"I will perform emergency treatment for you first."
Kitazawa stepped forward and extended his hand. Pale green medical Chakra surged outward, enveloping Nagato's frail body.
"I don't understand… Why didn't you kill me?"
Nagato felt warmth spreading through his limbs. His breathing stabilized, and his voice was no longer as broken as before.
"I didn't kill you because you are valuable by nature." Kitazawa paused slightly. "Or rather, not just you. The other members of the Akatsuki Organization also hold considerable value."
"What value?" Nagato frowned. "With your strength, do you still need the Akatsuki Organization?"
"I cannot handle everything alone," Kitazawa replied calmly.
"What do you want us to do?" Nagato asked, his tone becoming thoughtful.
"The most urgent matter right now is to help me capture Black Zetsu," Kitazawa said with a faint smile.
"You actually know of Black Zetsu's existence?" Nagato could not hide his surprise.
Zetsu was divided into White Zetsu and Black Zetsu.
But only White Zetsu had ever acted openly. Black Zetsu had never revealed itself before others.
Konan also looked at Kitazawa with quiet astonishment. Though she understood his nature at its core, she realized she still did not fully know him.
"I know more than you imagine." Kitazawa withdrew his hand.
"There is nothing seriously wrong with your body. It was merely excessive Chakra consumption."
"Is there a way to recover?" Konan asked immediately.
"Severing your connection with the Gedo Mazo will allow you to recover slowly," Kitazawa answered after brief consideration.
"I cannot sever it." Nagato shook his head. "Unless I give up the Rinnegan."
"There is another method," Kitazawa added calmly. "The owner of the other pair of Rinnegan can seize control of the Gedo Mazo."
"There cannot be another pair of Rinnegan!" Nagato rejected the idea without hesitation. "These are the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths!"
"Since they are the Sage of Six Paths' eyes, how did you come to possess them?" Kitazawa followed the logic directly.
"I don't know." Nagato paused briefly.
"Perhaps this is the mission given to me by the Sage of Six Paths—to bring peace back to the Ninja World."
"You truly are… naive." Kitazawa looked at him quietly.
When one thought about it carefully, Nagato's fate was tragic.
He would have died without ever knowing that his Rinnegan originally belonged to Uchiha Madara.
"What do you mean?" Nagato frowned deeply.
"I already told you. Your Rinnegan is not yours." Kitazawa spoke plainly.
"That's impossible!" Nagato denied it instinctively.
If this were true, then the conviction he had upheld all these years would collapse into nothing.
His belief in being a god. His belief in peace. All of it would become a cruel joke.
"The Rinnegan is that powerful. Why would someone willingly give it to Nagato?" Konan asked in a steady voice.
"Since they were willing to give the Rinnegan to Nagato, it naturally involves an earth-shaking conspiracy."
Kitazawa's gaze rested on Nagato. "Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique."
Among all techniques, the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique was the only large-scale resurrection method.
At the cost of the caster's life, it could revive countless dead.
In the original story, Nagato had been moved by Uzumaki Naruto and used this technique to resurrect the people of Konoha.
"You mean… that person is already dead and wants me to use the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to revive him?"
Nagato quickly grasped the implication. "But I do not even know him. Why would he be so certain I would resurrect him?"
"Because Black Zetsu can control you," Kitazawa answered directly.
"It has that much ability?" Nagato's expression turned doubtful.
Konan, however, believed Kitazawa's words. She had never trusted Black Zetsu. Nor had she ever truly trusted Uchiha Madara.
"Who was the original owner of the Rinnegan?" Konan suddenly asked.
"It was Uchiha Madara," Kitazawa answered without hesitation.
"So it really was him…" Konan subconsciously looked toward Nagato.
Nagato's expression flickered uncertainly.
If Kitazawa's words were true, then many inconsistencies from the past suddenly made sense.
"I know that words alone are not proof." Kitazawa smiled faintly. "So I want the two of you to act out a play with me. We will lure Black Zetsu out."
This was the one-stone-two-birds plan he had devised.
First, reveal the truth to Nagato.
Second, force Black Zetsu out of hiding.
"Lure it out?" Nagato's brows knit together.
"Under normal circumstances, Black Zetsu would wait until all Nine Tailed Beasts are gathered before controlling you to use the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique."
Kitazawa paused slightly. "But what if you were about to die?"
Nagato understood immediately.
The "play" was simple.
He would suffer a crushing defeat during the Akatsuki Organization's assault on Konoha—perhaps even stage his death.
If the Rinnegan truly belonged to Uchiha Madara, then Black Zetsu and Uchiha Madara would never allow the eyes to fall into Kitazawa's hands.
They would definitely appear. Of course, the Uchiha Madara Nagato currently believed in was actually Uchiha Obito.
[Current Mission: Capture Black Zetsu.]
[Mission Reward: 40% Ōtsutsuki Clan Bloodline.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa felt a surge of joy in his heart as he saw the system prompt.
Combined with the 50% Ōtsutsuki Clan Bloodline he had previously obtained from integrating the Akatsuki Organization into Konoha, his Ōtsutsuki bloodline could reach 100%.
This Ōtsutsuki bloodline corresponded to the lineage of the moon branch. At 100%, he would be comparable to Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo and Ōtsutsuki Hamura.
Though still slightly below Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, the gap would not be great. After all, the two brothers together had once sealed her.
"We will discuss the rest after capturing Black Zetsu." Kitazawa returned to reality and spoke calmly.
Nagato nodded silently. Today's events were too shocking.
First, he had been utterly defeated. Then he learned that the Rinnegan he believed to be his destiny was never his to begin with.
"To prevent tomorrow's act from being exposed, I will supplement some of your Chakra first." Kitazawa took out the Raising Dragon Bow.
The Dragon Vein was sealed within it.
After a thousand years of accumulation, even after firing the World-Extinction Arrow twice, a tremendous amount of Chakra still remained.
"Thank you." Nagato now trusted him.
Kitazawa could have killed him at any moment. There was no need to go through such effort or reveal such truths.
"Thank you." Konan's voice was cool, but sincere.
"It's nothing." Kitazawa smiled lightly. "We both gain what we need."
Konan trembled slightly and lowered her head. She was already thinking about how she would repay him next time.
The Raising Dragon Bow trembled faintly.
A vast surge of Chakra poured into Nagato's body. The previously exhausted Nagato gradually regained strength.
"In addition, I also need to place a Sealing Technique within your Rinnegan." Kitazawa spoke calmly.
He was referring to the Transcription Seal.
The principle of the Transcription Seal was simple: embed a seal within a dōjutsu, set a specific trigger condition, and once that condition was fulfilled, the technique would activate automatically.
In the original history of the Ninja World, Uchiha Itachi had implanted Amaterasu into Sasuke's eyes. When triggered, it nearly burned Uchiha Obito to death.
Before the battle at the Valley of the End, Uchiha Madara had also implanted Izanagi into his own eye, allowing himself to escape certain death.
Kitazawa understood Black Zetsu's nature. But he did not yet know how to kill it permanently.
Since that was the case, he would rely on the most fundamental logic of the Ninja World—Sealing Techniques.
After all, even Ōtsutsuki Kaguya had ultimately been sealed.
"When Black Zetsu attempts to control you, the Sealing Technique inside your eyes will activate automatically," Kitazawa added in a steady tone.
Nagato did not hesitate for long before nodding in agreement.
The reasoning was simple.
If Kitazawa truly wished to kill him, there would be no need for such complicated arrangements.
Kitazawa withdrew the Raising Dragon Bow.
After brief contemplation, he carved four separate Sealing Techniques into Nagato's Rinnegan.
The Five Elements Seal. The Four Symbols Seal. The Eight Trigrams Seal. And the Self-Cursing Seal.
He did not aim to completely seal Black Zetsu.
That would be unrealistic. He only needed to delay it.
If he could restrain it for even a short time, that would be sufficient for him to arrive and reinforce the seal further.
"Then let us end things here for today. We will meet again in Konoha Village." Kitazawa glanced at Konan as he spoke.
"Our Akatsuki Organization will depart tomorrow and arrive at Konoha Village the morning after," Nagato answered after some thought.
"I will send people to intercept you before you reach the Forest of Death," Kitazawa replied casually.
Nagato would be dealt with by him personally.
The remaining members of the Akatsuki Organization would be handled by his students.
However, besides Nagato, there was another critical variable—Uchiha Obito. This time, Kitazawa intended to settle that matter as well.
Although Obito's Izanagi and Kamui were troublesome, with sufficient intelligence and preparation, he could be managed.
[Current Mission: Capture Uchiha Obito.]
[Mission Reward: Kamui.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa could not suppress a faint smile.
Kamui was a powerful ability. There was no reason not to accept.
After absorbing the Dragon Vein's Chakra, Nagato had largely returned to his condition before the battle.
He bade farewell to Kitazawa and departed alongside Konan.
[Current Mission: Defeat Nagato.]
[Mission Reward: Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan evolves into Rinnegan.]
[Host has completed the mission. Reward is being issued.]
Kitazawa remained standing where he was. Suddenly, an immense surge of information flooded his mind.
In a single instant, he mastered the Rinnegan and all of its associated techniques.
Shinra Tensei.
Banshō Tenin.
Planetary Devastation.
Blocking Technique Absorption Seal.
Soul Absorption Technique.
Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique.And many more.
At the same time, he vaguely sensed the presence of the Gedo Mazo somewhere in the distance.
Kitazawa understood instinctively that with a simple Summoning Technique, he could call it forth.
The only regret was that these Rinnegan possessed no unique ability of their own.
Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan granted him Limbo: Border Jail.
Uchiha Sasuke's Rinnegan granted him Amenotejikara.
Kitazawa suspected this functioned similarly to Mangekyō Sharingan abilities—unique dōjutsu obtained through circumstances or missions.
It was very possible that resurrecting Uchiha Madara through Edo Tensei would trigger a mission for Limbo: Border Jail.
But this remained speculation. He would only know once he obtained it.
Kitazawa raised his hand and looked toward a tree not far away.
Banshō Tenin. With a casual gesture, the tree was torn from the earth and pulled before him.
Shinra Tensei. An invisible repulsive force erupted outward, sending the tree flying away.
Kitazawa nodded faintly.
The Rinnegan's abilities were indeed formidable. More importantly, they were comprehensive.
Offense. Defense. Absorption. Interrogation. Resurrection. Few dōjutsu in existence could rival such versatility.
Flying Thunder God Technique. Kitazawa returned briefly to the Desert of Evil.
The Gedo Mazo had vanished, leaving only a scarred and broken landscape behind. With simple Wood Release, he repaired the terrain to an ordinary state.
His objective was straightforward: to delay discovery. He only needed to stall for two days.
Fortunately, neither Black Zetsu nor White Zetsu had appeared during the battle. That meant his plan remained intact.
Kitazawa returned to Konoha and sat within the Hokage's office chair, deep in thought.
The Akatsuki Organization had already lost several members because of him. Uchiha Itachi. Kakuzu. Sasori. Hidan. And others.
Yet the Gedo Mazo had successfully absorbed seven Tailed Beasts. That meant the organization must have replenished its ranks back to ten.
After all, the Phantom Dragons' Nine Consuming Seal functioned most efficiently with ten participants.
Though Kitazawa was unfamiliar with the identities of the new recruits, any individual chosen would at minimum possess Elite Jōnin-level strength.
Still, the core threats remained Nagato, Zetsu, Uchiha Obito, and Konan.
Konan would likely remain by Nagato's side to guard his true body. He could inquire further later.
Zetsu would not reveal itself prematurely.
As for Obito, he was unpredictable. Excluding those four, six Akatsuki members remained.
Kitazawa decided to select six graduates from the Genius Class to confront them. This would be their opportunity to rise to prominence.
His three direct students—Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hyuga Hinata—would accompany him personally.
The remaining three must also be formidable. After careful consideration, he chose Kurama Yakumo. Hyuga Neji. And Shino Aburame.
If one sought fame, one required witnesses.
Since the battlefield would be outside the Forest of Death, Konoha's shinobi could not remain uninvolved.
He would deploy Jōnin squads inside the Forest of Death under the guise of a conventional defensive strategy.
In truth, they would serve as observers.
Kitazawa withdrew a blank scroll and began writing names carefully upon it. After finishing, he called out.
"Haru."
"Hokage-sama." Haru appeared immediately.
"Inform the Jōnin listed here to gather in my office in half an hour."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." She accepted the scroll and departed.
Kitazawa tapped the desk lightly and suddenly thought of something. There was a reliable way to track Uchiha Obito.
Minato Namikaze.
Minato had once placed a Flying Thunder God Mark upon Obito. And the Flying Thunder God Mark was permanent.
If Minato's consciousness could identify it, Obito's location could be determined.
Coincidentally, a fragment of Minato's consciousness resided within Naruto's seal space.
At the time, Kitazawa had only intended to aid Naruto. He had not anticipated this additional advantage.
---
Half an hour passed swiftly.
A knock sounded at the door.
Jiraiya. Uchiha Fugaku. Hyuga Hiashi. Nara Shikaku. Kakashi Hatake. And Shizune entered the office.
"I have received intelligence," Kitazawa spoke without preamble. "The Akatsuki Organization will arrive at Konoha Village the day after tomorrow."
Expressions shifted immediately.
None of them knew that Kitazawa had already defeated Nagato once.
The Akatsuki Organization had previously overwhelmed both the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone Villages.
Hearing that such a force would descend upon Konoha within two days, no one could remain calm.
"Is Nagato leading the team?" Jiraiya took a deep breath and asked.
"It is him." Kitazawa nodded calmly.
"Then I will go meet him," Jiraiya said without hesitation.
"At this stage, I'm afraid words alone won't accomplish much." Kitazawa paused slightly before continuing, "My plan is to lead the team and intercept them before they reach the Forest of Death."
"But…" Jiraiya hesitated.
He was concerned about the Akatsuki Organization's strength.
After all, even the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Stone Village had suffered heavy losses at their hands, with Jinchūriki captured and Tailed Beasts extracted.
"Let's fight first," Kitazawa spoke casually, yet his tone carried certainty. "If we win, then everything can be negotiated. If we lose, that's when you step in."
"…Very well." Jiraiya considered it briefly and agreed.
Kitazawa's reasoning was sound.
"Your mission is to establish defensive formations within the Forest of Death," Kitazawa ordered.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Uchiha Fugaku and the others answered solemnly.
Kitazawa did not elaborate further.
The less they knew about the true arrangement, the more genuine the coming battle would appear.
And only through a true battle could Sasuke and the others leave behind an unforgettable impression.
"Make your preparations." Kitazawa's voice lowered. "Whether we live or die depends on the battle the day after tomorrow."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Uchiha Fugaku and the others turned and departed.
After a brief moment of thought, Kitazawa used the Flying Thunder God Technique and arrived at the First Training Ground.
"Teacher Kitazawa!" Hinata noticed him immediately and smiled brightly.
Naruto and Sasuke also walked over at once.
"Be at my office at exactly eight in the morning the day after tomorrow." Kitazawa looked at the three of them. "I have a mission for you."
"That's great!" Naruto instantly grew excited. "I finally get to go on a mission!"
"Hinata and Sasuke, continue your training." After giving them instructions, Kitazawa turned toward Naruto.
"Naruto, I need to speak with your parents."
He raised his hand and placed it gently against Naruto's forehead. With a shift in consciousness, Kitazawa entered the sealing space.
After stabilizing himself, he saw Kurama and Uzumaki Kushina playing Yu-Gi-Oh! on the side.
"Fourth Hokage-sama." Kitazawa addressed Minato Namikaze, who was watching nearby.
"Kitazawa." Minato looked at him curiously. "What is it?"
"Do you still remember that mysterious masked man?" Kitazawa asked.
"Of course." Minato paused and frowned slightly. "Has he appeared again?"
"He has joined the Akatsuki Organization." Kitazawa briefly explained the situation.
"I see…" Minato's gaze sharpened. "What do you need me to do?"
"Back then, you placed a Flying Thunder God Mark on him, correct?" Kitazawa spoke directly. "If that mark still exists, can you sense his location?"
"I can sense it," Minato replied, "but since I am not in my true body, there is a limitation in distance."
"If he is close enough to me, I can determine his position."
"That's enough." Kitazawa nodded. "He will come to Konoha Village the day after tomorrow. I'll rely on you to locate him then."
"No problem." Minato agreed immediately.
The masked man had been responsible for his and Kushina's sacrifice. And the Akatsuki's target was Naruto. There was no reason for him to stand idle.
With that settled, Kitazawa exited the sealing space.
He instructed Naruto to continue training and then went personally to find Kurama Yakumo, Hyuga Neji, and Shino Aburame.
Just as he had told Sasuke and the others, he ordered them to report to his office the morning after next.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in." Kitazawa looked up.
"Kitazawa." Kurenai entered quickly and walked straight toward him.
"Is the Akatsuki Organization coming?" she asked anxiously.
"Why do you think so?" Kitazawa patted his thigh lightly.
"I noticed Shizune and the others moving around." Kurenai sat down on his lap, her graceful body leaning into his chest.
"They will arrive at Konoha Village the day after tomorrow." Kitazawa rested his hand on her thigh. "There's nothing to worry about."
"Even so…" Kurenai instinctively gripped his wrist.
She was satisfied with her current life. She did not want anything to change. Especially not Kitazawa. He absolutely could not be harmed.
"I met Nagato today." After a moment's consideration, Kitazawa told her about the encounter.
However, he replaced the detail of capturing Black Zetsu with capturing the mysterious masked man.
Explaining Black Zetsu would only complicate matters.
Kurenai's eyes widened after hearing everything.
She had assumed the Akatsuki were attacking Konoha. Instead, Konoha was cooperating with them to capture the masked man.
"How about it?" Kitazawa gently patted her hip. "Do you believe in my strength now?"
"I have always believed in you." Kurenai let out a soft breath, her body shifting slightly against his.
"Are you free right now?" Kitazawa's gaze drifted toward the fair skin visible at her collar.
"Yes," Kurenai answered softly, then suddenly gasped.
Kitazawa stood and lifted her onto the Hokage's desk.
"Wait!" Kurenai realized something and hurried to speak. "Let's first— Mmmph."
Her words were silenced. Her body gradually softened under the kiss.
After a long while, their lips parted. Kurenai drew in a breath, her lips glistening faintly.
She gave him a sideways glance, knowing resistance was futile, and lifted her long, fair legs.
As a kunoichi, her flexibility was exceptional. Still, she retained her usual weakness.
Two hours later, Kitazawa carried the sleeping Kurenai back home.
He laid her gently on the bed, closed the door quietly, and used the Flying Thunder God Technique once more.
In the next instant, he appeared inside Konan's room. She was sitting by the bedside as usual.
Upon seeing him, she stood and walked forward. Though her expression remained composed, faint emotion stirred in her eyes.
"Konan." Kitazawa smiled faintly. "Have Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu noticed anything?"
"Everything appears normal for now," Konan replied calmly.
"That's good." Kitazawa nodded. "What is your arrangement for the battle the day after tomorrow?"
"I will remain by Nagato's side."
"That's what I expected." Kitazawa gently stroked her head. "When the time comes, I will locate Nagato's true body. You must pretend to lure me away."
"I understand." Konan grasped his meaning instantly.
If she and Kitazawa moved away from Nagato while he was gravely weakened, Black Zetsu would not miss such an opportunity.
"Give this to Nagato." Kitazawa took out a Flying Thunder God kunai and handed it to her.
--
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Read the complete novel on P@treon: P@treon / Arvinstorm
Check out my other novels:
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