During the journey that followed, Kakuzu paid close attention to Mokgetsu.
He thought Mokgetsu's ideas were impossible to achieve, too unrealistic.
If Mokgetsu himself couldn't do what he said, then what he proposed was undoubtedly empty talk.
But the more he observed Mokgetsu, the more Kakuzu had to admit that the other was genuinely a good person.
If everything about Mokgetsu was just an act, then Kakuzu could only say that Mokgetsu was the most skilled ninja in disguise in the Ninja World.
Everything Mokgetsu did seemed to come from within, showing no signs of performance.
When teaching ninjutsu to the ninjas, he treated everyone equally, never ignoring those who lacked talent.
"You're so perfect you're unlike anyone in this world, but being too perfect is a flaw in itself. What exactly is your purpose?" Kakuzu thought long and hard, still sensing something was off about Mokgetsu.
"In that case, you're overestimating me. I'm certainly not perfect." Mokgetsu looked at Kakuzu with some surprise.
He didn't expect Kakuzu to hold such a high opinion of him, thinking he was overly perfect.
But in truth, Mokgetsu didn't particularly try to act; most of his actions were genuine and from the heart.
If there was any acting, it was mostly done in Konoha; apart from his time with the disciples or at the Ninja Academy, Mokgetsu spent most of his time acting.
Mokgetsu was aware of his own shortcomings. Although his followers regarded him as knowledgeable, much of his knowledge was superficial, as Mokgetsu was not specifically dedicated to studying those things—in his past life, he had just been an ordinary education student.
Mokgetsu could only localize some of the content he knew as much as possible to experiment.
Simply applying things directly was unrealistic; leaving aside the differences in development levels, the Ninja World was still a world with supernatural powers.
For example, Mokgetsu said that the ninja sect founded by the Six Paths Sage shouldn't use hereditary systems, but in reality, even if a non-hereditary system was used, the selected ninjas would still be descendants of the Six Paths Sage.
Because the leaders chosen during that era must have been top-tier, if not the strongest, and the descendants of the Six Paths Sage naturally inherited extraordinary talents from him, far ahead of ordinary people.
Of course, Mokgetsu still believed there was a significant difference between becoming a leader through one's ability and becoming one due to blood relations.
"As for my purpose, it's probably just to make the world a little better," Mokgetsu thought and answered.
Mokgetsu had always been willing to do good deeds within his abilities; he intended to take Nagato as a disciple to strengthen them but could also improve the Land of Rain in the process.
"How does making the world better benefit you? With your abilities, you could form a ninja organization and earn money, quickly accumulating wealth to enjoy life for several lifetimes. Wouldn't that be more enjoyable?" Kakuzu couldn't help but ask further.
Mokgetsu smiled, "Then why do you keep constantly earning money? Is it because you don't have enough to spend?"
Kakuzu was stunned, unable to answer Mokgetsu's question right away.
His money was certainly more than enough; every time he completed a high-bounty mission, the reward was more than enough for an ordinary person to live extravagantly for several lifetimes.
Kakuzu began to recall his black-market ninja career, feeling an inexplicable sense of achievement each time his assets increased with completed missions. Villages might betray, comrades might betray, but money wouldn't.
"You feel happy when you earn more money, while I feel happy when I see people living better lives and the world at peace. These are different pursuits," Mokgetsu said softly.
The observing disciples showed expressions of contemplation, with some ninjas even recording the conversation.
Since Kakuzu joined the group, this had become a routine for the traveling squad in the Land of Rain.
Initially, some ninjas were dissatisfied, feeling Kakuzu was disrespecting Mokgetsu.
But Mokgetsu himself didn't reprimand Kakuzu and even said it was inquisitiveness, so the followers had nothing more to say.
Then the followers realized that Kakuzu asked sharp questions after careful observation, which were also some of their inner doubts, so each time Kakuzu asked, other followers treated it as a lesson, listening attentively.
As time went on, Mokgetsu and the others had traveled through most of the Land of Rain, only needing to finish the northwest bordering the Land of Earth to complete their journey in the Land of Rain.
This time, Mokgetsu wasn't the only one lecturing; he let his followers summarize what they learned and share their insights.
"I'll be the first to speak," Yahiko said excitedly.
He had a lot to say, not only to his comrades in Akatsuki but also to Mokgetsu and the traveling ninjas.
"I've learned a lot from traveling with Uncle Sosuke. Before, I was just thinking about making the Land of Rain peaceful and bringing peace to the Ninja World, but I hadn't deeply thought about how to achieve this goal..." Yahiko passionately shared what he'd learned on the journey.
"So have you figured it out, boss?" Hatosuke asked with a grin.
Yahiko paused for a moment, then replied somewhat hesitantly, "Problems like this aren't easily solved, but I believe if we all keep working hard, we'll eventually find the right answer."
"Ah, back to the usual 'working hard together' line again. Boss, your speech skills are as lousy as ever," Hatosuke couldn't help but tease.
The other Akatsuki members burst into laughter, even Nagato couldn't help but smile.
Yahiko's speeches were devoid of any technique, relying solely on his fervor, and in the beginning, he was often teased by the Akatsuki members.
"Ahem, ahem, these are trivial matters, don't mind them. In any case, learning is really necessary, and practice after learning is also very important. The experience of traveling in the Land of Rain gives me more confidence in our future peace endeavors," Yahiko cleared his throat and continued his speech.