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"Ugh—"
A violent sensation of dizziness instantly filled Yahiko's mind, making him involuntarily lean on a nearby tree trunk and dry heave. But he couldn't throw anything up, and his ears buzzed with a sharp ringing.
However, he didn't even have time to wait for his body to recover before he stumbled to Nagato's side, trying his best to use the cloth in his hand to staunch the large wounds on Nagato's body that were gradually cracking like powder.
Even though his face was already contorted, Yahiko didn't care at all.
At the same time, thinking of Konan, who was now trapped in Konoha, his eyes couldn't help but turn red.
"Damn it!!"
He didn't know what he was cursing, but he just gritted his teeth tightly. The dizziness in his brain became more intense, and blood continuously seeped from his palms, completely unstoppable.
"That won't work, move aside."
Before Nagato's wounds could be staunched, Yahiko heard Zetsu's faint voice beside him.
"You bastard!"
Almost the moment he heard that voice, all the anger and sorrow in Yahiko's heart seemed to find a target. He suddenly turned around, grabbed Zetsu's collar, and cursed loudly, "If it weren't for you, if it weren't for you making Nagato—."
"Ya-Yahiko…"
Just as he was cursing Zetsu while holding his collar, he saw Nagato beside him suddenly stir. Nagato's withered fingers gently tugged at Yahiko's clothes, and he spoke in an extremely weak voice:
"I'm sorry."
"It's all my fault—"
"Nagato, you!"
Yahiko immediately stopped his actions and turned to grasp Nagato's weak hand.
"Tsk."
Zetsu, who was left aside, made a soft sound. His black and yellow eyes looked at the two people in front of him, their meaning unclear.
In fact, even Zetsu, an old Conspirer who had lived for thousands of years, had never suffered such a great fall in his long life.
Even though he didn't have physiological reactions like normal humans, at this moment, a strong emotion called anger surged from the depths of his profound, dark soul.
He had clearly scouted countless times in advance and was completely sure that Sawara Kiri, this game-changing monster, was not in the vicinity of Hidden Rain Village and was staying obediently in Konoha.
He had clearly confirmed it!!
However, he never expected that even Namikaze Minato, a 'mortal' in his eyes, could unleash such a terrifying blow as before, capable of destroying the Outer Path Demonic Statue in one go.
—That was definitely the work of that bastard, Sawara Kiri!
Besides him, no one else could do something similar.
However, precisely because he wasn't driven by emotions like ordinary people, his reaction at this moment was much milder than the two in front of him, appearing as if nothing had happened.
"Yes, yes~"
"In any case, you wouldn't want Nagato to die here, would you, Yahiko-kun?"
With just one sentence, the two people who were clenching their hands tightly immediately stopped and turned their heads to look at him.
Yahiko's gaze was especially fierce, as if he wanted to devour the bastard in front of him.
However, facing such a gaze, Zetsu seemed to see nothing. His sketch-like face still wore an annoying smile as he slowly reached his hands towards Nagato's wound.
"Guchu!"
In an instant, the white body, surging like mucus, squeezed little by little into Nagato's continuously bleeding body, filling it like a paste, finally coalescing into a mass.
"Thump, thump, thump!"
Nagato's body suddenly tensed as his heart pounded like a drum for several rounds, then gradually relaxed.
"Na-Nagato?"
Yahiko looked down at him with a worried expression.
Then, he saw Nagato support himself from the ground, struggle to straighten his body, and finally let out a long breath.
"Hoo—"
It was as if he had come back to life.
Seeing this, the worry on Yahiko's face immediately turned into surprise, and he looked at him with an incredulous expression.
However, Nagato himself, who had narrowly escaped death, still maintained his heavy expression. He turned his head and earnestly said to Yahiko:
"We're going back now. That bastard Namikaze Minato shouldn't have gone far yet!"
"This time, we don't aim to kill him, as long as we can rescue Konan, then—"
Nagato's voice was urgent and earnest, completely disregarding his withered body due to the massive Chakra consumption and his long hair that had already turned from deep red to streaked white.
He gritted his teeth.
Just as he had said.
The reason this operation ended up like this was all his fault!
If he had been more cautious, if he had thoroughly investigated the situation around Hanzo, if he hadn't rushed forward impulsively after learning that Sawara Kiri and Uchiha Hikari were not nearby... Even, if he had directly killed Hanzo at the very beginning, instead of leaving him alive due to a slight urge to show off...
If only, too many ifs.
Just thinking of this made Nagato's fingernails almost dig into the flesh of his palms.
"Nagato, you…"
Even though he had just been shouting about rescuing Konan, hearing Nagato say the same thing made Yahiko hesitate.
Zetsu, on the other hand, still held his arms. The part of his body he had just infused into Nagato seemed to have no impact on his own condition. He still wore that disgusting smile and said jokingly:
"Are you serious?"
"Namikaze Minato has already taken Konan back to Konoha, you know."
"What?!"
Nagato and Yahiko almost simultaneously looked up, staring blankly at him.
Looking at their incredulous expressions, Zetsu exaggeratedly said, "What are you surprised about? That's Namikaze Minato, the Konoha Special First Class Jonin, the fastest in the Ninja World."
"Even the Great Mayfly Jutsu just now is far inferior to him in terms of spatial movement speed."
"It's already been three whole hours!"
"Damn it!"
Hearing his words, a strong wave of despair immediately surged in Yahiko's heart.
Even Namikaze Minato, who was firmly suppressed by Sawara Kiri, could, by himself, put the three of them in such precarious situations in such a short time.
So, if it were Sawara Kiri himself, how on earth were they supposed to rescue Konan?!
Conversely, Nagato, who usually seemed timid, showed unprecedented resilience at this moment. He clenched his fists tightly, staring in Zetsu's direction with his Rinnegan.
He actually knew very well that after parts of this monster's body were injected into his own, his life was, to some extent, controlled by this mysterious man in front of him.
The only question now was, did this guy still have any other trump cards?
Nagato knew very well, even better than Yahiko and Konan.
This seemingly carefree guy in front of him was definitely stronger than they imagined—perhaps even capable of fighting against a true monster like Sawara Kiri.
After the battle with Namikaze Minato, this statement was already a very high compliment in Nagato's mind.
As for how strong Sawara Kiri truly was?
He couldn't even begin to estimate.
He firmly suppressed Namikaze Minato and had defeated Uchiha Hikari, who was unbeatable in his mind.
At this thought, Nagato couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"Zetsu, tell me."
"What do I have to do for you to go to Konoha and rescue Konan?"
Hearing this, Yahiko was startled and looked back at him with a bewildered expression.
Conversely, Zetsu's smile grew even brighter.
This guy was really getting smarter and smarter.
He liked people who seemed smart but not too smart.
"To be honest, facing a monster like Sawara Kiri, even I don't have much confidence…"
"However, going to observe the situation first is still fine."
Zetsu spoke with a grin, but the meaning in his words was very clear.
Installment payment.
It was hard to say what would happen after Konan was rescued, but before she was rescued, he could completely control these two young ones.
"I understand."
Nagato did not relax because of his words. Instead, he continued to stare at him, waiting for the rest of his words.
Seeing the atmosphere between the two, Yahiko swallowed softly, but had no intention of speaking, also waiting quietly.
Zetsu's smile grew even brighter, and he said calmly, "The plan to cast the Jutsu from Hidden Rain Village has failed. Now this place has been targeted by Konoha, and we no longer have a chance to act."
"Not just Hidden Rain Village."
"After today, with Konoha's methods, it won't be difficult to extract enough information from that woman's mind."
"…"
Hearing this, the expressions on Nagato and Yahiko's faces grew even more solemn.
They knew that Zetsu's words were all true.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so desperate before.
"Just tell me what we need to do!"
Nagato's expression was gradually becoming restless.
Just thinking about Konan's current predicament made his heart burn with pain.
"My goal… is the moon."
Suddenly, Zetsu quietly stared at the two and slowly spoke.
"The… moon?"
Yahiko subconsciously uttered the words, looking at him in astonishment.
Although he hadn't experienced a complete primary school education in his early years, having been nurtured in Takigakure for so long, he still possessed a basic scientific worldview.
It was precisely because of this that he completely failed to grasp Zetsu's objective.
"As for what to do, you don't need to know," Zetsu said.
"Originally, I intended to shatter that thing in one go using the Ryumakyu Seal spread throughout Hidden Rain Village."
"Now that it has failed, we can only resort to Plan Beta."
Zetsu looked towards Nagato, and said gently, "I need you to go to the moon, fuse with supreme power, and then… shatter it."
"Shatter… the moon?"
Nagato looked at the monster before him with an incredulous expression; for a moment, he even wondered if this guy had completely lost his mind.
Was such a thing truly possible for a human to accomplish?
Even the Outer Path Demonic Statue he summoned with all his might was only a few hundred meters long when fully extended.
Even so, he thought no one could stop such a monster—until he met Namikaze Minato today.
What about the moon?
This thing was a satellite no matter what, with a diameter exceeding fifty kilometers. How could it possibly be destroyed by human power?
"That's why you need to acquire a treasure before that," Zetsu's voice remained unhurried.
This was the absolute limit of what he could reveal.
He knew very well that while this world appeared calm, there was always a pair of eyes quietly observing everything from behind the scenes.
Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo.
His elder brother.
Black Zetsu dared not show the slightest contempt for this legendary Sage of Six Paths.
"I understand."
Hearing him say this, Nagato only pondered for a moment before nodding heavily in agreement.
It wasn't just to rescue Konan, but also for the unparalleled power he spoke of.
The power to shatter the moon!
Nagato lowered his head, a glint of ambition flashing in his pale purple Rinnegan.
Konoha, Interrogation Room.
"Sawara-sama, this way."
Led by an interrogation Jonin, Sawara Kiri stepped into the gloomy corridor deep underground. Within the entire corridor, only their barely perceptible breaths could be heard.
Upon opening the door to the third interrogation room, a blue-haired woman hanging on an interrogation rack came into their view.
At this moment, the paper flowers in Konan's hair had been removed, and even the outer lip piercing in her lower lip was placed on a nearby shelf. Her short hair was disheveled, and faint traces of sweat from mental anguish were visible on her skin, even her eyeshadow was soaked, and her expression was exhausted.
The moment she heard the heavy door open, she instinctively raised her head.
The next moment, her gaze met a pair of brilliant azure eyes, like the cosmos.
With just one look, Konan's spirit seemed to be captivated by him, her entire being felt as if it would be sucked into the depths of those eyes, and her whole body seemed to be under unbearable pressure, her limbs subtly trembling.
She knew.
That was her fear.
Although she had never seen him with her own eyes, the countless photos she had glimpsed in various tabloids, wanted posters, and television press conferences were enough for her to recognize him.
Sawara Kiri.
The modern Five Great Nations… no, it should be the Four Great Nations' acknowledged—
Strongest in the Ninja World.
Just his name alone was enough to make her tremble and feel a chill deep in her bones.
"It seems your mental state is still quite good?"
Sawara Kiri's actions remained normal, as if greeting an acquaintance on the street. He casually pulled a chair from in front of the interrogation table, sat down behind it, and clasped his hands together.
"Uchiha Hikari must be living quite comfortably now, mustn't she?"
"To not even notice such a big commotion from you all, she truly is leisurely."
Sawara Kiri said, picking up the teacup from the table and pouring himself a cup.
The gaze from his azure eyes drifted through the swirling mist in the air, meeting Konan's eyes opposite him, his voice calm:
"Before I begin my interrogation…"
"May I ask, do you have anything you wish to say, Miss Konan?"
His tone was neither high nor low, yet it seemed to suddenly enrage the other party.
Konan, fixed in mid-air, suddenly jerked her upper body like a snarling leopardess, making the thin iron chains on the interrogation rack rattle. Her voice, hoarse from being dry for so long, sharply rose:
"Sawara Kiri!"
"If you have the guts, kill me now!"
"Dying by your hand wouldn't be a disgrace."
Konan raised her eyes, gritting her teeth, "Moreover, in the future, someone will definitely avenge me!"
However, Sawara Kiri merely listened quietly to the woman's provocation.
After Konan's voice faded, a smile suddenly appeared on his face, and he gestured to the interrogation Jonin who had been standing quietly beside him.
Soon, to Konan's bewildered gaze, he brought a sparkling crystal ball.
"Originally, to interrogate a minion of your caliber, we shouldn't have to use such a valuable item."
Sawara Kiri's voice was unhurried as he placed one hand on the surface of the crystal ball: "After all, the secrets you possess are most likely not enough to compensate for the consumption of this treasure."
"However, your companion is a bit interesting."
"...Playing tricks!"
Hearing his words, Konan couldn't help but scoff, secretly preparing the memory seal within her brain.
If any memory-searching Ninjutsu was activated later, she would immediately activate this seal!
Although it would erase a portion of her memories along with it, compared to the consequences of information leakage, she could accept this small price.
However, before she could make any move, Konan's eyes suddenly widened.
She stared fixedly at the crystal ball under Sawara Kiri's hand, watching the scenes reflected within the sphere.
Those were the days when their trio was young.
But how could this be?!
Konan tightly pursed her lips, unable to comprehend it no matter what.
The things that happened during that time should only be known by a few of them; not even Uchiha Hikari could possibly know.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard Sawara Kiri say indifferently:
"Is it strange?"
"Why, besides yourselves, do others know about the time you three spent in your youth?"
"You probably can't understand, can you?"
Konan didn't speak, merely staring fixedly at him.
That silence and gaze were enough to convey her confusion.
A faint smile suddenly appeared on Sawara Kiri's face, and he said calmly:
"Do you know?"
"Konoha has a research facility capable of piercing through the past and future, named Chaldea."
"Through years of technological accumulation, we have found a way to set spatiotemporal anchors on specific targets and observe their past and future."
"That's right."
"It's this small crystal ball right before your eyes."
How could this be?!
Konan stared at him intently, her lips tightly pressed together.
No matter what, she couldn't believe that such a thing could happen in this world.
However, the scenes reflected one after another in the crystal ball became increasingly clear in her vision.
Every one of those scenes was a memory she had experienced in her youth.
Many of them were even small details only she knew.
Konan grew even more silent.
Under Sawara Kiri's control, the speed of the images projected in the crystal ball grew faster and faster, from childhood to adulthood, then to recent times, yesterday, today, and even the future?
Konan stared intently at the images on the crystal ball, her inner turmoil growing stronger.
At that moment, a question suddenly welled up from deep within her heart.
If, if Sawara Kiri saw everything that happened afterward, then wouldn't Nagato and their whereabouts also be—
"Stop!!"
She didn't even have time to think; her body had already reacted faster than her mind.
"Click."
At the same time, Sawara Kiri perfectly paused the images on the crystal ball and looked up at her.
Konan also looked up, but for a moment, she didn't know what to say. She opened her mouth hesitantly but no sound came out.
It was only after a moment that she spoke in a faint voice:
"What exactly do you want to do?"
Sawara Kiri looked at her, and a gentle smile suddenly appeared on his face.
He stepped in front of Konan; the young woman, hanging on the interrogation rack, was just a little lower than Sawara Kiri.
Sawara Kiri raised his hand, hooked the young woman's chin, which was pale and glistening after her lip piercing had been removed, and lowered his head slightly, leaning close to Konan's ear, his voice hushed:
"Miss Konan."
"You wouldn't want Nagato and Yahiko to be captured and brought here by us, would you?"
Almost the instant she heard these words, Konan's pupils constricted, and a look of humiliation involuntarily appeared on her face.
Sawara Kiri, however, kept his hand on her cheek, preventing her from avoiding his gaze, his voice growing even gentler:
"I think, if it's for your most important companions…"
"You'll behave obediently, won't you?"
"…"
"Yes."
"Sawara's Book of Friends: Character 'Konan' acquired."
"Bond Level Increased ↑"
"Konan Bond Level: Zero → One"
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