Chapter 5 :The air within the Akatsuki hideout was stale, heavy with the scent of damp stone and faint traces of blood. Shadows danced along the walls, flickering from the pale, wavering light of old torches. A hush had settled over the cavern—a silence that crept beneath the skin, raising hairs and prickling nerves.
Naruto stood at the center of the room, head bowed slightly as if lost in thought. His fingers twitched restlessly at his sides, and a wicked smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
This was it—the beginning of his cleansing.
Itachi stood off to the side, arms folded, his expression unreadable as always. Kisame leaned against Samehada, the shark-man's grin widening in anticipation. Kakuzu and Hidan were nearby, bickering as usual. Deidara sat cross-legged, molding clay absentmindedly. Sasori was a silent, ominous presence beside him.
The Akatsuki was a collection of deadly killers, each with their own twisted motivations. Naruto could feel the weight of their murderous intent—an intoxicating blend of malice and insanity. But that was fine. He was something far worse.
A predator among predators.
"Meeting's starting," Hidan grumbled, yawning. "Pain's taking his damn time."
Naruto chuckled. "You seem eager to die."
Hidan shot him a glare. "What the hell did you say, brat?"
Naruto met his eyes, grin stretching wider. "Do you believe your god can save you?"
Hidan's eyes narrowed. "You disrespect Jashin-sama, you little—"
"Enough," Itachi interrupted, cold as ever.
Naruto ignored him. His gaze stayed locked on Hidan. "You don't fear death because you think it's impossible. But I wonder…" He tilted his head. "What happens if I sever your head from your body and bury them miles apart?"
Hidan bared his teeth. "You wanna test me, runt?"
Naruto's smile faded, replaced by a cold, dead stare. "I'm not testing. I'm killing."
Hidan lunged, scythe swinging in a deadly arc. Naruto didn't move—didn't even blink. As the blade neared, shadows erupted from the ground, tendrils of darkness surging forward like snakes. Hidan's eyes widened as the shadows pierced his limbs, halting him mid-strike. The scythe clattered to the floor, useless.
"What the hell is this?" Hidan snarled, struggling against the tendrils.
Naruto's eyes glowed an eerie crimson. "An introduction."
Hidan screamed as the shadows dragged him down. The tendrils wrapped around his arms and legs, squeezing until bones cracked. Blood oozed from his wounds, staining the stone floor. The others watched, some intrigued, others wary.
With a flick of his fingers, Naruto commanded the shadows to tear. Hidan's limbs were ripped from his torso with sickening snaps. Blood sprayed, and Hidan howled, face twisted in agony. The shadows coiled around his severed limbs, dragging them away and sinking into the darkness.
Only his head remained, glaring up at Naruto with eyes full of hate.
"I'll… I'll kill you, you bastard!" Hidan spat, blood trailing from his mouth.
Naruto knelt, grasping Hidan's hair and lifting his head. He grinned. "You won't be killing anyone ever again."
Darkness poured from Naruto's fingers, seeping into Hidan's mouth and eyes. The immortal zealot's screams were muffled as his head was consumed, his soul devoured by the abyss. When Naruto's hand opened, only ashes fell to the ground.
The room was silent.
Naruto rose, eyes scanning the remaining Akatsuki. He could see fear etched on their faces—brief flickers of doubt in even the coldest killers.
"You've grown bold," Kisame rumbled, grip tightening on Samehada.
Naruto shrugged. "If you want to challenge me, you're welcome to try."
Kisame's smirk widened. "A brat like you? I'll enjoy feeding you to Samehada."
Itachi remained silent, watching with narrowed eyes.
Naruto made a gesture, and the shadows surged once more. Kisame roared, chakra flaring as he swung Samehada. The massive blade cleaved through tendrils of darkness, but they reformed just as quickly, snaking around his legs.
"Persistent little bastards," Kisame grunted.
He poured more chakra into Samehada, and the sword pulsed hungrily, devouring the darkness. Kisame grinned, triumphant. "Looks like your tricks won't work, brat!"
Naruto sighed. "Who said I needed tricks?"
Before Kisame could react, Naruto's body blurred. A clawed hand tore through Kisame's chest, splattering blood. The shark-man's grin vanished as he looked down at the hole punched through his torso.
"But how—?"
Naruto yanked his arm free, and Kisame crumpled to the floor, Samehada clattering beside him. The blade shivered, sensing its master's death.
Naruto wiped his hand on his cloak. "I'm disappointed. I expected more from the Akatsuki."
The survivors exchanged wary glances. Deidara's hands clenched around his clay, sweat beading on his forehead. Sasori's puppet body creaked, joints tensing. Kakuzu's eyes glimmered with something akin to amusement.
"Taking us all on, brat?" Kakuzu drawled. "Ambitious."
Naruto chuckled. "Just impatient. I have no interest in following a corpse with a god complex. The Akatsuki is a tool—one I intend to sharpen."
Deidara sneered. "Big talk from a Jinchūriki."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I am not a Jinchūriki."
Deidara's eyes widened as Naruto appeared before him in a blur. A hand clamped around his throat, lifting him off the ground. Chakra flared, detonating the clay bird Deidara had prepared, but the explosion fizzled—snuffed out by tendrils of shadow.
"You like explosions?" Naruto asked, lips curling.
He forced dark energy into Deidara's chest. The bomber's eyes bulged as his veins turned black, shadows crawling through his body. The clay in his pouches ignited, chakra swelling.
Naruto released him and stepped back.
Deidara staggered, clutching his chest. "Wha—?"
Then he exploded. The chamber shook, smoke and fire roaring outward. When the dust cleared, only charred fragments remained.
Kakuzu clapped slowly. "Efficient."
Naruto grinned. "You're next."
Kakuzu shrugged, eyes flickering. "I'm not so easy to kill."
Naruto's shadows surged, and Kakuzu's hearts screamed.
One by one, they all fell—disassembled, dismantled, and devoured.
When it was over, only three remained.
Naruto stood among the carnage, a king crowned in blood. Itachi and Pain stared back, one cold and calculating, the other calm and unshaken.
Naruto's eyes glowed. "Ready to serve, Pain?"
Pain's Rinnegan narrowed. "You think yourself invincible. You misunderstand pain."
Naruto smirked. "Show me, then."
A storm was brewing. The Akatsuki had been culled, and the true conflict was about to begin.
End of Chapter 5
In this chapter:
Naruto ruthlessly eliminates several Akatsuki members.
Pain and Itachi remain, watching and assessing.
The power struggle within the Akatsuki intensifies.
What do you think? Ready for Chapter 6?
Please give me more power stone for more chapters ❤️.