The air inside Pain's chamber was thick with tension. His six bodies stood silently against the walls, their Rinnegan eyes watching Naruto intently. Konan stood to the side, her expression unreadable, her presence as striking as it was intimidating. Zetsu lingered in the background, their silent observations punctuated by White Zetsu's occasional chuckle.
Naruto felt butterflies in his stomach as he laid eyes on Konan. Her serene beauty captivated him.
Pain's piercing gaze fell on Naruto. "Madara," he said, his voice steady, "who is this boy?"
Naruto quickly introduced himself, bowing slightly. "I'm Naruto Corneas."
Tobi smirked behind his mask. "Naruto is our newest member."
Pain's expression darkened. "We don't have time to babysit a child, Madara." His voice was cold, dismissive. "If he's to join, then his training will be your responsibility."
Naruto bristled at the word babysit. His eyes narrowed as he glared at Pain. This cripple thinks he can look down on me?
"Babysit? Coming from a cripple?" Naruto muttered under his breath
He raised his hand, summoning a Lion's Heart attack.
Before Naruto could unleash it, Tobi moved faster, gripping Naruto's wrist. He leaned in close, his voice low and menacing. "Cool it. The next time you try something like that, I won't be so forgiving."
Naruto swallowed his pride and nodded begrudgingly. He knew that in his current state, taking on Tobi wasn't an option. As Tobi released him, Naruto turns his attention back to Konan. His tone shifts, smoother, more confident. "You know, you're really beautiful. How about you and I..."
Konan cuts him off coldly, her response flat and devoid of emotion. "No."
Naruto felt infuriated by her refusal, but he kept himself calm. How could she turn me down? he thought, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
Before he could reply, Konan's body shifted, parts of her turning to paper as razor-sharp paper weapons materialized behind her. Her expression was cold, dangerous.
"If you ever try to harm Nagato again," she says, her voice cold as steel, "you'll regret it."
Naruto chuckled, his confidence returning. "Paper weapons, huh? What are you going to do? Cut me into confetti?"
Konan's eyes narrowed, her lips forming a thin line. "Mock me again, and you'll see just how deadly confetti can be."
Pain, observing the exchange, interjected with a voice that brooked no argument. "Humble yourself boy, or else I will put you down."
Tobi sighs, his tone betraying a mix of irritation and anticipation. He already knows what's coming.
Naruto exploded into a tirade, ranting about his rights and how they were treating him unfairly.
White Zetsu chuckles softly, thoroughly amused. "I can tell this is gonna be a regular thing with him," he mutters to himself.
Pain's six bodies stepped forward, their presence radiating menace. "Do you intend to challenge me, boy?" Pain asked coolly.
Before the situation could spiral further, Tobi stepped in. His voice was sharp, tinged with disappointment. "That's enough. Both of you." He turned to Pain and Konan, his tone firm. "You're letting a child provoke you. And you," he added, glaring at Naruto, ""Control your temper, or this will end badly for you."
Tobi's tone softens slightly as he offers a resolution. "Naruto and Konan will fight"
Naruto glared. "I don't want to fight her. Let me take on the cripple and his creepy puppets."
Konan's eyes flashed with anger. "Watch your mouth, boy."
Tobi sighed. "At your current level, you wouldn't stand a chance against Pain. Konan will suffice."
Naruto scoffed but agreed. "Fine. If I win, she has to marry me."
Konan's lips tighten into a thin line, but she doesn't refute the terms. Her confidence in victory overrides her annoyance.
Konan's eyes narrowed further. "And if I win, you'll start acting mature and clean up that vile personality of yours."
She adds that boy will have to act more obedient.
With the terms set, Tobi placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "The fight will be in two days."
---
Pain and Konan's Discussion
With the meeting over, and the room empty save for Pain and Konan, the two exchanged troubled glancess
"Why do you think Madara recruited him? Konan
Pain exhales slowly. "If Madara's personally recruiting him, the boy's potential must be immense. But he's arrogant. Undisciplined. That kind of personality is dangerous."
Konan nods, her tone thoughtful. "Madara must see something in him. Perhaps he's a pawn, but there's no denying the power he could wield. If he learns control...he could be a valuable ally."
Pain frowns. "Or a liability. We'll need to keep a close watch on him. He's not like the others."
Konan gaze darkens. "Madara's intentions are never simple. We'll prepare for whatever storm this boy brings."
---
Chapter 4
"What are you going to do to prepare for the big fight?" Tobi asked.
Naruto leaned back casually, hands tucked into his pockets, and replied, "Nothing. I'm going wife hunting."
Zetsu's expression froze, both halves unified in utter disbelief. Tobi deadpanned under his mask.
"Wife hunting?" Zetsu repeated.
"You've got two days until the most critical battle of your life," Tobi added, his tone measured but incredulous.
Naruto grinned lazily, the expression almost taunting. "Relax. You'll see. My future wives are worth it."
---
Tobi had helped locate and shelter the women, Naruto claimed as his. Former slaves, all of them, marked and scarred by a world that had done it's worst to break them. Yet now, under Naruto's protection, there was a glimmer of hope.
---
At Amegakure's Lake
The mist surrounding the lake clung to the air, muffling the distant sounds of the rain-soaked city. Standing by the water's edge, Naruto smirked at the woman before him. Konan's expression was sharp and unyielding, her paper wings extended like a celestial being ready to pass judgment.
"That smirk will be gone by the end of this fight," Konan stated coldly, her voice cutting through the humid air.
Naruto tilted his head, the smirk deepening. "You're welcome to try."
From afar, the Deva Path, Tobi, and Zetsu watched silently.
---
Konan wasted no time, her body dissolved into a flurry of paper sheets that surged forward like a tidal wave, aiming to overwhelm Naruto instantly. The paper hardened mid-flight, transforming into razor-sharp blades that sliced through the air with deadly intent.
Naruto stood his ground, his smirk unwavering. As the wave neared him, he casually raised a hand. A faint ripple in the air signaled the activation of Lion's Heart.
The paper blades struck him, and stopped. Completely.
Konan's eyes narrowed as the blades hovered inches from Naruto's form, unable to pierce him. With a simple exhale, Naruto shattered the frozen paper into harmless fragments, scattering them into the wind.
"Cute trick," Naruto teased.
Konan frowned, her wings flaring. She launched herself into the air, summoning paper spears and raining them down like a deadly storm. At the same time, she sent several paper clones charging toward Naruto from the ground.
Naruto moved casually, sidestepping the clones easily, his body untouched by the spearstorm above. With each movement, he exuded an eerie confidence, as though he were untouchable.
"Stop playing games!" Konan shouted, forming a massive chakram out of her paper and hurling it toward him.
Naruto's smirk turned sharp. He raised his hand and froze the chakram mid-spin, its deadly edges glinting harmlessly in the air. "Games? You're the one throwing origami at me."
He flicked his wrist, sending the frozen chakram hurtling back at Konan. She dodged, but the chakram grazed her wing, slicing through effortlessly. Konan grimaced, retreating into the air to reassess.
---
"Alright," Naruto said, cracking his neck. "My turn."
He raised his foot and kicked up a small rock from the ground. As it rose, he imbued it with Lion's Heart, freezing its time. The rock became an unstoppable anomaly, shimmering faintly with energy. Naruto flicked it toward Konan with casual precision.
The rock pierced through her paper barrier, shredding it as if it were nothing more than wet tissue. Konan barely avoided the projectile, feeling the dangerous ripple of air as it passed.
"Impressive," Konan admitted. "But I've faced a god(Pain). You won't beat me with mere tricks."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. " A God, huh? Let's see how your godly endurance holds up."
He clapped his hands together, the ground beneath him rumbling. Nearby puddles of water surged upward as Naruto imbued them with Lion's Heart. The droplets froze in mid-air before shooting forward like bullets.
Konan dodged nimbly, her paper wings propelling her away from the deadly rain. However, the sheer number of projectiles made evasion impossible. One grazed her arm, tearing through it cleanly. Another clipped her leg, forcing her to the ground.
Bleeding and cornered, Konan glared at Naruto. "You're strong. Stronger than I expected. But you're not invincible."
Naruto chuckled, tilting his head. "I kind of am."
Konan smirked, her expression dark. "Then let's test that."
The lake began to ripple. Slowly, the surface of the water peeled away, revealing an endless chasm lined with billions of explosive tags. Konan raised her hand, the tags shifting ominously.
"This is my Paper Person of God Technique," she announced. "Do you really think you can survive ten minutes of this?"
Naruto's smirk didn't falter. Instead, he stepped forward.
"Ten minutes? I only need one."
The tags detonated in waves, creating a cascade of explosions that shook the battlefield. Konan watched from a safe distance, her expression grim. Yet as the smoke began to clear, her confidence faltered.
Naruto emerged unscathed, his body surrounded by a faint distortion of reality. The explosions had simply... stopped, their destructive energy frozen in time.
"Your move," Naruto said, his voice calm.
Konan hesitated, realizing too late that she was out of options. Naruto moved like a blur, closing the distance in an instant. Before she could react, he gently tapped her forehead, freezing her body's time.
Konan collapsed, immobilized but unharmed.
From the sidelines, Tobi let out a low whistle. "Well, that settles that."
Pain's Deva Path remained silent, his Rinnegan observing Naruto with renewed interest.
Zetsu muttered, "He's dangerous. More than we anticipated. The boy's a monster."
Naruto turned toward the onlookers, brushing off imaginary dust from his cloak, his smirk as confident as ever. "Told you my wives would be worth it."
He approached Konan's frozen form, leaning down slightly. "A bet's a bet," he said casually. With a snap of his fingers, the shimmering distortion surrounding her faded, unfreezing her time.
Konan staggered slightly as her body returned to the flow of reality. Her paper wings flickered as she regained control, her sharp glare fixed on Naruto.
As soon as she steadied herself, her amber eyes locked onto Naruto, sharp and piercing. "I lost," she said, her voice firm despite the slight strain. "I'll honor my word. But don't think this means I'll bow to you."
Naruto's grin widened, his gaze unwavering. "I wouldn't want you to bow. That's not the kind of wife I'm looking for."
Konan's wings bristled, her posture defensive, but she stayed silent as Naruto continued. "Don't worry, Angel. You're still free to guard your crippled god."
Konan's glare sharpened at the blatant disrespect toward Pain, but Naruto ignored it.
"But," Naruto added, his voice dropping to a commanding calm, "you'll find that I'm your first priority now."
Konan's fists clenched, the weight of her defeat settling over her. She hated the smug confidence in his voice, but there was no denying the strength he had displayed.
Naruto leaned in closer, his tone softening slightly. "Besides, you might find being by my side more interesting than you think."
He straightened, turning his back to her and gesturing lazily. "Come on. Let's go. I'll introduce you to your new sisters."
Konan lingered for a moment, her eyes shifting to the Deva Path. Pain gave her a subtle nod of approval, his unreadable expression offering no solace.
With a quiet sigh, she followed after Naruto, her mind racing with thoughts of what Naruto's existence would mean, for her, for Pain, and for the Akatsuki.
Tobi watched them go, his expression hidden behind his mask. Inwardly, he cursed. Naruto... That brat is growing too fast. He clenched his fist behind his back. He was already dangerous, but now? Now, he's going to be even harder to control. What was that? That power? His smugness, his confidence... "
From beside him, Zetsu's voice broke his thoughts. "This could complicate things."
Tobi gave a short nod, his mind already calculating. I'll need to adapt, keep him in line while he still serves my purpose."
Tobi's eyes narrowed, reflecting his growing wariness. This could be the start of something much bigger than I expected.