"Stop hiding and show yourself! What's your purpose in bringing me here?" Hanzo shouted as he entered the southern forest, hands poised in a seal, ready to fight.
Dak: "Since you've asked so sincerely…"
Madara: "We'll show mercy and answer you."
Izuna: "To prevent the world from being destroyed."
All three: "We are Akatsuki, traversing the galaxy! The white hole, a bright future awaits us!"
Hanzo was stunned, not by their unusual entrance, but by the fact that Madara and Izuna stood before him, introducing themselves in such a bizarre manner.
Hanzo, who belonged to the same generation as Hiruzen and Danzo, had grown up hearing stories of Madara and Hashirama. Seeing Madara in person left him in a state of shock.
"I told you not to introduce us like that!" Madara scolded.
"Nii-san, weren't you excited about it?" Izuna teased.
"Don't lie!" Madara swatted Izuna's head, feeling an odd sense of nostalgia. This banter reminded him of decades past, back when Izuna often undermined him in jest, just as Tobirama once did to Hashirama.
"Uchiha Madara?! But you died years ago!" Hanzo stammered, his mind racing as he processed the impossible. The man before him looked exactly as he remembered, except for a slight change in his eyes.
After the Battle of the Valley of the End, news spread that Madara had died by Hashirama's hand. Shortly afterward, Hashirama also passed away under mysterious circumstances, leaving the Shinobi World in a state of turmoil that eventually ignited the First Shinobi World War.
Hanzo then turned to the other figure, Izuna Uchiha, another legendary figure supposedly killed by Tobirama.
'Why are they alive?' Hanzo's gaze then shifted to Dak, the mysterious man standing silently at the back. If these two were somehow resurrected, he suspected Dak was the one responsible.
"Oh, someone remembers me?" Izuna remarked, slightly surprised. "I've been dead for twenty years, after all."
Hanzo steeled himself, watching the three with a mix of apprehension and resolve. If these men showed any hostility, he was prepared to summon his giant salamander and unleash a poison mist that would alert Amegakure to their location.
"Our purpose is exactly as we said earlier," Dak spoke up, stepping forward as he noticed Madara and Izuna's lack of interest in Hanzo. "To prevent the world from falling into chaos, to protect peace."
"...Him?" Hanzo looked skeptically at Madara, his disbelief evident. Everyone knew that Madara had once sought to dominate the other nations through sheer power. If not for Hashirama's intervention, countries like the Land of Rain wouldn't even exist.
"Only through unification can lasting peace be achieved," Dak explained on Madara's behalf. "Once there's a single authority, there'll be no reason for conflict among the nations."
Hanzo fell silent. After all, the First Shinobi World War was a clear example of what happened when power was fragmented and unrestrained.
"So why seek me out? Do you intend to start with Amegakure?" Hanzo tightened his grip on his weapon, wary of Dak's use of the word "unification."
To most people, "unification" meant absorbing all nations and villages under a single banner.
"Indeed. Because you, too, yearn for peace, we've decided to recruit you," Dak responded. "Join us. Become a part of Akatsuki and help usher in a new era for the Shinobi World."
"How do you plan to do this?" Hanzo asked cautiously. Though he understood the alternative—joining or facing death—he wasn't one to submit easily.
"First, we'll make Akatsuki a force so powerful that even the Five Great Nations will fear us, gradually diminishing their strength," Dak explained, raising one finger. "Only then will they listen, and only then can we gain the trust and support of the common people."
Hanzo slowly lowered his weapon. Hearing Dak mention the people indicated to him that this man was no mere conqueror. Those with selfish ambitions rarely cared for the lives of ordinary citizens.
"What's next?" he asked, willing to listen.
"Plans beyond that are for members only," Dak replied. He wasn't about to reveal everything to an outsider.
"…How do I know you're not just using me to achieve your own ends?" Hanzo's suspicion lingered.
Madara and Izuna burst into laughter, clutching their foreheads.
"What's so funny?" Hanzo demanded, feeling slightly insulted.
Madara smirked. "You really think we'd need your help to accomplish anything? If not for Dak seeing something in you, you wouldn't even have the privilege of standing here with us."
Izuna added, "We wouldn't waste our time using someone who struggles with even the most basic of tasks."
"…You…" Hanzo fumed.
"All right, enough." Dak interjected. "If, one day, you find that Akatsuki has strayed from its mission of peace, you're free to leave—or even dismantle it yourself."
With a nod, he addressed Madara and Izuna. "That goes for both of you as well. If anyone in Akatsuki harms innocent people…"
"I'll handle it myself if Akatsuki turns corrupt," Madara assured him, waving off the concern.
"Same here," Izuna agreed.
"If I join Akatsuki, what will happen to Amegakure?" Hanzo asked, still concerned about his home and the people he sought to protect.
"You can still lead Amegakure. In fact, it'll be a useful cover for our operations," Dak replied. "Officially, you're still the leader of Amegakure. Secretly, you'll be part of Akatsuki, helping us create a hidden base in the Land of Rain and gathering intelligence."
"…Fine, I'll join."
"Excellent!" Dak extended his hand, pleased with Hanzo's decision. "Let me formally introduce you to your new comrades. Madara, leader of Akatsuki; Izuna, vice-leader."
As Hanzo shook Dak's hand, he couldn't help but glance curiously at him. Both Uchiha brothers clearly held Dak in high regard, but why?
"What about you?" Hanzo inquired.
"Oh, I'm a simple man," Dak replied with a smile, explaining that he had come from the future and had encountered the Uchiha brothers during his journey.
"Such a feat…is it even possible for a human?" Hanzo asked, awestruck, though the Uchiha brothers' intense gazes confirmed the truth.
"No, not for a human, but for a creature known as a 'Pokémon,' yes," Dak said, shrugging.
"What happens to me in the future?" Hanzo asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.
Dak hesitated briefly before deciding to tell Hanzo about his eventual descent into corruption. He hoped that by learning about his future self, Hanzo might be more vigilant and avoid making those same mistakes.
"What?! Impossible!" Hanzo was aghast at the thought of himself harming the talented youth of Amegakure out of a desire to maintain his position.
Madara smirked. "Can't face reality, eh?"
"Nii-san, you didn't want to accept your future at first, either," Izuna chided.
(End of Chapter)
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