A New Cycle in the Akatsuki
Naruto remained in the Akatsuki for several years. From the age of 12 until he was 16, he lived like a shadow. Under Obito's training, he learned to use the stolen Sharingan on the battlefield, to control part of Kurama, and to manipulate illusions.
Each mission hardened him. Each victory dug a deeper void within him. Each time he killed, he lost a little of his humanity.
Yet, one flame remained. That of a boy who had dreamed of becoming Hokage.
The Confrontation with Nagato
At 15, Nagato (Pain) decided to test him. "Naruto, you've grown up. But are you ready to understand true pain?"
He sent him alone to destroy a Kumogakure outpost. Naruto released some of Kurama's chakra, devastating the entire area. But when he returned, Nagato looked at him with his Rinnegan eyes.
"You're not complete yet," he said. "You're still hesitating." Naruto replied angrily, "And you? You destroy villages, saying it's for peace! You're nothing but a monster!"
Nagato gave a bitter smile. "Perhaps. But sooner or later, you'll understand that your ideals will disappear into hatred."
Naruto Grows Up
At 16, Naruto was no longer a child. His figure had grown taller, his features had hardened. He now wore a long black cloak, marked with the red cloud, but his eyes still burned with a mixture of rage and sadness.
He had become the Akatsuki's weapon. But in his heart, a plan was beginning to take shape: to leave this organization that only used him... and create his own.
The Crack
One evening, Obito entrusted him with a mission: to infiltrate Konoha to gather information. Naruto, standing on a cliff, gazed at his former village in the distance. His heart was pounding.
Kurama murmured, "Do you still want to save them? Or do you want to show them your power?"
Naruto lowered his head. "I want to prove to them that they were wrong to reject me... but not under the Akatsuki."
That night, he made his decision. He was going to leave the Akatsuki. And found his own organization.