Clang!
A piercing metallic clang suddenly echoed on the ground. This sudden sound made Konan, who had her eyes closed, tremble and instinctively open them.
She saw that under Nagato's abruptly intensified gravitational pull, Hanzō's scythe blade slipped from his grasp, falling to a more distant spot.
"Nagato, you..."
Hanzō couldn't help but frown. He felt no joy, only immense disappointment. If Nagato still chose to believe that Yahiko's so-called understanding could bring peace, then he was destined to fail in leading Amegakure to true peace for the Land of Rain.
"Don't misunderstand, I still hate you, I cannot forgive you, but..."
Nagato interrupted Hanzō's next words, speaking with a tone so rational and calm it bordered on emotionless: "You are no longer an obstacle to me. Killing you is meaningless, merely self-satisfaction. I don't need a meaningless release of hatred. Allowing you to burn your last warmth and value is the optimal choice for the Akatsuki."
Hearing this, Hanzō and Konan's pupils trembled slightly as they looked at Nagato's purple eyes, but they couldn't perceive a single emotional fluctuation within them.
Calm, rational, indifferent...
At this moment, he truly seemed like a "god" who had severed human emotions and impulses.
Nagato calmly gazed at the figure kneeling on the ground—once the hero and legend of Amegakure, and even the Land of Rain. Although Hanzō didn't have the title of "Demigod," to many, the name Hanzō was indeed a legend, one of the top ninjas in countless people's minds.
However, in Nagato's view, this hero, after slaying the evil dragon, had become a new evil dragon himself. The former hero had grown old; his sword-wielding hand had long become frail and lost its conviction, fearing and timid due to external clamor, hiding cowardly and aged in his tower, a truly ugly sight.
In the upcoming Fourth Great Ninja War, if such a Hanzō continued to rule Amegakure, the Land of Rain would inevitably fall into catastrophe during the war. Therefore, despite Zetsu's dissuasion, he had gone to kill this evil dragon. Not just for the hatred in his heart, but more because Hanzō stood in the way.
But now, it was different.
The current Hanzō, willing to trust him and even willing to die, was no longer an obstacle to him and the Akatsuki's future. Instead, he could become an important asset to him and the Akatsuki.
Nagato did not forgive Hanzō for his past wrongs; he still harbored resentment towards Hanzō in his heart. He simply understood that the current Hanzō was more valuable to him alive. Killing the other party would merely be a meaningless act of childish catharsis.
A "god" would not be dominated by resentment in their heart, making impulsive and reckless moves. No matter who, no matter what, everything could be sacrificed, everything could be abandoned for the peace he desired. Including his hatred. Including himself.
Hanzō was willing to die for a peaceful future, and he, too, could suppress the hatred in his heart and let Hanzō live for his ideal of peace. This was Nagato's resolve.
"..."
Feeling immense shock, Hanzō fell into a long silence, a smile appearing on his face as he softly said: "Indeed, entrusting the future to you was not a mistake."
The current Nagato could go further than him, than Yahiko, than anyone.
'Of course, provided he isn't deceived by anyone and stays on the right path,' Hyuga Kawa, who had been silently observing, chuckled inwardly.
Those present didn't know his thoughts. Hanzō stood up and looked at Nagato, saying solemnly, "As long as your original intention remains unchanged, this life is still yours..."
"Wait a moment, I object."
Just then, the silent Hyuga Kawa suddenly raised his hand, instantly attracting everyone's gaze.
"Although I don't want to interrupt such a magnificent scene, I must apologize as I still need to correct one point."
Facing their varied gazes, his tone remained humble as he spoke: "Half of Lord Hanzō's life belongs to my Lord. This is the price he must pay for his rebirth."
Hearing this, Hanzō and Nagato froze. The former quickly thought of his physical changes, while the latter instinctively thought of that terrifying existence.
"Hey." Hanzō reacted, his face darkening. "You didn't say before that I'd have to pay this kind of price."
"My apologies, my apologies. It was my oversight, I'm still not very proficient in this business," Hyuga Kawa apologized without sincerity, chuckling. "However, I have another piece of information; consider it compensation."
Seeing that Hanzō and Nagato remained unmoved, he paused, then smiled meaningfully: "This information can change the fate of Nagato and Konan's impending death."
"Two lives for half a life, should that be enough?"
Upon hearing this, the pupils of the three present immediately constricted, their expressions subtly changing.
"Do you know what you're saying?" Nagato said gravely.
At this moment, he suddenly realized that Hanzō knew too much, even the Akatsuki's plan and objective of collecting Tailed Beasts, and this information seemed to have come from this "Shadow." And Hanzō's current physical state and power—could they also be from this "Shadow's" hand?
Who exactly is this guy?
Hyuga Kawa paid no attention to Nagato's attitude, instead looking at Tobi, who was squatting in the shadows in the corner of the cave, feigning death despite being completely bewildered.
"Before we discuss this matter," he spoke abruptly, "could we first restrain that White Zetsu?"
At these words, Hanzō, Nagato, and Konan's gazes simultaneously turned towards Tobi.
Seeing this, Tobi, who had been lingering here to eavesdrop, immediately felt a bad premonition. Without hesitation, he was about to use "Mayfly" to burrow into the earth and escape.
But in the next moment, his body suddenly stiffened, losing control. Unbeknownst to them, Hyuga Kawa's shadow had already connected with his, gradually spreading from his feet to bind his body.
"Wh-what's going on? My chakra... What did you do?"
Tobi's voice was filled with panic. As if suddenly remembering something, he shouted: "It's you! So it was you! You're the one who killed those White Zetsu watching Amegakure!"
Only this bizarre shadow jutsu, capable of sealing chakra, could have prevented those White Zetsu from even transmitting information back! "Lord Nagato! Save me, save me! Don't listen to his nonsense! Kill him! He's the enemy, he's the enemy!"
Nagato ignored the noisy Tobi, frowning as he looked at Hyuga Kawa.
"Those eyes don't belong to you."
Hyuga Kawa wasted no words, stating directly: "Their true owner is Uchiha Madara."
...
What?
Nagato and Konan stood stunned. It was as if they had lost the ability to comprehend the meaning of his words.
"Oh, right." Seeing Nagato and Konan's dazed eyes, Hyuga Kawa paused before adding, "Not the 'Uchiha Madara' you know."
"The real Uchiha Madara, even if old, wouldn't wear a mask to conceal himself. The masked individual is merely a pathetic pawn."
After saying this, Hyuga Kawa's pleasure almost overflowed as he met Nagato's gaze, which seemed to reflect a shattered worldview.
Sorry, Obito. Rivals are destined enemies. If not you, then who? If I don't kick you out, how can I guide Akatsuki and control the war's situation? As long as I thoroughly control Akatsuki, I'll have more tools to do Hyuga Kawa's dirty work and heavy lifting. For instance, the Box of Ultimate Bliss can be left for them to seize, and bloodline limit ninjas can be left for them to kill.
So, Obito, you'll just have to suffer a bit. I'll take on the responsibility of Akatsuki.
"Mmmph mmmph mmmph!"
Tobi, his body and mouth bound, made noises. Even if what he said was unclear, the extreme terror in his emotions was distinctly audible.
How could this guy know?!
"Impossible!" Nagato was also jolted awake, recovering from the immense shock, and blurted out, "What you're saying is utterly fantastical!"
He simply couldn't believe or accept either of these things: that his Rinnegan didn't belong to him, or that the "Madara" he had always feared was a fake. He knew "Madara" had other motives, but he couldn't imagine that he had been living a lie from the very beginning, merely a pawn in someone else's hands.
"Whether it's true or false," Hyuga Kawa's tone held a smile, "all you have to do is take off his mask, and you'll know, won't you?"
Hearing this, Nagato instinctively wanted to refuse. He couldn't fall out with "Madara" just yet.
But the next second, the figure atop the mountain of corpses suddenly appeared in his mind, and the words spoken by that figure seemed to echo in his ears.
"Who do you think you are?"
"You're nothing more than a lowly vessel for those eyes."
"Without those eyes that don't belong to you, you're just a weak ant."
A lowly vessel... a weak ant...
An inexplicable rage surged from Nagato's heart. He fiercely narrowed his eyes, looking at Hyuga Kawa, and asked coldly, "Tell me, what do you intend to do?"