Chapter 131: The Roots of a New Pain
The ceaseless rain of Amegakure provided a shroud for their retreat. Nagato and Konan fled into the damp, dark belly of a forgotten cave, the drumming of water on stone the only sound besides their ragged breathing.
With eyes red-rimmed from more than just fatigue, Konan carefully helped Nagato sit, her hands trembling as she began to bandage his ruined legs. The flesh was a tapestry of severe burns, a direct consequence of his forced, desperate summoning of the Outer Path Demon. The backlash had left him emaciated, his life force visibly drained, his skin clinging to his bones. He was a ghost of the young man he had been mere hours before.
Nagato stared into the cave's oppressive darkness, his gaze hollow. The vibrant magenta of his Rinnegan seemed dulled, clouded by an unrelenting sorrow that threatened to swallow him whole. The image of Yahiko—his smile, his resolve, the feel of the kunai as he impaled himself—was seared onto the back of his eyelids.
Konan's tears fell silently, spotting the bandages in her hands. It had all happened too fast. Hanzo, the legendary salamander they had looked to as a potential ally, had betrayed them with cold-blooded efficiency. Their friends in Akatsuki were slaughtered. And Yahiko… Yahiko was gone, his very body stolen from them in the chaos. A fresh wave of anguish washed over her, mixed with a profound confusion about what path could possibly remain for them now.
A hoarse, broken voice cut through the silence, startling her. "Don't cry, Konan." Nagato's voice was like grinding stone, but it held a new, terrifying resolve. "We must go on. We will inherit Yahiko's will. I will become a god. Only a deity can bring peace to this world of suffering."
He turned his head, his Rinnegan pins focusing on her, and in their depths, she saw the birth of a terrible conviction.
"Those who do not know pain can never understand true peace," he declared, the words falling like a final judgment. "To break this cycle of hatred, we must make the world feel real pain. We will use the horror of that pain to cauterize the wounds of war and force the world into a stable, lasting peace."
He shifted, a pained grimace twisting his features. "I have ascended beyond mere mortals. I have endured the infinite pain of existence itself. I am now qualified to become a god. So, Konan, stand with me. Let us fulfill Yahiko's dream and lead this broken world toward the peace he died for."
Konan wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. The grief and heartache in her gaze were now tempered by a fierce, protective loyalty. Yahiko was gone. Nagato was all she had left.
"Nagato," she said, her voice firming with each word. "I will always be by your side."
A slight, grim nod was his only acknowledgment. After a moment of heavy silence, he continued, his mind already racing down a dark and pragmatic path. "Konan, though only two of us remain, we will not abandon Akatsuki. It was Yahiko's creation. It is his legacy."
He gestured to his useless legs. "I can no longer walk. I will use the power of the Rinnegan to create six corporeal puppets to act as my vessels. But first, I need you to find suitable bodies for me. Once the Six Paths of Pain are complete, we will kill Hanzo, seize control of the Hidden Rain, and establish our dominion."
"Then," he finished, the plan unfolding with chilling clarity, "we will recruit S-rank nukenin from every major village. We will strengthen Akatsuki and make Yahiko's ideal a reality through power, not plea."
Konan's expression solidified into one of absolute determination. She would protect Nagato. She would see this through. For Yahiko.
"Understood," she said, her voice steady. "I will begin the search for the first vessel immediately."
The atmosphere in Konoha was a stark contrast to the rain-soaked grief of Amegakure, but the tension was no less palpable. Upon their return, an ANBU operative was waiting, summoning Kagenori and Danzo directly to the Hokage's office.
They found Sarutobi Hiruzen behind his desk, the air thick with the smell of old tobacco and fresh frustration. His face was like a thundercloud.
"Danzo," the Third Hokage began, his voice dangerously low. "Care to explain where you took your Root operatives without my explicit authorization?"
Danzo remained impassive, his single visible eye unwavering. "I led a mission to eliminate a nascent organization that posed a potential future threat to Konoha's security."
"An organization based in the Hidden Rain Village?" Hiruzen's voice rose as he slammed a hand on his desk. "How could a band of idealists in a neutral country possibly threaten us now?!"
"My policy is to eradicate any potential threat, no matter how distant," Danzo replied coolly. "It is the very reason Root exists. I would rather be responsible for a hundred unnecessary deaths than allow a single threat to Konoha to bloom. It is a burden I am willing to bear."
Hiruzen stared hard at his old teammate, his gaze searching for any crack in the man's placid facade. He found none. With a heavy sigh, the fight seemed to drain out of him, replaced by weary exasperation.
"Danzo, you are not thinking strategically. The Land of Rain sits at the nexus of Earth, Fire, and Wind. Its position is critically important. Your little excursion sends a message to Iwa and Suna that Konoha is moving to annex the region! You could provoke a coordinated response from both villages and escalate this war to a breaking point!"
He took a long draw from his pipe, the ember glowing brightly. "The Sand is on its last legs. Iwa cannot sustain a prolonged war of attrition without tangible gains. Even Kumo is reeling. If we are patient, we can bring them all to the negotiating table and end this bloodshed."
"Negotiations?" Danzo's voice was a venomous sneer. "You are a fool, Hiruzen. This war will not end with handshakes and treaties. You know the cost Konoha has paid. If we end it now, those losses are for nothing. The initiative is finally in our hands. We must press our advantage, secure resources and concessions, and ensure our victory is absolute. To sue for peace now is to show weakness, and weakness is an invitation for every other village to tear out our throat."
Hiruzen frowned, the lines on his face deepening. "And if we continue to bleed our shinobi dry, Danzo, what will be left to protect? Our ranks are thinning. We cannot recover from such a depletion in a generation."
"Without the resources a decisive victory would bring, we will never recover at all," Danzo countered, his logic cold and sharp as a scalpel. "Training new shinobi is a simple matter when the coffers are full. It is impossible when they are empty. Do not mistake their silence for acquiescence. The other Kage are thinking exactly as I am. The first to call for peace will be marked as the weakest, and the rest will swarm. Your desire for a quick end, Hiruzen, is a death sentence for Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke, the cloud obscuring his troubled features. As much as he hated to admit it, Danzo's ruthless calculus held a grain of truth. The war had entered a phase where any sign of frailty could be fatal.
"Let us table this discussion for now," Hiruzen said finally, turning his attention to the silent figure standing beside Danzo. "Kagenori. Explain your presence. Your post was in the Land of Hot Springs."
Before Kagenori could open his mouth, Danzo interjected smoothly. "I issued the transfer order. He returned to Konoha at my command." He paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "Hiruzen, I have spoken to him regarding the Uchiha situation. He has agreed to lend his… unique talents to the cause. Kagenori is now a part of Root, operating under my directive."
He leaned forward slightly, his cane tapping the floor. "The time for patience is over. It is time to clip the wings of the Uchiha clan."
A grim light flickered in Hiruzen's eyes. After a long moment, he gave a slow, deliberate nod. "It is indeed time. What is your plan?"
A sinister smile touched Danzo's lips. "Kirigakure has been acting like rabid dogs, attacking anything that moves along the coastal regions. They are making a push into the Land of Waves." He gestured with his chin toward Kagenori. "He will be assigned there. And we will attach a significant contingent of Uchiha clansmen to his command. After all," Danzo concluded, his voice dripping with dark satisfaction, "he has such a proven track record of leading Uchiha ninja to victory."
💫 Liked the chapter?You can read 100+ extra chapters on Patreon, including the current
Patreon Chapter 232: The Price of Compliance
👉 Patreon.com/KudosNey
Your support helps me write more and update faster 💖And don't forget to drop a Power Stone ⭐ — it really motivates me!
Special thanks to All our patreon members : DCor,Joe Mamma,C99mnt,RobbieRay😎
Thank you for reading and supporting! 🙌✨