He Wasn't!

Kakashi stared intently into Sasuke's eyes and repeated his earlier question. "Did Shinji join your organization, too?"

Sasuke looked utterly bemused. "What are you talking about? What does this have to do with Shinji?"

Kakashi grew suspicious.

He knew Sasuke wasn't good at hiding what he was thinking, so he could tell from Sasuke's expression that he hadn't been lying.

But not lying didn't mean Sasuke was right.

So Kakashi probed again. "Are you sure?!"

"I..."

Sasuke, who had been so certain a moment ago, suddenly hesitated.

Before Kakashi asked him, he had never connected Shinji to the Akatsuki Organization. But thinking about it now, Shinji's recent displays of strength did seem suspicious.

Then, after a moment's thought, he dismissed the possibility.

Among the organization's members, only 'A', 'B', and he, codenamed 'E', possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.

'B' was obviously a woman.

As for 'A', that was the one who had already used Susanoo in the battle against the demon Moryo when he and Shinji went to the Land of Demons.

At the time, he hadn't awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, and Shinji hadn't even awakened the Sharingan. There was no way Shinji could be 'A'.

As for the four members of the organization known as 'C', 'D', 'F', and 'G'...

Sasuke had partnered with 'C' a few times. 'C' was clearly a Bloodline Ninja with Ice Release, so Sasuke was certain he wasn't Shinji.

'D', like 'B', was a woman.

Sasuke wasn't close to 'F' or 'G', but he could still tell that neither of them was Shinji.

In fact, Sasuke had suspicions about the true identities of some of the organization's members. He simply had no proof—or, more accurately, no interest in digging into his comrades' real identities.

Sasuke shook his head again, his tone firm. "Impossible. Shinji has