Hiruko finally let out a heavy sigh of relief upon hearing Uchiha Yuu's words. Ignoring everyone's stares, he sat down on the ground. Both his mind and body were exhausted. His once-pristine white clothes were covered in dust and soaked with sweat.
He swore those had been the hardest three minutes of his life. One tiny mistake could have gotten him killed.
"I finally survived..."
Everyone could sense how difficult it had been for him. With death so close at hand, all he could do was run for his life.
Looking at the utterly exhausted Hiruko, Uchiha Yuu silently nodded. He walked over and said in a commanding tone:
"Joining the Akatsuki will grant you protection, but you must also pay a price. There will be dangerous missions for you to carry out."
Those eligible to join the organization were all powerful individuals. They needed to work together to complete missions, the lowest of which would be A-rank, with some even reaching S-rank.
However, Uchiha Yuu would not be stingy with those who successfully joined. As long as they requested resources to improve their strength, they would receive what they needed.
Even if those resources were tied to someone else's Bloodline Limit abilities, Uchiha Yuu had ways of capturing those people and bringing them back.
That was how the Akatsuki was born. They were a sharp sword, and Uchiha Yuu would continue tempering them against whetstones until, one day, that blade could cut through all darkness.
Uchiha Yuu's calm words were not only meant for Hiruko, but also for the few people present who harbored their own thoughts. His gaze swept past Obito Uchiha and Sasori, who was hiding in the shadows.
Everyone quietly listened to what Uchiha Yuu said next. Yet his very first mission made them all feel