Chapter 403: An Inquiry

Amegakure.

On top of a high tower.

Swoosh!

A figure flashed, and Shishou appeared atop one of Amegakure's towers.

Not long after, Nagato appeared in mid-air, not far from Shishou, and asked, "What's the matter?"

Six Tomoe!

Shishou's eyes narrowed as he saw the six-tomoe Rinnegan in Nagato's eyes.

He was curious about how Nagato had managed to evolve the Rinnegan to this stage.

Initially, Shishou thought Nagato had gathered all of the Sage of Six Paths' bloodline powers, but later it seemed unlikely.

Shishou then spoke, "A few days ago, Sasori of the Red Sand violated our agreement and attacked Sunagakure. You'd better explain."

According to the agreement between Shishou and the Akatsuki, any Akatsuki member daring to attack the Five Great Shinobi Villages would face his wrath.

If he let Sasori's actions slide, Uchiha Obito might get dangerous ideas.

Thus, Shishou was here to question Nagato.

In response, Nagato calmly said, "I was unaware of this incident. Sasori has already left the Akatsuki."

Left the Akatsuki?

Shishou frowned and gave Nagato a doubtful look.

When Sasori had appeared in Sunagakure, he hadn't been wearing the Akatsuki's signature cloak.

But Shishou didn't believe that Sasori had genuinely left the Akatsuki.

First, Uchiha Itachi hadn't relayed such information to him.

Second, after Konan left, Sasori had become Nagato's assistant, gaining more power in the Akatsuki and expanding his puppet collection. He had no reason to leave.

Nagato's claim seemed more like an attempt to protect Sasori or deflect blame.

However, with Nagato stating that Sasori was no longer part of the Akatsuki, Shishou found it tricky to argue further.

"Does that mean Sasori is no longer under your protection?" Shishou asked, frowning.

Nagato nodded calmly.

Shishou continued, "In that case, I hope the Akatsuki will assist me in hunting down Sasori to put an end to this matter. How about it?"

Nagato stood in mid-air with his hands behind his back. "What if I refuse?"

The power of the six-tomoe Rinnegan had made Nagato less willing to accommodate Shishou.

Hearing this, Shishou grinned. "Nagato, it seems you're very confident in your strength now!"

"Indeed," Nagato replied calmly.

Since Uchiha Obito had transplanted Hashirama cells into him years ago, Sasori had started corresponding research, eventually pushing Nagato's power to new heights.

The Hashirama cells not only reduced the burden of the Rinnegan on his eyes but also significantly increased his chakra reserves, giving him more power for other endeavors.

Shishou smiled upon hearing this. "Looks like I can look forward to our battle next year."

With that, Shishou vanished.

He had initially planned to use the Sasori incident to acquire some cells from the Four-Tails and Five-Tails from Nagato, similar to how Orochimaru had cultivated Eight-Tails chakra in the original series.

But Nagato seemed prepared for their inevitable confrontation, so Shishou saw no reason to stay.

Watching Shishou leave, Nagato turned and disappeared with a "bang," returning to where the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was kept.

Standing before the statue, Nagato placed his hand on it, attempting to draw more power from it.

"It seems the residual power in the Gedo Statue has been exhausted. To further evolve the Rinnegan, I'll need to gather the Tailed Beasts and revive the Ten-Tails," he murmured, disappointed.

The Gedo Statue was a remnant of the God Tree and the Ten-Tails' husk, containing part of the God Tree's power.

Nagato had used this power to temporarily evolve his Rinnegan to six tomoe.

Returning to the tower in Amegakure, Nagato looked down at the bustling streets and muttered, "The battle next year seems so far away..."

...

Land of Demons, Daimyo's Palace.

In Konan's bedroom.

As soon as Shishou appeared in the palace, Konan, who had been sleeping, woke up instantly.

"Sorry to wake you," Shishou said, sitting by her bed with a smile.

Konan sat up and hugged Shishou from behind, resting her face on his back. "You wouldn't come so late without a reason. What's wrong?"

Lying down on the bed, Shishou held Konan and said, "It won't be long before Nagato and I clash."

Konan stiffened and looked at Shishou. "Is there no way to avoid this?"

She didn't want either Shishou or Nagato to get hurt.

Shishou sighed, holding Konan tighter. "Nagato's strength has increased significantly. Until he's thoroughly defeated, he won't listen to reason."

Taking Shishou's hand off her chest, Konan bit her lip. "Have you already met him?"

Shishou put his hand back and recounted the events leading up to this moment.

Konan listened silently and then pursed her lips.

Having witnessed Shishou's power firsthand, Konan knew that no matter how much Nagato's strength had grown, he couldn't defeat Shishou, who had slain the White Snake Sage.

Similarly, the Akatsuki members couldn't stand against the women by Shishou's side.

After a moment of silence, Konan said, "I want to try talking to him. Can I?"

Shishou shook his head. "Nagato's tragic experiences have made him very stubborn. You won't be able to persuade him."

Nagato's desire to use nuclear deterrence to achieve peace in the ninja world had become deeply rooted, especially with the power of the six-tomoe Rinnegan.

Used to solving problems with force, Nagato would naturally resort to his power when faced with challenges.

Until he encountered a power greater than his own, he wouldn't stop.

"I want to try," Konan insisted, hoping to prevent a deadly confrontation between Shishou and Nagato.

"Alright, but be prepared for failure," Shishou said, kissing her before agreeing.

"Okay." Konan nodded and quickly got dressed.

Once ready, Shishou took her to Amegakure, where Nagato was standing by a tower window.

"I'll come back for you later," Shishou whispered before disappearing, leaving the two alone.

Seeing the intimacy between Shishou and Konan, Nagato frowned.