Obito seemed to recall something. That man's wanton smile and the sorrowful face of his beloved woman surfaced once again in the depths of his heart.
The pain made Obito's heart seize. The winds of hell blew once more through his hollow soul—ruthless and cold.
Watching Obito suddenly clutch his chest, Nagato realized that the white-masked man before him also possessed a painful past.
"Madara Uchiha... is it?" Nagato murmured in his heart.
It was said that Madara Uchiha was killed by his best friend, Hashirama Senju. For him to have dragged out his existence until now, perhaps he was reminiscing about those days.
"Unless accompanied by pain, one cannot understand the taste of reality. You have already experienced pain, Nagato. With your Rinnegan, you should be able to see the truth of this world clearly now."
Obito's emotions gradually stabilized.
Once he finished handling matters here, he would return to Konohagakure. He wouldn't kill Shimizu yet. He wanted Shimizu to experience something more painful than death. He would let him drown in a false world; only Shimizu was unworthy of seeking truth within the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
He would leave him alone, guarding falsehoods, experiencing falsehoods, forever exiled to a world of lies. Being unable to see the truth would be the greatest punishment. Then, in his moment of deepest despair, he would grant him the mercy of death.
The corners of Obito's mouth curled into a vengeful smile. Live on alone and hideously, Shimizu Uchiha.
"I need to consider it."
"I await your good news. I will always welcome you to join us, Nagato."
Ripples surged from Obito's body as he dissolved into the spiraling distortions of a vortex.
Nagato did not reject Obito as he had the last time. In his heart, he was already beginning to agree with Obito's words. But Yahiko would never agree to such a view. Therefore, Nagato hesitated.
He returned to the base beneath the ruins, looking at the scene inside, ripples of thought stirring in his mind. Under the dim lights, the comrades who could still move were busily shuttling between the wounded, feeding them.
The atmosphere inside was oppressive; everyone's nerves were taut, their expressions tense, as if the entire base were shrouded in an invisible shadow. Even the ninja who could barely stand wore grave expressions, silently guarding the perimeter.
"I finally understand," Nagato said suddenly.
Looking at his comrades before him—people struggling for peace—they were undoubtedly the kindest of people, a group of innocent and lovely souls. Hanzō of the Salamander, who styled himself a hero, purged this group simply because their growth might threaten his rule over Amegakure. He disregarded the current turbulence of Rain society and the suffering of the people.
All Hanzō wanted was his own selfish desires.
"Nagato, what do you understand?" Konan felt a vague sense of unease.
She could sense a strange chakra fluctuation responding from the perimeter earlier. Its owner seemed to have spoken with Nagato before quickly using an unknown jutsu to leave.
All the comrades who were still conscious looked at Nagato in confusion, as if asking what he had understood.
"I understand what is right and what is wrong."
Nagato glanced at Yahiko, who was burning with a high fever. His former smile was gone, leaving only the torture of illness. And then there was Konan, whose heart was entirely hung on Yahiko, worrying for him.
Memories of the three of them spending day and night together wound around Nagato's heart. Nagato reached out, looking down at his palm where Konan's warmth still faintly lingered. It was from when Konan had held his hand to comfort him some time ago.
He... finally understood the true meaning of Obito's words.
This is a false world.
"To protect love, hatred is born."
"In this cursed world, true peace does not exist!"
"Only when those people feel pain, experience pain, accept pain, and understand pain, can they pursue peace, understand peace, and accept peace!"
Nagato's words carried a trace of fanaticism. He was not someone good at expressing himself. But when he did, the emotions harbored within were often far richer than those of ordinary people.
The surviving comrades heard Nagato's words and fell into a brief silence.
"We believe in you, Nagato! Your Rinnegan is the symbol of the Sage of Six Paths incarnate; you will inevitably achieve success!"
Some members of the Akatsuki, who were still brooding over the deaths of their comrades, immediately raised their arms and shouted. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
"Nagato, we..."
Kyūsuke, having been influenced by Yahiko, had always belonged to the dove faction. He felt Nagato was becoming a bit extreme now. When Yahiko woke up, he would absolutely not agree with this opinion. He wanted to persuade Nagato, but upon being glared at by the Rinnegan—eyes deep as an abyss and terrifying as hell—cold sweat broke out densely on his back, and the words blocked his throat, unable to be spoken.
Kyūsuke suddenly realized that none of them truly knew Nagato. Could a man with the Rinnegan truly have thoughts as gentle as he usually appeared?
"Nagato!"
This time, the voice came from Konan.
Nagato did not glare at Konan. He simply said, "Until Yahiko wakes up, I am the acting leader. Furthermore, Konan, go find Shimizu Uchiha again. I want him to continue providing us with aid, otherwise..."
Nagato did not finish his final sentence and walked straight out of the ruins.
The arrival of peace would be accompanied by darkness. He did not wish to commit acts of ingratitude, but if it involved peace, he could resolve himself to shoulder that darkness.
Now, Nagato was going to collect intact corpses to create puppets. Their name would be the Six Paths of Pain!
Watching Nagato's receding figure, Konan's amber eyes instantly grew wet. During this time, she had appeared calm and composed. But her pressure was actually the greatest.
She was the only woman in the Akatsuki. In an organization full of men, she usually had to be careful to maintain her words and actions. In such an environment, she also had to accept Shimizu's pressure.
If she didn't let Shimizu take advantage of her, the Akatsuki would receive no aid from him. If she paid the price, it was unfair to the one she loved. If she didn't go, she would be disregarding these comrades.
"Konan, Nagato definitely spoke out of anger just now," Kyūsuke said, immediately going to comfort the goddess as he saw she was on the verge of tears.
He had confessed to Konan in the past but was rejected with the excuse that she wouldn't discuss romance until peace arrived. Even so, he still couldn't bear to see Konan sad.
"It's fine, it's fine... Kyūsuke, I want to be alone for a while. Watch over Yahiko for me."
"Okay."
Seeing Konan speak like this, Kyūsuke had no choice but to listen. Sometimes, one really did need quiet.
Konan also left the area. She went to a corner of the ruins outside, squatting down and hugging her legs, looking blankly at the heavy rain falling from the sky.
Wandering alone since childhood, Konan understood many things; she was not a greenhouse flower who knew nothing. Even so, in the dark dye vat that was the Land of Rain, she maintained her purity because she held a piece of pure land in her heart.
Yahiko.
Konan took out a handmade piece of thick origami paper tucked in her chest. Gently unfolding the folded paper, a tattered pressed flower appeared. The edges of the petals had turned coffee-colored, and the flower itself had yellowed.
She gazed quietly at the pressed flower, as if this could alleviate the pain in her heart.
Splash.
A figure appeared behind Konan.
Nagato was carrying the corpses of several unknown ninja on his shoulder.
"Nagato, you...?" Konan was confused, not knowing what Nagato was doing.
Nagato did not explain to Konan. He merely stated once more, "Remember to go find Shimizu Uchiha."
Nagato turned and walked into the heavy rain, leaving Konan dazed and alone, looking at the pressed flower in her hand.
"Miss Konan, it is currently noon. Coming to my place at this hour... I don't have anything good to eat."
Shimizu stuffed a soldier pill into his mouth.
Konan stood in front of him, near the door.
"Nagato asked me to come and have a chat with you."
Konan's tone was cold. Without waiting for Shimizu's consent, she walked into his room and knelt on the tatami. It was the same spot as yesterday, and the same posture.
Shimizu raised an eyebrow and sat down as well.
"Nagato asked me to notify you to continue providing us with aid. Otherwise, if necessary, force will be used against you."
Konan's face was cold, as if stating a fact.
"Is this how you treat your benefactors? Right now, the entire Land of Rain is filled with bounties on your heads. I didn't expose your intelligence to claim the reward, yet you come to threaten me?" Shimizu sneered.
Hearing this, a trace of unbearable guilt flashed across Konan's face. To be called an angel, the kindness in her heart was far greater than others. Such behavior was, without a doubt, biting the hand that fed them.
But she had no choice. Yahiko was running a high fever, and Nagato was becoming increasingly extreme and paranoid. Other members were solely focused on revenge; comrades who didn't want revenge were even being called traitors.
"I'm sorry."
Konan felt Shimizu was scum, yet she still offered a sincere apology. She spoke the apologetic words with a cold face.
"Does a simple 'I'm sorry' finish it?" Shimizu shook his head. "I don't know where you get the confidence to think you have me cornered. Let me put it this way: I am a Body Flicker user, and I am not a citizen of the Land of Rain. You can't keep me here. I can return to the Land of Fire whenever I want. Or do you think you can confront Konohagakure head-on?"
Hearing this, Konan's beautiful face showed slight hesitation. She had witnessed Nagato summoning the Gedo Statue; that power was a peerless weapon, ruthlessly harvesting lives. But she didn't feel they could contend with Konoha, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Konoha's prestige had been accumulated for a long time and was deeply planted in Konan's heart. At the very least, Nagato's current strength was not enough.
"I might as well tell you, Nagato's power has massive side effects. After using it, he turned into that half-dead, skeletal wreck he is now. Guess what? If he uses it too much, will his life be in danger? And how many more times can he use it?"
Shimizu crossed his arms, speaking with absolute fearlessness. Regardless of whether the information was true, his attitude had to be convincing.
"Nagato..." Konan's eyes widened slightly.
She dared to convey the threat to Shimizu because she believed in Nagato's power. But anyone could see the ghostly state Nagato had fallen into after using the Gedo Statue.
"Also, regarding Yahiko's injury... unless you can find Tsunade, no one can heal Yahiko's chakra pathway system," Shimizu said decisively.
He had only adjusted the position slightly so Yahiko didn't die immediately. In the original story, that injury directly killed a ninja. It was enough to show how critical the area stabbed by the kunai was—near the heart, where the largest chakra points and pathway systems were located. Once destroyed, it was a devastating injury for a ninja.
Konan remained silent. Tsunade was also from Konoha. How could she possibly come to treat Yahiko? She was a figure even harder to invite than Shimizu—one of the legendary Sannin, and a princess of noble bloodline. The prestige of her grandfather, the God of Shinobi, still thundered like lightning; even decades after his death, the ninja world still spoke of him.
"We... can talk about this further."
Konan's momentum weakened significantly, no longer holding the winning hand she had moments ago. Her tense, beautiful face could no longer maintain its cold expression and softened considerably.
"You threaten when you want to threaten, and stop when you don't. Your Akatsuki really has a lot of face." There was a trace of sarcasm in Shimizu's tone.
"Apologies," Konan whispered again, her voice revealing helplessness.
Shimizu's lips curled into a smile, and a hint of crimson flashed in his eyes as he spoke. "You don't want Nagato to die from the backlash of that power, nor do you want Yahiko to become an ordinary person who can be bullied by anyone, unable to ever realize his ideals, right?"
Konan's heart tightened. Nagato's body was already overburdened; if this continued, the power of the Rinnegan might take his life. She couldn't let Nagato die like this, nor could she let Yahiko's dream be shattered, and she certainly couldn't let their sacrifices for the Akatsuki turn to bubbles.
Watching Konan's somewhat panicked expression, Shimizu knocked on the glass table with satisfaction, quietly admiring the beauty's posture. With just a few words, the initiative had shifted from Konan to him.
"This weather is quite hot, isn't it?"
Shimizu's words made Konan pause slightly. She subconsciously looked out the window; the rain was pouring down heavily. It was clearly cool weather, so how could it be hot?
Immediately, Konan understood Shimizu's meaning. It was because of that gaze—a gaze that seemed to be interrogating her. It was simply like examining a prisoner.
Konan clenched her hands, her fingernails digging tightly into her flesh, turning her knuckles white. She hated this look.
"Yes, the weather really is hot. I need to cool down."
Konan took a deep breath and forced a smile. Trembling, she removed the black cloak. This robe was the Akatsuki uniform, usually used as a cloak. Generally, one would wear clothes underneath, either chainmail or a short-sleeved shirt.
She placed the robe on the tatami beside her, revealing the ninja combat gear hidden beneath the black cloak. She felt uncomfortable all over, kneeling there awkwardly. But for Nagato and Yahiko, even when faced with Shimizu's aggressive gaze, Konan did not retreat.
"Mm, not bad. I'm thirsty."
Konan froze again upon hearing this. Shimizu always said irrelevant things, and she had to carefully figure out the meaning within, which was exhausting.
She looked around and finally fixed her eyes on the empty teacup on the table. The kitchen door was half-open, and a pack of expensive tea leaves sat on the stove.
"I will... go make tea for you."
Konan hurriedly stood up, took the empty teacup from the table, and went into the kitchen to brew tea.
Moments later, Konan brought out a cup of steaming hot tea. She placed the cup on the table.
Shimizu did not move.
Konan bit her bright red lip, her body leaning slightly forward. Shimizu sat to the north, while she was to the west; the two were not sitting directly opposite each other. The result was that Shimizu could see some of the scenery from the side.
"Oh my, it's a bit hot. Help me blow on it. By the way, Miss Konan, do you usually dress like this in the Akatsuki?"
"Of... of course not!"
Konan was trembling with anger. She had simply left in a hurry and didn't grab many clothes, so she was making do with this outfit. Even so, she strictly used the heavy black robe to cover herself to avoid being seen by others. aside from Shimizu, not even Yahiko had seen this!
She never imagined that, in the end, Shimizu Uchiha would be the one to benefit.
"Oh, is that so."
Shimizu looked as if he had suddenly realized something. He quietly admired Konan's movements as she blew on the tea.
Steam drifted through the room. Every time Konan's small, rosy mouth opened and closed to blow the temperature of the tea lower, her movements became more pronounced.
Hearts swayed as a result. Especially the heart seen from the side—it was seen even more clearly.
Hmph.
Konan gave a small, cold snort in her heart, only able to comfort herself that Shimizu couldn't see anything. In fact, that was true; he couldn't see any critical spring scenery. But at close range, Shimizu could smell the fragrance on Konan's body—a fresh and elegant floral scent, like the air after rain, gladdening the heart and refreshing the mind.
Shimizu's gaze wandered over Konan. He could sense that fragrance emanating from her hair, drifting faintly in the air with her movements. Every breath Konan took seemed to carry this scent, filling the entire room with that elegant aroma.
"Here."
Konan finally blew the tea until it was cooler and handed it to Shimizu.
"For me?"
"...Please drink."
Konan spat out the two words, feeling agonizingly tormented.
"Mm, not bad."
Shimizu took the tea and took a sip.
"Miss Konan is quite skilled, isn't she? In this aspect."
"What do you mean?"
Konan's expression shifted slightly. Shimizu was simply insulting her directly. Skilled at what? Taking off clothes and then diligently serving tea?
Konan wished she could turn her palm into a paper blade and split Shimizu in half. How could there be such scum? Did he have any respect for women?
"Alright, here are the new supplies. Remember to bring money next time; I'll give them to you at market price."
Shimizu tossed out a sealing scroll and added, "I'll give it to you this time as well. I'll give you time to gather funds—put it on your tab for now."
Looking at the sealing scroll thrown into her hand, Konan suspected she had heard wrong. She had sacrificed so much, and Shimizu only gave a few things? He wasn't going back to the Akatsuki organization with her?
"Alright, don't catch a cold, Miss Konan. Why are you standing there in a daze? You can leave now. Or do you feel like you want me to keep looking at you in that state?"
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