91-95

*Chapter 91: Amaterasu*

Kugutsu Yagura's eyes turned cold.

If he were in peak condition, dodging that Spiral Needle would have been easy. However, his entire body was injured, and even with healing techniques, he was only barely managing to treat himself.

His current strength was less than half of his usual power.

If this keeps up, he might actually be killed!

"You think you've got me cornered, kid? Let me show you something!"

With a low growl, Yagura dropped to the ground like a wild beast.

A wave of violent chakra spread throughout the room, and even though Shiro was several meters away, he could feel the oppressive energy.

Gradually, Yagura's body began to glow with a reddish-brown hue.

This red-brown chakra completely enveloped Yagura, turning his limbs beast-like, and three tails sprouted from his back.

"He's transforming into a tailed beast!"

Shiro had prepared himself for this, but facing Yagura in his tailed-beast form still sent shivers down his spine.

Ding! A choice mission has been triggered!

1. Run! The reward is a random summoning beast!

2. Fight! The reward is the ocular jutsu: Amaterasu!

Shiro's body trembled with excitement. The Amaterasu, something he had long desired, was finally within reach.

Amaterasu was hailed as the strongest fire-style jutsu, said to burn anything it touched.

All one had to do was activate it, and anything seen could be set ablaze!

It was simply too cool!

Back then, Itachi Uchiha had defeated the tailed-beast Yagura with Amaterasu in an instant.

Now that he had a chance to get Amaterasu, Shiro felt much more confident about taking on Yagura.

"I choose option two!"

Yagura, now in his tailed-beast form, didn't immediately attack Shiro. Instead, he gave a provocative look.

"Kid, you still think you can kill me now?"

Usually, when someone enters their tailed-beast form, their mind is overwhelmed by the beast's chakra, handing control of the body over to the tailed beast.

But Yagura was one of the rare individuals who could control this state, remaining fully conscious even in his transformed form.

Still, the violent chakra affected him somewhat.

"Let's find out," Shiro sneered, his pupils turning blood-red.

Seeing Shiro's eyes, Yagura instinctively stepped back, a hint of fear flashing across his face.

"Those damned eyes again! Today, I'm going to gouge them out!"

Shiro smiled slightly.

It was obvious that Yagura had developed a deep psychological scar from his encounter with Itachi Uchiha.

Shiro slowly closed his eyes, gathering chakra into his Sharingan.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. A trickle of blood dripped from his eye socket, but a cool sensation washed over his eyeballs, numbing the pain.

"Amaterasu!"

A black flame burst into view, though it missed Yagura on his first attempt due to inexperience.

When Yagura saw the black fire, fear filled his eyes.

"Damn it! How do you know that technique?!"

Yagura frantically moved around the room to avoid the flames, but it wasn’t long before the entire space was engulfed by the black fire.

Shiro began to adapt to the rhythm of Amaterasu.

Amaterasu didn't exactly burn everything he saw instantly. He had to focus on a specific point, like using a magnifying glass to concentrate sunlight. Only then would the fire spread outward.

Shiro briefly considered expanding the range of Amaterasu.

However, the moment he did, his chakra began depleting rapidly. In just one second, a huge chunk of his chakra was used up!

Even with his Intermediate Sage Body and the Hundred Healings Jutsu, he couldn't afford to waste so much energy.

"Yagura, you're out of options. Just accept your fate!"

"Kill me? You'll have to wait a thousand years!" Yagura snorted and smashed through the window, escaping the Mizukage's office building.

However, bits of the black fire clung to him as he jumped out.

Though the flames were small, they were notorious for burning even chakra itself, and once they latched on, they'd leave nothing but ash.

Shiro smirked and quickly extinguished the black flames in the room.

He walked to the window and looked down.

By now, the few strands of black fire on Yagura's body had spread completely, engulfing him in the black flames.

As Yagura struggled, the fire spread, igniting several nearby shinobi.

Anyone else would have fled by now, but Shiro stayed. He needed to see Yagura die to be sure.

As expected, Yagura soon deactivated his tailed-beast form, causing the black flames to dissipate.

But by that point, Yagura was lying on the ground, gasping for air, too weak to even stand.

"Cheng, come here!" Shiro called out.

Hearing Shiro, Shui Wuyue Cheng rushed in, only to see tears of blood streaming from his eyes. She grew anxious.

"What's wrong with your eyes? We need to find a medical ninja!"

Shiro shook his head with a wry smile, handing Cheng a kunai glowing with golden light.

With his other hand, he wiped away the blood.

"I'm fine. Take this kunai and run as far as you can. The farther you go, the better my chances of survival."

"Why can't you come with me?" Shui Wuyue Cheng asked, grabbing Shiro's sleeve, trying to convince him to leave with her.

"I have something important I need to finish. If I don’t, everything we've done so far will be for nothing."

Cheng smiled bitterly, knowing Shiro’s stubbornness all too well after spending the past few days with him.

Once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

But she also knew Shiro wouldn't act without a plan.

"Alright, I'll do as you say. But you better come back!" Cheng clutched the kunai close to her chest like a precious treasure.

"Don't worry. I'll be back safe and sound."

After Cheng left, Shiro donned a mask to hide his face.

Forming a few hand seals, a light-blue sphere began to form, hovering above his palm.

"Yagura, today is the day you die!" Shiro shouted as he charged toward Yagura with the Rasengan.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 92: Sealing the Three-Tails

Although Yagura Karatachi had lost the ability to move, he still had a shred of consciousness.

Seeing Shiro charging at him, a look of fear appeared on his face.

Meanwhile, Matsuga, who had been dominating the fight, immediately noticed something was wrong. He shouted at Shiro, "Taochi Liren, what are you doing? Stop right now!"

Shiro didn't dare stop, because even though the three great families were currently fighting Yagura Karatachi's forces, they were still from the Hidden Mist Village.

If they found out Shiro was an outsider, he would instantly become their primary target! Hidden Mist shinobi could kill their own, but no one else was allowed to do so.

Especially when the target was Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village.

"Die!"

Several members of the ANBU quickly moved to stand in front of Yagura, their eyes full of vigilance as they glared at Shiro.

"If you want to kill the Mizukage, you have to get through us first!"

Shiro didn't have time to talk. His Sharingan focused, and a mass of black flames appeared out of thin air.

"Amaterasu!"

After his previous training, Shiro's accuracy with Amaterasu had greatly improved.

Within a second, all five of his opponents were engulfed in flames.

"So, it was you who cast those flames. Who are you? Wait... the Rasengan... You're a Leaf ninja!"

Back when Yagura Karatachi was defeated by Uchiha Itachi, Matsuga had been present and was left with a vivid memory of those blood-red eyes. He had thoroughly investigated it afterward.

And now, in Shiro's hands, was another signature jutsu of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

"A rogue ninja from the Leaf, Shiro!"

Since his identity could no longer be hidden, Shiro decided to reveal it openly.

He sped up once again, swiftly reaching Yagura's side.

"Yagura Karatachi, I'll set you free!"

The Rasengan struck Yagura directly, and the ground beneath him sank from the impact.

Initially, Yagura's face twisted in pain, but then, a small smile appeared on his lips.

"Thank you."

Shiro was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected that in Yagura’s final moment before death, he would break free from the genjutsu.

That last "thank you" was the best proof.

However, it wasn't because Yagura was grateful that the others would spare Shiro.

At that moment, the battle between the three great families and the ANBU came to a halt, and all eyes were fixed on Shiro.

"A rogue ninja from the Leaf has come to our land and killed the Mizukage! We can't let him escape!"

"That's right! He must not get away!"

As the surrounding shinobi closed in, Shiro's expression grew serious.

Escaping was actually quite simple; he only needed to use the Flying Thunder God technique to vanish in an instant.

But Shiro had another, more important task besides killing Yagura Karatachi: sealing the Three-Tails, Isobu!

Shiro quickly formed hand seals, then pressed his hands firmly to the ground.

Suddenly, stone walls rose around him, enclosing him.

"Earth Release! Iron Wall Prison!"

Then, Shiro continued to form hand seals, and hundreds of shadow clones appeared around him.

"This is all I can do for now. Next up is the sealing!"

With a cold snort, Shiro pulled out a scroll and spread it on the ground.

He had specifically asked Orochimaru for advice on how to seal a tailed beast.

However, since it wasn’t a fully mastered technique, his execution was still a bit rough. After studying the materials given to him by Mei Terumi, he had successfully completed a few attempts.

But this was the first time he was using it to seal a tailed beast for real.

Biting his finger, Shiro slowly formed more hand seals. To avoid making mistakes, he moved very carefully.

He only had one chance—if he failed, it would be over for good.

"This has to work!"

Shiro pressed his bloodstained palm onto the scroll.

Immediately, the runes on the scroll began to writhe, and a powerful suction force nearly pulled Shiro in.

After Shiro quickly moved to the side, Yagura’s body floated into the air, slowly drifting toward the scroll.

Yagura’s clothes were torn apart at his abdomen, as a massive force continued to pull something from within him.

Shiro grew increasingly anxious.

Even though the jutsu had been successfully cast, it was only a prototype developed by Orochimaru, the greatest scientist in the shinobi world.

Not even Orochimaru had ever actually used it before.

Whether the sealing would truly work was still unknown.

A colossal creature was being pulled out. Its dark blue skin exuded a dangerous aura.

"Kid! What are you doing to me?!"

The deafening roar made Shiro's ears ring, and several of his nearby shadow clones shattered from the sheer force of the sound.

"This is bad! That kid’s target is Isobu!"

The Hidden Mist shinobi immediately became tense.

If used improperly, the Three-Tails would be a massive threat, but if controlled well, it could be their greatest asset.

To the Hidden Mist, Isobu was the ultimate trump card!

In a frenzy, the Hidden Mist shinobi rushed toward Shiro.

Shiro anxiously watched everything unfold before him.

Orochimaru’s technique was really working!

The massive body of the Three-Tails was being dragged out of Yagura's body, slowly compressed and sealed into the scroll.

The blank center of the scroll now depicted half of the Three-Tails, Isobu.

As the sealing progressed, the image on the scroll became more complete.

"Kid, I knew from the start you were no good! I can't believe you had such a plan! I’ll kill you today!"

Shiro frowned. He hadn’t expected Matsuga to break through the chaos and charge directly at him.

"Get lost!"

Shiro roared and swung a punch.

Boom!

His fist landed squarely on Matsuga's face, sending him flying. He rolled across the ground before finally coming to a stop.

"How is this possible? You're this strong?!"

"I don’t have time to deal with you right now. If you bother me again, I'll send you to join Yagura!"

Matsuga had always thought Shiro was just a sycophantic fool, at best a mid-level ninja.

Only now did he realize that not only was Shiro more intelligent than him, but his ninjutsu was also superior!

At last, with an unwilling roar, the Three-Tails, Isobu, was completely sealed inside the scroll.

Shiro quickly retrieved the scroll and began channeling his chakra.

In a flash of yellow light, Shiro disappeared from the battlefield.

"Where is he?! Where did he go?!"

"The Yellow Flash! The Flying Thunder God technique! What is the Leaf Village planning?!"

"The Fourth Hokage is dead... What should we do now?!"

The battlefield fell into silence, and the shinobi exchanged uneasy glances as the tension in the air grew heavy.

Using the Flying Thunder Break technique, Shiro instantly appeared beside Haku.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 93: Uchiha Obito*

Shui Wuyue Cheng's face flushed red, completely caught off guard by Shiro's sudden appearance.

If it weren’t for her strong mental fortitude, she might have been scared to death right then and there.

"You didn’t explain what this kunai was for. I thought it was a gift from you." Shui Wuyue Cheng's voice trailed off, with the last few words barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.

Shiro almost laughed out loud. Who would give a kunai as a gift to someone, especially to a girl?

"Excuse me, may I interrupt?"

Just as Shiro was about to speak, a voice came from behind, startling him.

Shiro turned toward the sound and his heart skipped a beat.

A black cloak with red clouds, a chrysanthemum-colored mask with a single hole exposing the right eye, just like a flower blooming.

Uchiha Obito!

Shiro didn’t dare speak, knowing full well that someone like Uchiha Obito was far beyond his ability to handle at the moment.

Uchiha Obito, seeing Shiro's reaction, began gesticulating exaggeratedly.

"Could it be that you recognize me as Tobi?"

Shiro chuckled to himself. Uchiha Obito often went by the name Tobi, and later even used the name Uchiha Madara.

Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, became brutal because of Obito's genjutsu, turning the Mist Village into the bloody mist.

He’s an incredibly dangerous person!

"The Akatsuki… have you already infiltrated the Mist Village?"

In front of Uchiha Obito, Shiro didn’t dare to reveal that he knew too much, for fear that he might say something wrong and get himself killed.

After all, with Shiro's current strength, he was no match for Uchiha Obito.

"I’ve heard of the Akatsuki for a long time. They take on missions that the major nations find inconvenient. So, what brings you to the Mist Village now?"

"So the Akatsuki is that famous already? That makes me so happy."

Shiro watched Uchiha Obito's exaggerated gestures but didn’t let his guard down for a second.

He remained tense and vigilant.

"Why are you stopping me on my path?"

"Because I find you interesting. You’ve just become a rogue ninja from Konoha, and now you’ve killed the Mizukage. Would you be interested in joining the Akatsuki?"

"Join the Akatsuki?"

Shiro never expected Uchiha Obito to be recruiting him, and there was no mention of the Sanbi Isobu situation.

But Shiro had no intention of truly joining the Akatsuki.

Most of the Akatsuki members were at Kage-level strength, and even the weakest ones were elite Jōnin with special abilities.

Joining the Akatsuki meant facing the constant possibility of death.

Handing over his life to others was not Shiro's style.

"I refuse. I prefer my freedom."

"The Akatsuki is pretty laid-back. You can do whatever you want most of the time. However, when we assign you a mission, you have to complete it."

"Really? Are you in charge?"

Shiro smirked as he asked.

Uchiha Obito, under the alias Tobi, was just a peripheral member and didn’t have the authority to recruit Shiro.

"I can recommend you! You can give the Akatsuki a try, and if it doesn’t work out, you can leave. As long as you don’t interfere with core matters, you’re free to come and go."

Shiro could tell that Uchiha Obito was determined to recruit him.

If he continued to refuse, it might anger Obito.

Then, the conversation would no longer be about joining or not—it would be about the Sanbi.

"Fine, I'll give it a shot. I’ve already offended two of the five great nations, so maybe joining the Akatsuki is the best option. But I have some matters to attend to in the Land of Water first. I’ll find you later."

Hearing Shiro's answer, Uchiha Obito exaggeratedly waved his arms again.

Watching his over-the-top movements, Shiro felt like he was watching a clown from a circus.

"Great! I’ve recruited a strong member for the Akatsuki! I’ll definitely become a full member now."

Shiro forced a smile.

Despite having power at the super-Kage level, Uchiha Obito had to pretend to be the clueless Tobi.

However, at that moment, only three people knew of Tobi's true strength.

The first was Uchiha Itachi.

Though Itachi was incredibly talented, at the time, it was impossible for him to wipe out the Uchiha clan on his own.

Itachi, disillusioned with the Uchiha clan, sought Obito's help in carrying out this difficult task.

Itachi’s joining of the Akatsuki was also orchestrated by Uchiha Obito.

The other two were the founders of the Akatsuki: Nagato and Konan.

Though Yahiko would have known too, he had died, leaving only Nagato and Konan aware.

"Alright, I’ll leave you to your time with your little girlfriend. I’m off. Just find me at the docks later!"

With a wave of his hand, Uchiha Obito vanished into thin air.

"Who was that?" Shui Wuyue Cheng asked curiously. "He didn’t seem very strong."

Shiro’s mouth twitched.

But since Shui Wuyue Cheng was naive and fearless, Shiro didn’t bother explaining.

More importantly, though he couldn’t see Uchiha Obito anymore, Shiro was sure he was still nearby because the most important item was still with him.

"Let’s go. This place isn’t safe. The ANBU might catch up soon."

Along the way, Shui Wuyue Cheng asked several times about the Akatsuki, but Shiro remained silent, acting as if she didn’t exist.

After about ten minutes, they arrived outside Mei Terumi’s base.

Looking up, the area was crowded with ninjas.

Leading them was none other than Mei Terumi.

Shiro stopped, not intending to go further. Instead, he took out a scroll from his back and handed it to Shui Wuyue Cheng.

"Give this to Mei Terumi."

The Akatsuki’s target was the Sanbi Isobu, and even if Uchiha Obito didn’t mention it now, he would eventually.

Shiro wasn’t strong enough to protect Isobu, so it was safer in Mei Terumi’s hands.

"Huh? We’re right at the door, why don’t you give it to her yourself?"

"My current status doesn’t allow it." Shiro shook his head slightly.

Having killed the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, Shiro would surely become a target, even if it was for the sake of the Mist Village.

Even if Mei Terumi became the Fifth Mizukage, she would likely issue a warrant for his arrest due to external pressure.

Suddenly, Shui Wuyue Cheng, who had been slow on the uptake, seemed to catch on. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Are you leaving the Mist Village? You’re a hero! You’ve done everything for the Mist Village, but they can’t even accept you. Is that fair?"

"Silly girl, these misunderstandings will clear up eventually. Maybe I’ll return someday. For now, I’m leaving before the ANBU catches us."

Shui Wuyue Cheng stared blankly at Shiro's departing figure.

"I will clear your name in the Mist Village. And don’t forget—you kissed me, so you have to take responsibility!"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 94: Joining the Akatsuki

Shiro arrived at the agreed meeting point. After waiting for less than a minute, a figure wearing the red cloud-patterned black cloak of the Akatsuki silently appeared next to him.

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat.

The sensation of someone suddenly appearing behind him without a sound was unsettling and made him feel vulnerable. Although Uchiha Obito didn’t have any intention to kill him at the moment, if Obito ever decided to, Shiro wouldn’t even know how he died.

“Haha! Shiro-kun, you’re here! Looks like I was worried for nothing!” Obito, in his Tobi persona, cheerfully greeted him.

Shiro’s mouth twitched.

He had to admit, the way Uchiha Obito played this goofy character, Tobi, was seriously irritating. No wonder Deidara was always hitting him.

“You promised that if the Akatsuki wasn’t a good fit for me, I could leave, right?”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry! When I, Tobi, make a promise, it’s reliable~”

Shiro rolled his eyes, looking at Obito's annoying expression. He almost wanted to kick him.

“So, where are we going now?”

“To the Land of Rain! I’ll introduce you to the members of the Akatsuki.”

Shiro’s heart skipped another beat.

The Land of Rain was practically under Akatsuki’s control now, and only two people were regularly there: Nagato and Konan!

Shiro felt both excited and scared.

After all, Nagato and Konan were like walking human nuclear bombs. Even someone as powerful as Jiraiya died because of insufficient intel.

Suddenly, Shiro snapped back to reality and his face showed fear. Even Uchiha Obito, who had been playfully gesturing, stopped and quietly observed him.

“Is there something bothering you, Shiro-kun?”

Shiro raised his trembling hand and forced a smile.

“Do we have to take a boat to get to the Land of Rain?”

“Yeah, why? That’s totally normal. Don’t tell me you have enemies there. Don’t worry, once you’re in the Akatsuki, we’ll take care of them for you.”

At this moment, Obito’s voice turned cold, dropping the Tobi act entirely. Through the hole in his mask, a blood-red eye could be seen staring out.

“It’s not about enemies… It’s just… is there any way we could avoid taking a boat?”

“Huh?”

Obito suddenly let his guard down, staring at Shiro with exaggerated disbelief.

“How else do you expect to get to the Land of Rain without a boat?”

“Fine… just make sure the boat moves quickly.”

Once they were out at sea, Uchiha Obito quickly understood why Shiro had been so fearful.

Not long after boarding, Shiro was already hanging over the side, throwing up. Hours passed, and he was still there, looking utterly miserable as he sat by the ship’s edge, his face drained of life.

Obito wiped a cold sweat from his brow.

Thankfully, he hadn’t given Shiro the Akatsuki’s red cloud cloak yet. They couldn’t afford the embarrassment!

A few days later, land finally came into view on the horizon.

Obito stood next to Shiro and happily announced, “Shiro-kun, just hold on a little longer! We’re almost at the Land of Rain!”

Shiro, who had been almost lifeless, suddenly perked up, and in a flash, he leapt off the deck.

Obito’s black eyes instantly turned blood-red, his body radiating killing intent. The ship's crew began to tremble in fear. But then Obito noticed the direction Shiro was running, and his lips couldn’t help but twitch.

“Is he seriously planning to run the rest of the way…?”

It was the first time Obito had seen someone get seasick this badly.

Although they could see the mainland, the actual distance was still at least ten kilometers. Even a ninja would need several hours to run that far, and it would drain a significant amount of chakra. If Shiro ran out, he’d sink straight to the bottom of the sea.

Since Shiro was running, Obito couldn’t just stay on the boat either. He waved his hand and vanished into thin air.

“Captain! The two ninjas on deck just ran off!”

“What? Running here in the middle of the ocean—are they nuts?”

“They still haven’t paid!”

“What? Go after them and run them over!”

Shiro was running across the surface of the water, his face filled with joy. Despite the choppy waves, it was still far better than being on that wretched boat! He briefly wondered if he had eaten some sort of cursed devil fruit because the moment he boarded a ship, he became completely useless.

As Shiro enjoyed running, he suddenly sensed a massive object approaching from behind.

Turning around, he saw it was the ship he had just left.

“Kid! Pay the fare, or we’ll run you over!” someone shouted from the ship.

Shiro's eye twitched uncontrollably, and his legs began to move faster. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to pay, but if he didn’t run, he’d get hit.

He ran faster and faster, but no matter how quick he was, there was no way a person could outrun a ship. Every time he tried changing directions, the ship followed right after him.

“Kid! Pay up, or we’ll ram you!”

Frustrated from being chased, Shiro’s temper flared. Anyone would lose their cool after this, especially Shiro, who had just emerged from the Blood Mist, carrying a lot of pent-up aggression.

“Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

“Water Style! Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!”

A massive water dragon surged toward the ship, but instead of smashing into it, the dragon collapsed just above, drenching the entire deck.

“Kid, are you playing water games with us?” The crew burst into loud laughter.

Shiro smirked mischievously.

“Lightning Style! Chidori Stream!”

Arcs of lightning shot through the water and struck the ship. The crew, soaked from the water dragon attack, was instantly hit by the electric shock, and cries of pain filled the air.

Nearby, Uchiha Obito, wearing his red cloud cloak, was also twitching uncontrollably.

“Shiro-kun, could you not use lightning jutsu while we’re on the water?”

After an hour of running, Shiro finally made it to shore.

The moment he stepped on land, he collapsed onto the sand, basking in the relief of being back on solid ground. Uchiha Obito arrived a few minutes later.

It wasn’t that Obito was slower than Shiro—it was just that he had to keep a safe distance because of Shiro’s lightning jutsu.

Lightning jutsu on the water was nearly unstoppable, and Obito couldn’t risk exposing his true identity, so he stayed back.

“Shiro-kun, I deeply regret taking that boat with you.”

Obito plopped down on the sand, exhausted from using chakra to run on water for nearly an hour. Even for someone as strong as him, it was draining.

However, Obito wasn’t idle. He pulled out a red cloud cloak from who knows where and tossed it to Shiro.

Shiro took the cloak and smiled bitterly.

He never imagined that one day, he would actually wear the Akatsuki’s cloak and join their ranks!

“Akatsuki… here I come!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 95: The Second Bloodline Limit*

The Land of Rain, as its name suggests, is a country perpetually shrouded in rain.

Ninjas from the Land of Rain, when heading out, carry nothing but will always have a raincoat. Never underestimate the drizzle. The human body is not as strong as one might imagine. Especially in the wilderness, prolonged exposure to rain can easily lead to colds, greatly impacting the mission at hand.

At this moment, Shiro finally understood the purpose of the Akatsuki organization’s cloak. The black cloak with red clouds felt smooth to the touch, clearly treated for waterproofing. If it really rained, all that was needed was a rain hat, and everything would be fine.

However, thinking of the Akatsuki members always wearing their cloaks while carrying out missions, he couldn’t help but shake his head.

Shiro had been following Uchiha Obito for a long time, and they finally arrived in the village, entering a tall building soon after.

"Afei's back!"

"What kind of ninja did you bring this time?"

"Looks like this time you might get a promotion!"

In the village, Uchiha Obito was as unremarkable as any passerby, but the clothes they wore attracted many glances. Upon entering the building, many people seemed to recognize Obito and even greeted him. Obito, as usual, exaggerated every gesture, as if he couldn't express his thoughts without acting overly dramatic. However, those around him seemed long accustomed to it.

After walking for a while, Shiro noticed that very few of the ninjas wore the red-clouded black cloak, most of them wearing ordinary green ninja vests. Eventually, Obito led Shiro to a small room. As they entered, he saw two figures in the Akatsuki cloak again—Yahiko and Konan!

Yahiko sat by the window, while Konan stood by his side. Logically, the two grew up together and had a close bond, but Konan, although standing next to Yahiko, didn’t show the expression of someone looking at a dear friend. Instead, her face was filled with sorrow.

Shiro knew the reason behind it well. Yahiko had been killed by Hanzō and Danzo's plot during the Third Great Ninja War. Later, Yahiko was turned into Tendo Pain by Nagato, which explained his current appearance.

“Afei, you’re back. What kind of ninja have you brought this time?” Yahiko asked.

“This one is quite impressive. He’s the one Konoha has put a billion bounty on! And just a few days ago, he assassinated Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village!” Obito exclaimed enthusiastically, though much more restrained than when they were outside, his gestures appearing somewhat stiff.

Hearing Obito’s introduction, Yahiko and Konan couldn’t help but turn their heads, sizing up Shiro from head to toe.

“I’ve heard about your reputation. I had initially planned to invite you myself!” Yahiko spoke seriously, his Rinnegan making Shiro feel uneasy.

Konan, being a perceptive woman, quickly noticed Shiro's discomfort. With a gentle smile, she walked over to him. “This is you, right? Not only has the Hokage of the Land of Fire put a bounty on you, but now the newly appointed Mizukage of the Land of Water has also issued a warrant,” she said, handing Shiro a wanted poster.

Upon reading the content, Shiro couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“Shiro! Assassinated the Fourth Mizukage and stole the Three-Tails, Isobu. As long as he is returned to the Hidden Mist Village alive, the reward is 1.5 billion! (Do not harm Shiro, or it will be seen as a declaration of war against the Land of Rain!).”

Shiro was surprised his bounty had gone up! But he realized this wasn’t just a wanted poster; it also signaled the immense upheaval in the Land of Water! However, the mention of the Three-Tails placed him in a difficult position because he was currently in Akatsuki's headquarters!

“Doesn’t Akatsuki claim not to care about the past, only personal strength? Why are you suddenly afraid of the Land of Water now?” Shiro’s words were sharp, and Konan frowned, though she patiently explained.

“We’re not afraid of any country, but this wanted poster is a test to see if you’re qualified to join Akatsuki!”

“Of course Shiro is qualified! He’s awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. With one Amaterasu, he crippled the Fourth Mizukage! His strength is more than enough,” Obito chimed in.

At the mention of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Yahiko, who had been silently observing, stood up and walked over to Shiro.

“The Mangekyō Sharingan, huh? Interesting—show me!”

As Yahiko approached, Shiro felt immense pressure, almost suffocating. Instinctively sensing danger, his pupils turned blood-red in an instant.

“As expected, it’s the Mangekyō Sharingan, and it looks a lot like Itachi’s. Could you be his brother?” Yahiko speculated, as sweat dripped from Shiro’s forehead.

Typically, Sharingan eyes before awakening the Mangekyō are quite similar, differing only in the number of tomoe. But once awakened, each Mangekyō Sharingan is unique. Even siblings would have vastly different designs. However, Shiro was an exception. He hadn’t awakened the Mangekyō on his own but had obtained it through the system.

He had looked at his own eyes in the mirror before; they were almost identical to Uchiha Itachi's. Moreover, the abilities of his Mangekyō Sharingan were nearly the same as Itachi’s.

*Ding! Choice task triggered!*

1. Escape the Land of Rain! Reward: Bloodline Limit: Ice Release!

2. Stay silent! Reward: Bloodline Limit: Boil Release!

3. Confront Tendo Pain and showcase your strength! Reward: Bloodline Limit: Byakugan!

Shiro was overjoyed. He hadn’t expected to unlock three Bloodline Limits in one go. Having tasted the power of Bloodline Limits before, he was eager to gain another. He couldn’t believe he encountered this opportunity just after leaving the Hidden Mist Village.

Shiro had seen the power of Ice Release and Boil Release firsthand from Haku and Mei Terumi. Both techniques were incredibly powerful, capable of crushing opponents at the same level. But Shiro knew that in the later stages, everything boiled down to who had the stronger dōjutsu. Especially the Byakugan, which could eventually evolve into the Tenseigan, a power capable of destruction on a massive scale. He wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

“I choose option three!”

Suddenly, Shiro felt a sharp pain in his right eye. It felt as if tiny ants were relentlessly gnawing at his eyeball. His originally blood-red pupils gradually turned white, though they weren’t too noticeable thanks to his bangs.

“Are you interrogating me? Isn’t Akatsuki’s rule that as long as one’s strength is sufficient, they can join?” Shiro said defiantly.

Yahiko’s expression darkened, and he let out a cold laugh. “You’re bold, young man. Fine, I’ll test your strength to see if you’re truly qualified to join Akatsuki!”

Yahiko raised his hand, readying for battle. However, Konan stepped forward, blocking Yahiko. “You rest. I’ll test this young man’s strength,” she said as her body transformed into countless sheets of paper, her sharp gaze fixed on Shiro.

“Come, young man!” she challenged.

(End of chapter)