Akio hadn't invited Ringo Ameyuri to join Akatsuki on a whim, he'd long planned to plant a spy within the organization.
Over the years, Akatsuki had always operated in the shadows while Akio stood in the open. He had considered hiding himself even faking his death, but the idea always felt ridiculous. Faking his death, lying low, waiting for the enemy to act before striking back… who knew how long that would take?
By taking the initiative, such concerns simply vanished.
He had debated the spy's identity for a long time Obito, even Konan, had crossed his mind. But he could never bring himself to choose either; the role of a spy was simply too dangerous.
As for disguising himself… Akio knew better. The odds of pulling that off successfully were next to zero.
When he first captured Ringo Ameyuri, this idea hadn't crossed his mind. But after taking a direct hit from her earlier, he'd noticed something unique about her, a "trait" that caught his attention.
Her identity made things even simpler. Back in Kirigakure, Akio's presence had never been exposed, and Ao surely wouldn't betray him. Ringo Ameyuri had "disappeared" in the chaos; even if rumors spread, people would only say that some space–time ninjutsu user had abducted her. When she reappeared in the ninja world, all she'd have to claim was that she'd escaped captivity.
"You said Akatsuki? That group controlling the Third's mind?" Ringo Ameyuri rasped weakly.
She hadn't eaten or drunk for over three days.
Akio smiled and tossed her a sealing scroll filled with food and water. He wasn't worried about her escaping.
As she unsealed the scroll and began devouring the contents without a word, Akio chuckled. "That's right, Akatsuki. I need you to join them. Gather intelligence for me, and if possible, find out where their leader is hiding."
She said nothing, just kept eating.
Akio didn't rush her.
The scroll contained enough supplies for a month, and she'd already eaten a tenth of it, she must've been starving.
After more than ten minutes, she finally looked up, a faintly mocking smile curling her lips. "Aren't you afraid I might actually join Akatsuki for real?"
Akio frowned. "Don't smile like that. With those shark teeth showing, we can't have a proper conversation."
For a brief moment, he had the urge to punch out every single one of those jagged teeth. It was… unnerving.
Ringo Ameyuri froze, unable to figure out his mood.
Akio sighed, gazing upward. "Ringo Ameyuri… you probably don't even realize it yourself, but you don't have long to live."
She fell silent for a moment before bursting into loud, mocking laughter. "Hahaha! I've heard the great Elder Uzumaki is powerful but eccentric, now I see it's true!"
Akio's face remained blank. "Who started that rumor? You, with your defective face, still have the guts to laugh at me?"
Her reaction wasn't unexpected. Among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Ringo Ameyuri was the youngest just past thirty, yet already one of the strongest.
Kirigakure hailed her as a prodigy, believing she could someday reach the very pinnacle of the ninja world in other words, achieve an SS–rank level of power.
"You mean I don't have long to live… are you threatening to kill me?"
Akio sighed. "I don't like to believe in bloodline supremacy, but facts are facts, ordinary people have limits. You must've realized that by now."
Ringo Ameyuri froze, then sneered. "Cowards blame their limits. Limits exist to be broken."
Akio smiled faintly. "Breaking them through hard work, yes that's one thing. But forcing it through external means? That always comes at a price."
Seeing her pause, he sighed inwardly.
Ringo Ameyuri truly was a rare genius. Barely over thirty, and her Lightning Release had reached astonishing levels, close to what he'd rate as Level Eight.
But Akio's close-range perception told him her natural limit was only around Level Seven. Her further progress must've come from overusing her Thunder Sword to artificially stimulate her chakra, accelerating her strength at the cost of her body.
At this rate, she might live to forty. Push her Lightning Release to Level Eight, and that day would likely be her last.
Ringo Ameyuri seemed to process this, then grinned viciously. "So what? You expect me to stop training?"
Akio chuckled. "Temporarily, yes. If you agree to join Akatsuki, I'll provide medicine to repair the damage your body's suffered."
He didn't possess a way to remove her limits entirely, but if she could force her body past them using that sword, then he could at least mitigate the damage with his elixirs.
She fell silent, deep in thought, and Akio didn't push.
He took the time to play with Fat Cat, easing its fear and stiffness from the past few days.
Half an hour later, Ringo Ameyuri finally spoke. "And how exactly am I supposed to trust you?"
Akio blinked. That line felt oddly awkward.
She seemed to realize it too. "Fine. I'll trust you, just this once."
Akio: Somehow, that made it even more awkward.
"If I'm going to be your spy," she continued, "I should at least know something about Akatsuki, shouldn't I?"
Akio smiled faintly. "Knowing too much only makes you easier to expose. All you need to remember is this, their information network is vast, and their leader is terrifyingly powerful. If you get caught… you die."
"I can't smuggle you straight into Akatsuki. You'll have to pose as an escaped ninja, a missing-nin, preferably a bounty hunter. With your skills, they'll likely come to you on their own… hopefully."
Even Akio wasn't entirely certain of that.
But thinking back to Jūzō Biwa if even he had been recruited, Ringo Ameyuri surely would be.
"Heh. Quite the difficult mission," Ringo Ameyuri said, grinning again.
Akio frowned and waved his hand, in an instant, the two of them appeared outside.
"This is a desolate mountain southwest of Konoha. What happens next is up to you. Join Akatsuki and contact me. If not, don't bother coming back. As long as you don't oppose Konoha or Uzushio, you're free. You won't live past forty anyway."
"Forty, huh?" Ringo Ameyuri lowered her head slightly. "Heh… then I should thank you for sparing me."
"Hm?" Akio looked up but she was already gone.
Two kilometers away, Akio exhaled. "I almost couldn't stop myself from knocking out her whole set of teeth… Let's hope this little side piece surprises me."
Suddenly, text flashed across his vision:
"Major branch of the Naruto world storyline witnessed and altered: Fourth Mizukage.
Witness Points gained: 10 (/2)(×10) = 100."
"Alright then, back to Konoha. Continue the research! Infertility treatment, and next… what was it again? Shandong Blue Whale Institute?"
A voice echoed from nearby:
"You're looking for me!"
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