Chapter 24: Only Through Pain Can One Know Peace's Value
Itachi and Orochimaru's assessment of Nara Shikaku proved correct.
While the Akatsuki members conversed, Nara Shikaku had already decided to retreat.
But he still harbored a sliver of hope. So he stepped forward from the ranks, standing before the formation and calling out to Pain above.
"Are you from the Land of Rain?"
"Thank you for helping seal the tailed beast."
"We didn't mean to deceive you earlier. The matter involved the Nine-Tails jinchuriki—we had no choice. Please understand."
"Our comrades crossed the border because we didn't want the tailed beast going berserk in the Rain Village and causing damage."
"For our earlier deception, I'm willing to apologize to the Land of Rain and pay appropriate reparations."
"However, this is our Konoha Village's Nine-Tails and cannot remain outside. We hope you'll allow us to take the sealed Nine-Tails back."
Pain hovered high in the air, looking down at him. His gaze was cold as he slowly spoke.
"How shameless of a great nation!"
"Before Konan appeared, you showed not the slightest concern for the Rain Village's survival!"
"You're only willing to negotiate now because you've lost your military advantage here."
"Indeed—those who haven't experienced pain cannot comprehend peace's value!"
Hearing Pain's mystical rambling, Nara Shikaku's brow immediately furrowed. He changed tactics.
"Is Lord Hanzo the Salamander available?"
"Please inform him—Nara Shikaku of Konoha Village requests an audience."
Compared to this strange unfamiliar ninja, Nara Shikaku preferred dealing with Hanzo the Salamander, with whom he'd had previous contact. Though Hanzo was a powerful demigod, a leader definitely wouldn't act rashly on emotion.
"Hanzo the Salamander..." Pain didn't answer, only lowering his head in contemplation.
The current Akatsuki organization wasn't fully prepared to begin collecting tailed beasts. Personnel weren't complete, supplies insufficient. They hadn't even fully confirmed all nine tailed beasts' locations.
Starting war now was too hasty, not a good choice.
But with the Nine-Tails delivered right to their doorstep, refusing felt wasteful.
Yet after taking it, Pain realized this was a double-edged sword.
To resurrect the Ten-Tails required all nine tailed beasts together.
But once tailed beast collection began, operations couldn't stop.
Otherwise, the beast's home village would continuously attack to reclaim it, and other villages would grow vigilant, increasing mission difficulty.
They'd have only one chance. If they failed, Akatsuki would become enemies to the entire shinobi world with no second opportunity. The Land of Rain would inevitably be destroyed.
Perhaps they could first trade the Nine-Tails for supplies. Once fully prepared, they could collect all nine tailed beasts in one decisive action.
Keenly detecting Pain's hesitation, Nara Shikaku's heart leaped with joy. He pressed further, tone earnest.
"Konoha Village and the Rain Village have always been allies. Our Hokage and Lord Hanzo frequently exchange letters. Please do us this favor."
"The Hokage will personally write Lord Hanzo to express gratitude."
But barely had his words fallen when strange laughter erupted nearby, like an owl's screech, particularly grating.
"Hehehehe... Indeed allies!"
"And it's not just Hiruzen Sarutobi who frequently corresponded with Hanzo the Salamander!"
"There's also Danzo Shimura!"
"Speaking of which, Hanzo the Salamander didn't originally plan to eliminate Akatsuki. But Danzo Shimura sent people over, instigating him, telling him Akatsuki would eventually shake his rule's foundation, persuading him to wipe out Akatsuki."
Nara Shikaku turned his head to see Uchiha Itachi sneering with bared teeth, crimson eyes flashing with malicious light, flowing with tangible killing intent.
His brow furrowed. He ignored him, turning back to continue persuading Pain, but suddenly felt a chill. Killing intent pressed down directly from Pain above.
"Hahaha..."
Yasushi laughed wildly, completely unconcerned by Pain's killing intent radiating toward him. Instead, he spread both arms as though offering himself for slaughter, expression deranged as he mocked.
"Say, Pain, after all these years, you don't even know who the mastermind behind Yahiko's death was?"
"Or did you actually know all along that Konoha was the enemy, but because the enemy's too powerful to provoke, you've just been pretending ignorance?"
"Huh?"
"Hahahaha..."
After stimulating Pain, he turned to provoke Nara Shikaku.
"Oh, right! Nara Shikaku over there, you still don't know, do you?"
"The current Land of Rain—Akatsuki calls the shots!"
"That bullshit Hanzo the Salamander died ages ago!"
"What bullshit demigod? Before Akatsuki's leader who possesses the Sage of Six Paths' Rinnegan, he wasn't even worth an ant!"
"What?" This shocked Nara Shikaku. His pupils contracted sharply, all color draining from his face instantly.
He jerked his head up toward Pain above, only to see Pain's expression completely wooden, those spiral eyes filled with coldness. His heart sank, knowing disaster loomed.
When a village changed leaders, they definitely should notify surrounding nations. But these Rain people not only didn't notify anyone, they even strictly blocked intelligence, not letting a single piece of news leak. The hostility implicit in this was already obvious.
Combined with something like "the Sage of Six Paths' Rinnegan," it was even more terrifying!
While internally cursing Danzo for causing more trouble, he quickly retreated, calling out:
"Since the Rain Village has changed leaders, I should return to the village to report this. In a few days, Konoha will dispatch an envoy delegation to negotiate with the Rain Village."
"Hahaha... You truly live up to being Konoha's greatest mind—you figured it out so quickly!" Yasushi clapped his hands and laughed, leaping forward to block the Konoha forces' rear. "Unfortunately, it's too late!"
Nara Shikaku's brow twitched. He didn't advance to fight, instead turning to shout at Pain.
"New Rain Village leader, are you certain you want to prevent our departure?"
"You must understand—we represent Konoha. Do you want war with Konoha Village?"
"Konoha Village is the shinobi world's greatest nation, not something a small country like Rain can contend with!"
"Even the demigod Hanzo the Salamander, at his peak, only matched the Sannin!"
"But Konoha Village's powerful ninja far exceed just the Sannin. If you rashly start war, aren't you afraid your entire village will be reduced to dust?"
But the more he threatened, the firmer the killing intent from Pain above became.
"Indeed—we shouldn't have trusted a great nation's lies!"
"Domineering, arrogant, self-righteous..."
With each statement, his tone grew heavier, his volume louder.
This wasn't just for the Konoha forces below to hear, but also to reaffirm conclusions he'd reached through long contemplation.
"So-called goodwill is merely lies to placate others, tactical deception to buy time!"
"So-called peace is merely flowers in mirrors and moons in water—dream bubbles that shatter at a touch!"
"Only by making you experience tremendous pain can you truly understand peace's value!"
"Only war is the sole path to avoiding war!"
After reconfirming his beliefs' correctness, Pain spread both hands and pressed downward.
"Shinra Tensei!"