Konan's hands trembled as she wrapped the bandages. The burns on Nagato's legs were severe, hideous. Using the Gedo Statue had hollowed him out, leaving his frame gaunt, skeletal.
He stared at the cave wall, his eyes empty. A grief so deep it felt solid.
A tear fell from Konan's cheek, splashing on the bloody cloth. Everything had shattered. Their mentor, their comrade, Hanzō of the Salamander… had betrayed them. Had slaughtered their friends. Had forced Nagato's hand to end Yahiko's life.
Now, even Yahiko's body was gone.
The future was a void. She didn't know the next step.
"Don't cry, Konan." Nagato's voice was a dry rasp, scraping against the silence of the cave. "We must go on. We must carry Yahiko's will. I… will become a god. Only a god can bring peace to this world of despair."
He turned his head, the Rinnegan swirling with a terrible light. "Those who do not know pain… can never understand true peace. To break this cycle of hatred, we must make the world understand suffering. Let the fear of that pain curb all war. Let it guide this broken world to stability."
His gaze burned into the darkness. "I have grown. I have endured pain beyond mortal limits. I have… the qualifications of a god now. So, Konan. Walk with me. Let us fulfill Yahiko's dream. Let us lead this shattered world to peace."
Konan wiped her eyes. Her heart ached for him, for his broken body. But a cold, sharp hatred settled beside that ache. For Hanzō. For this world.
"I'm with you, Nagato."
He gave a slow nod. Silence stretched between them, filled only with the drip of water from the cave roof.
"The Akatsuki… it is only us now," he said finally. "But I will not abandon it. It was Yahiko's creation." He looked down at his ruined legs. "I cannot walk. So I will walk with the bodies of others. The Rinnegan… will allow me to create six vessels. Six Paths. But first… I need a suitable corpse. A foundation."
Konan's expression hardened. Yahiko was gone. Nagato was all she had left. She would protect him. She would see this through.
"When the Six Paths are complete," Nagato continued, his voice gaining a chilling certainty, "I will kill Hanzō. I will take control of Amegakure. We will recruit the strongest, the outcasts, the S-rank missing-nin from every village. We will build the Akatsuki anew. We will achieve Yahiko's ideal."
"I'll find a suitable body," Konan said, her voice firm. "Immediately."
The summons came as soon as Qianyu and Danzō set foot back in Konoha. A masked ANBU, word from the Hokage. Immediately.
In the Hokage's office, the air was thick with tension. Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was a thundercloud. "Danzō. Where did you take your Root operatives?"
Danzō stood calmly, unperturbed. "We eliminated an organization that posed a potential threat to Konoha. A simple precaution."
Hiruzen's palm slammed onto his desk. "An organization in Amegakure? A threat to us?!"
"Better to be thorough than regretful," Danzō replied, his tone flat. "Any potential threat falls under Root's jurisdiction to neutralize. That is our purpose."
The Third Hokage's eyes bored into him. Danzō met the gaze, then looked away as if it were nothing more than an irritating fly.
Finally, Hiruzen let out a heavy, defeated sigh. "Danzō, the situation is precarious. Amegakure sits at the border of Earth, Fire, and Wind. Its strategic position is critical. Your reckless incursion sends a message—that Konoha is moving on Rain, seeking to seize that position. It could accelerate the war!"
He sucked on his pipe, the embers glowing. "The Sand is crippled. The Stone hasn't gained ground in months and is straining. The Cloud is in disarray. With time… we might have reached a negotiating table. Ended this."
Danzō snorted. "Negotiations? Have you lost your mind, Hiruzen? This war will not end with a handshake. Look at our losses. If we stop now, they are permanent. The initiative is shifting to us. We continue. We make the enemy bleed until they pay back what we've lost tenfold. Any talk of peace happens on our terms, after we've secured enough gains to rebuild!"
Hiruzen's brow furrowed deeply. "We cannot sustain these losses either, Danzō! Our shinobi numbers dwindle. Even if we 'win,' recovery will take a generation."
"And if we 'settle' now, recovery will take two," Danzō countered coldly. "Because we will be resource-starved. Securing resources now means we can train the next generation without scraping the barrel. Which future would you choose?"
He leaned forward slightly. "And do you truly believe any of the other villages want to talk peace? Don't be naive. This war has passed the point of words. They watch us, just as we watch them, waiting for the first sign of weakness. Whoever calls for peace first is the one who is breaking. So, Hiruzen… if you advocate for talks, you are inviting the wolves to our door."
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, the smoke curling around his troubled face. Danzō's logic was brutal, but sound. Yet, every casualty report was a physical pain. Konoha was fighting with its reserves.
He let the argument drop for now, turning his gaze. "Qianyu. Why were you with Danzō? Your post was in the Land of Hot Water."
"Orders," Qianyu replied simply.
Danzō stepped in. "I've spoken with Qianyu about the Uchiha matter. He has agreed. He is now a member of Root. My subordinate."
A new, sharper intensity entered Danzō's single visible eye. "The time is now, Hiruzen. It is time to… curb the Uchiha clan's arrogance."
Hiruzen's own eyes glinted. He gave a slow, deliberate nod. "It is indeed time. What is your plan?"
A thin, cold smile touched Danzō's lips. "The Mist are acting like rabid dogs, are they not? We send Qianyu to the Land of Waves. And we send a substantial contingent of Uchiha shinobi with him. Let Qianyu lead them into battle." The smile widened. "After all, he has… experience… in leading Uchiha."
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