[Fifteen Minutes Ago]
"..."
"Why hasn't Konan come over yet?"
On top of a tall tower, Nagato sat in a specially made wheelchair, falling into deep thought.
Clearly, Konan had already entered Amegakure.
But in his perception, not only did Konan not come toward him, she was instead strolling around Amegakure with that person.
'What is going on?'
In his impression, Konan wasn't a girl who liked shopping.
Since he couldn't figure it out, Nagato didn't bother thinking about it anymore.
He controlled the Deva Path of Pain and headed toward Konan's location.
———
Now—
The emotionless voice of Deva Path Pain instantly drew the attention of both of them.
Aoba could feel Konan's hand tremble slightly, but she quickly returned to calm.
She tugged at Aoba's face, and only then did she look at Deva Path Pain.
"Pain..."
Nagato's current mood was also somewhat complicated, especially after seeing the smile in Konan's eyes just now.
He hadn't seen that for a long time.
Ever since Yahiko died, Konan had never truly smiled.
'Now suddenly showing such an expression, it is probably because of this guy.'
The gaze of Deva Path Pain turned toward Aoba.
Nagato didn't expect that by simply sending Konan to Konoha for a routine mission, she would be swayed by someone.
Konan's face was able to regain its smile. As a friend, Nagato was genuinely happy for her.
But the childhood friend he grew up with had now been dyed by someone else's color.
In the end, Nagato still felt a bit displeased in his heart.
Especially since the guy was a ninja from Konoha.
A future enemy their organization must confront.
Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame had mentioned this boy's Wood Release kekkei genkai.
That was an ability strong enough to suppress even the most elite Sharingan.
He also didn't expect that the one who gave him a sense of crisis just now was actually this young man.
He really wanted to know right now how Konan ended up involved with this guy.
However, no matter how Nagato felt inside, the puppet of Deva Path Pain only had one expression on its face.
"Konan… were you going to the flower shop to buy flowers?", Nagato awkwardly tried to find a topic.
The Rinnegan's astonishing insight allowed him to notice the flower shop not far from the two of them.
"Mm," Konan nodded. That was indeed her destination.
"You used to always fold paper flowers…"
"Although flowers made of paper don't wilt, they don't have the natural beauty," Konan explained.
"..."
"Konan, you've changed…", Even though it had only been a short time, the change in the other party gave Nagato a feeling that far surpassed the past ten years.
Konan did not deny it. She took Aoba's hand.
With a slightly red face, she said, "Let me introduce, his name is Aoba. He's my boyfriend."
"...", Nagato fell into deeper silence. Even though he always claimed to be a god, at this moment his brain was a little overloaded.
Although he had already prepared for this outcome, when Konan personally introduced him, he still felt something strange.
Of course, he wouldn't object. Pursuing love was Konan's freedom.
'It's just that…'
"Konan… how many years older are you than him?", That expressionless face of the Deva Path Pain puppet spoke this sentence.
Upon hearing it, Konan's face instantly flushed red, "Shut up!"
Nagato, saw Konan's expression through Pain's vision. That look as if she was going to tear him apart made Nagato feel both familiar and unfamiliar.
It had been a long time since he saw Konan make that kind of expression.
Seeing Nagato fall silent, Konan also didn't bring up the matter again. Her expression turned serious.
"I have something to talk to you about. Let's find another place to chat."
Nagato nodded, "Follow me."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared on the spot.
Konan also gave Aoba a glance, and Aoba winked at her. Throughout the entire process he hadn't said a word, just as they agreed from the start.
He would listen to everything Konan said.
Konan took Aoba and disappeared as well.
When the two of them reappeared, they were already inside the interior of a tower.
The Deva Path Pain puppet stood not far in front of them.
"Konan, what is it…"
"For a long time going forward, I probably won't return to Amegakure," Before Nagato could finish his sentence, Konan directly interrupted him.
Since she had decided to make things clear, she had no more hesitation.
"Wha… what?", Nagato didn't quite react and thought he had misheard.
"What did you just say? I didn't quite catch that."
Konan pressed her lips together and repeated it once more, "For a long time going forward, I probably won't return to Amegakure."
Nagato finally heard it clearly, 'So I didn't mishear earlier.'
But after understanding it, his eyes widened again, "Konan, what are you saying?"
Even the expression on the face of the Deva Path Pain puppet almost cracked.
His chakra was even slightly unstable.
Konan also tightened her grip on Aoba's hand, gritting her teeth as she spoke, "For a long time going forward, I'll be staying in Konoha."
When Nagato saw the two of them holding hands, he immediately understood what was going on, "So, for this guy, you want to leave Amegakure? Have you forgotten our ideals?"
Nagato's real body shouted out, but the Deva Path Pain puppet merely raised its voice a bit.
It carried no intimidation.
Konan shook her head, "It is precisely because of my ideals that I've decided to temporarily leave Amegakure and Akatsuki for a while."
"What do you mean?"
"Because in Konoha, I saw another path toward peace. I want to witness it with my own eyes," Konan's answer made Nagato pause slightly.
"Konan, you've already been blinded by Konoha's peace. Have you forgotten?"
"It's the ninjas of the great nations who turned the Land of Rain, Akatsuki, and Yahiko into what they are today! The peace of the great nations is built on our suffering!"
"I haven't forgotten," Konan shook her head seriously, her gaze resolute, "But Aoba is different. Being by his side, I feel at ease."
"At ease? I don't understand what you're talking about," Nagato questioned coldly, "All I know is that you want to betray us, and go be with those Konoha ninjas who once rampaged in Amegakure."
Hearing the word "betray," Konan instinctively wanted to refute, "I didn't—"
"Konan-nee has never betrayed you," Aoba spoke up for Konan.
"Hmm?", This was the first time Aoba had spoken, and Nagato stared intensely at him.
'It is because of this guy!'
"Aoba…", Konan also wanted to say something, but was stopped by Aoba waving his hand.
"Konan-nee has never revealed any important information about you to us."
"...", Nagato did not deny or suspect anything.
He understood Konan. It was impossible for her to do something like betraying her friends.
What he said just now was merely out of anger.
It's just that, he trusted Konan, but he didn't trust this Aoba from Konoha.
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