First Encounter with Akatsuki

"I don't know why, but seeing you like this gives me the urge to punch you." Naruto rolled his eyes, feeling incredibly annoyed by the way Uzumaki Reikawa was putting on airs.

Uzumaki Reikawa, however, wore a serious expression as he helped Naruto summarize the situation: "That's what you call impotent rage."

Naruto went berserk. "Why you—!" He raised his fist to strike, but was held back and restrained by Jiraiya.

Jiraiya felt a headache coming on, and he deeply empathized with Kakashi's plight; one Naruto was already a handful, and now he had to deal with Reikawa on top of that.

With no time to gather material, it seemed the sequel to Icha Icha Paradise would have to be delayed. Jiraiya sighed sadly and rubbed Naruto's head vigorously. "Naruto! Quiet!"

"Ouch, ouch!" "But, but, look at how smug he's being." Naruto quieted down, crouching on the ground and rubbing his head in grievance.

Seeing Jiraiya look over, Uzumaki Reikawa restrained himself a little, feeling slightly awkward.

"Uzumaki Reikawa, you are indeed very talented. Pride is fine, but you must understand that you cannot be arrogant."

Uzumaki Reikawa nodded repeatedly; if he didn't nod to show agreement and ended up being lectured, the specific experience could be compared to being grilled by the Tang Monk.

Seeing that Uzumaki Reikawa understood, Jiraiya felt relieved. "Since you have mastered the basic ninjutsu, could you show me the Adamantine Sealing Chains? We may need you to execute some missions later, and this will help us make a judgment."

Uzumaki Reikawa looked around and asked, "Is there a target?"

"Anything will do. Just try to show me your maximum strength."

Uzumaki Reikawa nodded and stood in place. Watching the flowing waterfall in front of him, he gathered his chakra. Suddenly, golden chains erupted from his back, shooting out and anchoring themselves firmly into the mountain where the waterfall was located.

Jiraiya's eyes grew grave as he counted the chains extending from Uzumaki Reikawa's back: one, two... eight!!!

He had to admit, this was a true genius! Jiraiya thought of Uzumaki Reikawa's talent when learning ninjutsu earlier; if he hadn't lacked a foundation in his childhood and had no one to teach him, this kid's strength probably wouldn't be inferior to his own right now!

Seeing that the timing was right, Uzumaki Reikawa clenched his palm. "Seal!"

In an instant, a miraculous scene occurred: the waterfall was cut off at the waist! Even the water source further back was intercepted and sealed by the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Naruto's pupils constricted. "What is this?! The waterfall stopped!" His hands trembled slightly. So strong, truly so strong!! This guy—is this the power of the Uzumaki Clan?

Jiraiya was also shocked, but having been prepared when Uzumaki Reikawa unleashed eight chains, he shook his head at Naruto's exclamation. "It didn't stop. Reikawa intercepted the water flow here and behind it. After a while, the water will still flow down from behind." However, after Uzumaki Reikawa maintained the Adamantine Sealing Chains for ten minutes, the water finally began to flow down from upstream again.

"..."

With this kind of strength, Jiraiya looked at Naruto; perhaps later, Reikawa and Yamato together would have a way to make the Nine-Tails behave.

Uzumaki Reikawa suddenly said, "Why don't you two leave for a moment?"

"?"

Uzumaki Reikawa's figure swayed as if he could no longer hold on, and he smiled bitterly. "My chakra can't hold it anymore, but the water has already started flowing again. If I withdraw the ninjutsu now..."

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya's expression twitched. Without waiting for Reikawa to finish, he grabbed them both and ran. At the same time, the seal was released, and a massive, man-made flood surged out from the forest!

By the time they returned to the village, all three were like drowned rats. Walking along the road, Uzumaki Reikawa saw their dead-fish eyes and disheveled appearance and suddenly burst out laughing, laughing very loudly... "You guys, hahahaha...!"

Seeing this, Jiraiya and Naruto looked at each other. Seeing the other covered in water, looking utterly defeated and miserable, they also snorted and began to mock each other.

On Sasuke's side, after sparring with Naruto, Sasuke looked at his reflection in the mirror. Two tomoe suddenly appeared in his eyes. On the surface, the previous battle was a draw, but Sasuke knew he had fallen behind Naruto.

"Do you know why you aren't strong enough? Because you don't hate me enough." Itachi spoke with a mocking tone.

"You are truly too weak!" Thinking of Uchiha Gen, he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn't...

Thinking of this, Sasuke's emotions spiraled out of control. His chest heaved, and looking at himself in the mirror, he threw a kunai that struck the center of his reflection, shattering the mirror! He wanted power! And the truth!!

However, after he left, Sasuke didn't notice that the two tomoe in his Sharingan were drawing closer together, with a third tomoe faintly beginning to manifest.

On Uchiha Gen's side, after reaching a consensus, Obito suddenly wanted him to take off his mask, but he was ruthlessly rejected. The reason was that Obito hadn't taken his off, so he didn't want to either, adding a line that made no sense: "The Bull Fighter never takes off his mask."

Obito "..." This batch of recruits was getting harder and harder to manage.

"So, I can't keep a Tailed Beast as a pet?"

Hearing this, Uchiha Obito felt a headache coming on. "...No."

"Oh..." Uchiha Gen was silent for a moment before asking, "Then where are we going now?"

"To the organization to get our uniforms and wait for arrangements."

"Is there money to be made?"

"..."

"It's not like we're doing work for the leader, and the leader doesn't pay us, but we have to pay him instead, right?"

"..."

Uchiha Obito was speechless, because in reality, that was exactly how it was. This felt normal before, but hearing it suddenly pointed out by Uchiha Gen made it feel strange.

Arriving at the base of a cliff, Uchiha Gen felt the environment ahead was a bit off. He activated his Sharingan and looked closely; the genjutsu vanished, and a cave entrance appeared, large enough for people to pass through.

Seeing this, Uchiha Gen suddenly remembered: this place should be the location where Gaara died after having his Tailed Beast extracted in his past life.

Obito took the lead. "Come in." Uchiha Gen shrugged and followed him inside.

Once inside, except for Zetsu, who looked like a potted plant, everyone else was a holographic projection. Deidara had a bad premonition. "Leader, who are these two guys?"

Pain, who had already received the news in advance, said, "They are new interns for the organization. If any of you lose contact, they will take your place."

Though he said "lose contact," everyone present understood what that meant.

Uchiha Gen looked up at the ten figures standing on the fingers of the statue, feeling a tiny bit displeased that he was the only one left looking up from below.

Forget it, a real man knows when to bend and when to stretch, and at the very least, Obito was in the same boat as him right now. However, at this moment, Sasori suddenly spoke up, "Since he is an intern, he shouldn't be protected by the organization's regulations, right?"

Pain did not speak, which served as his tacit agreement.

Uchiha Gen put on a look of utter terror, "Intern-senpai, they seem very unfriendly."

Obito was speechless; could you possibly act any more fake? Yet, on the surface, he transformed into Tobi and comforted him with a grin, "They're all like this, you'll get used to it~"