Just Smile: A Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 45: The Akatsuki

"Well then, how would one obtain such a jutsu?" Kakuzu pressed further. He had lived longer than any of these fools who sat at the table and had never seen a jutsu that someone could just phase right through. 

"First, have the Sharingan," Naruto spoke, his expression darkening. "Then, kill the one who you hold closest to your heart. I pierced my best friend's heart and gained these eyes." The room was silent enough to hear a pin drop.

"Woah," Kisame said, a smirk on his lips. "I like your style kid, brutal as a shark." Naruto didn't even bother to give the shark-like man a second look. 

"That's disgusting," Konan said in a distasteful tone. "To do such a thing in the name of power is nothing short of monstrous." 

"Why stop there?" Naruto asked. "Call me a demon, a devil, I don't care what any of you think of me. Don't act as if you know me, Konan. As long as none of you don't affect my work then we won't have an issue." 

Tobi began giggling. "Scarrrrryy! I want to see more yet I don't wanna get booped on the head by Deidara-senpai!" Deidara then hit Tobi over the head, getting a small whine from the childish-acting man. 

"Don't say things like that in front of the entire group! You're supposed to be a professional!" Tobi remained silent, but rubbed the spot where Deidara had hit him. 

"In fact," He met Nagato's gaze. "Why am I even sitting here? To introduce myself? Last I checked this is an organization filled with S-Ranked criminals not a fresh Genin team. I could've had the Eight-Tails in my clutches by the time it took me to get here and these pathetic talks." 

"Are you sure I can't sacrifice him to Jashin?" Hidan asked, nudging Kakuzu slightly. 

"If you believe you can do it, then by all means go do so." Naruto immediately stood up and left the room without a word. 

"He's a bit of a dick," Deidara muttered. 

Naruto looked up at the sky above, the grey clouds covering every inch of what was supposed to be a blue color, now replaced by darkness and the depressing rain. He put his hood back up and walked through the Village Hidden in the Rain, barely seeing anyone as he passed by. 

As he exited the village, several papers began materializing in front of him, revealing Konan as she looked up him with narrowed eyes. 

"Oh? Greeted personally by the third highest-ranking official within the Akatsuki, I'd be honored if you were the second or higher." 

"So you know about Madara," She said carefully, trying to gauge his reaction. She was disappointed as nothing but knowing eyes stared right back at her. "Why did he choose you to bring back to life? He had Nagato on the verge of death countless time within the last few weeks." 

"I guess I'm the queen to Nagato's knight." Naruto spoke. "It was a calculated risk, though I suppose he sought me out because I was the last of his kin. It helps that I'm pretty powerful." 

"Your arrogance blinds you," She hissed. 

"Is it arrogance if it's true?" He asked rhetorically. "I don't see why you're complaining, I'm fulfilling the goal you and Nagato have envisioned for a long time." 

"Madara's vision," She corrected. "He only convinced Nagato to follow suit and make this world know pain to bring peace." 

"Do you know pain?" Naruto questioned her, catching her off guard. "Do you know true despair?" 

"I'm not going to answer that question," She said defensively. "You have no right to know." 

"That's fair," Naruto said as he walked passed Konan, not giving her a second glance. "I'll be capturing the Eight-Tails now. I suppose I'll see you at the sealing process." The sound of his footsteps hitting mud echoed in Konan's ears. 

"Wait," She spoke, turning around. He halted, turning back around to face her, asking her silently what she wanted. "Why did you join us? What are your goals within the Akatsuki?" 

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "That's. . . a rather long answer." 

"I have time." 

"But I have no patience for waiting. You want to know why I joined the Akatsuki, yet you don't reveal to me if you've experienced true pain and despair? You want information from me but you aren't willing to give some to me as well. Hypocritical if you think about it." 

Konan, who was now glaring freely at the man who called himself Naruto, sent several paper bombs by his feet. "Tell me now!" Naruto took off his hood, allowing the rain to fall onto his raven-colored hair. 

"Or?" 

"Or else I'll take care of you right now! If you aren't willing to share your motives then you are an unknown, and unknowns are dangerous and threaten our organization!" 

"I could kill you within a blink of an eye," Naruto admitted freely, causing Konan's eyes to widen in surprise. "I could hide your body and Nagato wouldn't be any of the wiser. I could erase your memories and send you to a different village with different ideals. I could make you forget all of your troubles, or I could make you go back to your room and kill yourself.

"Though I doubt Madara would be very pleased if I were to kill one of the prized members of the Akatsuki," Konan was about to reply but found that her throat was beginning to become constricted, as if an invisible hand had wrapped around her neck and was slowly squeezing it. 

She felt her feet begin to lift up and hover over the ground, her hands going to her neck as if to try and decrease the amount of pressure that it was currently feeling. Naruto's hand was outstretched, halfway closed into a fist. 

"You could put all of the paper bombs in this world all over my body and inside my stomach and blow them up and I will not die. You have no power over me," He released her, watching as she fell to her knees, massaging her throat as she coughed a little, breathing heavily to get oxygen back into her lungs. 

"You're n-not invincible," She choked out. Naruto shook his head. 

"You're correct." He walked over to her and bent down on one knee, meeting her angry gaze. "But I cannot die, I won't allow it. Not until I've accomplished my goals, not until I'm satisfied. I can't die because I simply hold too much resentment for this world to bend to its will." 

"What are you saying?" Konan exclaimed. "You-" 

"Shut up," Naruto spoke as Konan instantly felt her jaw unable to move. She tried moving her body but found that she was completely frozen. "I am the product of all of the flaws in this world. I'm the accumulation of all the fear, anger, hate, and suffering in this world. I am the darkness that will correct this world whether its inhabitants want it or not. You know pain, but you do not know despair. Both of which are close friends of mine. 

"You called me arrogant yet do not know the bounds of your own, this world is in need of correcting and the way you think is flawed." He stood up and Konan's body became unfrozen, but she did not move. 

She was shocked to her very core. 

"When you are ready to accept the truth of this reality, to accept what this world is, then you may approach me. Until then," The ground began sprouting roots as his Eternal Mangekyou began spinning violently, killing intent surrounding him as Konan felt the cold enter her entire body. 

"Stay away from me." 

With that, Naruto left a stunned Konan behind.

He was the product of this reality. 

He was the darkness. 

And done. How was it? Good? Bad? Tell me! Also, comment on your favorite parts of the chapter! 

Til next time my lil demons!