Nagato's Transformation

At this point...

Aoba returned to the gatekeeper ninja's memories.

His mood became tense as he realized that every small detail from now on could be crucial to the current developments. He understood that he had to be cautious, as he couldn't afford to overlook anything that might happen.

By now, the previous interactions between the Akatsuki trio and Minato Namikaze had passed, and it was time to see what would unfold next.

How did Konan end up at Ichiraku Ramen in Konoha?

Why had Minato called for him?

To answer these questions, Aoba needed to continue reviewing what had happened; only then could he fully understand the situation.

Gradually…

As time passed, minute by minute, Aoba kept walking in the same absent-minded manner, completely lost in thought. He needed to pay more attention to his surroundings.

However…

From his current location at the Anbu dormitory to Ichiraku Ramen, there wasn't much that required his focus.

He had walked this route countless times before and knew it by heart.

There was no issue at all.

He just needed to walk normally.

Moreover...

He had the gatekeeper ninja leading the way, so everything was handled.

There was no difficulty involved.

Aoba could completely ignore the gatekeeper ninja and stay absorbed in his thoughts, continuing to sift through the memories he had just retrieved.

The gatekeeper ninja didn't mind this behavior either.

His job was to bring Aoba to Ichiraku Ramen; the rest was up to Minato Namikaze.

As for why Minato had summoned Aoba...

The gatekeeper had some thoughts about it. One reason could be that Minato still trusted him and that his explanation still held weight.

Another reason was perhaps more obvious…

There was likely no one else Minato could call upon at that moment. Minato had to stay on-site and monitor Konan so he couldn't go himself.

However...

The gatekeeper ninja kept glancing at Aoba, watching his expression change, filled with questions about what was happening.

"This guy is strange!"

That was the gatekeeper ninja's assessment of Aoba.

After all...

In his eyes...

Aoba was someone who lived alone in the blood-soaked Anbu dormitory, a place filled with dread. He was probably living alongside them even if he wasn't a ghost.

Of course…

What shocked the gatekeeper most was Aoba himself.

To him, Aoba was scarier than any ghost!

As for Aoba's silence during the walk, the gatekeeper didn't mind.

It helped him relax.

If Aoba had been staring at him the whole time, he would have felt immense pressure, teetering on the edge of collapse. Now, at least, he had room to breathe.

At that moment...

The two left the Anbu dormitory.

The sun's slanting rays fell on the gatekeeper ninja, warming his body and chasing away the chill from within him.

"Phew…"

The gatekeeper ninja took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, feeling like a weight had been lifted. He had never appreciated the sun as much as he did now, its warmth driving away the cold and restoring a sense of comfort within him.

He then glanced back at Aoba.

Aoba still looked the same as before.

There was no change at all.

This only reinforced the gatekeeper's belief that Aoba was a strange person.

A total weirdo!

Of course, Aoba wasn't paying attention to the gatekeeper's thoughts at that moment. His focus remained on the memory fragments.

These fragments had reached a critical point.

Through them, Aoba could pick up details he hadn't noticed before.

These details would help him understand the situation later on.

This made Aoba feel quite excited.

As the scene shifted…

From the gatekeeper ninja's perspective, he hadn't paid much attention to Minato as he left. After all, Minato would soon become Konoha's Fourth Hokage, a figure beyond reach.

However…

The Akatsuki trio in front of him, who claimed to be Jiraiya's disciples, seemed to disagree.

This piqued the gatekeeper's curiosity, and he focused on them.

At that moment…

Following the memory fragments, Aoba's attention also zeroed in on the Akatsuki trio.

"Good!"

Aoba silently nodded to himself, feeling thankful for the gatekeeper ninja.

Regardless of the gatekeeper's intentions, whether it was curiosity or just wanting to watch, his focus on the Akatsuki trio provided Aoba with vital information, helping him understand the underlying issues.

As the scene continued...

The expressions of the three members of Akatsuki became more distinct.

Nagato's face turned somewhat grim, the pride in his expression shifting to resentment, seemingly triggered by Minato's rejection. Deep within his Rinnegan, a cold light flickered.

It was a very strong feeling.

Aoba wasn't sure if the gatekeeper ninja sensed it, but the emotion was palpable for him.

It was as though...

Nagato viewed himself as a god, albeit one who hadn't matured yet, but still a god. This belief fueled his behavior and expressions.

To him…

Everyone else was nothing more than ants, insignificant and unworthy.

Now, having been rejected by an ant strong enough to resist him, Nagato felt deeply insulted. He had thought that even lowering himself to ask for temporary shelter was a huge concession, giving them a lot of face. But to be dismissed like this? It was an insult to a god.

To Nagato, this was blasphemy!

He no longer wanted to set foot in Konoha. Instead, he envisioned a future where, once his Rinnegan had fully awakened, he would return to Konoha and stand before Minato, showing him the true power he had rejected.

"We're leaving."

Nagato said quietly, his expression unchanged, his tone calm and emotionless, as though nothing had happened.

Nagato didn't outwardly display the turmoil in his heart.

At least, from the outside, everything seemed calm and indifferent.

To Nagato, now a member of the Otsutsuki clan in his mind, he felt like a human standing among a colony of ants.

Even though he didn't yet have the power to defeat the ants, he no longer cared about dealing with this world.

Once his Rinnegan fully awakened, he believed he would become invincible, a godlike figure without any rival.

This was Nagato's mindset.

Ever since Aoba had revealed his origins as an Otsutsuki, Nagato had fully embraced his identity as one of them with no doubts or hesitation. His sense of belonging was now deeply ingrained.

"Sigh..."

Konan sighed softly, feeling slightly disappointed at how things had turned out.

After all...

In her original understanding...

She had believed they could smoothly enter Konoha, especially since these were the words of Otsutsuki Sheren…

That meant Otsutsuki Sheren believed this path would work!

If they hadn't been able to succeed…

It wasn't anyone else's fault!

It was their failure to handle things properly!

With that mindset, Konan felt disappointed and even wanted to meet with Otsutsuki Sheren to apologize personally.

"What should we do next?"

Konan turned to Nagato, asking him with a puzzled look.

She sensed something strange about Nagato now.

Even she couldn't fully explain it.

She just felt that…

Since learning about his true identity as a member of the Otsutsuki clan, Nagato has become incredibly proud.

His current aura seemed even more arrogant than that of Otsutsuki Sheren himself.

"I don't know."

Nagato shook his head, then looked at Konan with his Rinnegan, focusing on her.

"In any case, I don't like this place."

"While I no longer believe the people of Konoha killed my parents..."

"I still can't bring myself to like this village."

"Especially with how Minato Namikaze just acted."

"What kind of 'senpai' is that?"

"I've lost all interest."

"As for where we go next..."

"I'm not really sure."

Nagato spoke slowly. Although he said he wasn't sure, his heart was set against staying in Konoha.

Minato's attitude had made him feel belittled, a feeling he despised.

That indifference, as if Nagato wasn't worth dealing with, had bruised his pride and made him feel small.

"No!"

Konan quickly shook her head in response to Nagato's words, decisively rejecting the idea of leaving Konoha.

"We need to stay in Konoha."

Konan stood her ground, not moving, as she looked at Nagato and Yahiko, who were already preparing to leave. Her eyes were firm and filled with resolve.

Yahiko looked at the situation, glancing between Konan and the sullen Nagato, then shrugged helplessly.

Yahiko stood between them.

He said nothing.

His expression made it clear that he had no solutions to offer.

After seeing this scene through the gatekeeper ninja's eyes, Aoba couldn't help but sigh. The Akatsuki trio had now begun walking different paths.

Through the gatekeeper's memories, Aoba could see that each member of the Akatsuki trio was thinking differently.

However…

It seemed Yahiko no longer held the same authority he once did!