Once More by ItsHardToFindAPenName

Chapter 11: Everything was Messed Up!

"Do you think you can fix him?"

"Of course. I am God. There is nothing my Naraka Path cannot fix."

The mouth of the King of Hell opened, and from there, the familiar figure of Kakuzu emerged, completely rejuvenated.

"Finally! I can finally walk again!" Kakuzu bellowed while laughing like a mad man. "Kakashi Hatake, this time you won't get away from me! I'll blast you to shred for doing that to me! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Konan, who was now standing next to the Deva Path of Pain, facepalmed. "This is just stupid."

The man wearing a spiral mask, who was standing next to her shrugged. "Well, he's powerful, you know."

"Kakuzu of Takigakure," the Deva Path stepped up and looked at the five, now three-hearted missing-nin. "We restored your body, as agreed. From now on, you are a member of Akatsuki."

"Oh yeah?" Kakuzu sneered. "And why do I have to listen to you?"

"Because if you're with us, you will be able to claim much larger bounties than you've ever had before." Tobi answered smoothly.

"Besides," Pain continued, "who said that you had a choice?"

"You're threatening me?!" Kakuzu screamed; his two remaining masks sprouted from his shoulders, aiming at all the Akatsuki members standing in the room. A fire ball was formed in the mouth of one mask, and a small whirlwind in the other.

But Pain didn't even faltered a little bit. He raised his hand, and closed his eyes.

"Shinra Tensei."

Kakuzu was blown across the room, and slammed into the opposing wall with a loud 'CRASH'. The force of the push was so incredible a crater was left on the stone wall behind him. Kakuzu gasped out in pain; the chakra he had just stored for the jutsu dissipated harmlessly.

What... what is this power...?

"You have no chance Kakuzu. Come with us, and we won't have to kill you to keep our organization secret."

A pair of rippled purple eyes was staring down at him from above.

"Those... those eyes..."

And from then on, Kakuzu knew he was lost. He quietly received the ring from Pain without another word.

"And that's another member for the Akatsuki," Obito Uchiha said in satisfaction, a smirk formed under his mask.

"I don't get it," Kisame Hoshigaki, the shark swordsman, snorted. "If you only need people for the sealing, why didn't you use those bodies of yours anyway?"

"That's not something you're allowed to ask," Pain answered coldly, and Kisame shrugged, but stopped asking anyway.

"By the way, where did you find that man?" Konan questioned in curiosity. The masked man shrugged again.

"Found him battling Kakashi Hatake and Zabuza Momochi at the bridge construction zone in the Land of Waves. It seems the team of Kakashi includes the Kyuubi jinchuriki and your brother, Itachi. That boy finally managed to awaken his Sharingan."

From a dark corner of the room, Itachi Uchiha raised an eyebrow, but didn't answer.

"The Kyuubi jinchuriki, huh?" Pain asked; his voice showed a hint of interest. "How was he?"

"Nothing much," Obito answered. "He managed to tap into the Kyuubi's chakra, but that's it. He's kind of fast for a genin, but except for that, there is nothing special, as far as I can see. Well, except for his regeneration ability. That fool decided to take a killing blow meant for Zabuza, and was completely healed in just a few seconds."