessive demands, I'm willing to keep your secret!"

The mysterious person's tone softened. "You'll find out later that accepting my invitation wasn't a bad thing for you."

Haku sighed. "What organization are we?"

"Akatsuki!"

First update delivered, requesting recommendation tickets and monthly votes!