Inviting Him to Join Akatsuki? I'm Whitebeard!

The sudden appearance of a stranger startled Naruto.

Naruto quickly got up and backed away several steps.

Only then did he notice that there wasn't just one stranger but two. 

He could barely make out their appearances in the bright moonlight filtering through the sparse branches.

The speaker was a very pale man, almost ghost-like in his pallor. He had the longest hair Naruto had ever seen on a man.

Next to this man stood an even stranger figure.

At first glance, he looked like a big, hunched-over fat man with a strange, metallic-looking tail. 

His posture was peculiar as if he was carrying something on his back, making him look like a large turtle.

The only thing these two strangers had in common was their similar attire.

They both wore black cloaks with red clouds embroidered on them.

Naruto didn't know if it was his imagination, but he had a strong feeling that these two were not good people.

He instinctively kept his distance from them.

"Hehehe..."

Orochimaru looked at Naruto with interest. "Not only is his body better than most kids his age, but his reflexes are also quite fast. It's enough to make one envious!"

"He's too small to make a good puppet," Sasori glanced at Naruto and then looked away, uninterested.

Orochimaru smiled. "Hey there, little friend. Your name is... huh?"

Suddenly!

Several shuriken flew in from that direction, forcing Orochimaru and Sasori to dodge to the sides.

The shuriken embedded themselves deeply into the ground.

"NARUTO! Come here!" Kakashi appeared, his expression more serious than ever. "Stay away from them!"

"Oh! Coming!" Naruto quickly ran to Kakashi's side.

Kakashi shielded Naruto behind him, his hands forming a series of seals.

At some point, the forehead protector that covered his Sharingan had been lifted, revealing his eye.

"Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja... Orochimaru!" Kakashi's eyes were filled with tension. He hadn't expected to encounter a familiar face from Konoha here.

Wait, no.

The man before him had defected from Konoha years ago, becoming one of the village's highest-ranking rogue ninjas in recent years.

Just now, when Naruto had been knocked away by Whitebeard.

Kakashi had followed.

Whitebeard didn't hold back, and Kakashi was worried that if Whitebeard seriously injured Naruto and Naruto then happened to encounter a wild animal, what would he do?

But instead of wild animals...

He encountered one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin, the rogue ninja Orochimaru!

Was this a coincidence?

Or...

"White hair?" Orochimaru licked his lips, Kakashi's features were too distinctive. "Kakashi, hehe... we haven't seen each other for years, have we? I didn't expect to find you with Whitebeard?"

"Kakashi... Hatake Kakashi? Hatake?" Sasori's eyes widened. "That man, Hatake Sakumo, who is he to you?!"

"He's his father," Orochimaru explained for Kakashi. "You seem quite agitated."

"The son of the White Fang of Konoha?"

Memories from Sasori's childhood surfaced.

His parents were killed in the war by the White Fang of Konoha, a grudge that led him to defect from the Land of Wind.

"Who are you?" Kakashi frowned. It had been a long time since someone mentioned his father, and now, a stranger had brought him up.

"You..." Kakashi noticed their uniforms and the rings on their fingers.

Such unique attire.

Made Kakashi's pupils contract.

"Akatsuki," Orochimaru smiled indifferently. "I don't care for this uniform, but they insisted I wear it."

"Akatsuki?" Kakashi was taken aback.

The name sounded familiar.

In recent years, the Akatsuki organization had gained some notoriety in the shinobi world.

He vaguely remembered that the Akatsuki organization was somewhat like a group of mercenaries, or at least not the kind of organization that operated openly.

He didn't expect such a group to be so high-profile.

With their own specific uniforms.

Orochimaru and this unknown Akatsuki member suddenly showing up here, could it be because of Whitebeard?

Because of the 100 million ryō bounty?

Even Akatsuki was tempted?

"Who I am isn't important. What's important is that you're the son of the White Fang of Konoha..." Sasori controlled his puppet Hiruko, and his killing intent was apparent as he took a step forward.

But then he stopped.

At the same time, Orochimaru's expression changed slightly.

His gaze shifted from Kakashi and Naruto to the tall, burly figure behind Kakashi.

An invisible aura of dominance enveloped Sasori and Orochimaru.

Footsteps like the beating of war drums.

Resonated in everyone's hearts.

"Gurararara!" A light chuckle echoed as Whitebeard's figure came into full view before Orochimaru and Sasori.

Whitebeard glanced down at Orochimaru and Sasori.

His gaze was filled with disdain.

"Who are these ninja brats who popped out of nowhere?" Whitebeard grinned. "The way you two look at me is quite annoying! Gurararara!"

"The Nation Destroyer, Edward Newgate... alias 'Whitebeard'," Orochimaru's excitement made his tongue tremble. "Seeing is believing, he truly is a giant!"

"And that oppressive presence..." Orochimaru's smile widened. "What an incredible aura!"

The way he looked at Whitebeard carried a strong possessive desire as if he wanted to claim this extraordinary body for himself.

Sasori was also staring at Whitebeard.

"Art! This is... truly artistic! There's nothing more suitable for a puppet than this body! Such a perfect work of art should be preserved as a puppet forever..."

Sasori muttered to himself, only loud enough for him to hear.

He was itching to move.

His interest was piqued!

But when he glanced at Kakashi...

His interest vanished.

Sasori calmed down, suppressing his urge to act, and instead looked up at Whitebeard. "Whitebeard, you should have heard of our Akatsuki organization, right?"

"I'm not one for beating around the bush. I'll get straight to the point. This disgusting guy and I are members of Akatsuki, and we're here to invite you to join Akatsuki."

Orochimaru smiled and added, "Our leader is very interested in you. You can choose to join us, but if you refuse..."

"You want to invite me to join an 'Akatsuki' I've never even heard of?" Whitebeard interrupted Orochimaru before he could finish.

Whitebeard's expression turned odd.

"That's right," Orochimaru nodded.

Whitebeard suddenly burst into hearty laughter, "Gurararara, if I join, will I be the boss or a lackey?"

Orochimaru sensed something was off but still replied, "Hehe... naturally, you'd start as an ordinary member."

"Two ninja brats who don't know their place..."

Whitebeard's smile gradually faded, his eyes flashing with anger. "Do you know what it means to speak to an emperor of the sea like that?"

A sense of foreboding gripped Orochimaru and Sasori.

Their faces changed drastically.

"I am Whitebeard!!!!"

As his words fell!

A wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Whitebeard, shaking the heavens!

Straight to the sky!

...

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