Chapter 16:
Gather the Shinsekai:
Yahiko trudged onward. He had been travellin for ages. His legs ached. But his target was in sight. He had almost reached the gate of the Hidden Sand village, where the person he sought resided. For the time being anyway.
The name 'Sasori' was a well-known one. Not just in the Hidden Sand village, but his absolute mastery of Puppet-Master jutsu and his extensive knowledge of poisons made him a lethal foe. The perfect kind of person for their new organisation.
"We shall gather a small force," Orochimaru had said, when Yahiko had asked him of his plan. "A small organisation of only a few Shinobi, but a few of the most powerful Shinobi in the world. None such is available on loan from any major ninja village," he quipped dryly, "so we shall settle for rogue ninja. They're always so much more powerful anyway, having to fend for themselves instead of relying on their teammates or village."
Teammates. Yahiko remembered what it was like to have teammates. The bond of trust, of friendship, of experiencing the pains of failure and the joys of success together, these were all experiences that Yahiko sorely missed. He remembered his old friends, and wondered how they remembered him.
But all this was secondary. It did not matter. What mattered was that the world should be rid of corruption, of greed, starting with the leader that symbolised it all. It wasn't just about revenge for Yahiko.
Jiraiya had told them all of the Rinnegan. How it had been possessed by the mythical Sage of The Six Paths. How this godlike figure had foretold the coming of another, to whom his eyes, his sacred powers, would be transferred. That man would either bring about the destruction of the world, or he would save it.
Yahiko possessed the Rinnegan. He felt the heavy burden of duty on his shoulders. He was the only one who could do it. He had been chosen by a higher power for this mission. His own life, his struggles, meant little. The big picture.. a world where children played freely without fear of being killed, where men and women worked side by side in harmony, where families grew old together… these were the dreams Yahiko dreamed.
And so he would work with Orochimaru. He would align himself with the most dangerous names and faces in the world to attain the power necessary to protect sacred life. And then he would dispose of those final evils.
"Sasori has become a hermit. He refuses to associate with anyone, he spends all his time locked in the tower working on his puppets." The old man Yahiko had been questioning informed him. The man leaned in. "I hear he's become ruthless, less caring of the lives around him. Do be careful, young man. That boy's temper is not one you want to flare."
Yahiko thanked the man, and set off for the tower.
Sasori worked on his puppets. This.. This was his true joy. Since his parents had died, long ago, Sasori had had a hole in his heart. It had grown bigger and bigger, like a cavity, swallowing all his joys, all pleasure and kindness from his heart. But designing and making puppets.. This was his art. And he reveled in it.
He heard footsteps. "Whoever is there, get lost." He called out. He hated to be interrupted. The footsteps drew nearer. Sasori clenched his teeth in annoyance. He emitted chakra strands from his fingertips, animating the puppets closest to him. He stood and turned, ready to fight.
Yahiko shot forward, grabbing his hands and pinning him against the wall. Sasori, caught off guard, quickly recovered and managed to manoeuvre his fingers enough to direct his puppets. The two came at Yahiko from both sides. When they were just close enough that the tips of their drawn swords touched Yahiko's cloak, he let out a strong force field, repelling them. Capitalising on his distraction, Sasori stomped his foot down, releasing a small, poison-tipped blade from a compartment in his heavy sandals. He swung his legs up, Yahiko just managing to twist out of the way, Sasori's legs slicing where Yahiko's torso had just been.
Yahiko backflipped away, Sasori directing his puppets to give chase. He was nimble, and he ducked and weaved, the puppets flew around him, barely missing him each time, blades laden with lethal toxins. Sasori grew irritated. "Try this" he muttered, and flicked his hands down.
The bodies of the puppets opened, releasing blades and scythes from every orifice. Yahiko began to sweat. One cut and he was done for. He drew his own sword and held it out in front of him.
Sasori brought his hands down, his puppets charging from both sides, blades spinning and slashing. Yahiko twisted and ducked, parrying with his sword hile bending his body in ways that would make a gymnast proud. But the blades were overwhelming him, and they tore at his cloak, barely missing his skin. He let out another repulsive blast, sending them careening away from him, buying himself some time.
Experienced in battle, Sasori allowed him no reprieve. As his puppets flew away from him, he leapt toward Yahiko himself, releasing another blade from his sleeve. Yahiko, who had recently discovered how to activate another power of his Rinnegan, which he called the Weapons Path, created a long, sharp, black rod which slid down his sleeve into his hand. He used both blades to block the attack, pushing Sasori away, who flipped over in the air and landed nimbly on his feet.
"Why don't you attack?" Sasori questioned him.
"I am not your enemy."
"Empty words, considering you attacked me with provocation."
"I didn't want you to attack me."
Sasori sneered. It was a pre-emptive strike? He liked Yahiko's way of thinking.
"You are not from this village. Why have you come here?"
"To recruit you to the organisation of Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha. An organisation I work for. We could use your power in achieving our goals."
"Why should I help you?"
"We share the same ideals. Our cause is the same. We have both been the victims of battles which had nothing to do with us. I too lost my parents in the conflict of the Hidden Rain, long ago."
Sasori considered. Here was a man who could perhaps feel what he felt, understand him, know what nobody else could ever understand or know. This man seemed to emanate charisma, he spoke compellingly, and Sasori almost felt like he could, no, he should trust him. But he was cautious.
"What's in it for me?"
"Help us achieve our goal and I, personally, will help you achieve yours. Including-" he smiled "-helping you take down Orochimaru."
So, he knew. Orochimaru must have told his subordinate of the tensions and mistrust between Sasori and himself. They had been enemies on the battlefield many times, and Sasori had witnessed ninja from his Village be cut down by the snake. Still, he had to admit, Orochimaru possessed power few others possessed.
"My goal, after disposing of Orochimaru, is to return and destroy this village. I will build a new village and rule over it. My art is the art of the eternal, the everlasting; I will live forever as the god of my people."
"We shall control all war in this Shinobi world. With that much power, your village and safety is assured. Consider it done."
Yahiko managed to convince Sasori that he too wanted the death of Orochimaru, and that he wasn't sent with false promises like this. They shook hands. The deal was done.
Sasori quietly departed his home village. He took nothing with him, preferring to leave all his memories in the past, save for his most precious puppets, and the puppet Hiroko, which he had built and modified to allow him to control it from within, to protect and make himself indestructible.
Orochimaru had a hideout in his own created village, The Village Hidden in the Sound. It was some distance from the desert of the Sand, and Yahiko would go and rest, before departing to recruit the other ninja in the bingo book Orochimaru had given him.
They travelled slowly, much to Sasori's chagrin, who was not a patient man and did not like to wait. They kept their faces hidden with hats and wore black cloaks. They had almost managed to reach the Sound without incident, when they were challenged.
The challenger was a young man, probably having freshly reached adulthood. He had long blonde hair, tied back in a ponytail, and wore a headband with the logo of the Hidden Stone. He loudly and brashly challenged Sasori.
"Sasori of the Red Sand! Master of Puppets! Yeah I know it's you! Turn around and face me!"
Amazing, Yahiko mused. This young man had managed to track them down after they had kept such a low profile? He also seemed to have some sort of beef with the puppetmaster. The orange-haired ninja stayed quiet.
"I am Deidara! Like you, I am an artist… but my art constitutes a different form. I believe art.." he pulled out two white spheres from a pouch, which seemed to dissolve in his hands. "…is an explosion!"
He flung his arms out; for a brief moment Yahiko thought he saw tongues on his palms, before two white birds came soaring at them, streamlined like bullets. Yahiko leapt out of the way, but Sasori calmly stood in his place.
There was a tremendous explosion. Yahiko felt the hot wind blow over him, billowing out his cloak and hair. When the smoke cleared, Sasori stood, cloak ripped open but Hiroko unharmed.
"What do you want from me, boy?" he rasped.
"You are the foremost authority on what constitutes as artist. You are recognised among all circles as the greatest Shinobi artist in all the land. However, I disagree with your medium. Art is instantaneous, a flash of brilliance and beauty, fleeting, but burned in the memory of all those who witnessed it. My art can never exist while yours is so influential. So, I want to beat you, to show you and the world that my art is superior to yours."
Sasori was incensed. Hiroko's tail extended long, his arms retracting and blades ejecting in their place. Without a word, the two artists prepared for an epic battle. Yahiko walked in between them.
"Deidara, was it? Why don't you join our organisation?"
"Buzz off, carrot top. My fight is with my man, Sasori, hmmm."
"You said your goal was to spread the ideology of your art? Well, our organisation is working toward a goal which will make us all heroes. We will become icons in our own rights, and you… people will seek to replicate and model their art after yours, for generations to come."
"I have the opportunity to achieve that now, and you think I should wait? Are you crazy, hmm?"
"Look, kid, you aren't strong enough to take either one of us on. Join us, and you can hone your craft. The big guy will even help you out and mentor you."
"Yahiko!" Sasori growled dangerously. Yahiko looked back with meaning in his eyes, and Sasori reluctantly refrained from saying anything else.
Deidara, who had been mulling it over, said, "I'll join on the condition that my man Sasori will be my partner."
"Deal."
And another name was crossed out from Yahiko's bingo book.
The next two were relatively easier. He had first gone to visit a pseudo-immortal mercenary named Kakuzu, and it was no challenge to sway him over to their side, as all Yahiko had to do was promise him money for each task and each mission he carried out for the organisation. Orochimaru, obsessed with obtaining the secrets of immortality himself, had given Yahiko the names of two immortal rogue-nin, one being Kakuzu, the other being a foul-mouthed, laid-back follower of the religion of Jashin, Hidan. Much like Kakuzu, convincing him was no large feat. With Kakuzu it was money. With Hidan, Yahiko promised an abundance of sacrifices for Hidan's god, Jashin.
The final name listed in the bingo book was Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist village.
The Hidden Mist had become an isolated, dark land ruled by tyranny. It had been nicknamed the Blood Mist Village. The Fourth Mizukage, a young but immensely talented Water-Style user, had been placed under a genjutsu by Orochimaru long ago. Orochimaru had trained the Mizukage, Yagura, and little by little had brainwashed him and completely won him over onto his style of thought. Now he was basically a puppet whom Orochimaru controlled from behind the scenes. Kisame had found Orochimaru as the latter had snuck into the Mist to issue orders directly to Yagura. To his surprise, however, Kisame was sympathetic to the snake's cause, and became the go-between of Yagura and his master, saving Orochimaru the danger of sneaking into the village repeatedly. In fact, Kisame and Orochimaru had already sought out the Three-Tails, and had sealed him inside Yagura to enhance his power, and as a Jinchuuriki they would exploit when the time came. Kisame was an invaluable asset, and thanks to him the organisation's job had been made one degree easier. The swordsman merely bided his time, waiting for the call from Orochimaru he knew would inevitably come. As it so happened, Yahiko was that call. Kisame severed his ties to his village and left a rogue-nin.
Orochimaru sat in his hideout in the Hidden Sound village. He sat calmly, patiently, elbows on his desk, touching the fingers of his hands and resting his chin upon them. Finally, there came a knock, and the man he waited for appeared.
"So, the ninth member of our organisation finally appears, does he?" the snake said with a smirk, eyes closed.
Danzo Shimura walked into the room. "Have you gathered them all?"
Orochimaru ticked them off his fingers. "Yahiko from the Leaf, whom I was able to exploit quite simply. He always was such an easy book to read. My own subordinate, Kabuto Yakushi. The two immortals, Kakuzu and Hidan. The PuppetMaster, Sasori of the Red Sand. My ex-spy in the Hidden Mist village, one of the Seven Swordsmen, wielder of the Shark Skin blade, Kisame Hoshigaki. Counting you and I, that makes eight. Oh, and Yahiko was able to recruit another promising young talent named Deidara, bringing our total up to nine. Such an efficient boy, that Yahiko."
Danzo silently walked past Orochimaru at his desk, crossing the room to gaze outside the window. The rain poured down. The sun had already set, and Orochimaru's office was dimly lit by a single candle.
"How did you manage to manipulate Yahiko? He has always had a strong will."
The snake smiled and looked at Danzo. "Quite simple, really. I took what was most dear in his heart and twisted it to point in the direction we're going ourselves. I promised him sweet revenge against those who had killed his poor comrades."
Danzo's eyes narrowed.
"Hanzo of the Rain had better watch out. As promised to Yahiko, our organisation's first official target is to move against the Rain." Orochimaru continued.
Danzo remained silent, his back to his partner-in-crime. As if reading his mind, Orochimaru laughed.
"Don't worry! I haven't told him yet who the traitor in the Leaf was. And besides, no one except me even knows the identity of ninth member of our organisation."
There was silence for a time. "Good," Danzo said finally. "That will buy me enough time to set up a scapegoat for the identity of the traitor. Let Yahiko extract his revenge on all whom he deems fit. In the end, he will return to work for us as it is."
Orochimaru's smile widened, showing his sharp, snakelike fangs.
"Our organisation-" Danzo paused.
"We will bring about a new world order. There will be a great change in this bloodstained Shinobi world. An order of peace, with no conflict, and no war. Our organisation will thus be named the Shinsekai, the promise of this brand new world."
Orochimaru chuckled and closed his eyes. Their business was thus concluded. He rose from his desk and extinguished the candle with a wave of his hand, and made to leave the room. As he reached the door, Danzo spoke again.
"Shinsekai's first official mission may be a movement against the Rain, but do not forget our first mission."
"Of course not. We will move in three days' time."
"Excellent." Danzo stated.
Orochimaru walked out of the room, the broad grin ever present on his face. It was to be a movement against their most prominent and proximally closest foe. In three days' time, Danzo and he would sign the contract to seal the Village's fate. Konoha's destruction was assured. That was his next mission, arguably the most dangerous one he had ever undertaken, even in his missions as part of the Sannin team. This was different. Now, he was walking into the lair of the most dangerous beast on the planet.
They would journey to the lair of the Nine-Tails.
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I got a bit late in releasing this chapter. I underestimated just how busy I would be. So, I just wanted to update what I mentioned in the Author's note in the last chapter. I will be releasing chapters on weekends, and I will try to make it weekly, but I would say do not consider it odd for me to skip a week or even two, depending on my schedule.
Anyway, now is when the story really begins to get going. As you can see I've changed the Akatsuki from what it is in the anime/manga, and hopefully I've managed to write it out in a way that makes sense. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. As always, reviews and personal messages are welcome. Look forward to the next one!