In Search of Power

An’barak trudged through the forest, his cloak wrapped tightly around him. The thick canopy of trees above him dripped with water, as exorbitant amounts of rain somehow managed to still pour through the dense foliage. The cloth of his silk cloak was wet, and beginning to become cold, but An’barak ignored the discomfort. He had heard rumors of a tome of powerful demon lore existed somewhere within this land, and so he had come in search of the knowledge. If anyone could find it, it would be him. He had tracked down several other such artifacts before, and he would do so again. Unfortunately, he had heard rumors of a purported criminal organization that functioned within the area… The Akatsuki. An’barak had much confidence in his own abilities: a whole dozen Anbu hadn’t been able to bring him down, but a fight with a member of that little group was a fight he didn’t need. Their abilities were infamous… He would have to be careful as he searched this land. He stepped in a puddle, as he was lost in thought, and his foot sank deep into the muddy liquid. Muttering a curse as he lifted his leg out, he continued on, as several lightning bolts streaked through the dark cloudy sky, followed shortly by the sound of thunder. It was, in An’barak’s eyes, actually quite a Lovely country. Dark and brooding, the rain country was the perfect place for a demonic artifact to hide. Indeed, if he weren’t so cold An’barak may even consider living here… But he shrugged away the thought. There was no time to settle down for him, on his quest for power, especially in such a dangerous place. He didn’t want anyone to get word of his existence here, or to hear about that which he was searching for. Criminal organizations had a way of discovering information that was meant to be secret, so An’barak couldn’t afford to ask anyone about what he was looking for. “Damn it.” He muttered. “This may take longer than I thought.” He paused momentarily, glancing up at the dark sky above him, a few drops of rain hitting his scarred face. He continued at his brisk pace, letting out a dull cough. At this rate he would fall ill… He decided that it may be in his best interests to actually set up a camp after all in this hostile environment. Trudging over to a set of fern tree’s (he remembered from somewhere that these were good for blocking rainwater), he then shot a bolt of shadow energy towards a distant oak, which immeadiatley withered, and crumpled, the life instantly leaving the great tree. An’barak began tearing off limbs, and soon enough, he had enough dead wood to suit his purposes. He wove several quick handsigns, and breathed a ball of fire over the dried twigs, a bonfire quickly crackling and coming to life. He sat down, wrapping his cloak tighter around his frail frame, letting it dry off in the warmth of his fire. He looked up again, more yellow flashes lighting the gloomy gray clouds. In this weather, it seemed fairly pointless to continue on foot. Even for the rain country, this storm seemed pretty bad. He supposed he would have to sit here for quite a while, as he leaned his back against a tree, tapping his foot impatiently, as if the storm would notice his anger and quickly move out of the area. “It’s going to be a long day.” He sighed to himself.

It wasn't too long after his meeting with both the blood lusty femme and the Jester that he caught wind of his next appointment. "Hmm... right on time." He said out loud as he looked to the clouds that had loomed over the area for the entire day. The same rains had passed from the south, heading north-east and had since welcomed all of the people he had on his radar even before he had a chance to. This particular individual was curious for one main reason; Vice could sense him at all times.

This individual had a strange power that was so rooted in the darkness that he could sense him quite easily. His ability to sense was normally limited to things that took refuge under the shadows, and here, where the shadows where bountiful thanks to the cloud that hung above, he could literally see everything within the boardered of Amegakure... but what darkness was this that was so potent that he could at all times feel it?

He had done alittle research into the clan that depended on a brand of shadows that was of a different spectrum then his own. His own shadow manipulation used the physical and spiritual mediums, while his used chakra mediums. It was almost the complete opposite then his own in that respect, but his was more revolved around raw power and there was always room for such a thing. After all, he was soon to be the ruler of both light and shadows... this individual would be another addition to his arsenal of weapons.

The individual was arriving from the north. While Amegakure was mainly urban and industrialized, and the majority of Rain Country was basically baren thanks to reverse desertification (a process in which the ground is so saturated with water that it lacks nutriance thanks to constant errosion of the top soil.) But the northern boarder that lined Grass Country was most likely the final actual vegitation in the region. It was just on the corner of Fire Country and was for the most part unmapped. The politics were so sensitive that if scouts from any country was seen mapping out boarders their teeth would chatter and their bow would sweat. "Ohh no! What if they attack?!" They would say. Shinobi are jumpy...

So he decided to give him a bit of time to stablize. When ninja were in motion they hated being dropped in on, it was always a good ide to wait for them to stop moving to approach them; at least on a diplomatic basis. It only took him a few hours to stop moving, either resting or setting up camp, and seeing as thought the sky had darken, he was more then likely camping for the night. Unless he had plans to stop, most travelers inexperienced to the terrain would find themselves in very unfavorable conditions. Using his ability to move through the shadows, he slid into the ground and appeared within range of his little shelter.

"Excuse me!" He shouted. "Amegakure is only about 2miles from here... to the south west. You'll catch cold out here traveler, the night is even less forgiving then the day, and the rain, it doesn't common let up. Perhaps, if I could find you lodging for the evening you would come with me to seek refuge from the sky?"

An'barak had been glumly waiting for the rain to stop, when the stranger barged in on him. Who the hell is this? he thought. He seemed polite enough, but An'barak couldn't afford to have interference. His mind raced through possiblities, but only one seemed simple and easy enough to him. He supposed he would have to kill this stranger who had somehow... Wait a minute... How the hell DID this guy find him? Most people wouldn't just be wandering about in this kind of weather... This made An'barak instantly uneasy... He stood up, and eyed this man. As one who delved into the demonic arts, he knew the feel of his own chakra very well... And somehow, this strangers felt similar. He couldn't understand it, this guy wasn't an unthor... No, it had to be some other dark chakra, indeed one of a different sort than An'barak's own. He would have to tread cautiously... This wasn't some ordinary person...

"Well, hello there!" An'barak called out to the intruder. He tried to keep his voice friendly, but, unfortunately, he hadn't had much practice being friendly, and he sounded far more evil than he did amiable. The man didn't have the markings of an ANBU, nor did he bear the signet of any village... But then, who? He was undoubtedly a shinobi, and one of obvious power at that... and here he was offering An'barak lodgings? An'barak was very confused, at least, he was, until he saw the black robes with blood red clouds which the figure wore. Every muscle in his body tensed. Akatsuki had somehow found him. An'barak had no idea how, or no idea why... Surely they couldn't know what he was looking for out here. He had to tread VERY cautiously. He ran through the possibilites... He could attack this man now, and try to kill him quickly... But if he killed him, then the whole damn organization would be looking for him... And An'barak could not afford that kind of interference... Hell he wouldn't even survive that kind of intereference. He was here in search of a tome, but now he was more concerned about getting out alive. He decided, begrudgingly, that he would have to go along with this fellow, and play idiot until they reached amegakure. He let his muscles relax, or at least tried to, and let a smile hang on his features. “You know, actual lodgings are starting to sound REAL good right about now.” He grinned trying to put the fellow at ease as much as possible, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He watched the stranger very closely, as he walked towards him, making sure that the man made no sudden movements. Shit this is bad, he thought. He tried to keep his true actions secretive, but in the dark, dreary weather it wasn’t hard. A layer of Dark green liquid flowed over him, under his cloak, and hardened suddenly, before disappearing. The chaos armor should be able to protect me from any attacks he comes up with on the spur of the moment he thought… But why did this akatsuki go out of his way to find me? What are they up to? “ I’m fairly new around these parts, you lead the way, Friend!” he called out to his new traveling companion… He had to pretend to be oblivious to this mans true identity… If he confronted him as an akatsuki now, things could turn sour fast.

"Good! Like I said... the hidden village is only a couple of miles to the south. It's common that travelers aren't formiliar with these parts... Most people going to the other nations just use the service and merchant roads. Trailblaizing through here can be something of burden."
He turned completely facing away from him as the man himself stood. His fluxuation of chakra was obvious; he was most likely on the defensive. His shadow would take over should the man plan out an ambush; it was like having pair of eyes in the back of your head that could react on it's own. He walked slowly though in pace with confidence that the man behind him would follow. He could technically just shift himself to Amegakure without much of a problem... really at an instant, but that wouldn't allow for any quality time with his latest weapon.

"So Traveler, what is your name? Where ya comin' from?" He asked as a sort of... ice breaker.

An'barak decided to play along, as the two of them began trudging through the woods together. He still felt the same dark chakra emnating from this other man, and knew that he was on his guard as well, despite the fact that he attempted to be putting on a facade of being relaxed. How had this guy found him? An'barak didn't conciously give out a chakra signal that he was aware of... And the akatsuki wouldn't have just stopped at any random strangers campfire... He tentatively wondered what they were after in confronting him like this. Indeed, he was so lost in thought, he barely even heard the man ask him for his name "Im... Misaki. I come from the land of fire, just been wandering about the place for sometime now though... Just been a nomad really, with no particular home or destination in mind." He tried to keep calm and kept up his facade of being ignorant of the akatsuki's rank. Whatever the case, it would be best to discuss more serious business once they reached lodging in amegakure... It was unlikely that an akatsuki would want a fight to break out in the midst of so many people... But then again, if this man had wanted to attack An'barak, he had had ample oppurtunities to do so.... So what was he really after. Well, there was more than one question An'barak wanted answered, but right now, only one seemed to fit the situation "So, what about you, friend? What are you doing out here in the middle of this rainy land?"

He didn't necessarily hesitate to answer the mans question. Most likely in much more board detail then he would have wanted. "Well, I've sort of made this rainy land my home. I've been something of a nomad myself, but out of necessity, not choice. My original home was Konoha, and then by a number of situtions I wound up in Kirigakure and then when that fell through I came here." He continued walking, his back completely turned to the man so of course he had to speak somewhat louder as to communicate with him more justly.

"I find myself at home here... the clouds always loom over Amegakure, and cast a shadow over the entire nation! I myself am born of the Nara clan, I'm sure you've heard of us if your from Konoha. We... manipulate existing shadows so really this entire nation is just one big weapon for me! Hehe." He tossed in a laugh, as if this information was being shared between two friends that hadn't seen each other for awhile. He wanted to be a bit more blunt, but scaring the man wouldn't necessarily end well; he was already cautious enough as it was.

"I appologize really, I was expecting to run into you but I didn't bring an umbrella or anything of the sort with me... this 'jacket' of mine is like a poncho... water just rolls off it, but I'm sure your soaked after trying to set up camp here." He said as they just started to emerge from the more thick forest. Even though there was plenty of smaller trees and brush about, the metal jungle that made up Amegakure was visible in the distance.
"Well! Not to much longer now!"

An’baraks entire body stiffened when the man revealed his heritage… A member of the nara clan… which meant he had undoubtedly heard of An’baraks own clan… What did he want with An’barak? At this point it was undeniable he had targeted An’bark for a reason, but for a reason An’barak still didn’t understand. Finally An’barak decided it was about time to cut the crap, as their feet climbed the few steps that lead into the metropolis of Amegakure. It was quite a culture shock, for a person like An’barak who had lived in the wild for most of the past few years. Towering metal skyscrapers shot up in all directions, Neon signs glowed in the waning daylight, advertising various products. Hundreds of people bustled all around them, through the dozens of shops, restaurants, and brothels which lined both sides of the street. Indeed, in this level of crowdedness, An’barak even would have chance to lose the akatsuki, but decided it wasn’t worth trying… The man obviously had something in mind, and An’barak wanted to know what it was, at the very least. They began crossing through the streets, An’barak following the Black Robed figure. The city was astonishingly modern, especially compared to places such as Konoha. As they moved along, An’barak noted with great interest how some of the people seemed to recognize the trademark black and red robes of the akatsuki member, and immeadiatley started taking different routes to wherever they were going… Apparently in Amegakure, the Akatsuki was not so secretive an organization. He wasn’t terribly surprised though, he had long since heard rumors that the Akatsuki operated within the area… Obviously their presence was more well known than the outside world knew. “So. Where exactly are we going then, Friend? We’ve past several inns already.” He asked curiously… Perhaps this akatsuki had a specific place in mind… And An’barak wasn’t entirely sure that was the place he wanted to go. Finally, after several more blocks, An’barak decided they had gone far enough. “Enough with the lies. What do you want with me, Akatsuki.” His voice instantly changed from the feigned warmth, to a cold, icy tone. The area in which he had stopped was fairly deserted, due to the fact that it was completely exposed to the rain. Furthermore, it was fairly open, no buildings nearby, so no strong shadows for this Nara to use his jutsu from. It was the best location An’barak could think of in this dark country… And he wanted to find out where exactly they were going so he needn’t be surprised once he got there.

"Hahaha? Akatsuki? My name is Vice, actually, I just so happen to be the leader of the Akatsuki. I guess the cloak sort of gives it away but I promise you that It's nothing more then a throw back of the last chapter. I certainly wouldn't have my members running about in guady outfits that broadcast to all those around me of our orgin!" He said, still in a formiliar sort of way. "We have past many motels, but to be honest with you most of them are sort of run down, no place I'd want to stay in; I'm taking you to... hold on a second."

Vice had noticed something a bit odd. There was another presense in the shadows of the village that were something like his own. Another agent of either light or darkness that he hadn't exactly planned for... So soon? Was something to have stumbled upon him without knowing or perhaps was it nother gentle push from fate. He took a few gentle steps backward from the man infront of him. After all, he didn't want to startle him with a technique. By pressing his hands into a series of hand signs his shadow seemed to lift from the ground, coming alive and twisting into what was otherwise an exact replica clone of himself. This was what he had called a 'Real Shadow Clone' and just as soon as it was made, it cast the necessary signs to form a portal and shifted away to investigate this latest suprise.

"Sorry about that, it seems something had come up that I wasn't necessarily aware of... where were we?" He asked before picking up, "Right... well to be blunt I am well aware of your clan and it's abilities and especially yourself because of the darkness that your weild. Because of it, I have been able to sense you from... well almost anywhere in this world of ours and I suppose I timed it correctly so that you would stumble upon my home when necessary." He was a bit chatty to be honest. Whenever he got in a speech giving/ranty kind of mood he could roll on about just about anything he had knowledge on for awhile.

"Not to threaten you, but you are currently standing in my medium of choice. You know I am a Nara, but my abilities are so refine that even in the open you are still standing in the shadows..." He looked to the sky, lifing a tentitive hand with and pointing. "The clouds that blout out the sun do so by casting their shadow over the land below... as long as rain exists in Amegakure, I can manipulate the shadow of the clouds. That is why I refer to is as my weapon earlier. And I would like to extend such an invitation to you."

"Long story short, there is a place in the Akatsuki for you, and you would be wise to accept such an offer. After all that is what you seek, correct? Power?"

An’barak was momentarily stunned by the man’s words. This had been the thing he had probably least expected, out of anything the man had done… He had not only revealed that he was the leader of the formidable organization known as the akatsuki…. But had just invited An’barak to join it??? An’baraks head was spinning, he had no idea how exactly to respond to the mans words. His blood was pumping, and for the first time in quite a long time, An’barak felt fear… This situation could turn bad very quickly. If this man attacked him, An’barak had lost much of the confidence that he could win… A man who had the power to lead an organization as deadly as the akatsuki…Furthermore, as a nara this person was right where he wanted to be: standing in the shadows where his power was at his maximum. An’barak took a quiet deep breath, calming himself… Though he was power hungry, he also possessed near-genius level intelligence, and that latter factor came into effect. His mind kicked into self-preservation mode, and began racing through the possible outcomes of this scenario. He definitely didn’t want to end up in a fight with this man, and he knew this man hadn’t come here to kill him… Indeed, this leader of the Akatsuki had come here to recruit An’barak… An’barak’s exploits must have had echoes that went to ears he hadn’t expected… Ears that had become obviously very interested in An’barak’s powers… If he tried to engage the man in order to make his escape, it was a strong possibility that he would end up dead. If he refused the offer, he could more than expect this fellow to attack him in order to ‘persuade’ An’barak. So… What should he do in a situation like this. The man was right, An’barak did indeed seek power… But a group like the akatsuki he didn’t think was likely to work towards An’baraks own goals… And power through unity was crap that An’barak had never believed in. The only power that truly existed was through oneself and ones minions… And An’barak didn’t want to become a minion… But what choice did he have in a situation like this… He pondered carefully the repercussions of accepting the mans invitation… the akatsuki would be a powerful ally, that was for sure… But An’barak would become a puppet… But then again, the possibilities for attaining power far beyond his imagination could become limitless: An’barak may be able to work such an organization to his favor… But he had to be sure first that he wouldn’t become a mere tool, used to work toward the goals of some nara who had come across him. Finally, he replied to the Nara’s offer. “Your offer is intriguing, Vice. But I fail to see why on earth I would be interested. Surely as leader, you plan to simply use me as a weapon of your own devices. I seek power, this is true, but how, by joining your little band of renegades would I benefit?” He acted confident, and completely collected, letting none of his previous shock show through. If he was going to join Akatsuki, he wanted to know how it would play in his favor.

Ahhhh! Another beautiful day in the rain country.

Today’s storm seemed more aggressive than most, but none the less it was nothing Kuro hadn’t dealt with him. Clouds crashed up against one another sending the loud shivering sound of thunder through Kuro’s spine. He loved the adrenaline it gave him, though he hailed from Lightning Country, a warmer climate country, he had adapted to the drastic changes of whether over time and now, Rain Country was his home.

His location was just out the forest, standing under his large umbrella, carefree about the rain that was plummeting upon him. Luckily for him, his umbrella was as best as they could get, the broad thick wooden head of the umbrella was more than enough to ensure Kuro would remain dry. He stood in the middle of a mushy field, looking into the forest with an emotionless expression on his face, waiting for his leader and the new ‘recruit’ to arrive.

Kuro had been with the Akatsuki for many years now, but out of all of the forged groups, this current list of members was his favourite, they were stronger, faster and purely better than all of Kuro’s former comrades. But, Kuro wished that his old former partner was here to share the glory with him, but his sacrifice was necessary to ensure the world would become a better place.

Time grew by and the storm became stronger. Kuro could imagine how rigorous it must be for his two comrades in the forest to even travel in there, it would be like one big mushy lake. The rain was enough to sting your bare skin to such a degree you could form a rash at very least. Which showed how hard it was to live here, but once you adapted, you never wanted to leave.

The grey haired man stood in his akatsuki cloak, which had extra thick layers of fabric on the inside to keep him warm, for Kuro did not were any clothing above his waist, besides from the actual cloak itself. This made it essential that Kuro’s jacket could supply him with the heat needed.

Kuro began to grow slightly impatient, which was rare for him, but he wondered if Vice had stopped at one of the few inns that they would have passed in the forest. No, Kuro knew his leader all to well, even in a storm like this, Vice was too fussy. He wouldn’t stop at an unsatisfying hotel, he would keep going until he reached his destination. It had come to mind that it would be easier if Kuro began entering the forest to meet with Vice sooner.

After a good fifteen or so minutes walking through the forest, Kuro heard approached sloppy footsteps, accompanied by some voices, one of which was the familiar voice of one Vice Nara, the Akatsuki Leader. Kuro took a step back leaning against a tree, still holding his umbrella above his head. From where Kuro was located, the two men wouldn’t be able to see him until they reached exactly his location on the muddy pathway. Kuro began to eavesdrop as they approached. He moved slightly, being careful not to let his pole-axe that was strapped on his back, clink up against the tree to reveal his location, he didn’t move his feet, to ensure no mushy noises and such would be heard. He remained perfectly still as the second man began talking, responding to something Vice must have said.

“Your offer is intriguing, Vice. But I fail to see why on earth I would be interested. Surely as leader, you plan to simply use me as a weapon of your own devices. I seek power, this is true, but how, by joining your little band of renegades would I benefit?” the man spoke arrogantly, it was a good tone of voice to use as a member of the Akatsuki, but a disrespectful way to speak to the leader.

Before Vice could answer, Kuro took the liberty of replying to the man’s question, the two men passed the tree.

“To speak to the leader with such disrespect is disgraceful, I should do the honours of ripping you in half right now you skinny imbecile.” Though Kuro’s words here confident and vicious, he remained in his peaceful voice tone. He quickly studied the man, his soaking wet thin body stood tall, just taller than Kuro, but he looked like one of the tree twigs that were lying underneath the cold muddy layer of the forest floor. One way to get on Kuro’s bad side immediately was to speak harshly about the akatsuki or disrespect a veteran member such as Vice and himself.

Kuro began speaking again, as he stepped in front of the two men, stopping them in there path, his eye contact was steadily locked on with the skinny man’s eyes.

“You ask for a reason? Do you not even know of the Akatsuki’s purpose? We are going to make this world a better place, all those who have stopped this world evolving the Utopia it should be. But to do this, the Akatsuki needs to gain absolute power by any means necessary. You speak of Vice using you as a tool, he are all comrades in the Akatsuki, but we will all give our lives to ensure our plan succeeds, even Vice and myself. If you’re not up to that challenge and can’t make that kind of a commitment, there is no point for us to be talking to you anymore, you dealt with immediately.”

Kuro couldn’t help himself, he had just began ranting about his Utopia yet again, it’s the only time he would speak so strongly about something, the Akatsuki was exactly what he was born to be apart of. His destiny was to create a better world, he was… The Key.

An’barak was shocked by the newcomer’s arrival, and by his obvious overconfidence… Though indeed in this sort of a situation, the newcomer had every right to be. They had An’barak outnumbered two to one, not pleasant odds when facing the akatsuki…. If things turned sour, An’barak may need to unleash a major demon in order to distract these two… And even then his odds of escape weren’t good. While all of these thoughts rushed through his head, he semi-listened to what the newcomer was saying... And far too much of it was to An’barak’s distaste. This man babbled on about how the akatsuki’s goal was to create a utopian society… And probably about how peace, happiness, and hugs were the solution to all the world’s problems, for all An’barak cared… What An’barak cared more about was how a piece of quixotic trash like this was in an organization he had just received an ‘invitation’ to join… An’barak had no intention of giving up his life in pursuit of some worthless dream of a perfect society… But this was a very dangerous situation indeed… two versus one, unless by some miracle he killed one of them in the first few seconds of the fight, he had practically no chance…. Unless, of course, he used his demon form… And he wanted to refrain from using that if possible. He decided that the best solution was to remain unfazed by the newcomer’s arrival. Quickly jerking himself back to the grim reality of the situation, he wanted confirmation from Vice that the same idealistic morals and goal would be thrust upon him as well… If Vice were to agree with his underling, then An’barak would do everything in his power to make it out of there, and hope that he could escape. He raised his eyebrows at the newly arrived man, and, without turning back towards vice, asked of the akatsuki leader “So, are all of your little servants this deluded from the reality of the world, as this little psychopath is?” The path to power was what An’barak cared about, not some absolutely retarded little ideal that the akatsuki had come up with as their goal. They wanted to waste their lives attempting to create a utopia? That was fine by him, but the could leave him out of it. “Because, if what he’s blabbing about is the ends you plan on having me work towards, your much stupider than you look, Vice.” He had thought that the akatsuki leader would try to keep a tighter rain on his little minions, instead of letting them spoil recruitment missions… Pherhaps this man wasn’t as fearsome as An’barak first thought. “So.” An’barak said after a brief pause, spinning on his heel to face Vice once again. “Does that little fucktard over there speak for the whole of your organization? Because, if so, I can tell you right now, your offer has lost most of its interest to me. You apparently have found out I desire power: sacrificing my life for some fantasy isn’t my idea of how to go about getting it, eh, Vice?” He stood an inch taller than the Akatsuki leader. He gazed down at the slightly shorter man, a small gust of rainy wind blowing An’baraks wet woolen cloak about him. “Does this man speak the truth about the akatsuki’s aims?”

Vice looked on, his arms still folded about his chest as he gazed not only at the man before him, but also Kuro, who he hadn't necessarily expected to make an appearance. It was not coincidence however; he had not need to get upset or uptight about anything, at least not yet. The individual he spoke with was quick to judge and quick to speak. He had gained something of an edge in his speaking; most likely as a result of his current silence. Most of the time when people lose respect for something they feel as though they can stop showing respect. He figured it wasn't a bad time to clear things up a bit. He didn't want to be too blunt about what he had planned, but winning favor in the minds of those greedy for power was always important. Another interesting truth that the man didn't know was that he would be killed on the spot should he decline. There was really no running from this situation. Unannounced to him; this was a life or death scenario.

"Haha, well yes, the Akatsuki is a brotherhood, and thus everyone in it has a hand in shaping the future. Shinobi, ninjutsu, have splintered the world and cut down the values in which the world was founded upon. The movement of humanity has been stiffled by a weapon that was handed down by false profits; a weapon that is meant to destroy us with our own power..."

"So when Kuro here refers to a Utopia, he is refering to a time and space without such destractions; where the morals of man is just as strong as his blade and humanity can excell past such mystic arts as Ninjutsu, to assure their place in existance, instead of constantly acting as our own agent of natural selection. But to do such a thing comes with a price, im sure you can assume..."

"Over time, this natural selection amungst those weilding power of the gods issolates individuals with power many times over what they should. These individuals are accountable for the shaping and formation of this world. Eventually, a judgement of sorts will be cast over this world. A tidal wave to rise up and smother all who cannot grasp the truth behind the shadows. All of those who cannot attest and concent to the shadows, will simply be destroyed by them. And you, are no exception. I will tell you now that should you refuse my offer now, you will be judged and held accountable just as every other individual on this earth; and I can't promise that you will be spared."

"However, if you are apart of the brotherhood, when the time of the judgement has passed over like the rising and setting sun, those who were loyal to the shadows will dictate the world itself. There will be none strong enough to rise against you then. If power is what you crave, then you will have limitless amounts of it."

Though he spoke mainly in alusioins and metaphors, it was more or less a declaration of world domination. He, after all, couldn't rule an entire world on his own. His original plan was that when the Akatsuki had taken over the shattered world, that each member would be left in charge of their own land, of their own country, of their own kingdom and shape it to the ideals of the shadows. The next generation would be born under the shadows, and the sun would forever be only a legacy of the sky.

"I appologize for talking your ear off. I'm much for long drawn out speaches. Monologues are kinda my thing. But to be serious, I will offer you once more and only once more. You may Join the Akatsuki, and forsee the judgement of man as a god of the new world, or you can be judged as a man of old ideals? The choice is yours..."

An'barak knew how limited his options were, in this situation, he could only see one outcome in which he had a garunteed possibility of survival... Which was to accept this mans offer... His ideals of world domination sounded intriguing, An'barak had to admit... But they definitley put a stitch in his plans. Nonetheless, An'barak made his decision, one that he knew would undoubtedly define his future. He let out a deep breath, calming himself, freeing his mind of the tensions of his internal decision. "In that case, Vice... I accept your offer." He studied the shorter man intently, letting the depth of his words sink in for the two men who were 'encouraging' him to join. He could yet work this situation to his advantage however... If he joined the akatsuki, he had every intention of manipulating this organization in his favor. Just because he was now an underling didn't mean he wouldn't still be able to control the situation... At least to a certain extent. If Akatsuki planned to attain more power, An'barak would make sure he got one of the better shares. "So... When do I start?" He asked Vice, his tone taken on a feigned reverence which would sound real to the two men he was speaking with. He had to fit in in order to dominate, Vice would learn that An'barak was not so easily manipulated.

((short, sorry))

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. But I am curious, though I knew your intentions, is there anything in particular you were searching for? I doubt you were simply wandering aimlessly through Grass Countries forests. The Akatsuki would gladly help you in any personal endeavors you have..." He spoke now in a much less aggressive tone, though still proffesional. Rarley were people won over so simply and it would take some time for the idea to sink into the man's mind. Though he had commited, it was most likely more out of necessity then want, after all, his only other option WAS death.

"Unless you have any questions for me... go ahead and relax. Make yourself at home. I'll be in contact with you very soon concerning the first batch of mission..."

An'barak smiled, at least Vice understood that An'barak had other goals. He paused a moment for replying debating whether or not he should tell this man of the tome he was searching for... A tome which contained a demonic summoning of enormous power: the eredar demon lord. He thought carefully... If he told this man the akatsuki may want the tome for themselves.. But why would they? Only an Unthor would consider the tome of any value, the demonic runes coud not otherwise be deciphered. "As a matter of fact Vice, I am searching for something in this beautiful land. A scroll containing a jutsu of great power, supposedly used by one of my distant ancestors. I came here to find this scroll, so that I might learn its secrets." He paused in what he was saying, eyeing Vice suscpiciously. He could detect that Vice seemed to be fairly uninterested in what he was saying: A good sign. He had no idea of the supposed power the eredar demon lords had, enough to decimate an entire squadron of shinobi with ease.... His ignorance would work to An'baraks favor. "I was wondering if any of your compatriots might have heard of this artifact, and could assist me in my search, I would be most gratified." He smiled, attempting to appear as subservient as possible. The more stupid an willing to serve An'barak seemed, the better this meeting would go. He pondered what missions Vice was reffering to, but decided things like that could wait until later.

Such disrespect should be dealt with accordingly, this skinny man treated the Akatsuki like a third rate organization, which infuriated Kuro down to the core. As he left arm held the umbrella above him, Kuro gently reached around his back, gently grabbing the long handle of his pole-axe as the man continued speaking. He had already called Kuro a deluded psychopath, so his head should already be sinking into the damp forest floor, but Kuro knew there was a reason Vice wanted this man in the Akatsuki, he must have had some kind of unique ability that would be a useful skill for the Akatsuki to have control of.

The man’s words were even more insulting than his first, calling Kuro a fucktard and saying that if the Akatsuki was truly what Kuro said it was then he had no interest.

This man must not have realized that soon as he would decline the offer, Vice and Kuro would pounce on him in a what of a second and rip his head off, the only thing stopping Kuro from taking his head right off, was the man’s answer.

Vice decided it was necessary to explain it to the man better than Kuro did. His thorough explanation managed to persuade the man, Kuro released his pole-axe and placed his hand into the pocket of his Akatsuki Cloak. The man accepted the offer, which made him an official member of the Akatsuki. But Kuro had a feeling that he wouldn’t be the type to stand in line or be another pawn in this game of chess. Behind the man’s smack-mouth talking, he possessed a real skill, Kuro could sense it. This must have been the power that Vice felt he needed to get his hands on.

Kuro remained silent as the three continued to walk down the flooded path of the forest as Vice asked the man what his of any goals he had that the Akatsuki could assist him with. The man mentioned a scroll in Rain Country that has been around since the ancestors. Kuro knew of such a scroll.

“I think I know the scroll you speak of, it’s the demonic artifact of Rain Country, correct?” Kuro asked the man.

An'baraks eyes lit up as the Utopia devotee asked him whether or not the artifact he sought was the demonic artifact of the rain country. As the words exited his mouth, An'barak tensed with excitement. That had to be it! He knew this dark land didn't have terribly many valuable demonic artifacts, what else could it be? And this man he had so rudely called a fucktard earlier seemed to know of its location. Despite the fact that he was blinded by his passion, if it could be called that, for an ideal world, this fellow may pherhaps not be completely useless. A sly grin slipped over An'baraks features, as his sandals clapped through puddles while he approached His new colleague. He pushed his cloak aside, revealing his undershirt, and offering a slight bow to the man, proffering a skinny hand for Kuro to shake. "I don't think We've met." Said An'barak, grinning All the while. "My name is An'barak, An'barak Unthor." he tried to appear as friendly and amiable as possible. It wouldn't due to get off on a bad foot with his new comrade in arms... Especially given that this man knew the location of the Scroll. If anything An'barak may need to use Kuro to his own ends in the future as well, despite the mans dog-like obedience to Vice and his 'cause' "I do believe the artifact you're mentioning may indeed be what i seek. I do apologize for more earlier rudeness, but seeing as we're now comrades-in-arms I would be most obliged if you would be so kind as tell me what you know of it, or indeed, if possible, where I might find it." He let a warm smile linger over his featuers, and indeed it was genuine, but not to please Kuro. Well hidden behind that smile was An'baraks greed for ever more demonic power, and the implications that finding this scroll meant. One day, He promised himself, he would become strong enough to break free of this little organization... One day.

Hmm...

It was interesting just to see how quickly ones disposition changed. Infact, it would seem as thought the man was presenting something of a facade, as Vice had though. Perhaps it was just the natural paranoid state of a shinobi, but his keen instincts coupled with his insite and knowledge into the unconcious stimulous of physical properties told him that he was most likely right. This man most likely wasn't completely commited to the idea of being in the Akatsuki, but there was more then one way to tame a beast...

He was a man that looked for power, and where power is found, more is wanted. What would he do with power but attempt to gain more? It was the rule of tyrants, that unless you could continue to build upon your own empire it will eventually collapse. Soon, this man would be a victim of such a rule, should his greed and ambition slowly grow within him, and the Akatsuki would be the only solution to his problems; the Akatsuki would be the only resource in which he could gain more power, and that would be the common leash that would keep him teathered to the Akatsuki and it's cause...

"Well, As you can imagine, I have plenty to take care of elsewhere. Infact, not 15 minutes from now I have a meeting with the Caretakers of our soon to be HQ. Until then make yourself at home. Kuro, feel free to share any information you have with this man, and when our numbers are full, he will dispatch a team to locate this power you seek; for any strength you gain is strength for the Akatsuki. Once more, An'barak Unthor, I am Vice Nara, and it's good to have you. I'm sure that your investment will pay off many times overs in the near future.."

With that, Vice turned and in the same instance seemed to disappear into the shadows shifting else where, leaving the two individuals as he move to another point in space in the city so that he may conduct a meeting with a grand and still functioning building known as 'Silph Co.' He planned to use this as a base of opperation, and this was a long in the making process that would finally give him concrete roots here in the city of Amegakure. Things were slowly working themselves to a climax...

As soon as Kuro had mentioned that demonic artifact that man's facial expression changed immediately. This man was indeed greedy, he craved power more than anybody Kuro had ever seen, and Kuro has been part of a organization that has been seeking power for years. But was the intentions of this man threatening? Once he had all the power he needed, what was to say he wouldn't turn back to his natural instincts and betray the Akatsuki. Something Kuro and Vice would not take lightly.

The man approached Kuro, stepping in front of him and extending a hand, he offered a polite greeting along with an extended wet hand, waiting to be shaken. Kuro was not the rude kind, he grasped the skinny hand strongly with his muscular hand, shaking it gently. The man presented himself as An'barak Unthor. A rather unique name, it sounded almost decedent from an ancient clan. "Kuro Karite" he muttered back cautiously. He wasn't ready to reveal much to this man, he had traitor practically written across his forehead. He released the wet hand and quickly dried his hand off instead his pocket. Now he had the mans name.

The man continued to speak, saying that he believed Kuro spoke of the correct artifact and following it up with a apology for his rudeness earlier. The man was naive, did he think Kuro would not see through such greed? He asked what Kuro knew about the artifact and even better, if he knew its location.

Kuro glanced over at Vice for a short moment as the made a moment where they knew what each other were thinking. Vice began to speak once again, he mentioned his appointment with the agreement terms of the new Akatsuki base, which was located in Rain Country. Yes, Vice was a very persuasive and wise man, thy had been waiting for quiet some time to discuss an agreement with the 'Silph Co.' Caretakers and it seemed the opportunity had come.

Vice didn't have to say what he wanted, but Kuro knew that Vice wanted Kuro to continue escorting An'barak to his location before departure. Vice also gave Kuro permission to share any information about this artifact that he wished too, but what would Kuro want to share? Vice disappeared into the shadows, the usual dramatic entry and exit for the great Akatsuki Leader. Kuro began walking again, as they left the forest and began crossing the large mushy fields which were the last thing that lied between the two shinobi and the rest hut.

"So, you wish to know what information I have..... Well, I've been studying and researching this artifact to go with my collection of artifacts. It's not something I'm frequently doing, but its necessary insurance powers if the Akatsuki needs. This is only a minor artifact compared to the ones the akatsuki are hunting down. Apparently, it's somewhat of a key to the next major artifact, which is the main reason I'm tracking it down. I haven't gotten it's complete location as of yet, but no offense to you, if I would have figured out it's location. I would keep it classified only to myself and Vice, because once we find it, we can unlock an even larger power that will let us achieve our ultimate goal." Kuro spoke firmly yet respectfully, there was no need to begin another uncomfortable moment into this trip, the damp walking surface was enough to deal with.

"What do you know of this artifact?" Kuro asked, expecting a long and detailed answer, since he was so keen on it, he must of known a lot about it, and most likely was somewhat of a collector of powerful artifacts.

An’barak was surprised. He eyed kuro curiously, pondering the implications behind the man’s answer. Vice had given Kuro a direct order to inform An’barak of what he knew, but Kuro wasn’t being very compliant. He was trying to reserve as much from An’barak as he possibly could trying to make claims about the artifact being a stepping stone to a far more powerful item… And saying that Vice would be the only one he would ever inform of the Objects location… Pherhaps An’barak had underestimated this man, usually zealots like him were to blinded by loyalty to even considered doing anything to the contrary of what their leader had told them, but this one was thinking for himself… to an extent. Could it be that Kuro was already suspicious of An’barak? He hadn’t exactly been jumping for joy to join the akatsuki, it was true, but it almost appeared if Kuro could see the greed behind his excellent façade, a façade he had become VERY good at performing through the years. In that case, it would be wise of An’barak to find a way to win more of Kuro’s trust, else this fellow was useless to him. “Well, you seem a bit suspicious, my dear friend.” An’barak’s smile began to fade. “Though I was somewhat... coerced to join this organization, surely you must know you could never have even forced me if I hadn’t thought that the Akatsuki had some potential. Though it wasn’t my first choice, this situation may work out for the better, even I have to admit. And you and I both know I don’t have the power to break free of this organization, I’d be a dead man. So it would be in both of our best interests to help each other, given that I expect to be a member for quite some time, eh? If you still feel uncomfortable allow me to start.” He had known that the man was bluffing about the scroll to be a minor artifact used to find a better one, an item like the scroll did not serve anything similar to that purpose… Indeed if that was what this man was even reffering to.

“The artifact in question, Is an old scroll, from a time long past. It is an artifact of my clan, of a great shinobi named Gul’dan. Gul’dan was one of the greatest of our clan, but he crossed the boundraries of what mortals should do. He attained great power as an unthor, and wrote down many mighty jutsu, many of which were stored in my Clan’s library.” At this point An’barak removed a large tome from his knapsack, and wiped a bit of dust off the cover. The pages were crinkled yellow with age. He opened it, and displayed a page to Kuro, picturing a man with bright red eyes, his hands glowing with shadow energy. “To this day, this is the most accurate picture we have of Gul’dan.” To the side of the picture, was a scrabble of demonic lettering, an old language created by the founders of the Unthor clan, a language only an Unthor knew how to read. Conveniently, An’barak had exterminated the rest of the clan, so he was the only one left with the knowledge. “Gul’dan became obsessed with becoming a god, and wished to rule over this entire world. So, In his thirst for power, he used a ritual which has been lost to time, to summon a mighty demon, which he planned to kill, and capture his power, in order to seal it within himself. Indeed, had Gul’dan done as he planned, he might have succeded. However, during the ceremony, in his impatience, Gul’dan left several holes in his summoning ritual, and got more than he bargained for. A demon far beyond what he had anticipated emerged, and despite Gul’dans great power, it defeated him in one fell swoop. However, Gul’dan managed to force the demon back to its own world, and with his dying blood, created a scroll in which he detailed how to perform the summon properly, as he had spent many a year studying how to summon and control a greater demon. He wrote down his shortcomings, and what other similar powerseekers must do in order not to make his same mistake. He used his last breath, to cast the scroll through the dimensional planes, and supposedly it landed somewhere here, in the Rain Country.” An’barak shut the book, and replaced it in his knapsack. “That scroll is written in the language of old, a language passed down through the Unthor line. If you and I are thinking of the same thing, I am the only one who can decode it. As for it being a stepping stone to a greater artifact, fess up, Kuro, we both know that was your bluff. Any power I gain is power towards the akatsuki, Isn’t that right Kuro?” He smiled as he said this, knowing that he had Kuro caught, If Vice wanted the power of that scroll for his organization, An’barak was his only chance to read it, and indeed only An’barak knew how to meld the chakra’s in order to perform a summoning of that scale. “I have been studying the demonic Arts for quite some time, and believe that I would be capable of doing what Gul’dan failed to do. The demon summoned through the secrets contained within that scroll would be a great asset to not only my arsenal, but that of the Akatsuki as a whole. And that is what I have come here, to the rain country, to find.”

It seemed there was a spine in that skinny body, because An’barak had no problem in saying what he thought. He questioned Kuro of his suspicions towards him, which was true. The man was the traitor type as Kuro had stated earlier. An’barak continued to talk about his recent joining of the Akatsuki, trying to persuade Kuro that An’barak wouldn't be strong enough to flee the akatsuki even if he wanted, because he wouldn't be powerful enough to escape. But that's what all these artifacts were for, to increase his power and to eventually destroy anything that stood in his way of world domination and the Akatsuki was standing in his way. An’barak seemed to let what Kuro said fly straight over his head, he didn't seem to believe that this scroll was a key to a stronger more powerful line of artifacts, it seemed that An’barak hadn't studied this artifact as thoroughly as Kuro had. After all the only purpose for this artifact in Kuro's view was to discover stronger powers.

An’barak began a long and detailed back story about this scroll, reading from a old book he had pulled from his satchel. The skinny man picked up a dusty page and showed it to Kuro, it was a photo of the person who made this scroll, a elder from An’barak's clan, Gul’dan Unthor. An’barak seemed to be quiet intrigued by the back story, since it involved world domination and large amounts of powers. As he continued to explain the history of the scroll to Kuro, Kuro remained quiet un-impressed and unfazed of what An’barak was speaking about. An’barak closed the book with a thud and placed it back into his satchel. He then began continuing to explain to Kuro that it was written in an old ancient language, which Kuro already had known. But the next words that came out of mouth put all the pieces of the puzzle together. The scroll language was written from the Unthor clan and An’barak was the only one who would be able to decode it.

It all made sense, Kuro questioned why Vice wanted this pathetic man in the Akatsuki. He was just a tool in order to decode the scroll needed. After that, An’barak would have no more use for the akatsuki. But Vice and Kuro would have to be cautious, because during such a decoding An’barak could betray them and summon the ultimate beast, which is exactly Kuro and Vice don't want to happen.

An’barak told Kuro to fess up, telling him that he knew Kuro didn't share everything he knew about the demonic scroll. An’barak told Kuro that any power that An’barak gained was power for the akatsuki. That smart ass attitude had returned. But Kuro would not respond to such immaturity, especially since An’barak was so misguided on his purpose in the Akatsuki. An’barak smiled feeling that he had caught out Kuro. The skinny structured man began one last persuasion attempt, telling Kuro that this demon was a valuable asset for the Akatsuki. But he still was so misguided.

"I now see what skills you have that is valuable to Vice, you will be held closely to him, for your skills are rather vital for us to achieve what we wish to achieve." Kuro spoke kindly, but was stretching the truth, making An’barak sound more important than he actually was. "An’barak, there is not much more for me to share with you, you seem to know more than I do, besides the location, which I have yet to find out, I have only managed to narrow it down to the North Eastern directions of the country, it's possibly sealed in one of the ancient mines, but they are almost impossible to enter due to how unstable they are, a difficult task even for the best of shinobi." Kuro explained.

An’barak eyed the man curiously throughout his whole explanation about Gul’dan. It seemed that the man was totally bored with what he was saying… And obviously Kuro still didn’t trust An’barak in the least. An’barak didn’t understand why not, his reasons were for staying in the akatsuki were reasonable enough, but this fellow just didn’t seem to buy it. However, An’barak noticed with great interest, that Kuro immediately reacted to what An’barak had said about himself being the only one left in the world capable of decoding this scroll. After those words emitted form An’baraks mouth, Kuro seemed like a different person, and Immediately began pouring unnecessary compliments upon a man who just moments earlier he had totally distrusted. He even quite happily revealed where An’barak might find the scroll, now that An’barak had mentioned he would be the only one who could read it. So, this man clearly underestimated him, An’barak mused. So be it, Kuro would find that underestimating An’barak was a fatal mistake. The hokage had made the same mistake, and now several squads of Anbu were dead due to The Hokage’s misjudgment. Kuro obviously believed that An’baraks sole value to the akatsuki was his ability to decode the scroll, and that that knowledge was the only reason An’barak was an asset. He truly had no idea just what An’barak was capable of, it was apparent. However, An’barak decided to play along… At least a little. He rubbed his chin with his long fingers, replying to Kuro’s information. “I see. In the bottom of an abandoned mine you say, and it would be a difficult task for even the best of shinobi to retrieve. Well then.” He said grinning. “Looks like I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.” His hands then burst into motion, weaving handsigns faster than any normal eyes could see. After the 18th sign, he performed his technique. Behind him, dark claws of pure shadow energy appeared, and grasped onto the air, and began ripping the very fabric of the world around them, tugging at the dimensional barrier. A dark crack appeared, which was then rapidly yanked open to an enormous rift, crackling with volatile shadow energy. “You’ll find I’m good at things other than translating, my dear compatriot.” An’barak said in an icy voice, being perfectly clear on what he was implying. He knew Kuro wasn’t stupid, and that the man should understand the message. Through this dark void, came forth a creature of pure darkness. It looked like a blob of shadow energy at first, filled with dark blues, purples and blacks. Its eyes glowed with pure black demonic energy, sending of trails of chakra into the air. However, it gradually began to morph its form into a more humanoid appearance, sprouting a pair of thick arms, And leaning its eyes forward to form something that look like a misconstrued hunchback, with no clear lines defining its shape. “A voidwalker, a creature of pure darkness, one of my personal minions.” An’barak said smiling at Kuro, before turning to relay his orders to the now 7 foot tall creature. “Yesss Masterrr?” It asked in a cracking bass voice, it did not talk often, and so was unused to using its powers of speech. “To the northeast of here, a greatways, you should find an Abandoned mine. In this mine there is a demonic scroll of great value to me, Retrieve it, and return to me immeadiatley.” The demon processed the command for a moment, before replying “Asss You wisssh..” It then burst into motion, gliding across the surface of the ground at a remarkably fast rate, indeed faster then most shinobi could move. “He should be back in a few hours. He travels quite quickly, and is very efficient at his work. Now then, do tell me about the other artifacts you hope to acquire through this school, after all now that we are colleagues, I think I ought to know what exactly you need me to translate this scroll for, hmm?”

Spoiler:

The power of this man was large, but Kuro was not fazed, even once he rattled off eighteen hand signs and summoned a great demonic minion. This must be what An’barak seeked, more of these creatures. He really was a great asset for the Akatsuki, An’barak alone could most likely overrun some of the minor villages with help of these demons. Hopefully one day, all the akatsuki will gather and overtake Konoha, this would be no easy task. But with Kuro's abilities and now An’barak's demonic powers, the Akatsuki would be supreme rulers of the world.

An’barak commanded the demon to head to the abandoned mine and track down the artifact, and it did what its master asked, speeding off through the fields in a flash. "I like that way you act upon this information so quickly, but chances are even your minion won't make it through the mines, I've sent many expendable minion shinobi into the mines all have been killed and it's not certain that the scroll is in there, it is just a large chance, I do hope your friend will find what we are looking for." Kuro said as they continued walking.

An’barak asked of these other artifacts that held great power. Kuro had nothing to hide, as An’barak stated, he was now apart of the Akatsuki, but all of Kuro's trust still must be earned. "Well, I do not have the full insight, Vice knows more than I do, but I know information being his sort of right hand man. There are about a dozen of these artifacts, that hold powers stronger than many shinobi. Once somebody holds all of the artifacts, they become immortal or something along those lines, turning into an unbeatable opponent. Vice and I hope to track down this power and fuse it into one of us. Together, with the akatsuki, we will rule the world. All that defy us shall die, with your help this goal can be achieved and you will be known as a mortal god!

Kuro approached the cabin where they would rest until An’barak's demonic minion would return, if it did... He swung the door open as the gust of wind blew in, they entered and Kuro shut the door, locking it behind them so the powerful wind wouldn't push through. [b]"This cabin is rather luxurious, so the Akatsuki decided we wanted to overtake it, easy business." Kuro explained as he ignited the fire place. Everything heated up as Kuro placed his umbrella near the door and removed his soggy sandals. He then sat in front of the fire place and began to relax as his feet dried off and he warmed up.

They trudged through the rest of the rainy city, heading towards a place where they would take up lodgings. Meanwhile, An’barak let a smile loom on his features, as the two men walked side by side. He knew that the voidwalker was the perfect creature to infiltrate a collapsing mine. It was a creature made of pure shadow energy. As such, it was incredibly durable, and incredibly flexible. It could be crushed under a mountain of rubble, and revert itself to an almost liquid state, and easily seep out from the fallen rocks. Unless there was an army of Shinobi waiting there for it, An’barak had no doubt his voidwalker would succeed. “Fear not. I find demons to be… more reliable than any shinobi minion counterpart. No matter how great a shinobi you are, there is always a demon stronger, smarter, and more powerful than you are.” A small smile lingered on his features as he said this, he had never said such a thing to anyone before, but he rather liked the ring it had. One that would intimidate, and at impress others, while perhaps even piquing their interest. He would remember that phrase for later. Finally, they came to the outskirts of the metropolis, where Kuro lead them into a small cabin, and lit a fire. Though An’barak admired this countries dark nature, he was grateful for the warmth, it gave him a chance to pause and dry off. He unfastened his cloak, throwing it on the ground before the fire. Kuro began explaining to him about the nature of the artifacts the akatsuki was after, how they all contained vast power… And when gathered together the ability to make one immortal. An’baraks eyebrows shot up. He somewhat doubted the truth of this last statement… But if it were so, he would absolutely have to prevent Vice… or Kuro, from gaining this trait… It would make An’barak a slave up until his death. A part of him wanted to attain such immortality for himself, but he knew that that was out of the question at least for now. However, all of this went through his brain silently. He had to make sure Kuro wasn’t able to read him, not this time. He kept his face towards the fire, making sure his face remained passive, if slightly interested in what Kuro was saying. Even his eyes would tell the man nothing. “I see.” An’barak said in a calm voice. “A fine quest you have there. However… I am afraid you will be… disappointed with the results the scroll provides. Gul’dan lusted for a power different from what you are after, and indeed I doubt he would have taken the time to use his dying breath to write about such a thing… It might, but don’t be too disappointed with the results.” After he had sufficiently dried off, An’barak stood up, and moved over to a nearby sofa. “Speaking of Which, that minion of mine should be returning within an hour or so."

~~~ In the Mines~~~

The voidwalker sped through the dark, dank mines. He liked this place, it reminded him of his home realm, and his eyes were accustomed to the darkness. He had slunk under one cave in already, and was at least 500 feet underground by now. He remained focused on his goal. The jutsu An’barak used to control his demonic minions was powerful, and thus, even at this range, on a lesser minion like the voidwalker, An’barak had total domination of its mind. At last, it began to see some signs of its goal. The stones, deep within the mine, began changing from gray, to more demonic hues. A good sign. It followed the corridor, full of blood red rocks, and black shifting shadows which cast their own dark light. Following this path for about a half mile, it began to feel even more at home…. And then, it entered a cavern. In this hollowed out area of the mine, there were dead bodies scattered everywhere, dozens of them. The scroll obviously had a powerful enchantment…. A haunting purple light glowed around the artifact, in the form of a barrier. The demon noticed a similar barrier on the door he had just entered. The voidwalker wasn’t terribly intelligent, and didn’t care to pay attention to this, but he didn’t realize that the entire chamber was rigged to massacre any who entered, a protection set up by Gul’dan no doubt, in the Unthors final moments. However, the exception was those who possessed similar shadowy, demonic chakra, were completely untouched by the spell, in order to make sure the scroll fell into the right hands: the hands of someone of Gul’dans bloodline. The voidwalker shifted over to the scrolls pedestal, and reached its hand through the barrier to reach the scroll, which provided no resistance whatsoever, indeed it seemed to almost embrace the creatures dark touch. He then pulled it out, also with no resistance, but then the rocks on the walls began to shake… And the cavern began to echo a deep laughter. A Dark vortex of energy opened up at the doorway, a portal, similar to the one An’barak had used to someone the voidwalker to this realm in the first place. However, this one was a transportation method through the dimensions, rather than an access point. The voidwalker moved through it, the scroll in its clutch, and then immediately found himself on the outside of the mine. Just in time, it turned and watched the mine collapse, the dark laughter still echoing out of the entry way. A black light seemed to come from the depths of the mine, before the entrance collapsed completely, and the mine was forever shut. However, the voidwalker wasn’t there to see this grand finish. It was already traveling, as fast as it could, over the marshlands of kiriagakure, heading back towards the beacon that was his masters chakra.
~~~ Back at the cabin ~~~
Roughly 50 minutes had passed since An’barak and Kuro had last spoken. Both of them were waiting patiently, for the return of An’baraks minion. It should be anytime now, thought An’barak. He then felt a slight pulse of a chakra… The voidwalker was near… Indeed it should be returning any minute now. He immediately stood up, and walked over towards the door, calling over to Kuro. “Its almost here, and I would assume with the scroll. Unlike shinobi, these creatures won’t return unless they have completed their assignment." An’barak opened the door, and squinted out into the pouring rain. Just barely, he could make out a black blob, one that rapidly moved closer to the cabin. In less than a minute, the voidwalker was at the front steps, where the dark blob of shadow energy slowed its motion, and began gliding up the steps at a reasonably slow pace. It held out its pudgy, shadowy hands, revealing a thick, large scroll, that was completely black. “Masssteerrr… The scroll.” An’barak felt a twinge of excitement: the demonic chakra emanating from the scroll was almost visible, it was so intense. This had to be it! The scroll of Gul’dan. An’barak took it in his hands, half expecting it to explode, but nothing happened. “Thank you, you may return home now.” The void walker bowed, and then dispersed, the shadow energy that created it scattering through the dimensions. Unlike when they were summoned, when they were dismissed demons did not need to have a second portal opened by An’barak, they could do it on their own. He turned to Kuro, holding the scroll carefully in both hands. “Well then, it would appear my little friend was successful, wouldn’t you agree?” An’barak asked, a large grin plastered on his face.

Kuro warmed up in front of the fire place, closing his eyes, relaxing and beginning to go into a mediation trance. He calmed his chakra as An’barak began to speak, telling Kuro of the chances that this scroll being a key to another set or artifacts was possibly false. Kuro knew this, rumors he had heard in the past were false, but he knew some day he would find the artifacts for the Akatsuki and use them to make this world a better place. Kuro decided to lay back and rest his back which had been in the oddest of postures for a long time now. The big thick rug before the fire felt like a bed almost, surprisingly comfortable.

An hour went by and Kuro and An’barak didn't speak to each other often. Kuro himself did multiple activities to kill some time, including reading a book, preparing future Akatsuki moves in a notepad, drawing a new weapon that he planned to get built for himself soon and finally day dreaming of his goals. Time moved by quickly before An’barak spoke again, telling Kuro that his minion approached again. An’barak opened the door as a gust of wind flew through the house, flickering the flames in the fireplace, but it was too guarded to yet be put out. An’barak looked out into the heavy rain for his minion. Kuro stretched his legs and stood up, then stretching his arms and back, he had a good rest it wasn't often he got to relax like he just did. The minion approached the door and spoke to An’barak, giving him the scroll. It seemed An’barak was right, the minion was successful. An’barak told the minion to return to it's 'home'

An’barak turned to Kuro and shut the door, the skinny man seemed to have the scroll securely, a quick success. A large grin crossed the man's face and Kuro decided to go have a look. He started doubting the rumors. He looked at the scroll that was securely in An’barak's hands, it didn't seem anything like the scroll Kuro was looking for. "Demonic indeed, but not the artifact I was looking for, though my sources of the scroll were correct, seems it was a wrong scroll." Kuro cringed a little, but he was not too concerned.

He looked up at An’barak making eye contact. "The scroll is yours, do what you please with it, but you mentioned a demonic summon. Do not summon it here yet. He do not need our shelter being destroyed, once you find a private open area, you can summon it then. But be careful, you are too valuable for us to loose." Kuro said. He was telling the truth, he knew that Vice would want An’barak around to translate other artifacts in the future, not to mention An’barak's abilities were great also, he would help in the conquest of the world eventually, as long as An’barak wouldn't deceive that akatsuki, which would be a fatal result from the skinny lad in the end, it seemed like everything was coming together.

"What now, he have got what he have needed for now and you seem satisfied, what plans do we have now? After a brief pause, Kuro remembered what he had to do if he found An’barak truly fit for the Akatsuki. He walked over to his small backpack and pulled out a nicely folded akatsuki cloak. He unfolded it and let it fall down into size. This jacket was a bit skinnier than the other akatsuki jackets, but it would keep An’barak warm none the less.

"Vice told me to give you this once I had decided whether you were truly fit, I guess it's official now." Kuro said handing An’barak the cloak.