Chapter 29: The Light About to Lose Its Light
Konan's Nightmare
Konan experienced a long, terrible nightmare.
In the dream, she witnessed the Akatsuki organization—under Yahiko's passionate leadership—expand from a mere handful of idealistic members to hundreds of dedicated followers.
But with the organization's meteoric rise came inevitable conflict. They became a thorn lodged deeply in Hanzō's side—a threat he couldn't ignore.
Their ideological conflicts intensified with each passing month. Finally, the Akatsuki officially declared war against Hanzō's regime.
Initially, powered by Nagato's overwhelming abilities, they achieved victory after stunning victory.
But at the most crucial juncture—when triumph seemed within reach—the Akatsuki's beloved leader Yahiko was brutally murdered through treachery.
Nagato went completely berserk in response.
Although he ultimately killed Hanzō using some forbidden technique, he paid a devastating price for that vengeance.
From that day forward, Nagato's entire personality changed drastically. His obsession with their goals bordered on absolute madness, completely abandoning the Akatsuki's previous humanitarian principles.
Consumed by hatred and grief, Nagato fell under the manipulation of a mysterious masked figure. He launched a catastrophic war against Konoha itself—ultimately dying at the hands of a blue-eyed, blond-haired boy who somehow embodied hope.
Her own ending proved equally tragic.
Alone, she returned to Amegakure to eternally guard the bodies of Yahiko and Nagato—only to be killed by that same mysterious figure. Her body sank slowly into the vast, uncaring ocean.
The nightmare felt so viscerally real that when Konan finally jolted awake, two lines of tears were streaming down her normally cool, composed face.
"Why... why did I have such a vivid dream?"
Konan wiped frantically at the tears on her cheeks, genuine panic appearing in her clear eyes.
It felt too real to be just a dream.
Yahiko and Nagato's Concern
"Konan, why are you crying?!"
At that moment, Yahiko—who had just entered from outside—spotted the tears on her face and immediately rushed over with obvious anxiety. "Are you alright? Did something happen? Who upset you? Please don't cry, Konan!"
The three of them had grown up together in the same orphanage, studying directly under Jiraiya of the Sannin. Their bonds ran incredibly deep.
As the only girl among their trio, Konan was always carefully protected and cherished. Yahiko and Nagato never allowed her to suffer even the slightest hardship if they could prevent it.
Seeing Konan crying so openly caused Yahiko to panic visibly. "Tell me who hurt you, Konan! Nagato and I will make them pay for upsetting you!"
"No, no one upset me, Yahiko."
Konan bit her lower lip, profound worry clouding her eyes. "Yahiko, if I—and this is purely hypothetical—if I had an extremely realistic dream where both you and Nagato died, and our ideals became mere weapons manipulated by someone else... what would you think of that?"
"Nagato and I... died?"
Yahiko had considered a thousand possible explanations for her tears, but he'd never expected this particular reason.
"No, Konan."
Nagato—distinctive with his vibrant red hair—walked in from outside at that moment. Hearing Konan's question, he spoke with calm certainty. "With me here, nothing will happen to either of you. I won't allow it."
"Hahahaha! That's absolutely right, Konan!"
Yahiko reached out and playfully ruffled her light purple hair, chuckling reassuringly. "Have you forgotten already? Nagato possesses the legendary bloodline of the Sage of Six Paths himself—the mythical Rinnegan!"
Nagato slowly raised his head and brushed aside his long bangs, deliberately revealing the distinctive ripple-pattern eyes—the legendary 'Rinnegan' that marked him as something beyond ordinary shinobi.
"But..."
Konan's frown deepened, one hand clutching at her chest. She could still feel echoes of the agonizing pain she'd experienced in that nightmare. "That dream was far too real to dismiss so easily."
"It was just a dream, Konan."
Nagato's tone remained indifferent—not because he didn't care about her, but simply because emotional expression didn't come naturally to him.
"I know it was only a dream, but..."
Lingering sorrow remained visible in Konan's eyes. "Yahiko... it's not too late to give up on this path! We could still turn back!"
In that nightmare, the soul-deep pain of losing her most precious people had been overwhelming—piercing straight through to her very core.
Compared to Yahiko's grand, world-changing ideals, her own thoughts were simple and seemingly insignificant.
She only wished for Yahiko and Nagato to remain safe and alive—even if they lived as ordinary people. That would be infinitely preferable to losing their lives pursuing impossible dreams.
Hearing this plea, Yahiko's expression grew serious. His tone became firm. "Konan, there's no turning back from this path. We've already committed ourselves. No matter what price we must pay, I will continue forward."
Konan's eyelids drooped. She lowered her head in visible disappointment, knowing the truth already.
He won't turn back. Even knowing the road ahead leads to death, he would still sacrifice himself for his ideals.
The usually taciturn Nagato suddenly spoke, asking a penetrating question. "Konan, do you remember who killed us in that dream? Any specific details?"
When pressed about specifics, Konan suddenly froze in confusion.
She realized with growing alarm that she couldn't actually remember any concrete details from her nightmare. "I... I don't remember clearly."
She could vividly feel the emotional pain from the dream. She could see the Akatsuki's tragic final fate with perfect clarity.
But all the crucial details—exactly how Yahiko died, what forbidden technique Nagato used, who the mysterious masked figure manipulating them was—all of it seemed deliberately blocked out. Her memory felt artificially hazy, like looking through frosted glass.
Something isn't right about this.
Nagato slowly knelt down beside her, taking Konan's trembling hand gently in his own. He whispered with quiet intensity, "That was only a dream, Konan. It wasn't reality. Yahiko and I won't die—I promise you that."
"That's right! Don't worry so much, Konan."
Yahiko clasped the girl's other hand, smiling with his characteristic brightness and confidence. "I also promise you—I'll never abandon you. We're going to change Amegakure together! All three of us!"
Feeling the reassuring warmth of their hands holding hers, Konan's chaotic thoughts and anxious heart gradually calmed.
"Yes... I believe you both."
The icy walls around Konan's heart seemed to melt slightly, allowing a warm, genuine smile to emerge.
Kazuki's Chamber
Meanwhile, in another room within the inn—
"Are you absolutely certain you don't need my assistance, Kazuki?"
Hikari sat obediently cross-legged on the tatami mat, tilting her head with adorable curiosity. "If you'd allowed me to participate, I could have easily taken complete control over all three of them. My Yachihoko could have—"
"No need, Hikari. I appreciate your willingness to help."
Kazuki gently ruffled her hair affectionately, leaning casually against the wall. His clothes hung loosely open, revealing half of his well-defined chest. He rested one hand thoughtfully beneath his chin and chuckled. "But those three aren't quite ready yet. We need to wait for the proper timing."
Hikari nuzzled against his hand affectionately, behaving exactly like a docile, devoted kitten seeking approval. "You can use my power however you wish, whenever you need it. So... please don't ever dislike me or find me useless, Kazuki."
"Don't say things like that, Hikari."
Kazuki reached out and gently lifted Hikari's delicate chin, gazing directly at the girl's face. He smiled with genuine warmth. "I hope you will always walk beside me—not merely as a 'tool' or weapon, but as my true companion. Do you understand the difference?"
"Yes, I understand completely, Kazuki."
Hikari's smile radiated sweet contentment, warmth blooming inside her chest.
A moment of comfortable silence passed between them before Kazuki's expression grew more serious.
"Hikari... how severe is the damage to your eyes?"
His tone carried genuine concern as he stared directly at the girl.
The Price of Power
The Mangekyō Sharingan of the Uchiha clan—while granting immense, reality-warping power—came with equally enormous risks and consequences.
Its fundamental weakness lay in a cruel paradox: the more powerful the unique eye technique granted, the greater the irreversible damage inflicted on the user's eyesight and physical body.
With excessive usage, the Mangekyō inevitably led to complete blindness. In severe cases, it could even cause general bodily function deterioration—ultimately requiring constant medication just to survive, as Itachi Uchiha had demonstrated.
In the original timeline, Sasuke Uchiha's eyesight had deteriorated drastically after only a handful of Mangekyō uses.
So what condition was Uchiha Hikari in—possessing the terrifying eye technique known as Yachihoko, one of the most chakra-intensive abilities imaginable?
Having been forced by the Uchiha clan to repeatedly use her eye techniques countless times throughout the Warring States Period, Hikari's current eyesight was definitely not in good condition.
This was precisely the problem that had been troubling Kazuki.
Caught under his penetrating gaze, Hikari felt sudden, inexplicable anxiety rise within her. As if terrified of being abandoned or discarded, she clung tightly to the boy. Her voice emerged soft and low, trembling noticeably. "I... I'm perfectly alright! I can still use my eye technique many more times without issue, so... please don't worry about me, Kazuki. Please."
"Hikari. Look directly into my eyes."
Kazuki's gaze sharpened dramatically, his Sharingan activating with unmistakable pressure. "I don't tolerate lies from those I care about. Tell me the absolute truth—how severely damaged are your eyes?"
"I'm sorry, Kazuki... I was wrong to lie."
Hikari—like a child caught in wrongdoing—bowed her head deeply in genuine contrition, biting her pink lower lip nervously. "The truth is... I can probably use Yachihoko at full power only three or four more times before..."
She didn't finish the sentence, but the implication hung heavy in the air.
Before I go completely blind.
[End of Chapter 29]
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