I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Walking out of the damp and dimly lit cave, Uchiha Itachi had already gained a solid grasp of the Akatsuki organization's inner workings.

This was an organization with few rigid rules—members were expected to complete missions, refrain from betraying the organization, and avoid killing each other. Yet, in practice, these rules were fluid, subject to personal interpretations and the organization's shifting needs.

While Akatsuki proclaimed its goal was world peace, in reality, its members harbored their own ulterior motives. Hidan's bloodthirsty devotion to Jashin, Deidara's artistic obsession with explosions, and Sasori's pursuit of an eternal masterpiece were just a few examples. Even its leadership was fragmented—Nagato wielded power through the alias of Pain, but Tobi, masquerading as Madara Uchiha, had his own cryptic agenda.

The case of Kakuzu highlighted the organization's leniency toward internal conflict. Despite the supposed rule against harming fellow members, Kakuzu had repeatedly slain his partners for their bounties, yet Akatsuki tolerated him. As long as missions were completed and the organization's interests remained intact, such transgressions were met with little more than a verbal reprimand.

Akatsuki was, in essence, a microcosm of the law of the jungle, a ruthless survivalist collective that ironically operated under the banner of achieving peace.

With a quiet sigh, Itachi shifted his thoughts to his new partner and turned toward Tobi. "What do you know about Loquat Juzo? What kind of man is he? Why did he defect?"

Tobi paused for a moment before replying in his usual slow, enigmatic tone, "The reason Loquat Juzo defected… is probably because he was a good man, born in the Blood Mist."

"A good man… in the Blood Mist?" Itachi's eyes narrowed in surprise.

The Blood Mist referred to Kirigakure's infamous graduation ritual, in which academy students were forced to fight to the death. It was a system that had produced brutal killers like Zabuza Momochi, who had slaughtered his entire class before even becoming a genin. Could there truly be a good man born in such a place?

But if Juzo was truly good, why had he abandoned his village to become a rogue ninja and join Akatsuki?

Seemingly reading his thoughts, Tobi glanced at him and continued, "Good men can't change the Blood Mist's policies. So Loquat Juzo had no choice but to change himself. You, of all people, should understand that."

With that, Tobi stepped into the night rain and vanished.

Meanwhile, in Amegakure

On the tallest tower of Amegakure, Pain stood motionless, allowing the cold rain to drench his cloak as he gazed down at the steel jungle below, where dim lights flickered through the mist.

The rhythmic tapping of raindrops against the iron structures filled the silence, but to Konan, it sounded like the land itself was weeping.

Sensing her presence, Pain turned to see her short blue hair glistening with moisture. "Is it another financial issue? The next bounty payment won't arrive until next month."

Konan shook her head. "The village is self-sufficient now. We no longer need to rely on Akatsuki's funds."

A faint flicker of relief crossed Pain's Rinnegan eyes.

Both he and Konan had been war orphans, once starving and stealing just to survive. Despite Akatsuki's global ambitions, they still harbored a sense of duty toward the people of the Land of Rain, those who had once sheltered them in their youth.

Then, as if remembering something, Pain turned to Konan.

She continued, "Nagato, according to our intelligence, the Uchiha clan wasn't entirely wiped out by Itachi. A number of them escaped Konoha and are currently operating in the Land of Fire."

"You suspect this is Konoha's ploy?" Pain's gaze darkened.

"I can't rule it out. What if Itachi's defection was staged to infiltrate Akatsuki as a spy?"

Pain considered her words, then shook his head. "Unlikely. The tensions between the Uchiha and Konoha were too severe for them to fabricate such an elaborate deception. The Uchiha were on the verge of open rebellion. If Konoha wanted a spy in Akatsuki, they wouldn't have orchestrated their own clan's near-destruction to do it."

He paused, then added, "Recently, Onoki of Iwagakure reached out, seeking Akatsuki's help in attacking Konoha's borders."

"We have yet to begin our true mission of collecting the Tailed Beasts. Right now, Akatsuki is still seen as nothing more than a mercenary group. It's not enough to provoke Konoha into drastic action. I'm more inclined to believe this is Madara's scheme."

Konan's brows furrowed. "Should we tell Itachi the truth? If we expose Madara's deception, he may abandon him and truly join us."

Pain shook his head, his Rinnegan gleaming with unwavering conviction. "There's no need. Whether it's Madara or the Five Great Nations, they are insignificant before the power of the Rinnegan. Our time will come."

Konan remained silent. She couldn't shake the feeling that ever since Yahiko's death, Nagato had been losing himself—becoming not a man, but a machine driven by the dream of a dead friend.

Late at Night – Konoha

Beneath the Hokage Monument, Naruto Uzumaki carefully unrolled the Forbidden Scroll, his fingers tracing the intricate sealing marks.

Deciphering the scroll was a grueling task, but Naruto had long since developed patience. The challenge was almost therapeutic, a way to distract himself from the loneliness that clung to him like a shadow.

After hours of work, he finally cracked a portion of the seal and uncovered one of the forbidden techniques.

His expression soured as he read the description.

The jutsu was Living Corpse Reincarnation—a technique pioneered by the Second Hokage but perfected by Orochimaru, a man whose very existence was a testament to its dark power.

Its concept was deceptively simple yet horrifying. The user could divide their soul and transfer fragments into prepared vessels, achieving a form of immortality. This was how Orochimaru had survived countless near-deaths, slipping from one body to another.

But the risks were severe. Fragmenting the soul weakened resistance to genjutsu, leaving Orochimaru vulnerable even to a standard Sharingan illusion—let alone something as powerful as Tsukuyomi or Izanami.

Naruto also suspected that this technique was why Orochimaru had failed to master Sage Mode; the fragmented soul likely interfered with nature energy absorption.

In short, Living Corpse Reincarnation was powerful, but its drawbacks made it useless to Naruto. He had no desire to attempt it.

Feeling drained, Naruto resealed the scroll and entered his mindscape, where the swirling waters of the Kyuubi's prison reflected a golden glow.

There, the spectral form of Minato Namikaze greeted him.

"Dad, you were Hokage. You should know how to decipher the scroll's seals, right?" Naruto asked.

Minato hesitated. "Back in my day, I did… but the Third Hokage may have altered the security measures since then."

Then, eager to prove himself, he added, "But I do know many jutsu from the scroll. If you want, I can teach you."

Naruto's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Like what?"

Minato scratched his head sheepishly. "Well… the Flying Thunder God technique and the Reaper Death Seal."

Naruto's face instantly fell.

Both techniques were incredibly powerful—but they were also extremely dangerous. The Flying Thunder God was a complex space-time jutsu requiring immense precision, and the Reaper Death Seal… well, that one required sacrificing your own soul.

"Man… all your jutsu come with a price tag," Naruto muttered.

Minato chuckled awkwardly. "That's why they're forbidden, son."

Naruto sighed. If he was going to learn forbidden jutsu, he'd have to be very careful about which ones he picked.

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