"So you came here on purpose to provoke us?"
The Deva Path Pain's icy eyes locked tight on Aoba, already showing signs that he was about to make a move.
'Talking about some agreement at a time like this… if this keeps going, the organization's people are all going to get poached by Konoha.'
"Pain…", But the next second, the person standing before the Deva Path Pain was replaced.
Konan stood in front of Aoba without hesitation, which meant she was standing opposite Pain.
For a moment, Nagato on the other end blanked again, then felt a sudden stab of heartache and a tremor in his hand.
"Konan, you're going to stand against me?"
"I don't mean it that way. I just think we can sit down and talk this out first. No need to fight."
Konan let out a sigh, "If you fight here, the only one who'll get hurt is Amegakure."
"… "
Pain stayed silent. Konan wasn't wrong.
This was Amegakure. If the two of them fought, with their power, they would probably destroy half the village.
Right now Nagato was like a powerless leader, forced to watch Aoba take his subordinates one by one. But Konan was standing right in front of him. No matter what, he couldn't bring himself to hurt her.
Nagato took a deep breath, controlled the Deva Path Pain, glanced at Konan, then spoke coldly.
"Aoba, you should still remember our agreement, right?"
Aoba nodded calmly, "After you capture the Eight Tails, I'll fight you one on one."
"If you win, the tailed beasts I have, go to you. And if I win, you join Konoha."
"Hm?"
Nagato froze again, 'Is that really what we agreed to?'
'It was indeed winner takes all, loser eats dust.'
'But something feels off.'
The memory was a bit old, and this whole year without Konan handling Akatsuki and Amegakure's affairs, plus having to watch out for Black Zetsu's little tricks, he had basically been overwhelmed every day.
But as long as he won, it didn't matter. He never believed he would lose.
As long as he collected all nine tailed beasts, even if Akatsuki was reduced to just him, it wouldn't matter.
"Do you really have to fight?", Konan looked at the two of them with worry.
The Deva Path Pain said coolly, "Don't worry, Konan. I'll control my strength. I won't kill him."
"Won't kill me? You sure are confident," Aoba raised an eyebrow.
"Want to try right now?"
"Aoba…"
Konan wanted to stop them, but this was something they had agreed to long ago. It was also the best way to resolve their conflicts, so she couldn't really interfere.
'It is just…'
"When the time comes, don't hit too hard. Pain… his body isn't doing too well," Konan, who knew Aoba's strength very well, didn't worry about him losing. She only worried about conflict getting worse between the two.
Beating each other up a bit was fine.
"I know," Aoba gave Konan a reassuring look.
But Nagato was already gritting his teeth, 'How long has it been since I got this angry?'
"You're too arrogant, Aoba!"
'How could Konan think that way? How could she think I would lose?'
'Would someone with the Rinnegan lose?'
Whether it was Aoba's earlier behavior or Konan's current attitude, everything made Nagato furious.
"Then I'll let you see the power of a god!"
He glanced at Konan's position, shifted the Deva Path Pain, and stretched out his hand to use his power.
"I can do that too."
Feeling the pressure surging from the other side, Aoba pulled Konan behind him and raised a hand.
The repulsive force of the Tenseigan smashed into the Deva Path's power from the Rinnegan, colliding violently between them, but finally calming down.
"What?"
The Deva Path Pain's eyes widened.
Nagato on the other end mirrored the same stunned expression.
Total disbelief.
'Isn't Aoba supposed to excel at Wood Release?'
'What is this guy using now?'
'Hm?'
Only now did Nagato notice something strange.
'Aoba's eyes.'
Aoba gave a short laugh and mocked him, "This is the power of a god? Seems a bit weak."
"Hmph! Then try this!"
Nagato had been provoked.
Bansho Tennin!
Another burst of pulling force exploded out, trying to yank Aoba straight into his hand.
But he suddenly realized that Aoba wasn't moving at all. Not only that, he felt a pulling force coming from Aoba as well.
Nagato hadn't expected someone without the Rinnegan to be able to do the same thing.
And even though he hadn't used his full strength, just trying to show off his ability, the other side still looked totally relaxed.
"What's with your eyes?"
Through the Deva Path Pain, Nagato stared at Aoba's eyes and asked the question.
Aoba answered casually, "Pretty much the same as your Rinnegan."
Inside the tower, Nagato's eyes tightened. For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of danger.
'If I lose to Aoba… would I really have to join Konoha?'
But he vaguely remembered that he didn't agree to join Konoha back then, did he?
"Pain, if you lose to Aoba and join Konoha, we'll be comrades again," Konan said with hopeful eyes.
"Konan…"
"At that time, we can form a new Akatsuki. Just like at the beginning."
Konan continued.
Her hopeful look made it hard for Nagato to refuse.
But he couldn't join Konoha. He couldn't forget his hatred.
"Konan, do you really think Konoha can achieve the peace we want?"
"It's big ninja villages like Konoha that are the source of the wars."
Konan didn't need to answer this time. Aoba, who had been through nine years of compulsory education, stepped forward directly.
"You only know that major nations often break into war, but you don't know that the root of war has never been any country or any village."
"It's private property and class. It all comes from the contradiction between productive forces and relations of production. The root cause of war is antagonistic conflicts of economic interest."
"Huh?"
It wasn't just Nagato. Even Konan looked confused.
She rarely heard Aoba talk lofty theory. She preferred when he whispered sweet things to her.
Still, she knew he could talk theory when he wanted to. She was fooled into joining him that way back then.
As for Nagato, he was simpler. Basically a total illiterate.
He had wandered Ame since childhood, then learned ninjutsu a few years under Jiraiya, that unserious teacher, then started a revolution… never had one proper day of school.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.