Recruitment! vs. Sasori of the Red Sand

"Heh, why would I tell you that?"

Uchiha Ye pulled his arm back and scoffed.

Tell others about his own abilities?

Was he an idiot?

He then turned back toward the jungle, his aura surging once more: "Since you all covet my head, then stay here forever!"

Within his Observation Haki, not a single person showed any goodwill.

Since that was the case, killing them all meant there were no innocents to worry about!

"Great Eruption!!"

A terrifying molten giant fist, at least ten meters in size, scorched the air as it launched. It charred the surrounding trees from a distance, as if they had been instantly plunged into a scorching hell, inducing a heart-stopping sense of despair.

"Oh no!"

The onlookers hiding in the shadows had never expected Uchiha Ye to be so ruthless; by the time they tried to retreat, it was already too late.

"BOOM!"

The burning fist struck, and all was annihilated!

A massive clearing was carved directly into the dense jungle, leaving behind nothing but ruins and billowing smoke.

After a brief moment of screaming, there wasn't a single living soul left within a hundred-meter radius.

However, Uchiha Ye did not leave. Instead, he looked toward the jungle in the distance to his left, his gaze darkening: "I say, you two, how much longer do you intend to watch?"

Within his Observation Haki, two powerful, heart-stopping auras had appeared.

"Heh heh, you're young, but your methods are certainly ruthless. I'm starting to understand why Pain had me come along with the Angel."

A low voice echoed from the woods: "If the Angel had come alone, she might really have been unable to subdue you!"

A hunchbacked man wearing a black trench coat with red cloud patterns stepped out, a steel segmented tail dangling from his back.

Behind this man, a woman with a paper flower pinned to her hair and her light lavender hair tied in a bun floated forward. She was also dressed in a black trench coat with red cloud patterns, a pair of massive paper wings unfurled behind her.

They were none other than Sasori of the Red Sand, who was currently operating Hiruko, and the 'Angel', Konan.

"Interesting, I didn't expect to run into the two of you here!"

Seeing who had arrived, Uchiha Ye wore an extremely playful expression.

Hearing his words, Konan's gaze sharpened: "Judging by your tone, you don't seem surprised by our arrival?"

Uchiha Ye laughed at this: "Why would I be?"

Since they had come looking for him, it saved him the trouble of searching for them.

"Alright, let's get down to business. State your purpose for coming here; you couldn't have just happened to be passing by!"

Hearing this, Konan immediately said: "Uchiha Ye, our Akatsuki organization is in great need of talent like you, so we have come specifically to invite you to join us!"

"What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Ye replied directly: "Fine, I accept!"

Now it was Konan's turn to be surprised.

In her experience, a young and powerful boy like Uchiha Ye, who possessed such ruthless methods, would never easily submit to others.

Just like Sasori of the Red Sand back in the day.

She had assumed it would take quite a bit of effort to persuade Uchiha Ye.

She never expected Uchiha Ye to agree so readily.

According to the normal script, shouldn't he have asked what the 'Akatsuki' organization was, resisted joining, and then been 'persuaded' by them through 'reasoning with fists and force'?

Why was Uchiha Ye not playing by the rules at all?

She felt she couldn't quite see through Uchiha Ye anymore.

"What, surprised again?"

Watching Konan's expression, Uchiha Ye grinned in a way that was incredibly irritating: "Of course, I have conditions!"

Konan frowned slightly: "Let's hear them, but if they are too excessive, I cannot agree!"

Uchiha Ye, however, looked toward Sasori of the Red Sand, his fighting spirit surging: "I want to have a match with him! That shouldn't be an excessive request, right?"

Konan nodded upon hearing this, then looked at Sasori of the Red Sand with an inquiring expression.

"Hmph, brat, are you treating this old man as a sparring partner?"

Sasori of the Red Sand looked extremely displeased: "You really are infuriating. Do you believe I won't turn you into one of my art pieces? I just happen to be missing a Sharingan Human Puppet."

Konan frowned immediately: "Sasori, don't mess around!"

Sasori of the Red Sand gave a low grunt and stepped forward: "Don't worry, I know my limits. However, I do need to teach him a lesson about his own."

"That look of his, as if he has everything under control—it's truly annoying!"

Why should they both be joining the Akatsuki organization?

He had joined back then only after resisting and being beaten into submission by Konan.

Yet, this brat before him was so casual about it.

Did he have no face to save?

"Heh, that is truly terrifying."

Uchiha Ye licked his lips. "Come on, let me experience the strength of the genius puppeteer, Sasori of the Red Sand."

He had already mostly digested the experience from his shadow clone's battle with Uchiha Obito not long ago.

Now, he needed a powerhouse like Sasori of the Red Sand to verify what he had learned.

"Hmph, then you had better be careful. I am not just skilled in puppetry; my poisons are also quite excellent."

"Your abilities are indeed impressive; sharp weapons have a hard time causing you harm. But if you think I am on the same level as those two idiots from before, you are sorely mistaken."

Uchiha Ye grinned. "That goes without saying!"

Even though Sasori of the Red Sand did not yet possess the strength he had in the original story.

There was no doubt that he was a genuine Kage-level powerhouse.

A top-tier expert in the ninja world in the truest sense.

How could he dare to underestimate him!

"I'm coming!"

His entire body instantly turned a scorching red, and with a whoosh, he vanished from his spot.

Facing such an enemy, he naturally had to go all out.

"Over there!"

Sasori of the Red Sand suddenly aimed at a certain spot, and the sharp iron tail on his back lashed out with lightning speed.

The next instant, just as Uchiha Ye reappeared, the cold, lethal spike rapidly magnified in his vision.

"So fast..."

Uchiha Ye's pupils constricted. Is this... the strength of a Kage-level powerhouse? What truly despair-inducing perception!

Fortunately, the Observation Haki he had activated had already sensed it, and he immediately turned his body into an element.

"Puchi!"

As his body was pierced through, he threw a punch, unleashing a rain of molten lava: "Meteor Fire Rain!"

Seeing this, Sasori of the Red Sand praised aloud, "Good!"

He manipulated Hiruko to tear open its mask, opened its mouth, and spat out a sealing scroll: "Mechanism Rain!"

With a bang, a rainstorm of kunai erupted from the scroll. After piercing through the high-temperature lava with sheer numbers, many kunai continued to surge toward Uchiha Ye.

Taking advantage of this moment, Hiruko retracted its iron tail, which had already been melted through.

"Poison Mist Spray!"

Hiruko opened its right hand and pushed it forward. The sealing scroll in its palm exploded instantly, and a cloud of green poison mist immediately engulfed Uchiha Ye.

It could be said that it left Uchiha Ye with no room to breathe.

The strength of a Kage-level powerhouse was evident.

Pu pu pu!

Sounds of penetration continued to echo from within the poison mist, but Sasori of the Red Sand did not relax in the slightest.

The next moment!

"Hellhound!"

Uchiha Ye seemed to have transformed into molten lava, charging through the poison mist to close in on Hiruko, his scorching fist striking out at high speed.

But behind Hiruko, a shield wrapped in thick chakra had already been raised in perfect synchronization.