Konan's wings folded into countless paper arrows. With a swing of her arm, the paper arrows turned into a torrent of rain, pouring down upon Hyuga Shin'ichi and Jiraiya.
Jiraiya showed no sign of evading. The white hair draped over his shoulders suddenly grew rapidly, quickly wrapping itself firmly around him, leaving only half of his face exposed.
Hyuga Shin'ichi, who had been planning to use a miniature Tailed Beast Bomb to break through the arrow rain forcefully, instantly flickered and moved swiftly behind Jiraiya.
Facing Konan, Hyuga Shin'ichi actually didn't intend to strike immediately. If possible, it would be better to let Jiraiya and Konan, the master and disciple, resolve their conflict themselves.
He could somewhat understand Jiraiya's conflicted feelings at the moment. Being forced to fight his former disciple certainly wouldn't be easy for Jiraiya. If Hyuga Shin'ichi were to overstep, it would prevent Jiraiya's inner turmoil from being completely resolved.
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The paper arrows descended, striking Jiraiya's white hair with crisp sounds, as if hitting metal. As the paper arrows lost momentum and scattered, Jiraiya retracted the jutsu and addressed Konan with a heavy voice:
"Konan, I don't want to fight you."
"Go and bring Nagato out. I want to talk to him."
This was the first time Jiraiya had considered negotiating with an enemy during a battle. Perhaps... in Jiraiya's mind, Konan and Nagato were not truly "enemies."
Although the Akatsuki had developed rapidly over the years, there was no irreconcilable conflict with Konoha at this stage. Excluding the matter of "harboring" Uchiha Obito, Konoha and Akatsuki hadn't truly reached a life-and-death situation.
Of course, that was provided Akatsuki didn't seek trouble with Konoha.
Jiraiya felt there was still room for discussion. He believed the fundamental kindness of his disciples hadn't changed, and he still wanted to try to save them.
"Talk?"
"There is nothing to talk about between you and him, Jiraiya-sensei."
Konan shook her head resolutely and refused. Unlike Jiraiya, Konan already viewed him as an enemy who had invaded Amegakure. She didn't want Jiraiya to see Nagato in his current state, as it would put them in danger.
While Konan had once trusted and looked up to Jiraiya as her former teacher, after Yahiko's death, she developed a prejudice against Konoha ninja. Even Jiraiya could no longer earn her trust.
Now, Nagato was the only partner Konan had left to trust in her life, and she would never let her partner fall into peril.
Konan's refusal was decisive, and Jiraiya's face showed a trace of regret following her rejection.
He saw the distrust Konan held for him. There was a time when he was the teacher those three children admired and relied on most.
Recalling the past, Jiraiya sighed inwardly.
Thinking about it carefully, it was understandable why the other party didn't trust him. He wasn't there to help when his disciples faced death, and after so many years of absence, he suddenly forced his way into Amegakure. It was reasonable for them to be guarded.
However...
This matter concerned the future safety of Konoha, as well as the lives of Konan and Nagato. Jiraiya ultimately did not want to give up easily.
He had affection for Nagato and Konan, but Hyuga Shin'ichi, standing behind him, felt no such sentiment toward them.
It wasn't that Jiraiya underestimated Konan and Nagato, but having personally witnessed Hyuga Shin'ichi's current power, he didn't believe Konan and Nagato could survive under this boy's hands.
Jiraiya understood Shin'ichi, and he understood Minato Namikaze, who assigned Shin'ichi to lead this investigation, even more. If Minato didn't have absolute trust in Shin'ichi, he wouldn't have handed such a difficult mission to Hyuga Shin'ichi.
If Hyuga Shin'ichi wasn't confident enough in his own strength, he wouldn't have accepted this mission easily.
From Shin'ichi's previous battles against the Deva Path and Uchiha Obito, Jiraiya had learned much.
The Flying Thunder God Technique, the Eight Gates Formation, and the Byakugan—when those two secret techniques merged with the Hyuga clan's Byakugan, the power Hyuga Shin'ichi could unleash was extraordinarily terrifying.
Konan's jutsu was special, but it wasn't enough to pose a threat to Hyuga Shin'ichi.
In Jiraiya's eyes, Hyuga Shin'ichi was a prodigy, one even more terrifying than his contemporary, Orochimaru, or his disciple, Minato Namikaze.
Not only was his personal strength formidable, but he also knew how to hide his true abilities when facing enemies. He wouldn't strike unless necessary, and when he did, it was aimed at ending the battle.
For instance, when facing Konan's paper arrow attack just now, did Hyuga Shin'ichi have no other way to deal with it? Probably not.
He instinctively chose the most effortless way to conceal himself and reduce his presence in Konan's sight.
If Konan ignored Shin'ichi because of his evasion, she probably wouldn't know how she died when the time came.
Jiraiya didn't want Shin'ichi to dictate the outcome of this matter. He wanted to know the truth behind Nagato and Konan's "change," and at the same time, he wanted to find a path for them to live.
However, Konan's attitude made things extremely difficult for Jiraiya.
"Konan, what exactly happened all these years?"
"Tell me, and I will find a way to help you both."
Jiraiya furrowed his brow, trying to persuade her further.
Just as Konan was about to speak, a phantom image suddenly appeared behind her. The image's face was indistinct, and its body shimmered with rainbow light in the rain, but the pair of Rinnegan eyes in the image seemed to confirm the person's identity.
Magic Lantern Body Technique (Gentōshin no Jutsu)!
One of the abilities of the Rinnegan, through this jutsu, Nagato could convert his chakra into "thought waves" and project a phantom image into the physical space, regardless of distance.
The phantom image created by the Gentōshin no Jutsu could even use some of the original body's abilities. In the past, the Akatsuki used this method for long-distance "meetings," using the jutsu to transmit information and issue orders across vast distances.
The moment this phantom image appeared beside Konan, Jiraiya's spirit lifted, and he softly called out: "Nagato... is that you?"
The Rinnegan...
The phantom image's Rinnegan was too distinctive. Jiraiya naturally speculated about the identity of the person.
"Nagato is dead..."
"My name is Pain!"
As he spoke his name, a strange light flashed in those Rinnegan, and the gaze directed at Jiraiya held a deeper meaning.
"Pain?"
Jiraiya was stunned when he heard the opponent refer to himself as Pain. His tone faltered, and for a moment, he seemed unsure if this was truly his disciple, Nagato.
However, Shin'ichi's words quickly brought the confused Jiraiya back to reality:
"Pain, is it?"
"He chose a name of suffering!"
The so-called Pain was an extension of the word 'pain.' Hyuga Shin'ichi knew the origin of this name, and after being reminded by Shin'ichi, Jiraiya understood that Pain was not the opponent's birth name but a codename.
He wondered what Nagato had endured all these years. "Suffering" seemed to be branded onto him like a mark.
At the same time, "Pain" had another meaning: "to inflict suffering," which could simply be understood as... retribution!
Understanding the connotation of the name Pain made it clear what Nagato's ultimate goal was.
Hyuga Shin'ichi quietly stepped out from behind Jiraiya, looking at Nagato's phantom image. His hand, hidden in his sleeve, had already gripped a Flying Thunder God kunai, preparing for battle.
Jiraiya was not Naruto; his "talk no jutsu" probably wouldn't change Nagato. In Shin'ichi's view, everything would ultimately have to be resolved through combat.
If Jiraiya could change Nagato's mind with just a few words, then the Child of Prophecy wouldn't have been Naruto, but Jiraiya himself.
"Nag—"
"Pain, what does the Akatsuki intend to do?"
Jiraiya knew the phantom image before him was Nagato, but he still corrected himself.
Perhaps, in his heart, he truly wanted to distinguish the leader of Akatsuki and the kind-hearted disciple he once knew.
"Akatsuki?"
"What do we intend to do?"
"Naturally, we intend to bring eternal peace and end all war in this world!"
Eternal peace and no war?
Jiraiya had anticipated many possible answers before Nagato spoke, but he had never expected to hear this response from Nagato's mouth.
Pain...
The Akatsuki's ideal was too disconnected from the name Pain; it didn't fit at all.
"For world peace..."
"But I heard that Akatsuki members attacked the currency exchange in the Land of Fire."
"And... that Uchiha clan member is the one who caused the Nine-Tails attack on Konoha years ago. Are you aware of these two incidents?"
"Harboring such a ninja within Akatsuki... do you really seek world peace, or are you trying to incite a new war?"
"If it's you... You should understand the suffering that war inflicts on ordinary people!"
Jiraiya's first reaction after hearing that answer from Nagato was disbelief, thinking it was just a superficial excuse.
After all, everything Akatsuki had done so far had nothing to do with so-called peace.
Attacking the currency exchange, harboring rogue ninja, acting as mercenaries in wars—how did any of these actions help achieve world peace?
Nagato listened to Jiraiya's questioning, his tone calm:
"Those were just necessary means to achieve peace."
"To achieve peace, isn't making some necessary sacrifices a common occurrence?"
"As one of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Fire should have a deeper understanding of this than I do, shouldn't it?"
"You shouldn't complain just because it's Konoha's turn to make a sacrifice!"
Nagato's voice was steady. He showed no guilt when talking about these things; instead, he spoke with absolute conviction.
He genuinely believed that everything he did was for peace and that his ideology was correct and advanced.
"....."
"Attacking Konoha and releasing the Nine-Tails was also for peace?"
Jiraiya felt helpless, unable to comprehend Nagato's mindset. Their positions were different; naturally, he saw things differently from Nagato did.
"Attacking Konoha wasn't the primary goal. The main goal was to achieve eternal peace, and we, Akatsuki, need the power of the Nine-Tails."
"It's just that... you in Konoha, out of your own self-interest, reclaimed the Nine-Tails."
"If Konoha's ninja hadn't interfered, the Nine-Tails wouldn't have lost control and rampaged."
"You don't need to worry that Akatsuki is targeting Konoha specifically. In fact, Akatsuki needs the power of all the Tailed Beasts."
"As long as you cooperate obediently, no ordinary people will be harmed."
Nagato spoke eloquently, shifting the blame for the Nine-Tails attack back onto Konoha, suggesting that the tragedy of the Tailed Beast rampage was caused by Konoha's refusal to release the Nine-Tails.
Jiraiya was momentarily stunned by this claim, finding himself speechless.
"You...."
"All the Tailed Beasts are targets for Akatsuki's hunting?"
"Are you planning to provoke a Great Ninja War?"
Jiraiya frowned, struggling to keep up with Nagato's line of thought. While he didn't understand Nagato, Jiraiya knew what would happen if Akatsuki truly planned to collect all the Tailed Beasts.
No nation would willingly abandon a Tailed Beast or a Jinchūriki, as they were vital forces for national defense. Losing a Tailed Beast would upset the balance of power between nations, leading to a new war.
"Provoke a Great Ninja War?"
"When did I say I was going to provoke a Great Ninja War?"
"We in Akatsuki only need the power of the Tailed Beasts to achieve peace. For the sake of peace, shouldn't the Five Great Nations make some sacrifices?"
"Why would it trigger a Great Ninja War? Isn't it because you, the Five Great Nations, are unwilling to make sacrifices?"
Nagato did not see any problem with collecting the Tailed Beasts; they were necessary for his plan.
In his view, the Five Great Nations' practice of hoarding the Tailed Beasts as weapons was what prevented "peace."
It was only then that Jiraiya finally started to realize: Nagato was completely immersed in his own ideal and unable to extricate himself.
"After acquiring the Tailed Beasts, what then? How will you achieve peace after getting the Tailed Beasts?"
Jiraiya adjusted his approach, following Nagato's words to continue questioning. He wanted to hear what the opponent's ultimate plan was.
"To make everyone feel pain..."
"As long as everyone can vividly remember the suffering brought by war, there will be no more war in this world!"
"The only reason war still occurs is simply that some people have not truly experienced the suffering that war brings!"
"Why are those who yearn for peace often those who have endured suffering?"
"Why would anyone not want peace?"
"There is only one answer... those people have not experienced true pain."
"Or rather... the suffering is still not enough!"
A fanatic light flashed in the phantom image's Rinnegan. Nagato's understanding of war was entirely based on his personal experience.
He believed that everyone else, like him, would yearn for true peace once they personally experienced and felt pain.
And the power of the Tailed Beasts, a weapon of war capable of annihilating millions instantly, was what would allow him to realize his ideal.
"Feel the pain."
"Accept the pain."
"Know the pain."
"Those who do not understand true pain can never understand true peace!"
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