V.1-C.76│Original Akatsuki III│

Crying out a shout after being bitten by a rat. A rat that has something attached to its back. "What's the big idea? I was having a nice nap!" The individual that was bitten exclaimed.

It was Kyusuke. He has long black hair and black-colored cat-like pupils.

He wore a black Amegakure forehead protector and had black markings around and below his eyes. Extra distinguishing light purple features, dark black slanted cat like eye irises, worn a simple sleeveless light brown kimono with light black sleeves, a light grey scarf covering his neck, and a sword on his back.

Right now he is wearing the classic Akatsuki cloak consisting of a black-colored zip up robe with the zipper part being red. "What?" Taking the small scroll on the rats back, Kyusuke read what was on the aforementioned paper.

Standing up quickly, Kyusuke asks the room, where other fellow Akatsuki members are all asleep. "Hey! Where'd brothers Yahiko and Nagato go!?"

"I think they left already..." The largest of them all replied. A bald man with tannish-colored eyes and large ears. He had thin eyes, wide lips, and a wart centered just above his eyes. Overall, his appearance bore resemblance to Buddha statues found on buildings throughout Amegakure.

His name is Daibutsu. "The meeting with Hanzo is today." Coming forward, Kyusuke grabbed ahold of Daibutsu's robe.

"Wake the guys up! We have to catch up to them!" Kyusuke said.

"What's wrong!?" Daibutsu replied, asking a question, as Kyusuke started to move.

"I'll tell you later!" Kyusuke replied, leaving Daibutsu behind to hurry up and wake other Akatsuki members up.

Soon, everyone would be up, or at least everyone that is currently within the base of operations for now has gotten up and is currently heading towards the meeting point where their leader, Yahiko, and his right hand man, Nagato, was currently meeting with the Village Head of Amegakure, Hanzo the Salamander.

Of course, it was raining. Their current location being somewhere within the forests of this land, and as they are pelted by the rain, unawares of why they are going towards their leader, Daibutsu had to ask Kyusuke a question about it.

"What's going on anyway?" Daibutsu asked, as there were a few of them running in one direction.

"We just received word from a member of the Hidden Leaf border team." Kyusuke replied. "The Leaf's ANBU Black Ops are on their way to Hanzo's as well."

"The Leaf's ANBU?" Daibutsu asked as he glanced towards his fellow Akatsuki member. "Why are they going to Hanzo's?"

"I don't know the specifics. But I just don't like the timing of it all, you know?" Kyusuke replied. "And when you think about it... this thing with Hanzo just sounds too good to be true."

"Then that means... todays meeting with Hanzo is..." Daibutsu trailed off as what was left unspoken was something they both understood.

"Whatever it is, we need to let brothers know!" Kyusuke said with some frustration, but also worry as he was fearful for what might be happening.

Coming to a stop, the Akatsuki members saw two people in front of them, blocking their path towards where they wish to go. "As much as I regret it, I can't let you go any further." The masked man with one Sharingan eye said, and alongside him was another individual that looked otherworldly.

Another individual that was one side of himself black, and the other side of himself white. From this person, there was also strangely extending things around his shoulders that made this person look like some sort of plant.

"Who are you?" Kyusuke asked, but it wasn't so calm but instead filled with some frustration.

"My name is Madara Uchiha..." The masked man with one Sharingan eye replied, wearing a black cloak that fully covered himself, the same as his compatriot beside him.

"Damn you! Did Hanzo send you?" Kyusuke replied with an aggressive expressive on his face. The Akatsuki members with them was also getting ready for whatever fight that may, or may not happen.

While peace loving, that doesn't mean that they are defenseless, or are unable to fight if the need to do so rises.

"I don't work for Hanzo." The masked man claiming to be Madara Uchiha claimed. "But I can't let you interfere right now. I want Nagato to see what reality is."

"We don't have time for your nonsense." Kyusuke replied to this masked man's spiel. "Kill them!" Kyusuke exclaimed, prompting everyone else behind him, the Akatsuki members that have come along with him to start an engagement against the two people in front of them, so that they may get to Yahiko and Nagato.

"You take care of the weaklings." The masked man said to his partner.

"You sure like to order me around!" The plant like individual responded, but would still listen to his commands, if only under his guise to do what it wants to do.

Many clones of this plant-like individual started coming out of the ground, all white and half of their bodies featureless.

A small skirmish had now begun between both sides, and Kyusuke in particular was probably the most probable to escape this and get to Nagato and Yahiko on time. "I'm Kyusuke the Swift! Don't underestimate my speed!"

Kyusuke was moving through the battlefield very fast, fast enough to go over all of those weaker cloned white things of nothingness.

Everyone seemed to be having quite a tough time against these strange opponents, even when they are not that strong.

Kyusuke jumped from a tree, drawing his sword as he was going in to attack the masked man that was not stepping forward to attack anyone and leaving his partner to deal with them all. Kyusuke wished to take a chance to go after this masked man saying he is someone named Madara Uchiha.

As Kyusuke was about to strike, the masked man finally made a move as he looked towards Kyusuke and his incoming attack. Specifically, this masked man just dodged out of Kyusuke's way and instead just manipulated Kyusuke's vision via an illusion.

In doing so, he was able to trap him in a genjutsu on the fly, making Kyusuke that he went through the man as if he was not touched by his blade. "I slipped right through him?" Kyusuke said to himself as he was now on the ground.

He was contemplating just what had happened, before he turned around to face his opponent. "What's going on!?" As he turned, Kyusuke was stabbed in his torso by the masked man.

"Kyusuke!" Daibutsu had turned around to see his partner was now stabbed.

"You bastards... Why... are you... doing this?" Kyusuke struggled to get out as he faced his opponent that was clearly his better in this exchange.

"I'm going to awaken Nagato's Rinnegan in the truest sense possible." The masked man replied.

"What're you talking about?" Kyusuke asked as the rain continued to pelt everyone here.

"There is no such thing as peace in this accursed world. Nagato must abandon this dream and set out into a new world." The masked man answered.

"I'm not going to let you!" Kyusuke responded as he was clutching his chest from the blow received. Specifically the sword that was stuck in him was still within, as the masked man didn't seem to care for this and looked into him. "Daibutsu! Now! Go right through me!" Kyusuke said to his partner, whom looked at this scene with some frustrated expression.

Kyusuke was holding onto the masked man as he tried to make sure his sacrifice was not worthless. "Hurry!"

With some hesitation, Daibutsu started his attack by charging up, saying. "I'll see you in the next world!" Daibutsu gathered up water around his staff, before at the tip he started to swing it around and blast a ball of water towards the two.

Kyusuke and the masked man had been trapped inside a prison of water. "The Water Prison Technique? You can't beat me with a technique like this." The masked man said.

'This is no ordinary Water Prison.' Kyusuke thought as he got himself balanced and got his hands together to perform another technique.

'This is cement...' The masked man thought as he saw the process of this technique, but allowed it to happen as he was unworried.

'For the first time in my dismal life as a war orphan... I found hope in the Akatsuki! You think... I'd let some bastard like you take that away?!' Kyusuke though as he looked straight towards the masked man, his body and mind strained with this process as he was giving his life in exchange for this man in front of him.

Before anything else could happen, a small little caveat that was happening was starting to show itself in this.

Specifically, Kyusuke felt himself start to be pulled inwards into something, while he looked at his opponent with shocked eyes not understand what is going on. Kyusuke believed that his opponent was now making the two of them escape this trap.

On the outside, no one else knew what was going on, not until another person made themselves known on this field. "Hello." This person spoke as he appeared beside Daibutsu, whom jumped a little away from this person that appeared from nowhere.

Beside this person that appeared from nowhere was his teammate, who is obviously harmed from the trap that was meant to sacrifice his life. "Kyu-Kyusuke!" Daibutsu saw this with strangeness.

"W-Who..." Kyusuke looked at his savior, and was surprised to find that it was another individual with the eyes of the Sharingan. "Why...?"

"Kyusuke! Get away from him!" Daibutsu said as he rushed forward towards Kyusuke's savior.

"Wait, wait, wait!" The savior was dodging the blows coming his way, as he had to reply. "Wait!" He called out before stopping Daibutsu's stave from hitting him. "Now... Can we talk like normal people!? We can't be waiting around here. Don't you guys want to save Nagato and Yahiko?" This man had the Sharingan, spiky black hair and was not wearing a mask like the other.

Of course, he could be like the other or is the other masked individual, given that the masked individual had just disappeared or died in that Water Prison. "Let me heal your teammate there, and go and help your friends fight off against those white things." The Uchiha said.

"How can I trust you?" Given the nature of the Akatsuki, it made sense that Daibutsu was willing to talk rather than just outright attack right now.

"You shouldn't but you will have to. I'm the only one here that could possibly save your friend there. By the way, my names Obito Uchiha." The individual introduced himself as Obito, revealing his identity. "A Leaf shinobi if you will."

"... Fine, but if you do anything funny, I shall kill you." Daibutsu replied as he let Obito do his thing, watching him closely as everyone else was still battling against the white cloned beings.

"Who are you...?" Kyusuke asked as he saw the person now known as Obito start to use the Mystical Palm Technique on him.

"Your friendly neighborhood Uchiha." Obito replied as he looked at the wound on the downed individual. "Don't worry. I'm here to help." Obito started to heal Kyusuke up enough so that he may survive.

However, he would probably be out of this battle.

There was no more masked individual to be seen, which shouldn't be strange considering everything that is happening and their supposed trap that should've killed the masked man calling himself Madara Uchiha.

The white cloned beings started to be killed off as well, or well, more like they were starting to retreat into the ground away from this area.

After, there was a lot of injured Akatsuki members, including Kyusuke as he struggled to stand with the help of Daibutsu. "I want to thank you-" Coughing, Kyusuke struggled to continue. "But, we have to go now. We have to get to the brothers."

"I understand what your saying, but too much and you will die." Obito replied as he managed to heal Kyusuke up enough. Many of the Akatsuki were dead as well, but there was still some that was surviving.

"Kyusuke... I can go and help, but you must stay and rest up with the others." Daibutsu tried to persuade his friend.

"No! We must-... must go." Kyusuke went unconscious here.

"Don't worry. He will be out for a while." Obito spoke up seeing the look of concern of Daibutsu's face. "I can help some more. I want to help some more, that is if you will let me." As Obito said this, within the shadows a bit away from here, there was another conversation taking place.

"I didn't expect the grandson to get in the way." The plant-like creature said, known as Zetsu.

"Me neither..." The masked man responded as he looked towards the interference in the form of Obito Uchiha. "He has always been an interference..."

[]

Nagato and Yahiko stood before a mass army in front of themselves.

An army that was composed of both Hanzo the Salamanders forces in combination with Danzo Shimura's forces in the form of the ANBU Black Ops.

Hanzo holds Konan captive, kneeling at the top of a cliff as the two, Nagato and Yahiko are watching from down below at all of this happening. "Yahiko... you are the leader so you must die. If you resist, this woman will die."

Hanzo threw a kunai down to the two of them before continuing. "You! The red haired one. Use that to kill Yahiko. Then I will spare you and the woman."

"Don't Nagato! Never mind me! Both of you escape!" Konan exclaimed herself, unrestricted in what she could say to the two of them.

"Nagato." Yahiko started as he looked towards the under pressure Nagato. "Kill me. Nagato!" Yahiko seemed more than willing to have his life end.

"No!" Konan didn't want to see either of the two be stupid in this current event.

"Hurry it up! Or do you want this woman to die!?" Hanzo threatened, and it was entirely true that he would kill the girl, Konan.

Nagato walked towards the kunai, picking it up with labored breath as he was taking in the severity of this situation. "Konan..." Nagato looked towards the girl, as he slowly and hesitantly turned around to face his friend Yahiko. "Yahi-" That is until Yahiko gave Nagato no time to think.

Yahiko had impaled himself on the kunai that Nagato had picked up. "You and Konan... must survive, no matter what it takes. You are... the savior... of this world. I know... you can... do it."

The next few moments would probably go by in a flash for a few, or some it would seem like an eternity as their lives flashed through their eyes. It was their end in the form of a thirteen-something year old kid was actually killing all of those that are here.

"I guess I'm a bit late..." An individual said as they appeared somewhere nearby, this person being Obito Uchiha.