Bang!
The Uchiha Ye who had dodged through the air suddenly dispersed into smoke. At the same time, the Uchiha Ye who had destroyed the Third Kazekage began coughing. His lips had turned purplish, and he knelt on the ground, panting heavily.
He was poisoned!
"Tch. Is that as far as you can go?"
Watching Sasori of the Red Sands land again, his expression dark as storm clouds, Uchiha Ye wiped the sweat from his face. His vision had already begun to blur. "Lord Sasori, I surrender!"
"I'll provide you with quality materials to repair the human puppets you lost!"
Sasori had been ready to keep fighting and bring out his final, unfinished trump card. At Ye's words, he snorted. "No need! I know you can still fight. Don't pretend you're done for."
"Besides, my final trump card isn't completely finished either. If we'd fought to the end, we probably would've tied."
As he spoke, he tossed over a bottle of green medicine. "Here's the antidote. We can spar again sometime!"
Hearing that, Uchiha Ye grinned. "Then I'll be imposing on you again in the future, Lord Sasori."
Konan landed beside them, looking impressed. "You're the second shinobi after Pain who's managed to destroy a human puppet of the Third Kazekage. No wonder Sasori thinks so highly of you—he even invited you to spar!"
"But..."
Looking at Uchiha Ye, Konan asked, "You agreed to join us so readily. Aren't you even curious about the origins of our Akatsuki organization?"
"Don't you want to learn about our goals and our members? Aren't you worried we'll recruit you and then turn against you?"
Uchiha Ye smiled at that. "If I got to die in the hands of a beautiful woman like you, I'd say it was worth it."
Hearing that, Konan raised her brows, her face flushing with irritation. "You haven't even grown all your hair yet, but you've got no shame!"
Then her expression turned serious again. "Before I left, a Masked Man in the organization warned me: 'Uchiha Ye is no simple opponent. Be careful.'"
"From the way he said it, it sounded like he'd fought you—and hadn't gotten the better of you?"
At that, a glint flashed deep in Uchiha Ye's eyes. "So that Masked Man is part of your organization too. I was just lucky to escape him. I wouldn't say I made him look bad."
"Now that I've joined, I hope that senior Masked Man won't make things difficult for me!"
But inwardly, he couldn't help growing wary. Uchiha Obito took a hit at my hands. By rights, he should hate me to the bone and try to stop me from joining so he can get revenge. But he didn't. Could he be planning some big move?
He felt he needed to take this seriously.
Konan smiled at his words. "Of course he won't. I'm sure the Masked Man knows better."
As for Uchiha Ye's modest answer, she didn't believe it.
If Uchiha Ye hadn't made Madara look bad, would Madara have been so interested in him?
As if!
Sasori of the Red Sands, however, was baffled.
Madara?
Who was that?
Was there another mysterious member in the organization whom he didn't know about?
"Let's go!"
Konan didn't answer Sasori's question.
Instead, she took Uchiha Ye straight to Amegakure to meet the leader, Pain.
At that moment, a notification appeared before Uchiha Ye.
[Froggy has returned from his travels, bringing you a rare mineral from Takumigakure: High-Grade Chakra Metal]
"Claim!"
He knew of Takumigakure, a small shinobi village known for producing finely crafted ninja tools.
A master smith named Seimei had once forged several ninja tools whose power rivaled that of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
A piece of oily green metal the size of his fist appeared in his hand.
Konan and Sasori of the Red Sands couldn't help exclaiming when they saw it. "How did you get such high-purity Chakra Metal?"
Sasori of the Red Sands looked at Uchiha Ye with particular fervor. "Would you sell me that piece of metal? Money's no object!"
Whether he was repairing puppets or making new ones, adding this kind of high-purity metal could greatly improve their performance. He couldn't help wanting it!
At that, Uchiha Ye smiled and handed the metal to Sasori of the Red Sands. "You're too kind, Lord Sasori. Take it as compensation for destroying those two puppets of yours."
Sasori of the Red Sands was taken aback. "You're giving me this as compensation?"
Uchiha Ye had indeed said he'd provide materials to repair the puppets.
But Sasori hadn't expected Uchiha Ye to offer such precious Chakra Metal.
Even he was shaken. "You're just giving me something this valuable?"
Uchiha Ye nodded. "Why not?"
Sasori of the Red Sands accepted it without further protest and said solemnly, "If you ever need anything, just ask. I won't refuse!"
The frustration he'd felt after losing to Uchiha Ye vanished all at once.
Konan couldn't help marveling at the sight. "You're giving away a treasure like this without even blinking. Does something like this mean nothing to you?"
Uchiha Ye smiled. "So what if it's a treasure? In the hands of an ordinary fellow like me, it's just a piece of rock. Only someone as capable as Lord Sasori can make it realize its true value. So why not let him have it?"
A flash of pride passed through Sasori's eyes. Seeing it, Konan remarked, "It's hard to believe such smooth talk is coming from you. Are you really only thirteen?"
Whether it was praising Sasori of the Red Sands indirectly or using the Chakra Metal to win his favor and make peace with him, these were such polished, natural ways of handling people that they hardly seemed like the skills of a thirteen-year-old.
And yet here they were, emerging from Uchiha Ye.
That only made him seem even more mysterious.
"Heh, I'm just giving sincerity for sincerity."
Uchiha Ye looked at Konan with a playful smile, as if he knew what she was thinking.
Konan replied, "Maybe."
Half a day later!
The entire Akatsuki organization had gathered at its headquarters!
"Welcome, Uchiha Ye!"
Deva Path Pain appeared before Uchiha Ye through the Magic Lantern Body Technique. His cold Rinnegan held a terrifying pressure. "Sasori needs a partner, so you can fill that spot. How does that sound?"
Uchiha Ye nodded. "Sounds good!"
But inwardly, he couldn't help admiring him. No wonder he was the strongest boss before the original story's Shinobi World arc. He's so powerful it's impossible to feel even the slightest urge to resist.
Standing before him, Ye felt like a small boat in a raging sea, liable to be swallowed up in an instant.
"Heh. He's so young. Can he really handle such an important role?"
An old, deep voice sounded. The speaker was a Magic Lantern Body with a pair of emerald-green eyes. "I have my doubts!"
Before Uchiha Ye could answer, Sasori of the Red Sands at his side said coldly, "Kakuzu, are you questioning my judgment?"
"He's someone I've approved of. If you have a problem with that, why don't we settle it with a fight?"
Before you continue