New Recruit

Naruto, with his speed surpassing the sound barrier, easily dodged Sasori's puppet, the Third Kazekage. He then approached Sasori and pointed a dagger at him. This simple battle highlighted Naruto's growth and his increasing familiarity with ninja fighting methods.

Facing S-rank rebels like Sasori, who were once capable officers of Akatsuki, Naruto's strength and knowledge made him formidable. His understanding of his opponents' weaknesses, such as the vulnerability of a puppet master once separated from their puppet, made him a formidable opponent.

Naruto's strength was evident in his fight against Kakuzu and Hidan, two powerful members of Akatsuki. Despite their unique abilities, Naruto's knowledge of their weaknesses made them vulnerable. For example, decapitating Hidan and burying his head in a secret location, or exploiting Kakuzu's limited chakra reserves, made them much easier to defeat.

In the end, Naruto's strength and knowledge made him a formidable opponent, capable of taking down even the strongest of adversaries.

Unbeknownst to many, the shock of encountering immortality claimed numerous lives, plunging the scene into chaos that seemed insurmountable.

This was the way of the ninja—swift, decisive, and ruthless. Naruto observed the sluggishness of Sasori of the Red Sands, recognizing the vast gap between Sasori's current state and the cunning puppeteer he would become in the original plot.

"There are only two options: surrender or death," Naruto declared coldly, echoing his words from before the conflict began. He was no longer the naive boy from the past; he had matured into a true ninja.

Frustrated by Sasori's apparent indifference, Naruto almost lashed out in frustration. How could Sasori speak of art when faced with such a dire situation?

"Your art may be lifelike, but your weakness renders it meaningless. The strong will easily overcome you, leaving your art as nothing more than a fleeting spectacle," Naruto remarked, his thoughts drifting to his father, Namikaze Minato, whose speed and prowess could easily outmaneuver Sasori's puppets.

As Sasori pondered Naruto's words, Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he had sparked a transformation in the puppeteer's mindset, nudging him towards a path of self-reflection.

But ultimately, it mattered little. Naruto was committed to his own path, regardless of who inadvertently influenced Sasori's journey.

Naruto asked once more, his tone firm, "The last chance, surrender, or die."

Only then did Sasori of Akasago recover from the shock. He glanced at Naruto and said with a look of anticipation, "It seems that your organization is not so boring. Maybe it can let me explore more. Perhaps it is filled with art. Count me in."

Naruto then sighed as he put away the kunai in his hand with a casual "Which brush," retracting his Rinnegan as well. In reality, he had subtly applied pressure with the power of Rinnegan's pupil, easily shaking Sasori of Akasago's spirit.

Regardless of how ruthlessly he dealt with Sasori of Red Sand, he still needed the abilities of Sasori for the Akatsuki organization to gather its members.

"Okay, since you've surrendered to me and recognize me as the boss, you'll be your own person from now on. The start might be small, but I just came to say hello," Naruto suddenly seemed to have transformed, from ruthless shouting and killing to immediate excitement.

Sasori wanted to clarify that he was joining, not surrendering.

Kakuzu, not far away, had given up entirely. Naruto could call it whatever he wanted, as long as he didn't disagree. Being called that name was a small price to pay compared to fighting Naruto, a battle he would likely lose.

"I am Kakuzu."

"I am Sasori."

The two of them greeted each other briefly as if they were old acquaintances.

And it seemed like this was the reserve that a villain should possess, right?

Naruto didn't care either. He handed Sasori a ring with the word 'Wang Yu' engraved on it.

"The ring can be used for communication. Deal with the matters here first, then prepare to gather," Naruto instructed Sasori of Akasago, much like he did with Orochimaru—no need to rush to bring Sasori back. There were still others to convene.

"Now it's time to recruit Itachi. But how should I approach him?"

 ....

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