Konan flew back to the Land of Rain without a moment's rest, her heart filled with anxiety. Initially, she had only been suspicious of Madara and Black Zetsu, believing that even if they had ulterior motives, they would never be a match for Nagato.
But now, knowing that Nagato had been manipulated by these two since birth, she couldn't help but worry deeply about his safety.
She feared that by the time she returned, she might find Nagato's lifeless body.
Yahiko had already died for her sake, and she couldn't bear the thought of Nagato losing his life because she failed to return in time.
'Madara' hasn't appeared for several months, and Black Zetsu, along with a new member, had been researching a Forbidden Technique.
Now that she was away from the Land of Rain, and Sasori had gone to Iwagakure, the only members of the Akatsuki remaining in the Land of Rain were Madara's subordinates.
"Damn it! Nagato is in a very dangerous situation now!"
Konan cursed under her breath as she soared through the clouds, her paper wings cutting through the sky. She pushed herself to fly even faster.
The human body is truly remarkable, and Ninja are even more so.
Throughout her journey, Konan only stopped once to replenish her energy with ration pills and water. She maintained her top speed the entire way.
In just two days, Konan arrived back in the Land of Rain. When she saw Nagato in the tower, her heart finally settled.
Meanwhile, Nagato, standing atop the tower in the Land of Rain, was puzzled when he saw Konan rushing toward him in a panic.
"Konan, you..."
"Phew! Nagato, you, cough… you're in danger!"
Before Nagato could finish, Konan interrupted him. Though she was out of breath and struggling to speak, she managed to convey her message.
Nagato frowned when he heard this. He knew Konan wasn't one to act rashly, so if she was this alarmed, the situation must be dire.
"Is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki planning to attack the Land of Rain?" Nagato asked directly. The only significant threat he could think of was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. The Akatsuki had kept a low profile in the Ninja World, and their only notable enemy was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Konan, who had just caught her breath, quickly shook her head when she heard Nagato suspecting Naruto. "No, it's not the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. It's Uchiha Madara!"
"Your eyes… they might have been planted by Uchiha Madara..."
Konan recounted everything she had learned from Naruto.
As Konan spoke, Nagato's eyes widened in shock. His first reaction was disbelief.
"Konan, is this information reliable?"
In response, Konan fell silent, her breathing still heavy from the long journey.
Nagato lowered his head, gripping the armrests of his specially designed wheelchair tightly.
Nagato wasn't foolish. From the information Konan provided, he had already begun to piece things together.
'If the Rinnegan truly was as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had described, then my entire existence was a farce.'
The Rinnegan, which he had believed to be his own power, was something he couldn't fully control. It drained his Chakra daily, leaving his body weak and forcing him to rely on the Six Paths of Pain to act in the world.
But Nagato was reluctant to accept this truth. He had always considered himself a god, yet now, it seemed he was merely a pawn in someone else's game.
"Heh."
Nagato let out a bitter laugh.
"Nagato..."
"Enough, Konan."
Konan looked at Nagato with concern, wanting to comfort him, but Nagato cut her off.
Nagato looked at Konan seriously and said, "I haven't fully accepted this information yet."
"Let me finish!"
Seeing Konan about to speak again, Nagato raised his voice slightly. His mood was indeed not the best at the moment.
"Black Zetsu is still in the Land of Rain. I'll verify the truth of this information myself."
Hearing this, Konan's eyes lit up. "In that case, let's capture him now."
However, Nagato shook his head and refused, "We'll wait a couple more days. You're in no condition to fight right now."
Konan's Chakra Reserves were nearly depleted, and she needed time to recover. If Madara and Black Zetsu were truly the masterminds behind everything, Nagato feared that Konan might become a liability.
Konan, having calmed down a bit, understood Nagato's reasoning. Her expression grew complicated.
After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Nagato, perhaps we could seek help from the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki..."
Konan then told Nagato about Naruto's earlier offer to recruit the Akatsuki and vividly described her experiences in the Land of Waves.
She also shared Naruto's insights about the true source of the Ninja World's corruption and the path to achieving genuine peace.
As Konan spoke, Nagato slowly lifted his head.
He noticed the spark of hope in Konan's eyes as she spoke and realized that she had found a new purpose.
For a moment, he was a little dazed. He felt a little sad, but also a little relieved.
He was saddened that their shared dream of peace, which they had held onto for so long, had been shaken in just a few days.
But at the same time, he was genuinely happy for Konan. She was no longer living solely to fulfill someone else's dream. She had found her own path.
"Nagato, true peace isn't just about ending wars. It's about creating a new world where peace can thrive."
"The Akatsuki's power is too twisted to achieve true peace. We can destroy the world, but we can't create a new one."
"And the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... the leader of the Land of Waves, Uzumaki Naruto, possesses the power to create a new world."
As she spoke, Konan pulled out the textbook Naruto had given her and handed it to Nagato.
Nagato remained silent, not reaching out to take it.
"Konan, you've changed... no, it's more accurate to say that you have grown up."
Nagato forced a smile and said, "Go rest for now. We'll discuss this further after we deal with Madara."
Konan quietly withdrew her hand.
"Nagato, I could have endured the darkness if I had never seen the light."
Seeing Nagato's resistance, Konan didn't press further. While she believed in the Land of Waves' vision of peace, she wouldn't force it on Nagato.
She would have to convince him gradually.
For now, the priority was dealing with 'Madara'.