Hidden Rain Village.
Inside the highest building, Nagato's emaciated main body still sat motionless within the machine, but the light deep within those Rinnegan had quietly changed.
It was no longer the pure, unyielding belief of burning everything for a grand goal, but a glimmer of deep, scrutinizing calmness.
Konan stood quietly to the side, the paper sheets floating around her at a slower speed than usual.
Nagato's hair had been dyed white in advance to prevent anyone from noticing any clues.
The space rippled into a vortex without warning.
The orange spiral mask, the black robe with red clouds, that figure who called himself "Uchiha Madara" appeared in the center of the secret room, carrying the usual heavy, legendary pressure.
Behind the mask's single opening, that Sharingan swept coldly over Nagato and Konan.
"Nagato." A low and slightly distorted voice sounded, devoid of discernible emotion, yet carrying an inherent tone of accountability.
"I need an explanation for the result in Konoha. Why wasn't the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki brought back? Your power is sufficient to crush all of Konoha."
It was here.
Nagato controlled the Pain Heavenly Dao, slowly lifting that orange-haired figure, his Rinnegan calmly watching the visitor.
He had long prepared his script, his tone steady, even carrying a hint of "reasonable" frustration over the plan being thwarted.
"An unexpected variable appeared in Konoha, Madara." The Heavenly Dao's voice was devoid of waves.
"Uzumaki Naruto's control over the Nine-Tails Chakra has reached a new level. The combat assessment was skewed; forcibly capturing him would have been too high-risk and would have impacted the overall progress of collecting the subsequent Tailed Beasts."
"A variable?" The masked man took a step forward, his tone still steady, but the invisible pressure grew heavier.
"The Rinnegan is the eye of the Six Paths Sage, transcending all Ninjutsu. What kind of variable could interfere with the power of a god? Nagato, has your resolve wavered?"
The testing had begun. Nagato sneered inwardly, controlling the Heavenly Dao to shake its head slightly.
"It is merely a strategic adjustment." He paused deliberately, as if organizing his words, or as if making an important decision.
"Furthermore, in Konoha, I came into contact with some new possibilities."
"Oh?" The masked man's voice rose slightly, carrying a trace of imperceptible vigilance. "What possibilities?"
Nagato let the Heavenly Dao's gaze seem to drift into the distance, carrying a deliberately feigned look of contemplation, as if he had discovered a new path.
"Pain breeds peace. Creating Tailed Beast weapons to deter the world might not be the only path. Perhaps, without gathering all the Tailed Beasts, without creating those devastating weapons of Pain, we can also find the key to peace."
Silence descended upon the secret room.
Only the dull sound of raindrops hitting the outer armor remained.
The Sharingan behind the mask contracted slightly.
It had deviated.
The plan had deviated seriously. How could Nagato have such thoughts?
"Absurd!" The masked man's voice suddenly became stern, carrying the disappointment and anger of an elder reprimanding a junior who had gone astray.
"Nagato, have you forgotten Yahiko's dream? Have you forgotten how this weeping Land of Rain was born? The Pain inflicted by the great nations has never ceased. Brief mercy and naive ideals will only bring greater tragedy! The Pain brought by Tailed Beast weapons is the only way to make the world feel our Land of Rain, to feel the Pain endured by all small nations! Only equal fear can trade for a pathetic peace! That is reality!"
He tried to pull Nagato back into the logical framework constructed from hatred and Pain.
Nagato listened quietly, but the cold suspicion in his heart grew clearer.
Look, he was anxious.
He was desperately trying to pull himself back onto that predetermined track. This urgency itself was suspicious.
"Yahiko's dream was true peace, not survival under fear."
Nagato let the Heavenly Dao's voice carry a hint of "stubborn" persistence.
"The path of Tailed Beast weapons was guided by you, but I have begun to wonder if this is the only, or even the best, path. Perhaps we can try other solutions before creating the ultimate fear."
"Try? Try with what? With your naive fantasies?" The impatience and hidden anxiety in the masked man's tone were more obvious.
"This world is already terminally ill. Only by completely tearing apart the old world can the stubborn disease be eradicated! Nagato, do not be blinded by temporary weakness or the bewitchment of others! You are the leader of Akatsuki, the god destined to bring change to the world! Do not fail to live up to the mission bestowed upon you by these eyes!"
He was emphasizing the "eyes," emphasizing the "mission," trying to use these words that had once tightly bound Nagato to shackle him again.
"Eyes..." Nagato took the opportunity to continue, letting the Heavenly Dao's voice reveal a hint of doubt.
"The power of these eyes is indeed strong, but the burden on the body... Madara, do you know that long-term use, especially driving the Gedo Statue, consumes my Origin of life significantly? Are there other methods we can use to reduce this burden, or to use its power more safely? After all, I need to be alive to see the arrival of peace. I want to witness it with my own eyes."
He steered the topic toward the eyes themselves.
The masked man paused. This pause was extremely brief, but it was keenly captured by Nagato and Konan.
"The power of the Rinnegan is not something a Mortal can easily control. Paying a price is only natural."
The masked man's voice returned to that weathered indifference, as if stating a truth.
"For the sake of the great goal, the sacrifice of the individual is insignificant. Your life has long been integrated with these eyes, with the ideals of Akatsuki. Focus on the goal, Nagato. Do not be troubled by physical Pain. When the new world arrives, everything paid will be worth it."
He avoided the question of how specifically to reduce the burden, only using empty "great goals" and "future rewards" to fob him off, and once again forcibly bound Nagato's personal existence to the "eyes" and the "ideals."
Nagato's inner sneer grew stronger.
Sure enough, he only cared about whether the eyes could complete the plan.
"Perhaps... you are right." Nagato did not continue to press.
"It is I who have overthought it. The collection of Tailed Beasts indeed cannot be delayed. I will replan the matter of the Nine-Tailed."
He chose to retreat temporarily; it was not yet the time for a showdown.
The masked man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his tone softening slightly.
"It is good that you understand. Remember, we do not have much time left. The capture of other Tailed Beasts is also underway. Do not slow your pace because of the setback in Konoha."
After the masked man gave a few brief instructions regarding other Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki, his figure was once again swallowed by the vortex-like space, disappearing from the secret room.
The pressure dissipated, but the atmosphere did not lighten.
Konan walked to Nagato's main body, her voice very low.
"He was anxious. He was desperately trying to pull you back to the original track."
Nagato slowly closed his eyes, the purple light in the Rinnegan dimming.
"Ah... the more he is like this, the higher the authenticity."
"He only wants me to follow the script he has written, walk to the end he has set, and then recycle..."
He opened his eyes again, looking at Konan, his gaze firm.
"We must find a new path to peace, Konan."
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