Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Hiruko's puppet arm carefully held a plate of cranberry cheesecake, the cream garnished with a few mint leaves, as exquisite as a work of art.

"This is what you like." Scorpion's voice was gentler than usual, his perpetually gloomy brows relaxed, and his amber pupils shone with a rare warmth in the candlelight.

His slender fingers gently placed the silver dessert fork on the edge of the plate, the metal touching the porcelain with a crisp clinking sound.

You paused for a moment, your fingertips just touching the edge of the plate, when you felt a warm touch on your right shoulder.

Yahiko had somehow moved closer to your other side, a bright smile playing in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but simply pushed a bowl of milky white fish soup in front of you, the rising steam blurring his sharp features.

Zhi Shui paused almost imperceptibly in the aisle. He lowered his eyes to hide the sadness in them, and walked towards an empty seat in the distance. However, the fingers holding the chopsticks tightened slightly, and the knuckles turned bluish-white.

Across the table, Itachi stood silently like a statue, his black hair falling on either side of his pale face, concealing his expression in shadow.

Only when you inadvertently look up will you be met by those unfathomable black eyes, where the emotions are so thick and intense that they vanish into silence the moment your eyes meet, as if the previous fluctuations were just an illusion.

"A newcomer has arrived." A smooth voice suddenly cut through the noise. Orochimaru leaned against the door frame, his vertical pupils locking onto Itachi's figure.

His pale fingertips brushed against the corner of his lips. "It's the Uchiha again..." His tongue slowly licked his teeth. "This body looks really good."

The long table fell silent for a second.

Suddenly, the fork slammed heavily onto the porcelain plate, the crisp sound making everyone turn their heads. You smiled and rested your chin on your hand, looking at Orochimaru, but your eyes were filled with icy coldness. "Would you like some extra food? I don't mind if there are a few more pieces of snake meat in the soup tonight."

Hidan burst into laughter, almost choking on the food in his mouth. Kakuzu moved away in disgust, but still tossed a handkerchief at him.

Lin came out of the kitchen carrying a freshly made soup, and shook her head helplessly at the chaotic scene. "You guys..."

Under the table, Sasori's puppet fingers had already quietly hooked onto the hem of your clothes, while Yahiko's knee was intentionally or unintentionally touching the side of your leg.

Although Shisui sat at a distance, his gaze followed her closely, while Itachi's seemingly indifferent yet focused stare made you feel like you were sitting on pins and needles.

Orochimaru observed all of this with great interest through his snake-like eyes, occasionally letting out a low chuckle.

You exhale softly, pick up your teacup and take a sip, concealing your slightly flushed cheeks. Maintaining this dangerous and complex organization is already no easy feat.

Now, you seem to face a new and more subtle challenge: maintaining balance among these men with their own agendas while dealing with your own increasingly unruly heart.

All eyes were fixed on you, and the heat in those gazes almost burned you.

"What...are you doing?" Your voice was half a tone higher than usual, with a barely perceptible tremor at the end.

Konan rested her chin on her hand, her eyes brimming with laughter. "We, the Akatsuki, are able to gather here so warmly today, all thanks to you. Why don't you say a few words?"

Her voice was as clear as a wind chime, yet it sounded like a thunderclap to your ears.

"Huh?" Your pupils dilate slightly.

You wish you could immediately turn into a wisp of smoke and disappear into the air, or crawl under the table like a real cat.

When you raise your right hand, you can even feel your wrist trembling slightly. "Can I refuse?" you ask, the words almost squeezed out, with a hint of pleading.

Yahiko leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Don't be nervous, just act like usual." His eyes were full of encouragement.

You opened your mouth numbly, your voice sounding like it came from a great distance, "Thank you everyone... uh... I hope the organization gets better and better..."

Unexpectedly, your speech was met with enthusiastic applause.

Hidan even whistled and crossed two chopsticks above his head; Kakuzu clapped his hands perfunctorily, but a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes; Haku clasped his hands together, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.

The applause echoed through the stone walls of the hall, making your eardrums buzz.

Just as I breathed a sigh of relief and was about to sit down, I discovered that the dishes in front of me were piling up at an alarming rate.

"Enough!" You suddenly stood up, slamming your hands on the table. The bowls and plates clattered together, and a chopstick rolled off the rim of the pile of bowls, making a jarring clattering sound in the quiet hall.

Everyone froze. Hidan's mouth was agape, a piece of fried chicken hanging in mid-air; Sasori's finger stopped halfway, a wisp of chakra thread faintly visible; Yahiko's chopsticks still held a piece of sashimi, awkwardly hanging above your bowl.

Itachi's Sharingan shifted slightly, capturing your blushing ears, trembling eyelashes, and tightly pursed lips.

This deathly silence lasted only the time it takes to beat three heartbeats.

Chapter 120 Welcome

"Hahaha—" Hidan suddenly burst into laughter, leaning back so the chair creaked under his weight. "Even the Jashin-sama has his moments of weakness!"

His laughter was so infectious that even Zabuza couldn't help but turn his face away, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Kakuzu shook his head, a hint of helplessness flashing in his green eyes. "Lord Tanuki is still so easily agitated." His tone sounded like a reproach, but he reached out and straightened the rickety bowl and plate in front of you.

Bai gently put down his chopsticks, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze, "Let Lord Tanuki eat in peace." As he spoke, he quietly pushed a beautiful plate of daifuku towards you.

Amidst the laughter, your anger quickly evaporates, and you slowly sit back in your chair, noticing that the corners of your mouth have unknowingly turned up.

“Next time,” you muttered softly, poking at the food in your bowl, “you’re not allowed to do it again.”

Your response is an even louder burst of laughter, and someone quietly adding another piece of roast meat to your bowl.

Outside Iwagakure Village, on the desolate plains, a fierce wind whipped sand and gravel against the three men's black robes adorned with red clouds, creating a soft, crackling sound.

Uchiha Itachi stood motionless in the sandstorm, a few pebbles brushing against his pale cheek, leaving a barely visible red mark.

Nagato's Rinnegan rippled eerily in the sandstorm, while Sasori's Hiruko shell reflected the dim sunlight, resembling a moving metal sculpture.

"Hey, hey—isn't this the legendary Akatsuki organization? Hmm!" A blond boy stood on a high, protruding rock pillar, his voice carrying an exaggerated theatricality.

He stood with one hand on his hip, toying with a clay spider in his palm with the other, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips.

But when his gaze swept over the three of them, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashed in his deep blue eyes.

"We've come to invite you to join the Akatsuki." Nagato's voice pierced through the sandstorm, his Rinnegan radiating an undeniable authority.

The wind suddenly picked up and blew Deidara's long golden hair wildly. His smile froze, replaced by a childish annoyance.

"Where is that wicked woman?" he practically spat out the question through gritted teeth, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the clay bag at his waist. "Why doesn't she come and invite me herself? Hmm!"

The faces of all the female members in the organization flashed through their minds—Xiao Nan, Tanuki, and Lin—and they came to their answer almost simultaneously.

"A wicked woman?" Scorpion took a half step forward, the puppet strings flickering between his fingers. "Who are you talking about?"

"Who else could it be!" Deidara angrily scratched his hair. "It's that one—" He suddenly stopped, his finger tracing an exaggerated curve in the air.

"A beautiful Uchiha woman with black hair, red eyes, and a scythe who always mocks my art!"

The sandstorm seemed to stand still for a moment. Itachi's Sharingan narrowed slightly, and the image of you leaning against the window of the Akatsuki base, casually playing with a kunai, appeared in his mind.

He instinctively gripped the shuriken hidden in his sleeve, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"The raccoon is in the lab." Nagato's voice remained calm, but the ripples in his Rinnegan noticeably increased in speed. "She entrusted us..."

Deidara suddenly leaped off the rock pillar, creating a wave of sand as he landed.

He rushed to the three of them in two strides, so close that Itachi could smell the mixture of gunpowder and clay on him.

"Do experiments? I don't care, make her do it herself!" His voice carried the stubbornness of an artist and the willfulness of a teenager, his blue eyes shining brightly.

Itachi finally spoke, his voice colder than the wind of the wasteland, "Watch your words."

The simple six words seemed to make the surrounding temperature drop suddenly.

“Enough,” Scorpion suddenly intervened. “We’re not here to listen to your nonsense.”

"I heard that your Akatsuki organization operates on a two-person team system. I want to partner with that wicked girl, otherwise I won't come!"

Nagato recalled the time when you and Yahiko were on a mission at the border of the Land of Rain, the two of you fighting back to back in perfect harmony. He also recalled a certain late night when Yahiko stood alone atop the water tower, gazing at the light in your room until dawn.

“This is against the rules.” Nagato’s voice was like frozen lake water. “The Akatsuki’s partners are designated by the leader.”

Scorpion's lips pressed into a thin line. He recalled the image of you sitting in the puppet room, your black hair falling onto the design drawings, your fingers lightly touching the joints of his latest puppet, offering those always insightful suggestions.

You are the only person who can make him put down his carving knife and listen, the only muse in his bloody art, and now, this guy dares to...

The metal fingers tightened abruptly, and a chakra thread shot out uncontrollably, slicing a distant rock in two. The cut was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the dangerous glint in Scorpion's eyes.

Itachi's Sharingan fully opened at this moment. Last night, during our chance encounter in the base corridor, when you turned the corner with your experimental equipment and nodded and smiled at him, he lingered for two extra seconds, which was unprecedented for him.

This unfamiliar thrill transformed into a scorching flame in his chest, burning his fingertips until they went numb.

"In that case, I won't keep you company!" The moment Deidara turned around, his long golden hair swung out in a dazzling arc.

"Wait." Nagato's voice wasn't loud, but it made Deidara freeze in place.

"Joining Akatsuki is a rare opportunity for you. Don't you want to pursue an even more powerful art?"

The wind lifted Deidara's clothes, revealing a row of clay bombs at his waist.

He turned his head slightly, sunlight igniting two flames in his blue eyes. "Hmph, don't try to sway me with those words. I wouldn't have joined without that wicked woman."

“Deidara.” Nagato’s voice deepened. “The power of Akatsuki is beyond your imagination. Join us, and you will have more opportunities to showcase your art.”

“That sounds nice,” Deidara turned around completely, a clay centipede wriggling in his palm, “but I only recognize that wicked woman.”

When he said the word "wicked woman," the tip of his tongue touched the roof of his mouth, as if he were tasting some kind of sweet but poisonous fruit.

Sasori's puppet tail suddenly rose up like a venomous snake, its tip pointing directly at Deidara's throat. "Deidara, don't go too far! She's not someone you can just ask for anything."

He rarely spoke in such a strong tone, and with an undeniable possessiveness.

Deidara showed no fear, instead stepping forward so that Sasori's tail tip almost touched his throat. "So what? I'm going to partner with her." A defiant smile played on his lips. "Hmm!"

The boy whistled smugly, "Looks like there are quite a few people in Akatsuki who covet her!" He deliberately sculpted a miniature clay figure of her and twirled it between his fingers, "Then she should decide for herself!"

"She won't choose you." Sasori's puppet box suddenly opened, and the Third Kazekage's puppet floated in mid-air. "A brat who even relies on explosions for art..."

"What did you say?!" Deidara's clay instantly swelled into a giant dragon. "My art is—"

"You spar with me. If I win, you'll join the Akatsuki. If you win, we'll do as you say." Itachi finally spoke.

For Itachi, he will not lose.

Deidara struck first, his hands quickly forming hand seals and chanting incantations. In an instant, several small clay birds emerged from his palms, flapping their wings and swooping towards Itachi with sharp cries.

These birds expanded continuously during flight, and it looked like they were about to explode on the weasel's head.

Itachi merely raised his eyes slightly, his blood-red Sharingan appearing exceptionally mysterious and profound against the backdrop of the sand and dust.

In an instant, Deidara felt his vision blur and found himself in a sea of ​​blood, surrounded by endless screams of pain. His body became heavy and sluggish, and he realized with horror that he had fallen into Itachi's genjutsu world.

But Deidara was not one to give up easily. He bit his tongue hard, using the intense pain to briefly regain his senses.

He swiftly manipulated the clay to create a giant clay doll. The doll waved its hands, stirring up the surrounding sand and gravel, attempting to confuse Itachi's vision and break the illusion.

At the same time, he took out more clay from his backpack, preparing to launch a more powerful attack.

Itachi's eyes remained cold and calm. He flashed and appeared behind Deidara in the next moment.

Deidara sensed danger and was about to turn around when he found his body was no longer under his control. Itachi's Sharingan locked onto him firmly, and the power of genjutsu enveloped him once again.

Under the influence of the illusion, Deidara's attacks completely lost their accuracy. The clay bombs blasted huge craters into the rocks in the distance, but failed to harm Itachi in the slightest.

Deidara grew increasingly agitated, frantically kneading the clay in his hands into various shapes while shouting, "My art is perfect, how could it be defeated by your eyes!"

He swallowed a large amount of clay into his mouth without hesitation. With a violent expansion of his body, his body began to change. Huge wings sprouted from his back, and his arms turned into thick cannon barrels.

This is his ultimate move—C4 Garuda, a terrifying skill that can turn the body into tiny bombs and attack at the cellular level.

All of this was in vain in the face of Itachi's Sharingan.

Just as Deidara was about to launch an attack, he found himself once again trapped in the abyss of illusion, unable to move, and the prepared bombs had also gone out of control within his body.

His eyes were filled with resentment and despair, while Itachi approached him step by step.

"Your power should be used in a more suitable place. Join the Akatsuki organization, and you will find your stage."

Under the pressure of Itachi's powerful Sharingan genjutsu, Deidara finally had no choice but to submit. He was panting heavily, his heart filled with resentment, but he knew he was no longer able to fight, so he had no choice but to reluctantly agree to join the Akatsuki organization.

As soon as Deidara stepped into the hall, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Where's the wicked woman?! Huh?"

The sound exploded in the empty base, like a clay bomb suddenly detonating.

Kisame paused slightly as he wiped Samehada, his shark-like eyes narrowing as he sized up the arrogant blond brat.

The banknote in Kakuzu's hand was crumpled with a "snap," and his green pupils swept over coldly, as if calculating how much this head was worth.

Xiao Nan looked up from the pile of documents, her blue hair falling down, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.

Yahiko emerged from the shadows, his eyes locking onto Deidara, his voice low and wary, "What's going on?"

Nagato rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "He insisted on finding Tanuki and made a scene the whole way."

"The Jashin is mine!" Hidan's three-month scythe suddenly slashed at Deidara's feet, sparks flying onto the boy's snow-white skin. "New guy, get your facts straight! Huh?" He deliberately imitated Deidara's verbal tic, making the other's temples bulge with anger.

Deep inside the base's laboratory, Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils moved away from the microscope, and the commotion outside made his slender eyebrows twitch slightly.

"It seems one of your friends has joined the organization." His hoarse voice held a hint of amusement as he lightly licked his lips.

You are leaning over the lab bench when you hear Orochimaru's words. You frown in confusion, unable to imagine which "friend" would visit in this way.