Yet, Tobi didn't seem like the type to engage in direct combat.
"I don't know who he is either," Naruto muttered. He glanced around the now silent battlefield—strewn with the wreckage of White Zetsu clones—and sighed deeply.
"Come on, we've got to keep moving—get you back home. Who knows how many more of these idiots are causing chaos in the other Kumogakure camps?"
Naruto never made promises lightly, neither to himself nor to others.
Promises always ended up leading both you and others to death.
But this time, before he personally took down that bastard, whoever he was, Naruto silently vowed that he'd rip off that mask himself—even if it meant taking the bastard's head off with it.
Strangely enough, despite lacking hands or chakra control, his sword had genuinely struck Tobi.
Thanks to Sage Mode enhancing his awareness of everything around him, Naruto clearly felt the moment his blade had connected with its target—even while the enemy was in that state.
"Was it just an illusion, or did I really hit him?"
Inside him, the massive chakra beast—drawing in natural energy to sustain Sage Mode—stood grinning in the corner of his inner world, baring its enormous white teeth.
"Senju… You really are something else, you bastard. I've figured out the true power of that sword."
"What?"
"I'll explain later. Stay sharp for now—the Two-Tails Jinchuriki is waiting for you."
Naruto rubbed the hilt still faintly vibrating from the impact, then turned his gaze toward Yugito.
She looked visibly startled, her face filled with shock and confusion at the sudden appearance of a Sharingan in Naruto's right eye socket.
## The Tower of Pain, Amegakure ##
The war situation was dire.
Although Sunagakure had suffered heavy losses in earlier battles, they continued to resist fiercely rather than being completely subdued.
While temporarily unable to launch offensive actions, they were far from defeated.
Konoha's situation was equally grim—they were fighting a two-front war, continuously sending reinforcements to Sunagakure, resulting in dangerously thin troop distribution.
Nonetheless, they had successfully fended off enemy attacks and gradually advanced toward Kusagakure, even breaking through the allied frontline of Frost Country.
The western front overseen by Nagato maintained strong combat effectiveness under Pain's leadership, although their assault against Sunagakure had failed.
Fortunately, aside from that particular battle, they hadn't suffered the kind of devastating losses seen in other regions.
Currently, the only good news was that, for unknown reasons, Kirigakure still couldn't land troops, posing no immediate threat to the mainland.
In addition, Iwagakure had decided to remain neutral, choosing no side at all.
In summary, Sunagakure couldn't mount further attacks due to internal circumstances; Kirigakure hadn't truly joined the war effort due to logistical challenges at sea; and Kumogakure remained bogged down fighting numerous small villages—a consequence of decades spent oppressing them.
Konoha had stretched its forces too thin and therefore lacked the strength to mount an assault against the heavily fortified Amegakure, despite having performed reasonably well on the battlefield.
"I'm alone again," murmured Nagato, the gaunt, red-haired man sitting in a chair inside the room. "I'm alone again, Konan."
A steady rain continued to fall outside, but this was not merely Amegakure's typical climate—it was caused by Nagato's, or rather Pain's abilities, deliberately summoning torrential rains to keep outsiders from entering the village.
No spies would be tolerated during wartime.
"I assembled the most powerful ninja from across the continent, trying to create a peaceful world. But now look what's happened? Tobi's betrayal destroyed everything. Now only you and I are left, while he hides elsewhere, sowing chaos."
In fact, they had remained in silence together for hours before Nagato finally broke it. Much went unsaid between them—they understood each other without words.
"Nagato…" Konan replied softly.
"I am waging war against the entire world," Nagato continued painfully, turning his gaze toward the window where Amegakure lay in view. Reconstruction was already underway in the village below, all part of the preparations for war. The buildings had been— "If Yahiko were still alive, what would he have done…?"
Nagato suddenly stopped himself. "Now talking about this changes nothing. You're the only one I can rely on now, Konan."
In the dimly lit room, Konan nodded slightly, offering a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
"Of course." Regardless of her personal feelings about this war, Nagato was the only one she could rely on.
Countless times throughout her life, Konan had wished she could convince Nagato to end this before making irreversible decisions. Yet everything changed—and became irreversible—the moment Nagato declared war against Sunagakure.
Over her long life, Konan had learned how to manipulate human weaknesses: fear, greed, pride… she could use them all, guiding others into doing her—and her teammates'—bidding.
Yet when facing Nagato, all that knowledge proved useless, and the reason was simple.
He believed every word he spoke. He never thought himself lying, because he considered himself a god—because he possessed the Rinnegan, he naturally believed he was divine.
When he promised every citizen of Amegakure that once his plan reached completion, they would become a beacon leading the world toward Light, his heart remained completely calm. Because he genuinely believed it.
Konan couldn't persuade Nagato, because when someone genuinely believes in something, they no longer possess so-called weaknesses. All you can do is either help him—or walk away.
Konan had already made her choice.
Even if that meant betraying her original moral principles; even if it meant they might ultimately commit irredeemable wrongs; even if it meant they might, in their attempt to save the world, instead lead it into destruction—she would remain steadfastly by Nagato's side.
The reason was simple—he was the last person she had left in this world. She would rather die a thousand deaths than see him standing alone. She would always stand by his side, and together they would claim ultimate victory, even if they were in the wrong.
But when they became the victors, who would even remember their past mistakes?
No one ever does. Because "right" and "wrong" are dictated by the victors themselves.
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