Rising Shadows: Uchiha's Wrath

In the dimly lit cave, the members of Akatsuki gathered once more.

"Zetsu, what about Orochimaru?"

Pain's gaze shifted toward the empty seat beside Black Zetsu, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

"Jie Jie!"

White Zetsu chuckled oddly before continuing, "Orochimaru has gone to the Land of Water alone!"

Black Zetsu added, "He claims he's interested in killing Itachi and Juzo Biwa. Says he wants to capture them for his experiments!"

Before Pain could respond, Sasori let out a cold laugh.

"Heh, how arrogant. Anyone who dares to infiltrate the Land of Water alone is as good as dead."

It was no secret within the organization that Sasori and Orochimaru never got along, so no one was surprised by his mocking tone.

The brief silence was broken when a man wielding a strange scythe spoke up lazily.

"Hah, someone already dying after joining the organization? Looks like a perfect chance to expand my faith."

At the same time, a blond-haired man scoffed.

"No way! An official member getting himself killed this quickly? Hah! Looks like your organization isn't as strong as I thought. I might regret joining after all!"

"Tch!" Kakuzu sneered. "You're acting like we begged you to join. Weren't you the one who surrendered after losing?"

The blond-haired man immediately flared up. "That was just because you ganged up on me! If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one! I'll show you what true art is!"

"Hah! Bring it on! You think I'm scared?" Kakuzu retorted.

Before the argument could escalate further, Pain's cold voice cut through the tension.

"Enough!"

The room fell silent instantly. Pain's authority was absolute—everyone in the organization knew that even if they all attacked together, they weren't certain they could win against him.

Pain swept his gaze over them before speaking again.

"No matter your reasons for joining, I am the one in charge here. My rules are absolute—there will be no infighting. Anyone who disobeys will answer to me personally."

Though his words were harsh, no one dared to challenge him. Seeing this, Pain's expression softened slightly.

"Deidara, since you've just joined, you'll be partnered with Sasori from now on."

"Hidan, you'll be with Kakuzu."

"Got it," the scythe-wielding man and the blond bomber answered immediately. After Pain's outburst, neither wanted to push their luck.

With that settled, Pain turned to Black Zetsu.

"The Land of Water is proving to be a major threat. Send your clones to investigate immediately. If necessary... I'll go myself."

He paused before adding, "Also, keep an eye out for powerful rogue ninja. We still need more members."

"Leave it to me," Black Zetsu responded with a nod.

At present, Akatsuki is weaker than it had been in the original timeline. Without Itachi or Kisame, their combat strength was significantly reduced. The current roster consisted of Pain, Konan, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, Zetsu, and Tobi, who lurked in the shadows.

The Land of Wind - Approaching Sunagakure

A lone figure moved steadily through the relentless desert winds. Just a few kilometers ahead lay Sunagakure—the Village Hidden in the Sand, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

Kaito frowned as he trudged through the harsh terrain, muttering to himself.

"The Land of Wind is even more barren than I expected... No wonder they've always coveted the Land of Fire."

The Land of Wind and the Land of Earth had some of the worst environments in the shinobi world. These lands had been drained dry by the God Tree long ago, leaving them nearly uninhabitable. In contrast, the Land of Fire was a lush, prosperous region—making it a constant target of other nations.

After enduring the grueling desert climate, Kaito finally caught sight of Sunagakure's outer defenses. Without hesitation, he vanished from sight.

Inside Sunagakure

On the village walls, two Sand ninjas stood watch. One of them suddenly tensed.

"Wait... I think I just saw a shadow move."

His companion glanced up, seeing only the endless stretch of dunes.

"You're just imagining things. It's probably a mirage."

"Oh... right." The first guard relaxed, dismissing his unease.

Kaito reappeared inside a dimly lit room.

"Who are you?!"

A sharp voice rang out. Kaito turned to see a red-haired boy with the kanji for "Love" engraved on his forehead, glaring at him with intense wariness.

"You're Gaara, aren't you?" Kaito ignored the hostility in the boy's gaze.

"I said—who are you?!" Gaara snapped.

Years of assassination attempts, including betrayal by his uncle, had made him distrustful of everyone.

Kaito sighed. "Poor kid. I'm here to help you."

But Gaara remained tense, his sand shifting in preparation to attack. Seeing this, Kaito's Sharingan spun to life. In an instant, Gaara's body stiffened, and his mind pulled into a different realm.

Inside Gaara's Mindscape

Kaito looked around at the bleak, chaotic landscape. He frowned.

"This is the worst sealing method I've ever seen."

A guttural voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Who the hell are you?!"

A towering form loomed before him—Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast.

Kaito smirked. "Even in your own domain, you can't suppress your host's will? No wonder Gaara can't even sleep. This seal is pathetic."

Shukaku let out a furious snarl.

"I know that scent! That damn fox! You must be connected to the Nine-Tails!"

Kaito chuckled darkly. "And what of it? You're the weakest of the Tailed Beasts. Who gave you the courage to act tough?"

Shukaku roared in rage. "Fool! Tailed Beasts aren't ranked by the number of tails! I am not the weakest!"

"Ridiculous." Kaito shook his head. He had no interest in debating with an overgrown raccoon. Instead, his Sharingan glowed ominously, silencing Shukaku instantly.

"Since you're so arrogant, let's see how you fare with half your strength."

With a mere thought, Kaito began siphoning away Shukaku's chakra. In moments, the massive beast shrank to half its original size.

When Kaito finally released his control, Shukaku glared at him, its body trembling from the loss.

"You... bastard..."

Kaito smirked. "Behave yourself. You're lucky I'm not sealing you away for good."

With that, he left Gaara's mindscape, vanishing from the scene.