CHAPTER 207

Nagato and Yahiko (2)

On the way back, Nagato alone escorted eight captured Sand Shinobi, while the remaining bodies were buried on the spot.

The reason these eight prisoners were spared was that Taro and the others opposed executing them, believing they could extract more valuable information from them. Nagato, too, saw an opportunity to utilize his Rinnegan abilities to gain further intelligence on Sand Village's movements.

As Nagato interrogated the Sand Shinobi, Taro and the others engaged in a discussion.

Their topic of concern was Nagato himself—his temperament had changed drastically. His demeanor and actions made it seem as if he were a completely different person. The timid and hesitant Nagato they once knew was nowhere to be seen.

Yet, no matter how much they analyzed the situation, they couldn't make sense of Nagato's transformation. In the end, they could only suppress their doubts and remain silent.

Unbeknownst to them, their murmurs did not escape Nagato's keen perception. Overhearing their conversation, he sighed softly. He recalled something Uzumaki Menma had once told him:

"Nagato, you are too extreme."

It was true—the Akatsuki organization had become too extreme.

From blindly trusting others to completely disregarding anyone's opinions, Akatsuki had never followed a normal path.

Nagato had considered leading Akatsuki in a more conventional direction. However, if Akatsuki were to become just another extension of the Five Great Nations and their shinobi villages, would it still be the organization Yahiko once dreamed of? Would it not simply become a replica of the very system they opposed?

Yet, Menma's words continued to linger in his mind, tempting him with the possibility of an alternative path… making him question his choices.

Upon returning to their temporary base, Nagato extracted the information he sought.

At this moment, the Third Great Ninja War was in full swing. Facing unfavorable odds, Sunagakure had dispatched operatives into the Land of Rain, aiming to incite chaos and drag the neutral Amegakure into the war.

Beyond sowing disorder, Sand Village also sought to assassinate key Jōnin from Amegakure, hoping to destabilize its leadership.

After hearing this, Taro and the others exchanged uneasy glances, now regarding Nagato with greater awe. If not for his foresight, they might have walked directly into Sand Village's trap.

It seemed that even Nagato, the most inconspicuous of Akatsuki's three leaders, was far more formidable than they had realized.

Watching his comrades grow more reserved around him, Nagato sighed inwardly. He knew that his former companions had begun to doubt his identity.

However, after years of embodying the persona of Pain, he had long since adapted to his role. The once-timid Nagato was no more.

Yet, what troubled him more was whether this world itself was real.

Had he truly returned to the past, more than a decade ago? Or was this an illusion so powerful that even the Rinnegan couldn't dispel it?

If it was an illusion, could it have been cast by Uchiha Shisui?

If he had indeed traveled back in time, then Danzo would inevitably come into play—an enemy who had to be dealt with.

And what of his past self? If he were to encounter the Nagato of this era, what unforeseen consequences would arise?

At that moment, Taro hesitantly stepped forward and cautiously asked,

"Nagato, what should we do with the Sand Shinobi? Should we continue detaining them, or release them?"

"If it were up to me," Nagato replied, "I would frame Iwagakure and incite a conflict between Sand and Stone Villages."

He then smiled faintly and added, "But I'd like to hear your opinions as well. After all, we are comrades in Akatsuki, working together for peace in the Land of Rain."

Peace in the Land of Rain…

Wasn't Akatsuki's ultimate goal to bring peace to the entire ninja world?

That dream had always seemed too grand, too distant. Achieving stability in the Land of Rain first might be a more realistic step. The fact that Nagato spoke of this now suggested that he had not abandoned their ideals—his methods were merely evolving.

After enduring years of hardship, they had come to realize that speaking of ideals alone was meaningless. If true understanding and unity were so easy to achieve, Akatsuki wouldn't have met resistance at every turn.

Perhaps Nagato's ability to adapt was a good thing.

After deliberation, the members of Akatsuki ultimately decided to entrust the matter to their leader, Yahiko.

Hearing Yahiko's name, Nagato fell silent for a long time. Memories of their past together resurfaced—Yahiko's unwavering optimism, even in the face of adversity, his unyielding belief in their cause.

"Taro, did Yahiko mention where he was going?" Nagato finally asked.

"Leader Yahiko said he was negotiating with Amegakure's senior officials. Our Akatsuki organization has done a lot for the Land of Rain, but to have a say in village affairs, we need official recognition."

Nagato's expression darkened.

In his memories, not only did Yahiko's negotiations with Amegakure fail, but he also drew the suspicion of Hanzō of the Salamander. On his way back, Yahiko was ambushed by rogue ninjas—an incident that ultimately led to Akatsuki's downfall.

Thinking of this, Nagato's voice turned cold.

"How long has Yahiko been gone?"

Taro hesitated before responding, "It's been several days. He should be back soon. With Leader Yahiko's abilities, Lord Hanzō should recognize our cause."

Nagato clenched his fists.

He turned to the Akatsuki members behind him and commanded, "Assemble immediately—we're going to find Yahiko."

The others quickly realized that something was wrong. Without hesitation, they gathered their gear and followed Nagato.

Through the pouring rain, Nagato raced through the forest, his bamboo hat shielding his face as he occasionally glanced back to ensure no one had fallen behind. His expression was grim.

Even if this was an illusion, he couldn't allow Yahiko to die again.

Half a day later, Nagato and his group reached a valley where they finally encountered Yahiko's team.

Yahiko stood with a bloodied kunai in his hands. His team had already been ambushed by rogue ninjas, and though they had repelled the attackers, they had lost several comrades in the battle.

Seeing Nagato and the others arriving for backup, Yahiko frowned and approached.

"I told you to stay put and wait for my orders," he said sternly. "If something happened to me, as long as you all survived, Akatsuki's ideals would still live on."

"It was Nagato who insisted we come," Taro admitted. "He said you might be in danger."

Taro hesitated. They had been following Yahiko's orders until Nagato commanded them to move. When Nagato had summoned them, his presence had been so overwhelming that refusing him had felt impossible.

Nagato?

Yahiko fell silent, his expression contemplative. He had already sensed something strange about Nagato's chakra—it felt both familiar and foreign at the same time.

When did Nagato become so decisive?

Meanwhile, Nagato had already broken away from the group, chasing down the fleeing rogue ninjas.

With his Kagura's Mind Eye activated, he swiftly located his targets, intercepted them, and ended their lives with precise kunai strikes, sparing only one survivor for interrogation.

After extracting the necessary intelligence, he learned that there was another rogue ninja stronghold nearby.

Nagato's eyes glowed ominously.

Without hesitation, he pressed forward, stepping into the enemy's hideout and vanishing into the rain-soaked night.

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