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Chapter 6: Konan: He's Still Not Dead?
1,441 Words
Alex had an answer prepared for that question.
[I was Nagato's last resort, created just before his death. You know what condition he was in at that time.] The black text appeared, line by line.
[He used the Rinne Tensei Jutsu at the cost of his own life. This contingency was set in that very moment.]
[He had no time to explain it to you. He died from life force exhaustion the moment the jutsu was complete.]
"Is that so..." Konan thought about the events surrounding Nagato's death. It was just as the "white paper" said.
And if the Rinnegan could revive thousands of dead Konoha villagers, making one of her paper sheets "alive" didn't seem so strange.
Alex's story was built on a foundation of truth.
He just added his own little embellishment. Nine parts truth, one part lie. Konan didn't seem suspicious.
To further solidify her trust, Alex added the deciding line.
[Please rest assured. Although I am "alive" now, I ultimately come from your paper jutsu. I am still under your control.]
[You can try.]
People are naturally wary of strange, unknown things.
It's because they can't understand or control them, and they fear the danger.
Alex originated from Konan's jutsu, but the mental energy connecting him to her was minuscule.
If he wanted to, Alex could completely block that connection and be free of her control.
But right now.
He could use that very connection to gain her trust.
He would let her think that this "living" paper was just like all the others. still under her control.
No threat to her at all.
Seeing the words "You can try," Konan immediately did.
She could feel her chakra and mental energy linked to this "white paper," no different from any other.
Under Konan's control, the "white paper" began to float up and down, curl and uncurl.
It moved like an extension of her own body, smooth and fluid.
At this moment, Konan was certain. This "white paper" was, indeed, still under her control.
It posed no threat.
"I think... I handled that well enough."
Alex saw Konan put away the paper kunai. He finally sighed in relief.
Although he couldn't read her expression, he had passed the most difficult first-contact stage.
She might not trust him much, but at least she wouldn't try to kill him. She wouldn't reject an anomaly like him hanging around.
Konan controlled Alex, letting him float onto her right hand. She rubbed the small black text with her thumb.
It was perfectly smooth. There was no indentation from the letters.
She then flicked the paper's surface. Tap, tap.
Why are you flicking my... nether regions...
Alex felt a bit awkward.
But to satisfy Konan's curiosity, he didn't resist, allowing her to touch and... molest... him.
"Though you were born from my paper, you are not me. You can choose a name for yourself." After finding nothing, Konan pulled her hand back.
"Also. What did you mean by that first sentence? Why am I 'about to die'?"
Those blood-red words had left a deep impression.
Her greatest enemy was buried in the explosions. She couldn't imagine what else could possibly kill her now.
[Since you all founded the Akatsuki, just call me 'Alex.']
Alex gave his name. As for a surname, it wasn't the time.
He specifically mentioned the Akatsuki (which means 'Dawn' or 'Daybreak'), implying he chose his name because of the organization.
This move, he was sure, would earn a huge boost in Konan's trust and goodwill.
"Alex? That's... a good name."
Sure enough, upon hearing the name "Alex," Konan's gaze softened.
Her tone was no longer quite so icy.
[We need to leave. Now. 'Madara' is not dead. Your six hundred billion explosive tags cannot kill him!]
Alex quickly revealed the current crisis.
He had already spent three minutes talking.
They had to use every remaining second to get as far from Amegakure as possible.
"Impossible!" Konan looked as if she had heard something unbelievable. She immediately refuted it.
"I have gathered precise intelligence over the years. 'Madara's' intangibility only lasts for five minutes."
"To ensure his death, I prepared six hundred billion explosive tags. The explosion will last for a full ten minutes. It will definitely kill him!"
It wasn't that she didn't want the explosion to last longer.
The sheer number of tags was too massive. Even disguised with her Paper Person of God Jutsu, she couldn't fine-tune the control.
She could only detonate them all at once.
[Perhaps it's because of the Rinnegan. When I awoke, I knew many things. Your six hundred billion tags... truly cannot kill him.]
Black text scrolled rapidly across the white paper.
[The Uchiha clan possesses an ultimate ocular jutsu. Izanagi. At the cost of one Sharingan's light, it can rewrite any unfavorable event into an illusion.]
[No matter the injury, even death... as long as Izanagi is activated, the user will be restored to their original state!]
"Uchiha..." Konan's mouth fell slightly open. She whispered in disbelief:
"Revival even from death... How can he possess such a jutsu?"
She bit her lip, looking unwillingly toward the center of the blast. Her orange eyes began to dim.
"Not even six hundred billion explosive tags... can kill him?"
Konan didn't doubt Alex's words. He had no reason to lie to her.
The truth would be revealed in ten minutes anyway. "Alex" wouldn't tell a lie that would be exposed so quickly.
But precisely because it was the truth, she was unwilling to accept it.
If he possessed a cheat-like revival jutsu like Izanagi, how could she ever kill him?
The hatred for being fooled all these years. Yahiko, Nagato, the Akatsuki... how could she avenge them?
At that moment, faced with the cruel truth and the impossibility of revenge, Konan was lost.
She was plunged into an unprecedented feeling of helplessness and despair.
"Yahiko... Nagato... what should I do? I can't even... avenge you..."
"My enemy is right in front of me, but I can't find a way to kill him..."
Konan's world seemed to fall into darkness, devoid of hope.
Sh!
Just as her spirit completely faded, a brilliant and warm, five-colored light suddenly pierced her gray world.
Konan focused. "Alex" had flown in front of her, the text on his paper surface flashing in five bright colors.
[Don't give up! I have a way!]
[Do not give up! Trust me! I have a way to let you get your revenge with your own hands!]
When Alex saw her hopeless expression, he was afraid she would do something impulsive.
He immediately activated his "five-color-flash" effect to get her attention, and to give her a reason to keep living.
[I know many of the world's secrets. I can help you gain greater power. It might even be possible to resurrect Nagato and Yahiko!]
"Is that... true?" Konan's eyes lit up. Her gaze locked onto the word "resurrect."
If she could really bring her friends back, revenge could wait.
[As long as you gain enough power, resurrection is a simple matter. Haven't you already witnessed two methods of resurrection yourself?]
The first was Nagato's Rinne Tensei. The second was Izanagi, which was about to happen right before her eyes.
"What do I need to do?" Konan gripped Alex tightly. "If I can bring Yahiko and Nagato back, I will do anything!"
At this moment, Alex was her last straw.
He was the ray of light that had pierced her world just as she was about to sink into despair.
[While 'Madara' is still delayed, we must leave Amegakure. As far away as possible.]
This wasn't the time to reveal "Madara's" true identity. That would require a long explanation they didn't have time for.
[As long as you survive, and 'Madara' can't find you, I am 100% confident I can help you gain power quickly, and eventually, resurrect Nagato and Yahiko.]
Konan stared at the text for a long time.
Finally, she exhaled one word. "Alright."
She chose to trust Alex's advice. She would leave immediately.
At this point, all she could do was believe what the paper told her. It was the only thing giving her the strength to live.
She staggered across the sea's surface, her breathing ragged.
Before she had even gone ten meters, Konan had to stop, gasping for air.
Her ankles were sinking into the water. She was about to lose her ability to stand on it.
She panted, looking at Alex floating beside her.
"My chakra is exhausted. I can't even maintain my footing on the water. Do you have a solution?"