"Is this what the battle between the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Rinnegan looks like...?" Kakashi muttered to himself in awe as he watched the scene unfold.
"No wonder Kaoru insisted on going alone, refusing our help. With such power, even if we were to intervene, it would be completely useless—only adding to Kaoru's burden..." Kurenai Yūhi sighed softly.
"Alright, now is not the time for amazement. Immediately, search the surrounding area!" Kakashi quickly regained his composure and issued the command.
"Yes!" The ninja team nodded and began their search.
"Report: We've found a corpse of one of the Pains!"
"Report! Another Pain corpse has been discovered!"
Following their reports, two bodies were carried before Kakashi and the other commanders.
"Why are there only two bodies of Pain? And we haven't seen Kaoru's figure either. Could they still be fighting...?"
Kakashi pondered silently. He didn't yet realize that apart from the two bodies—Asura Path and Deva Path—that had been reduced to parts, the other six bodies had already been reduced to nothingness by Kaoru's overwhelming ninjutsu.
"Continue searching for Kaoru's whereabouts." Kakashi ordered. "But once you find him, don't approach recklessly. I think their battle is no longer something we can interfere with..."
---
Several kilometers outside Konoha, the conversation continued.
"You mean..." Konan's expression was cold, and with a questioning tone, she asked, "That masked man isn't Uchiha Madara, but Uchiha Obito?!"
Kaoru nodded gently, still with a faint smile.
"That's just nonsense..." After Kaoru confirmed, Konan's tone became complicated and somewhat surprised. "Why would Uchiha Madara install the Rinnegan on Nagato...?"
"To explain properly would take quite some time. I'll just give a rough summary..." Kaoru smiled slightly and continued.
"Uchiha Madara was already a very old man when he awakened the Rinnegan. He was unwilling to die like that, so he wanted to use the Rinnegan to revive himself in the future—the Reincarnation Technique... Nagato, you know it, right?"
"Hmm..." Nagato silently nodded.
"Because of this, he installed his own Rinnegan into you, who carries the bloodline of the Uzumaki clan, and planned for you to use the Reincarnation Technique to revive him."
Kaoru's tone turned darker. "And that Uchiha Obito... is actually the spokesperson chosen by Madara, responsible for guiding you to collect the tailed beasts and preparing for Madara's resurrection." He examined their reactions with a playful look.
"But this Obito... seems to have his own little schemes, so there are some disagreements about the ultimate purpose of the Rinnegan..."
After finishing, Kaoru stood quietly, watching their reactions.
Konan and Nagato appeared to be contemplating whether what Kaoru said was true or not, falling into silence.
"Could it really be what he said...?"
"Are all our actions just tools being used by others?"
After a moment of silence, Konan finally broke the quiet, staring intently at Kaoru.
"Why should we believe what you're saying?"
"No... I have no intention of making you believe me..." Kaoru's lips curled into a faint smile. "Do you think I need your permission to take Nagato's Rinnegan?"
Hearing this, Konan was momentarily stunned, then her expression darkened.
"He... he doesn't need our belief..."
"Because, with his strength, there's nothing we can do to stop him now..."
Seeing Konan and Nagato fall silent again, Kaoru's smile grew even more intense. "Not only that, but taking Nagato's Rinnegan is actually a good thing for him..."
"Good thing?" Konan's cold face showed a hint of confusion. "You mean..."
"You should have noticed by now." Kaoru pointed at Nagato, who was gaunt and skeletal, with his emaciated body and the numerous black tubes inserted into his back.
"He's not the owner of the Rinnegan, yet he's constantly using it. Even the Uzumaki clan, with their abundant vitality and chakra, are starting to falter. If this continues, Nagato will be devoured by the power he relies on."
Indeed... Hearing Kaoru's words, Konan silently looked at the now severely weakened Nagato, whose body was shocking in its frailty, and she couldn't help but agree with his assessment.
At this moment, Nagato, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke.
"What do you want with the Rinnegan..."
His purple Rinnegan deeply locked onto Kaoru's Mangekyō Sharingan, with a bitter tone. "Your ability surpasses even the Rinnegan, so why do you still want to..."
"I really don't need your eyes, nor do I intend to use them for anything." Kaoru shrugged indifferently. "But, such a precious thing as the Rinnegan, I think it's better if I keep it..."
"Alright, the question-and-answer session is over. Next, it's time to..."
As he spoke, Kaoru's Susanoo once again surged. The light bones extended out a massive white arm, gripping a giant sword that suddenly slashed toward Nagato, who was completely defenseless!
"Nagato!!" Konan's shattered voice rang out.
Crackle! Crackle!
Countless metal rods fell to the ground. Nagato, deprived of support, collapsed weakly to the ground. His Rinnegan eyes stared fixedly at Kaoru.
"The Rinnegan, Uchiha Madara's eyes, now belong to me." Kaoru stepped forward, crouching slightly. He reached out and carefully examined Nagato's eye sockets. Seeing Nagato's dead-gray, broken expression, Kaoru withdrew his hand. "Good eyes, but this kind of gaze will soon disappear."
"Uchiha Kaoru, if you take Nagato's Rinnegan, what will he do afterward? He'll be truly blind!" Konan shouted in anger.
"That's none of my business. I've already done you a favor by not killing you." Kaoru stood upright again, speaking in a harsh tone.
"You!!" Konan's amber eyes nearly shot fire, and her mouth involuntarily pouted.
"Alright, alright. Don't look at me with that kind of expression." Seeing her angry face, Kaoru waved helplessly. "That's enough. Hand over the Rinnegan, and I'll use my Sharingan as compensation. How about that? Nagato won't go blind then."
"You... you mean..." Nagato looked at Kaoru's eyes, suspicion flickering in his gaze.
"Nagato, you really have quite the imagination. The Sharingan I give you isn't my own eyes," Kaoru said with a smile, denying Nagato's guess and not bothering to explain further.
"Well... this is the best benefit I can think of giving you. That's all for now," he finished, sealing his hands and slamming his palm to the ground.
"Summoning Technique!!!"
A gray catfish appeared in the scene—the King of Rivers.
____________________
For more advance chapters visit my patreon
patreon.com/kane45
Tier: 10$ Casual Reader - +20 Advance Chapter
20$ Intermediate Reader - +40 Advance Chapter
40$ Expert Reader - +80 Advance Chapter
Update: "Monday to Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day"
"Saturday and Sunday - Off"