Flames blazed fiercely, and a water dragon roared menacingly.
Water and fire collided violently, creating a thick curtain of steam that completely obscured the two fighters. Yahiko and the others stepped back, continuing to watch without intervening.
Taking advantage of the visual cover, Ooka Shin seamlessly transitioned into the Hiding in Mist Technique. The already thick fog grew denser, rapidly swallowing the battlefield and blinding both sides.
Daibutsu could only see a meter or two in front of him. On high alert, he gripped his iron staff and watched the swirling mist.
Shin had learned the Hiding in Mist Technique from Mishu, along with basic blind-combat tactics. The thick fog had little effect on him.
Not only that, but Shin also deployed a Shadow Clone. Working in tandem, the two Shins attacked Daibutsu simultaneously from the front and back.
Daibutsu suddenly felt immense pressure. He was forced to constantly defend against rapid strikes emerging from the mist, leaving him no chance to counterattack or escape.
I didn't expect this kid to have such skills. I think we should let him join, thought Kyusuke, an Akatsuki member with purple stripes painted on his face. He watched the shifting shadows in the mist and voiced his approval.
Konan, being more cautious, expressed her concerns. "We should be careful. His taijutsu, kenjutsu, and ninjutsu are all excellent. That clearly indicates he has received high-level, systematic training. His background cannot be simple."
Yahiko, however, seemed pleased. "Haha, don't worry too much. We are just a newly established, small organization. We aren't valuable enough to be targeted by the major ninja villages yet. If we have questions, we can ask him later."
"It seems you have already decided to let him join." Seeing Yahiko's bright demeanor, Konan didn't object further. She looked at Nagato instead. "How is the battle going?"
Nagato, possessing the Rinnegan, could see clearly through the dense mist even though he hadn't unlocked the eyes' full potential.
"The opponent is using a Shadow Clone," Nagato reported softly. "Currently, Daibutsu is at a disadvantage. However, the kid has consumed a massive amount of chakra and won't be able to hold out much longer."
Although Shin had a considerable chakra capacity that far exceeded most of his peers, Daibutsu was no pushover. The older man's reserves and physical strength were still vastly superior.
Despite Shin's relentless flurry of attacks forcing Daibutsu entirely on the defensive, the assault couldn't be sustained. Once Shin ran out of chakra and stamina, he would be completely defenseless against a counterattack.
Soon enough, the Shadow Clone was shattered by a sweeping strike from Daibutsu. Shin felt a wave of exhaustion hit him, his speed and strength dropping significantly.
I didn't expect this guy to be so strong, Shin thought, panting. He has the strength of an experienced Chunin, and if he uses his full power, he might even be Jonin-level.
"Stop. You have proven your strength."
Seeing Shin halt his assault, Daibutsu didn't press his advantage. He lowered his staff, wanting to end the spar.
This was Shin's first real encounter with a strong, experienced opponent. Lacking practical combat experience, he had made several tactical mistakes. Now, with his stamina and chakra nearly bottomed out, he wisely sheathed his short sword.
The two slowly emerged from the dissipating mist. Yahiko was waiting with a wide smile and open arms.
"Welcome, my new companion! I am Yahiko, the leader of the Akatsuki Organization."
Shin was taken aback. He had fully expected an intense interrogation before being allowed to join. Nevertheless, he nodded. "I am Ooka Shin."
"Alright, we have already wasted some time. Let's head into the town to save the survivors first, and we'll talk about the rest later."
Remembering their original rescue mission, Yahiko led the group into the burning town without even bothering to introduce the others to Shin.
Fortunately, the spar had only lasted a minute or two. The group entered the town, immediately treating the wounded, extinguishing building fires, and helping the frightened residents restore order. By the time they finished burying the dead, three days had passed.
During these three days, Shin learned a great deal about the Akatsuki Organization.
Besides the leader Yahiko, the Rinnegan user Nagato, and the Paper Ninjutsu user Konan, the other four core members were Daibutsu, Kyusuke of the Swift Release, Okiayu Ryōtarō, and Tanaka Hideyuki.
Moreover, Shin realized the Akatsuki had only been established a few months ago. Currently, they had no funds, no territory, and no concrete plans. They possessed only one grand, vague goal: to achieve world peace.
In short, the current Akatsuki could not compare to the terrifying syndicate that would stand against the Five Great Nations a decade later. Right now, they were just a ragtag, idealistic armed group.
Shin wasn't too disappointed by this reality. If it were the Akatsuki of the future, he wouldn't have been strong enough to join, nor would he have dared to given the danger.
During this brief downtime, Shin also brought Masao and little Kanae to the group.
Suddenly having two dependents dropped into his lap made Yahiko helplessly rub his temples, unsure of how to handle the logistics. Nagato, however, was genuinely happy to see fellow refugees.
Seeing Shin take such careful care of two unrelated, helpless children in these harsh conditions finally dispelled Konan's lingering suspicions. She let down her guard and slowly accepted him as one of their own.
After dealing with the town's affairs, the core group rested in an abandoned house. Shin, showing absolutely no self-awareness of being the newest and youngest member, directly challenged the future of the Akatsuki.
"Yahiko, while killing rogue ninjas and protecting ordinary people has some localized effect, when exactly will we achieve true peace? Do you even have a real plan?"
Shin's blunt words cut through the room. "You must have realized that killing one batch of evil men will only lead to another batch taking their place, like weeds. If we don't solve the root problem, the weeds will never disappear."
Shin spoke sharply, his tone borderline interrogative, which immediately upset the older members.
Daibutsu, leaning against the wall, quickly defended Yahiko. "Shin, what we are doing is still very effective! Our actions have deterred many rogue ninjas. In the areas we patrol, there haven't been any attacks for a long time."
Konan, folding a white paper flower in her hands, added softly, "We have already saved many people. If we continue, we can save even more. Shin, you shouldn't question Yahiko's vision."
Hearing their incredibly naive and short-sighted defense, Shin remained silent for two full seconds.
He had to remind himself that this was not the stable, educated modern world of his past life. This was the chaotic, violent Ninja World, where compulsory education didn't exist.
Yahiko and his friends were originally starving street urchins who later followed Jiraiya to learn ninjutsu. Although Jiraiya taught them some life lessons, Jiraiya himself was ultimately a soldier and a killer. He knew nothing about geopolitics or macroeconomics. He couldn't see the root cause of the Ninja World's endless wars, let alone teach it to Yahiko.
Therefore, for Yahiko and the others, simply maintaining peace in a single province was the most meaningful and grand objective they could conceive.
Since he had joined the Akatsuki, Shin naturally needed the organization to develop properly. If they followed their original anime path, despite their great strength, they would end up being manipulated, fighting chaotically, and dying tragic deaths.
Shin glanced at everyone in the room and sneered. "Hmph. I heard you wanted to maintain peace, so I joined you. But if you continue like this, you are walking into a dead end. I think it's better for me to leave now before I'm dragged down with you."
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