Haruto stared at the corpse slumped in the chair, arms crossed. The room was cold, the walls slick with condensation, as if even the stone didn't want to be here.
He raised an eyebrow and casually shrugged.
"I'm not going near it. Looks cursed."
Suddenly, the darkness in the chamber flickered—then shifted into a blinding white glow.
Haruto squinted, shielding his eyes. He looked toward the core he had destroyed earlier.
"…So this thing spread darkness across the room. But… why didn't it mess with my chakra's light?"
He stepped closer, boots echoing on the metal floor, and noticed a table beside the corpse. Dust-covered documents were stacked haphazardly. Carefully, he brushed them off and began reading.
> Test Subject: 789
Name: Tobi Uchiha
Designation: Twin of Obito Uchiha
Haruto's eyes widened, his breath caught in his throat.
"I knew it… That memory I saw—it was Obito."
A sudden, sharp pulse of chakra erupted behind him. He spun around just as the corpse's eyes flared with life—one glowing red, the other pale lavender.
His Rinnegan activated on reflex.
And then… something impossible happened.
His Rinnegan resonated with the six-tomoe Sharingan staring back at him. It was as if the two were communicating...
And then—
The eyes vanished. The corpse slumped.
Haruto blinked. "What the hell was that?"
He turned away, scanning the room again. His eyes fell on another scroll sealed inside a chakra barrier. He broke the lock and unfurled it.
His breath hitched.
"…Hashirama's cells?"
The white-tinted tissue samples inside shimmered briefly—before they were abruptly pulled into the Kyomu Realm by his Rinnegan.
"Perfect," he said, lips curling into a grin. With a wave of his hand, he sealed the corpse into a scroll and vanished from the lab.
---
Akatsuki Base — Pain's Office Room
Pain leaned on his desk, fingers steepled beneath his chin. Konan stood behind him, arms folded, her cold eyes trained on Haruto.
"You were quick," Pain remarked.
"I'm always quick," Haruto replied casually, tossing a scroll onto the desk. "But I ran into a problem."
Pain's eyebrow arched. "What kind of problem?"
Haruto scratched the back of his neck. "Something… strange. A clone. A machine, actually. It could copy my chakra, mimic my jutsu. It lacked intelligence, so I took it down. But if it had been smarter... I might not have returned."
Pain's eyes narrowed. He picked up the scroll and skimmed through it.
'At least this is understandable,' he thought, handing it off to Konan.
"Your work is appreciated, Haruto-san. We hope you'll stay with us… until the end."
Haruto gave a half-hearted salute. "Oh, totally. 100% committed."
Pain stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "You're dismissed."
The heavy door creaked open and closed behind Haruto.
Pain watched it for a moment, his expression unreadable.
'His power… it's risen again,' he thought, leaning back.
'Can I really… bring Yahiko back?' this thought unsettled him the most...
---
Akatsuki Cafeteria — Evening
A massive wooden table stood at the center of the dining hall. Kakuzu, Hidan, Tobi, Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori lounged around it, all eyeing the two figures cooking near the back.
"…Haruto-san really knows his way around a kitchen," Kisame said, a grin spreading across his shark-like face. "Better than Itachi."
"Yeah yeah yeah!" Tobi chimed in, bouncing in his seat. "His fish curry is suuuper—delicioussss~!"
Deidara snorted. "Maybe we should toss you in the pot, Shark-boy. Might enhance the flavor."
Kisame slammed his fist on the table. "Wanna repeat that?!"
Suddenly, a chopstick whizzed through the air and embedded itself into the table—millimeters from his hand.
Sweat rolled down Kisame's temple.
"Don't slam my freakin' table," Haruto said flatly, raising a spatula like a hammer.
Itachi calmly activated his Sharingan beside him.
Both said in perfect sync:
"Or You're dead."
The entire table went quiet.
Haruto dropped the spatula onto the stove, metal clanging.
Itachi continued cooking without a word, though Haruto gave him a sly wink.
---
Earlier — Itachi's Room
The flicker of candlelight cast long shadows across the walls.
Haruto sat casually on the edge of Itachi's bed, looking uncharacteristically serious.
"Itachi-san… I need to confess something."
Itachi stiffened. His mind instantly jumped to the worst-case scenario—ninja-style.
'…Is he trying to confess feelings? I—I'm not into guys! I mean, not that there's anything wrong but—'
"So… what is it?" Itachi asked, clearing his throat.
Haruto took a deep breath.
"I'm a shinobi from Konoha."
The candle flickered again. Itachi blinked, then sighed with relief.
Then his eyes shot open.
"…They didn't believe me?" he asked quietly.
"They did," Haruto replied, "but I joined the Akatsuki of my own choice. Honestly? I was curious. Wanted to see what the big deal was."
Itachi's eyes narrowed. "You joined under the alias Crimson... What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking straight," Haruto smirked, "unlike someone who thought I was gonna confess my love."
Itachi's eye twitched. "…May I ask your mission?"
"I don't have one."
"…Purpose?"
Haruto shrugged. "Wanted to test my strength. Meet new people."
"…So your real name isn't Kazuto?"
Haruto shook his head.
"Alright. Last question. Are you really a redhead?"
"Yep. And I'm fourteen."
Itachi exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples.
"Haruto… you've dragged yourself into something deep. And because of your Jinchūriki status… I can't just erase you. You're a core member now."
"you figured out my name...good Soo I'm on my own now?"
Itachi nodded. "Completely."
Back in the Cafeteria
Plates clattered. Laughter buzzed.
Even Konan and Yahiko had joined the table.
"Wow! These noodles are incredible, Haruto-san!"
Haruto scratched his head. "Haha… Itachi made them, actually."
Itachi silently ate, hiding a small smile.
Tobi pouted. "No way! You made them, right?!"
Kisame nodded. "Yeah. Itachi's food is usually so bland—"
WHACK!
Kisame's face smashed into his plate, noodles flying. He groaned, drooling.
Everyone turned to the Sharingan glow fading from Itachi's eye.
Tobi stiffened. "Haha… Itachi-san is the best cook ever! Truly… inspirational!"
"Poor Kisame," Deidara chuckled, smacking him on the back.
"What the hell?!" Kisame snapped, rubbing his head. "Who hit me?!"
Deidara shrugged. Everyone else kept eating like nothing happened.
---
Later That Night — Haruto's Bathroom
Haruto stood in front of the mirror, towel around his waist. The room was foggy, the air thick with steam. He activated his Rinnegan.
Suddenly—his eyes pulsed. A faint, electric ripple spread across the mirror.
New runes appeared in his vision. Strange, ancient words scrawled themselves into his mind.
Haruto's breath hitched.
"I… I just unlocked something…"
He stared into his reflection.
His eyes shimmered with new power.