I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

S-Class Rebellion

Naruto called Namikaze Minato the "Fourth Master."

Among them, "Fourth" referred to Minato's identity as the Fourth Hokage, while "Master" carried a mocking undertone.

For Naruto, who possessed an adult's mentality, calling a man he barely knew "father" was unacceptable. To him, the bonds of upbringing held more weight than mere blood ties.

Minato didn't react to Naruto's sarcasm but furrowed his brow, pondering the meaning behind his words.

Naruto's tone suggested dissatisfaction not just with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the villagers who ostracized him, but with the entire structure of the shinobi system.

Glancing at Minato, Naruto dropped the act and spoke bluntly:

"Master Four, you don't seem to understand. The Will of Fire may sound noble, but it doesn't protect the entire Land of Fire—just look at the Uchiha or the Uzumaki."

Minato's expression flickered.

Naruto's argument had flaws, yet Minato, as a former Hokage, couldn't refute it. He knew the Will of Fire had failed the Uchiha and the Root orphans trained under Danzō.

Having made his point, Naruto smirked and walked toward Kurama.

Minato wanted to instill the Will of Fire in him, but Naruto preferred the company of Kurama—his only true companion since childhood.

---

Elsewhere

Loquat Jūzō entered a secluded black market, approaching its overseer.

After verifying the corpse's identity, the overseer nodded in satisfaction and handed Jūzō a pre-prepared sum.

Even as the region's authority, he dared not provoke Jūzō—a man notorious for assassinating nobles.

Jūzō casually counted the ryo before signaling the overseer, who promptly presented a bounty list.

Flipping through the pages, Jūzō's eyes landed on the Five Kage.

Killing any of them promised a reward in the hundreds of millions, but infiltrating a fortified village and defeating one of the world's strongest shinobi was no easy feat.

After scanning over a dozen pages, Jūzō found nothing appealing.

The high-paying targets were too powerful, while the lower bounties weren't worth his time. He wasn't a workaholic like Kakuzu—constantly chasing missions for money. If not for Akatsuki's financial quotas, he wouldn't bother with black market jobs at all.

Soon, Jūzō spotted Uchiha Itachi's bounty. He raised a brow.

"A thirteen-year-old with a price in the tens of millions?"

The overseer glanced at the listing and explained:

"Itachi's bounty came from Konoha. Crime: clan extermination. Rank: S-class rogue ninja."

"S-class, huh…"

Jūzō frowned, flipping the page.

Suddenly, his ring grew hot.

Leaving the market, he found a secluded spot and examined the Akatsuki ring on his right hand.

"Another meeting? A new recruit, maybe?"

With a shrug, he formed a hand seal, activating the Demonic Illusion: Mirage Body Technique to project his consciousness into the Land of Rain.

---

Akatsuki's Gathering

When Jūzō opened his eyes, he stood inside a vast, dimly lit cave.

The colossal Gedō Mazō loomed in the center, and he stood on one of its fingers, alongside the spectral forms of his fellow Akatsuki members.

One by one, they arrived.

First, Pain, their enigmatic leader, accompanied by Konan. Then Kakuzu, the immortal bounty hunter. The puppet master Sasori of the Red Sand. Next came the cold and calculating Orochimaru. Finally, the shadowy entity known as Zetsu.

Once all were present, Pain's emotionless voice broke the silence:

"Two matters today. First, we investigate the cause of Kakuzu's partner's death. Second, we welcome our new member, Uchiha Itachi."

At the mention of a newcomer, the Akatsuki members shifted their attention.

They had heard of Uchiha Itachi—the prodigy who massacred his entire clan. But within Akatsuki, such notoriety meant little.

After all, every member was an S-class criminal.

Anyone who hadn't killed at least a dozen people would be looked down upon.

Itachi, however, remained composed as he studied the group.

Besides Pain and Konan, whose true identities remained a mystery, the rest were familiar—each listed in Anbu's rogue ninja dossiers.

These were hardened criminals, including Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin.

Realizing this, Itachi reassessed Akatsuki's potential.

With its current roster, the organization had enough power to destabilize any hidden village.

---

Orochimaru chuckled.

"Itachi-kun, what a pleasant surprise. Fate truly brings us together. Why not team up? I've grown bored of my current partner."

"Careful what you wish for, Orochimaru…"

Sasori interjected coldly before Orochimaru could finish.

Orochimaru merely smirked, unfazed.

Despite their ruthlessness, Akatsuki prohibited internal killings—unless the weaker member proved unworthy.

Itachi ignored Orochimaru's offer, focusing instead on Pain and Konan.

What power did they wield to make even Obito—now masquerading as Tobi—bend to Akatsuki's command?

His answer came swiftly.

When his gaze met Pain's, he saw them—Rinnegan.

One of the Three Great Dōjutsu, alongside the Sharingan and Byakugan.

The legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.

Only a wielder of such power could lead this group of outlaws.

Pain noticed Itachi's fleeting shock.

He was used to it.

All who glimpsed the Rinnegan were momentarily shaken.

As the meeting settled, Pain turned to Zetsu.

"Enough chatter. Let's confirm Kakuzu's claim about his partner's death."

Activating his Rinnegan ability, Pain projected Zetsu's memory for all to see.

The scene unfolded:

Kakuzu's partner, locked in battle, struggled against an enemy.

But Kakuzu, indifferent, unleashed a Fire Release: Searing Migraine, consuming both friend and foe in an inferno.

When the flames cleared, only a charred corpse remained.

Silence.

Kakuzu spoke flatly:

"I warned him to dodge. His fault, not mine. I even lost a heart completing the mission."

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