Akatsuki (First Update)

"Hey, could you Akatsuki people stop sticking your noses into everything? Get lost already."

With their business disrupted, several figures hiding in the woods also leaped out.

Compared to the many small fry Xu Yue had casually dealt with earlier, who were not even Genin—

The ones lying in ambush this time were definitely the elite among bandits.

The leader was actually an Iwagakure rogue ninja with a slashed forehead protector. Judging from his Chakra fluctuations, he even possessed roughly Chunin-level strength.

If not for his rogue ninja status forcing him to hide in a chaotic place like the Land of Rain, his strength would have been enough to ensure a comfortable life in any other country.

Yet he had come out to rob people. What a disgrace to ninja.

The lackeys he had brought along also seemed carefully selected, all possessing Genin-level strength.

They were far stronger than the two wandering, poorly equipped "Akatsuki" members at roughly Genin level who had stopped Xu Yue earlier.

"You’re the ones in the wrong! You clearly possess such great strength, so why don’t you use it to help those in need and earn rewards? Why must you resort to robbery? The Land of Rain is already chaotic enough!"

Those who could be recruited into Akatsuki at this point might not have been especially powerful, but in terms of conviction, they were undoubtedly a breath of fresh air in the current ninja world.

"Haha! It’s precisely because we have strength that we can take whatever we want! And it’s precisely because the Land of Rain is chaotic that we came here. Don’t get your cause and effect backward!"

The masked Iwagakure rogue ninja leading them burst into laughter.

His subordinates joined in the mockery as well.

"Haha, Boss, they really have some interesting ideas."

"Yeah, and an organization like this actually managed to recruit quite a few people. Are the people of the Land of Rain really that easy to fool?"

"How stupid. This world has always been one where the strong devour the weak, where people eat people."

The bandits blocking the road all wore vicious expressions as they looked at Xu Yue and the other two.

"We’re all from the Land of Rain. How much valuable stuff could we possibly have on us? Don’t you know that? What’s the point of robbing us?"

The two weak Akatsuki members were not afraid. They argued their case with righteous indignation, showing considerable nerve.

"Hehe, we could smell the poverty on you from ten miles away. Naturally, we have no interest in you! But the guy behind you is wearing clothes from the Land of Fire, and they’re new! He definitely arrived here not long ago."

One of the bandits revealed a sinister smile.

They did not want to rashly offend Akatsuki either. The two little fish before them were not strong, but Akatsuki had Jōnin-level experts!

That leader named Yahiko was a super expert at the Jōnin level.

And indeed, just as they had said, the Akatsuki members all looked poor and shabby.

"Oh? I’m dressed the same as you, aren’t I? Yet you could tell I came from the Land of Fire?"

Xu Yue was genuinely a little surprised. As expected, whatever line of work you were in, you had to understand that line of work.

The same conical hat, the same straw rain cape, yet they could tell he was an outsider—and even that he came from the Land of Fire.

As he spoke, Xu Yue lifted his conical hat completely, revealing the contours of his face that had been hidden in shadow.

Scarlet eyes spun secretly beneath the shadows.

Illusion Technique: Naraku Manifestation Technique!

Enhanced by a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, even the lowest-level ninjutsu could exert a terrifying effect.

In the eyes of that arrogant Iwagakure rogue ninja, who possessed Chunin-level strength and ruled this area like a tyrant, Xu Yue’s features gradually became clear.

Then he saw Xu Yue’s face gradually melt away, revealing his original youthful appearance beneath the Vanishing Facial Copy Technique, stirring the most terrifying memory buried deep in his heart.

He suddenly screamed.

"It’s you!!"

The moment he spoke, he did not even care about his subordinates. He turned and ran, fleeing faster than a rabbit as he pushed his Chunin-level strength beyond its limits.

Even Xu Yue was a little dumbfounded by this change. They were just a few small fry. He had merely guided the Illusion Technique slightly and had not deliberately controlled anything. He had only magnified the terror deep within the other man’s heart.

Yet according to the feedback from his technique, the terrifying thing this guy had seen was actually him?

That… was a little hurtful. Was his appearance really that terrifying…?

Did this guy know him?

Hmm, his only encounter with Iwagakure where he had shown his face had probably been during the bridge-blowing mission. Could this man be a survivor from that time?

Sorry, there had been too many Chunin back then. He had no impression of him at all…

Since the issue could be resolved through "talking," Xu Yue did not "like" using "violence." He pulled his conical hat back down, once again concealing both the middle-aged face created by the Vanishing Facial Copy Technique and the Sharingan he had secretly used.

With their boss gone, how could that group of lackeys possibly hold out? Though they had not been targeted, even the aftereffects made them seem as though they had seen something horrifying. They threw down their gear and fled for their lives.

"What was that…?"

The two Akatsuki members wore strange expressions before giving Xu Yue an odd look.

"It’s nothing. I’m a bounty hunter who specializes in rogue ninja. It’s not strange that he recognized me."

Xu Yue spoke calmly.

"A bounty hunter? That man was a Chunin!"

"Yeah, he’s one of the strongest bandits around here."

The two spoke with faces full of shock.

In all of Akatsuki, there were currently fewer than ten experts above Chunin level!

"You know he was a bandit. If he could only become a bandit, his strength was naturally limited."

Seeing their astonishment, Xu Yue found it somewhat amusing. Having stayed in Konoha for so long, he had nearly forgotten that the standards for powerful people in small countries were somewhat different.

Did Chunin really need to be taken this seriously?

By comparison, Nagato had not actually displayed much excessive power so far.

"Then why did someone as strong as you come to our Land of Rain?"

A hint of vigilance began to appear on their faces.

Most of Akatsuki’s first members were war orphans with backgrounds similar to Nagato and the other two. Their aim was to resolve problems through dialogue rather than force. They hoped everyone could understand one another and bring about peace.

"Me? You know the Land of Rain is chaotic. There are plenty of criminals and rogue ninja here, so naturally I came to capture them and collect the bounties."

Xu Yue did not immediately cater to their ideals. Instead, he displayed the same mercenary air as Kakuzu, tossing a money pouch in his hand.

Yet this stance actually made the two relax.

The reason was perfectly reasonable. And though their original intentions differed, the outcome of this man’s actions was actually somewhat similar to Akatsuki’s.

If all those criminals who caused trouble and suffering everywhere disappeared, would that not bring peace as well?

They simply disliked fighting and killing, wanting to persuade such people peacefully. Their methods and paths were merely different.

"In that case, Mr. Bounty Hunter, would you be willing to visit Akatsuki as our guest? We may have some common ground!"

One of them invited Xu Yue.

"Huh? I heard what they said too. I once had such thoughts myself, but after seeing too much, I became numb. And I charge for my services."

Xu Yue did not refuse. Little by little, through his words, he slowly began bringing his beliefs closer to theirs…

Yellowish hair, passionate, impulsive, ideals, companions, bonds.

A standard protagonist template, but unfortunately, he did not have a protagonist’s fate!

Yahiko.

The current leader of Akatsuki, Nagato and Konan’s big brother. He had used his personal charisma to attract a group of people and form the Akatsuki before them!

Because of Xu Yue’s butterfly effect, Danzo’s plan had been halted halfway through. They had enjoyed a longer period of peaceful development, and their scale was somewhat larger than in the original timeline!

But upon arriving at their crude base and looking around, Xu Yue found that although there were quite a few people, most were still an undisciplined rabble. There were plenty who did not even reach Genin level.

However…

Xu Yue’s gaze lingered for a moment on a somewhat introverted, thin young man with red hair.

Nagato, was it…?