Chapter 186: Speaking Frankly and Openly
"Intruder?"
A woman's voice came from the room behind, accompanied by light footsteps. An extraordinarily beautiful young woman walked to the edge of the platform.
Her blue-purple hair was neatly arranged with a pale blue paper flower worn at the side. She wore a black coat embroidered with red clouds, her figure graceful and elegant, her temperament captivating. Just standing there, she formed a pleasing sight.
She looked at the man standing on that long tongue and asked softly, "Pain, who is it? I'll go handle them."
The man called Pain stood motionless on the tongue, enduring wind and rain, speaking coldly. "Konan, you don't need to go. The arrival is quite formidable. Their chakra fluctuation is exceptionally powerful—not a weakling who can be easily resolved. Moreover, their objective is very clear. They're heading straight toward us."
"So just wait patiently and see what this intruder's purpose is."
Hearing this, Konan raised an eyebrow thoughtfully.
Over the years, many intruders had entered Amegakure—remnants left behind by that old bastard Hanzo, spies from Konoha, Rock ninja or Sand ninja, wandering missing-nin from various villages... but truly no one had ever been evaluated by Pain as "formidable."
Moreover, this intruder was heading directly here with a clear objective. Which meant they were coming specifically for them?
Konan suppressed the doubts and speculation in her heart, waiting patiently.
Just over ten minutes passed before she saw the intruder appear on a platform below. The visitor also wore black clothing with a tiger-head mask covering their face.
"Tiger-head mask? Is this Konoha's Missing-nin Anonymous?"
Konan immediately recognized Uchiha Tatsuhata.
Though their movements basically remained within the Land of Rain, the Land of Rain was positioned precisely between the three great nations of Fire, Wind, and Earth, simultaneously bordering small countries like the Land of Grass and Land of Rivers. It was a thoroughfare for transportation in all directions. Even without deliberately collecting intelligence, they could understand the shinobi world's general situation through information brought by outsiders.
They'd heard about Konoha recently producing two missing-nin. One of the Sannin, Orochimaru, had set a new record for missing-nin bounty amounts. The other missing-nin, called Anonymous without even a real name, was likewise not to be underestimated. Just looking at his bounty amount, not much lower than Orochimaru's, showed this person was absolutely no ordinary individual.
They still didn't know about the events in Sunagakure. This time Sunagakure's information control was quite stringent. Aside from the four great ninja villages, the remaining small ninja villages all knew nothing yet.
Uchiha Tatsuhata also saw Pain and Konan standing above. He accelerated, running straight up along the building's exterior wall, then flipping through the window into the interior.
Watching Uchiha Tatsuhata brush water droplets off his body, Konan spoke directly. "Konoha missing-nin, what business brings you to our Amegakure?"
Uchiha Tatsuhata looked up at Konan, smiling beneath his mask. "Nagato, Konan—I've come to cooperate with you!"
Konan's gaze immediately sharpened.
Not only did he know her name, he even knew Nagato. One must understand that currently ninety-nine percent of ninja in Amegakure only knew the village leader as Lord Pain. The name Nagato was completely unheard of. Only the few remaining comrades from the original Akatsuki organization knew Nagato.
Being able to speak both names upon first meeting—this Missing-nin Anonymous had truly come prepared.
She just didn't know what this cooperation he mentioned actually meant.
Konan was still contemplating.
But Pain, who'd entered the room, stared directly at Uchiha Tatsuhata and asked, "Cooperation? Before discussing your so-called cooperation, I think we need to know exactly who plans to cooperate with us. Otherwise, you know our secrets while we know nothing about you. Such cooperation can hardly be called fair."
At the same time—
In a dark room somewhere in this building, a red-haired youth sat on a massive mechanical device. His body was emaciated, possessing the same purple ripple-patterned eyes as Pain. He frowned, mobilizing all his chakra into an active state, prepared to act and fight at any moment.
"I was discourteous. I am Uchiha Tatsuhata."
Uchiha Tatsuhata reached up to remove the tiger-head mask from his face.
He ultimately didn't plan to use Uchiha Madara's name to walk the shinobi world. His real name had nothing shameful about it. He didn't think having people see his true face would present any problems.
"Uchiha Tatsuhata?"
Pain repeated the name, shaking his head. "Never heard of it."
"Not hearing of me is normal. Previously, I was just an insignificant nobody within the Uchiha clan!" Uchiha Tatsuhata smiled.
"An insignificant nobody? If the Uchiha clan's insignificant nobodies all possess chakra as powerful as yours, the shinobi world would have long belonged to the Uchiha clan."
"I only gained this ability after nearly dying once."
"Nearly dying once? Never mind, that's not important. Tell me, Uchiha Tatsuhata—where did you learn the name Nagato? And what does this cooperation you mention mean?"
Pain stared at Uchiha Tatsuhata with those pale purple eyes containing circular ripples.
Uchiha Tatsuhata replaced the tiger-head mask on his face. Though he didn't need the mask to conceal his identity, wearing it had become habit. He was accustomed to using this mask to hide his emotions, unwilling to let people see his vulnerability.
After securing the mask, he continued speaking. "I heard your names from Uchiha Madara—Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko who sacrificed himself."
Konan cried out in shock. "Uchiha Madara?"
Pain's gaze also sharpened, displeasure showing in his eyes. "Uchiha Tatsuhata, are you joking? This kind of boring joke about the dead isn't amusing at all. If you plan to mock us like this, then I think we have no need to continue talking. I can send you to the afterlife right now to seek the real Uchiha Madara."
Uchiha Tatsuhata showed no panic, calmly explaining. "Uchiha Madara truly is dead, but not in the way you understand—dying to First Hokage Senju Hashirama's hands long ago. He hid in darkness, clinging to life for decades, only breathing his last breath before me recently."
"This isn't a joke. I have no interest in such jokes. Uchiha Madara's corpse is still in my possession. If you're interested, I can show it to you."
Speaking thus, he actually produced a storage scroll from his coat.
Both Pain and Konan froze.
Seeing them remain silent, Uchiha Tatsuhata didn't hesitate. He directly opened the scroll, spreading it flat on the floor, then truly retrieved a coffin. He reached out to push open the coffin lid. Lying inside was unmistakably Uchiha Madara's remains.
Looking at the white-haired, skeletal corpse in the coffin, Konan's mouth twitched. "It's just a corpse. How does this prove it's Uchiha Madara's body?"
Uchiha Tatsuhata immediately answered. "Konan, it's normal you can't tell without ocular techniques. But I think Nagato's eyes should be able to see this corpse is extraordinary, right? After all, these are the Rinnegan, foremost of the three great ocular techniques. Their perception couldn't possibly be inferior to my Sharingan."
Konan raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Pain beside her.
This time she wasn't surprised. Since he knew of Nagato's existence, knowing Nagato possessed the Rinnegan was within expected circumstances.
Pain slowly spoke. "It truly is an extraordinary corpse. Even that old bastard Hanzo couldn't compare. Moreover, I can indeed see this person died not too long ago."
"However, whether it's Uchiha Madara remains impossible to determine."
Pain said this, but the displeasure in his eyes dissipated. Even if this were truly a deception, it was one that had invested considerable cost. He was now genuinely curious what cooperation this Uchiha Tatsuhata wanted to discuss.
So he watched Uchiha Tatsuhata reseal the coffin and continued. "Whether this corpse is Uchiha Madara can be set aside for now. You still haven't answered my other question. What does this cooperation you mention mean?"
"The cooperation I speak of is you and I joining forces to change this utterly terrible shinobi world together."
"Hmm?"
"Nagato, Konan—don't you think this shinobi world is as terrible as a pile of dog shit? Endless, continuous wars, killing that never ceases for a single day, and that omnipresent suffering!"
Pain froze.
Konan also stared wide-eyed at Uchiha Tatsuhata before her.
Facing their gazes, Uchiha Tatsuhata continued his passionate speech. "My parents died in war. Half a year ago, I myself nearly died on that battlefield. I was lucky to be saved by the barely-surviving Uchiha Madara. And several months ago, my younger brother... died again in battle against Cloud ninja!"
His voice carried deep despair and pain concentrated to the extreme.
These negative emotions were familiar to Nagato and Konan.
Because ever since Yahiko's death, they'd been immersed in this despair and pain every moment. They could easily distinguish that Uchiha Tatsuhata's painful emotions were genuine, containing not a shred of falsity.
Konan lowered her eyelids, her mood heavy.
Infected by Uchiha Tatsuhata's emotions and resonating with them, she couldn't help recalling Yahiko again. Despair and painful emotions gnawed at her heart bit by bit like insects.
"You're right. This world is indeed utterly terrible!"
Pain picked up the conversation. He stared directly at Uchiha Tatsuhata and asked, "How do you plan to change this utterly terrible world?"
"Before his death, Uchiha Madara formulated a plan called the Moon's Eye Plan. We intend to build an eternal, beautiful world without despair or pain within genjutsu!"
Uchiha Tatsuhata's voice was so gentle, filled with longing for the beautiful world in this plan, as if speaking too loudly would destroy this wonderful future.
He didn't keep them in suspense but explained the Moon's Eye Plan to Nagato and Konan in detail.
After hearing the entire plan, Konan's expression could be described as mixed feelings—doubt, hope, fear... countless emotions flowing across her face like a revolving lantern.
She seemed to have countless questions to ask, but ultimately, using all her strength, she said, "What you describe sounds far too insane, doesn't it? Infinite Tsukuyomi... eternal genjutsu—can such a thing truly be accomplished?"
Hearing this, Uchiha Tatsuhata smiled. "I think Nagato should be able to answer that question for you!"
Konan instinctively looked toward Pain beside her.
Pain remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Theoretically, it should be feasible. Gathering the nine Tailed Beasts and the Gedo Statue's power could indeed make it possible to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi, a genjutsu encompassing the entire world."
Konan fell silent.
Could it truly work?
She didn't doubt Nagato's judgment, but precisely because of this, she felt deeply shocked and... tempted!
This shit-like reality was truly too painful. Sometimes she dreamed of Yahiko. Upon waking, she'd feel overwhelming despair, wishing she could never wake from that dream, forever immersed in that beautiful fantasy.
However—
Was such a plan truly reliable?
Was Uchiha Tatsuhata trustworthy?
Konan's heart still held some unease.
Uchiha Tatsuhata stared at the two before him, extending his invitation solemnly. "Nagato, Konan—what do you think? Will you join me in changing this utterly terrible old world and building a beautiful world where everyone can enjoy eternal peace?"
"If I say I refuse, what do you plan to do?"
Pain didn't give a direct answer but posed a counter-question.
Uchiha Tatsuhata remained silent for two seconds before speaking bluntly. "I'll find ways to become stronger, then find an opportunity to kill you, seize your Rinnegan, and complete the Moon's Eye Plan through my own strength alone."
Hearing this extremely straightforward answer, Konan immediately tensed, clenching her fists. Obvious displeasure showed on her face as she prepared to fight at any moment.
However—
Pain showed no signs of anger whatsoever. He spoke. "I accept your invitation!"
"Nagato?"
Konan was shocked. In her urgency, she even forgot to use the title Pain, directly calling out the name of Nagato, who was hidden in darkness remotely controlling this Pain avatar.
She looked at Pain urgently. "Won't you reconsider? What he's saying... may not be trustworthy!"
Uchiha Tatsuhata remained unmoved by Konan's doubts.
"Konan, it's fine."
Pain stared at Uchiha Tatsuhata standing opposite. "Executing this Moon's Eye Plan presents no losses for us. At most, we'll clash with the five great ninja villages while collecting Tailed Beasts. But that holds nothing fearsome for us, does it?"
When Yahiko was still alive, they'd exhausted their efforts contemplating how to help Yahiko bring peace and tranquility to this country. But since Yahiko's death, they'd long stopped caring about any of this. Even death couldn't make them fear in the slightest.
Under Nagato's reminder, Konan also realized this point. She fell silent, tacitly accepting Nagato's decision.
Seeing the two before him finish their discussion, Uchiha Tatsuhata produced from his coat a tea kettle-shaped ninja tool. He handed it before Pain, saying, "Pain, this is Sunagakure's ninja tool, the Shukaku pot. The One-Tail is sealed inside. I think this can serve as an excellent beginning to our cooperation!"
A ninja tool with the One-Tail sealed inside?
Both Pain and Konan's gazes were immediately drawn to the tea kettle in Uchiha Tatsuhata's hand.
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