'When did he get here? He's... strong.'
The thought rippled through the Akatsuki almost simultaneously, startling everyone except Pain and Konan.
Only Hidan and Deidara found themselves thinking something else entirely, 'Wait, aren't we supposed to be a villain organization?'
"Of course not. The Akatsuki is an organization founded on noble ideals."
As if plucking the thought straight from their minds, the blond youth spoke, shedding his disguise to reveal his true form. Naruto stood before the assembled S-rank criminals, wearing a bright, genuine smile.
"Our ultimate goal is to maintain world peace, after all."
In a twisted sense, he wasn't wrong. The Akatsuki's stated endgame was peace, however bloody the path to get there.
"Who are you?" The unfamiliar face left the group paused in confusion. Only Black Zetsu narrowed his eyes, recognizing the intruder immediately.
"Naruto Uzumaki. Your future teammate." He announced his name with absolute confidence.
Deidara practically jumped, pointing a finger at the newcomer. "Hah! Sasori-danna, I like this guy!"
"Shut up, Deidara." Sasori silenced his noisy partner before turning his wooden gaze toward Naruto. "The Nine-Tails jinchuriki?"
'Naruto Uzumaki...' Pain remained impassive on the outside, but his thoughts drifted. 'One of the few kin I have left in this shinobi world.'
"Kurama is indeed right here." Naruto nodded, tapping his stomach casually. "Shall I have him come out and say hello to everyone?"
At the suggestion, several members instinctively took a step back, their eyes sharpening with vigilance. Releasing the Nine-Tails inside the base would likely spark an all-out brawl.
"Leader. I recall our schedule set the Tailed Beast capture plan for three years from now," Kakuzu spoke slowly, his mind already calculating. He was trying to determine the market value of a jinchuriki's head, though he couldn't recall seeing a specific bounty for the boy. A live capture was usually worth more.
Kakuzu's implication was clear, 'The plan is to hunt them in three years. Why are you bringing a target into the organization now?'
Watching Pain, Black Zetsu felt a sinking sensation. 'Could it be...?'
Pain nodded slightly. "That brings me to the second matter I intended to address."
"The objective of collecting the Tailed Beasts remains unchanged. However, if a jinchuriki aligns with our ideals, they are eligible for recruitment." Pain's rinnegan swept over the group. "After all, we share the same goal. Does anyone have objections?"
At its root, Nagato's goal was to weaponize the Tailed Beasts to enforce a deterrence-based peace. A jinchuriki was, by definition, a living Tailed Beast weapon. If one agreed with the Akatsuki's philosophy, there was no logical reason to refuse them. In Nagato's mind, the Akatsuki and the jinchuriki did not have to be mortal enemies, there was no inherent conflict of interest.
As for the Eye of the Moon Plan and reviving the Ten-Tails? Those were Obito and Madara's obsessions. They had nothing to do with Nagato.
"I don't care," Kakuzu grunted indifferently. As long as it didn't interfere with his earnings, it didn't matter. Hidan muttered a similar sentiment, mostly bored by the politics.
"Hahaha..." Kisame let out a dry, creeping chuckle but offered no rebuttal.
'Damn it.' Black Zetsu cursed internally. 'That Uzumaki brat must have poisoned Nagato's mind. He's becoming uncontrollable.'
Among those present, only Black Zetsu truly disagreed, but he dared not voice it now. He would have to report this to Obito after the meeting.
"Fine." Sasori nodded, accepting the logic. "Are the other two jinchuriki as well?"
"No, just me." Naruto shook his head, then gestured to the figures behind him. "Go on, introduce yourselves."
"Sasuke Uchiha." The raven-haired boy spoke coolly, hands buried in his pockets.
"Neji Hyuga." Neji stood with equal pride, his pale eyes scanning the room.
"Uchiha and Hyuga..." Sasori muttered. "You've brought inheritors of Konoha's two great dojutsu."
"So, you're the Sasuke who took down Itachi?" Deidara looked at Sasuke with piqued interest. "If you're up for it, let's see what you've got later, un?"
"Sure," Sasuke replied, his tone bordering on boredom.
"Very good." Seeing the lack of dissent, Pain nodded. "It seems there are no objections."
"Me, me, me! I have one!" Deidara raised his hand high, waving it frantically.
Pain paused. "Deidara?"
"What exactly is the purpose of our organization again?"
Pain stared at him in silence.
"Didn't the Leader state it long ago?" The one to answer wasn't Pain, but Naruto, the newest recruit. "Of course, it's to protect the world from devastation! To maintain peace in all the nations! To denounce the evils of truth and love! To extend our reach to the stars above! Basically, world peace!"
"Cool! A bunch of S-rank Missing-nin maintaining world peace!" Deidara grinned, genuinely delighted.
This was fun. Joining the Akatsuki was proving to be far too interesting. He had a partner who pursued art (Sasori), a grand ideal to follow, and most importantly, it was never boring.
"Wait a minute!" Hidan shouted, pointing his scythe at Naruto's group like a blind man who had just stumbled upon a revelation. "You guys don't seem to be S-rank Missing-nin, do you?"
"Is there a rule that says only Missing-nin can join the Akatsuki?" Naruto spread his hands, then pointed an accusing finger across the room. "I mean, it seems Pitcher Plant-senpai over there isn't a Missing-nin, is he?"
"I'm from Kusa-" Black Zetsu began.
"You aren't trying to say you're from Kusagakure, are you?" Naruto's eyes went wide with mock surprise. "No way, no way. Are there actually people still calling themselves ninjas from the Kusagakure?"
"Kusagakure was destroyed years ago," Pain interjected, playing along with Naruto's rhythm. "I saw it with my own eyes."
Black Zetsu fell into a sullen silence.
"If being an S-rank Missing-nin is a strict requirement, it's not a big problem," Naruto said with a shrug. "I'm very close with the Fifth Hokage. I just need to ask him to issue a bounty."
The collective Akatsuki members stared at him blankly.
"As expected! I'm really liking you alot more, yeah!" Deidara shouted. He loved chaos, and Naruto's personality was exactly his flavor of madness.
"Last question," Kisame interjected. He was the only one appearing to seriously consider the logistics of the trio's induction. "There are three of you, but currently, there is only one vacancy."
He tapped his ring. "Only those who possess a ring are full members of the Akatsuki. So, will the other two be... Akatsuki interns?"
"Well..." Under the gaze of the room, Naruto fished another ring from his pocket. "Now there are two."
A ring engraved with the kanji for 'Sky' lay quietly in his palm.
"That is Orochimaru's ring." Sasori, who had once been partnered with the snake sannin, recognized it instantly. "You killed Orochimaru?"
"Not at all." Naruto shook his head, offering a purposefully vague smile. "I just took the ring off him, that's all."
Sasori looked deeply at the boy. To forcibly take a ring from Orochimaru proved the brat possessed strength at least equal to the Sannin. It gave Sasori a strange sense of deja vu, like looking at his past self, who had assassinated the Third Kazekage at the age of twelve.
'Another genius?'
"That still only makes two," Kisame pointed out curiously. "How will you distribute them?"
Naruto took the ring engraved with 'Vermilion', which Pain had retrieved from Itachi, and tossed it to Sasuke. Then, he handed the 'Sky' ring to Neji.
"This distribution works."
Hidan blinked. "What about yourself?"
"I feel my strength is still very insufficient," Naruto said with humble theatricality. "So, I'll be an Akatsuki intern."
He bowed slightly to the group.
"From now on, please guide me well, Senpai's."
===============
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