Salamander Hanzo's Letter

Led by a member of Akatsuki, Uchiha Shisui walked into a stone chamber. The layout made it clear that this was a place for deliberation.

"So, you are the ninja who wishes to join our Akatsuki?"

Hearing the voice, Uchiha Shisui looked up and immediately understood. The one speaking was the current leader of Akatsuki, Yahiko, while the two ninjas sitting beside him were Konan and Uzumaki Nagato.

"That is correct. My name is Uchiha Shisui."

Upon hearing this, the three of them immediately thought of the masked man from before.

However, they quickly dismissed their suspicions. Although he was also an Uchiha, the man before them could not possibly be the mysterious individual who called himself Uchiha Madara, as he dared to show his true face.

"Before you join, we need to verify your identity."

Konan asked Uchiha Shisui, following the organization's standard admission procedure.

"I am currently a rogue ninja from Konoha!"

After hearing the answer, Konan looked at Yahiko beside her and nodded. "His identity is not a problem. Konoha issued a wanted poster for him some time ago."

"Whether you are a rogue ninja or not does not matter. As long as you share our dreams, you are one of us! Welcome to the team, Shisui!"

Yahiko stood up with a smile and reached out to shake Uchiha Shisui's hand.

Just then, Idaten Kyusuke, whose face was covered in dense tattoos, pushed open the dilapidated wooden door in a rush.

His breathing was slightly ragged as he looked at Yahiko with an urgent gaze and shouted:

"Big Brother! An envoy from Salamander Hanzo has arrived! The situation seems critical; please go and meet him immediately."

Hearing this, Yahiko nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Uchiha Shisui and said:

"Shisui, come with us. This is only a small outpost of ours; our true base is underground in Amegakure. I'll take you to see it while we're at it."

Uchiha Shisui nodded slightly and replied calmly, "That is exactly what I intended."

Just then, Nagato frowned and walked over from the side, holding a mission scroll. "But what about the new mission we just received? This concerns the reputation of Akatsuki; we cannot afford to delay it."

Hearing this, Yahiko couldn't help but awkwardly scratch the back of his head. A look of annoyance appeared on his face as he said with a wry smile, "Look at my memory, I completely forgot about such an important mission."

He then cast a pleading look at Konan. "Konan, can I leave the mission in the Seventh War Zone to you?"

The corners of Konan's mouth curled up into a gentle smile. She covered her mouth slightly and laughed, "You can go with peace of mind. Leave the mission to me; I will certainly complete it successfully."

After making the arrangements, Yahiko, Nagato, and Uchiha Shisui led several Akatsuki members as they filed into a deep, dark pipe.

The interior of the pipe was pitch black, with only the sound of their hurried footsteps echoing in the narrow space.

A damp scent permeated the air, and occasionally, the ticking sound of unknown water droplets could be heard.

After struggling through the dark pipe for less than an hour, a heavy iron door on the wall ahead was slowly pushed open from the outside, emitting a dull thud.

Immediately after, a head poked out from the gap in the door and shouted urgently, "Big Brother, over here!"

Hearing this, Yahiko and the others quickened their pace and exited the pipe through the iron door. Before them lay an open area with rough, cold stone walls. In the center of the space, the envoy sent by Salamander Hanzo stood waiting in silence.

The envoy was dressed in black and wore a gas mask, his expression cold and stern. Seeing Yahiko and the others approach, he quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said, "You must be the leader of Akatsuki, Lord Yahiko."

Yahiko looked at him with a steady gaze and replied, "That is correct."

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the deputy to Salamander Hanzo, named Kanzo."

As the envoy spoke, he pulled a letter from his robes and handed it to Yahiko with both hands.

"This is a letter for you from Salamander Hanzo. Everything that needs to be said is inside. Please accept it."

Yahiko took the letter with both hands and unfolded it impatiently, reading it carefully.

As he read, a look of pleasant surprise gradually appeared on his face. He couldn't help but shout, "That's great! Everyone, Hanzo has recognized the existence of Akatsuki!"

A gratified smile appeared on Nagato's face as well. He reached out and patted Yahiko heavily on the shoulder, congratulating him: "Yahiko, everyone is following your ideals closely."

Upon hearing this shocking and ecstatic news, the Akatsuki members erupted in an instant.

Some waved their arms in excitement and shouted aloud, their voices echoing continuously through the vast space.

Others had reddened eyes, tears of excitement streaming down their faces.

"It's wonderful! We don't have to hide anymore! From now on, we can help others openly and honestly!"

One member was filled with emotion, his voice trembling slightly from excitement, his words brimming with longing for the future.

"Indeed, if it weren't for Big Brother's guidance, we would never have seen this day. It is truly a blessing to have Big Brother leading us!"

Another member clenched his fists, his eyes full of admiration for Yahiko.

Everyone spoke one after another, immersed in this hard-won joy, as if they could see a beautiful future where Akatsuki brought peace and hope to this war-torn land.

Just as everyone was immersed in their joy, Kanzo maintained a respectful posture. He bowed slightly and said in a measured tone, "The letter has been delivered. Now, leader of Akatsuki, I shall return to report."

With that, he turned and walked away with steady steps in the direction he had come, his figure gradually disappearing from everyone's sight.

Amidst the laughter and the warm atmosphere of celebration, the dim light illuminated everyone's joyful faces, and the aroma of wine gradually permeated the air.

Yahiko's face was radiant with a bright smile as he looked at Nagato beside him and said, "Nagato, let the three of us go to the meeting with Salamander Hanzo tomorrow. This is an important meeting concerning the future development of Akatsuki, so we must handle it with the utmost care."

Nagato nodded without hesitation. Recalling the hardships Akatsuki had endured along the way, overcoming countless obstacles, Yahiko deserved the credit for the achievement of being recognized today.

In the heart of Nagato, every decision made by Yahiko carried profound consideration, so he naturally had no objections to this arrangement.

At this moment, Uchiha Shisui stepped forward quickly, patted Yahiko on the shoulder, and said, "Yahiko, I hope you can bring me along to tomorrow's meeting."

When the other members of the Akatsuki heard Uchiha Shisui's request, they felt restless as well, crowding around and clamoring to express their own desire to go along.

Seeing this, Yahiko smiled gently and explained patiently, "I understand everyone's intentions, but if too many people go, it will scare Salamander Hanzo. It is better to keep this meeting low-profile, so you should all stay at the base. Once we return, we will share the details of the meeting with everyone."

Upon hearing Yahiko's words, although the group felt a bit disappointed, they knew he was right. They extinguished the thought of following him, turned back to their respective spots, picked up their glasses, and continued to immerse themselves in the joy of the celebration.

After everyone else had dispersed, Uchiha Shisui found Yahiko alone.

Under his repeated requests, Yahiko sighed helplessly, yet with a hint of admiration, and nodded in agreement, "Fine, fine, I'll take you along."