Toji easily killed the Animal Path, then looked in the direction the Naraka Path had gone, he didn't plan to kill Nagato right there, he was still useful.
For a moment he considered joining the Akatsuki, but he gave up, he wasn't really interested in it and could operate independently.
Besides, Nagato's attack was perfect for his acting, perhaps due to Nagato's strength, his acting advanced heavily when he made him suffer, the strongest being when he killed Konan, and later when he destroyed Yahiko's body.
As for killing Konan... well, she's not really dead. At the moment Toji was burning Konan, a Snake clone appeared out of nowhere and dragged her to the Tenebrous World. Although still burned, it wouldn't be difficult to heal her if Jugo wanted to.
He didn't know why his other side saved her, but at least in Nagato's view, she died, and that was enough for his act.
Toji's body quickly returned to normal, with the Snake Clone coiled around him. He opened his mouth and swallowed Shakukonto. Toji turned his gaze to Afro, seeing his arm hanging to the side. He approached, ready to heal him.
Afro took two steps back, leaving Toji confused.
-Clothes.- Afro said simply, looking at him with evident disgust.
Toji was speechless. Was this what he was worried about now?
Shrugging, he looked at the Snake Clone, who opened his mouth and spat out a scroll. Toji opened the scroll, and out came a backpack. From it, he took out a new set of clothes and put them on. Finally, Afro let him heal him, but Toji still felt that he was looking at him judgmentally.
He was tempted to say he wouldn't heal it, but given Afro's personality, he might just look away and ignore the arm, or perhaps even cut it off if it proved inconvenient for a fight.
Toji gave up, but at that point he sensed something. Opening his Byakugan, he looked into the distance, several kilometers away, and saw Kimimaro and Pakura advancing towards them.
Toji rolled his eyes, this kid really has good timing.
-Come on, some annoying guy is coming.- Toji finished healing Afro quickly and said.
Afro simply followed him, without asking who, and the pair soon left the devastated, still-hot land behind.
//-//
Jugo looked at the charred figure seated on his throne. He saved Konan, but why? He simply felt it was a waste to kill her, he sensed Toji would kill her, so he saved her at the last second.
Konan wasn't really important to him, but she could be useful in the future, so he saved her, simple as that.
Okay, he admits that her story is sad and he wanted to help, plus being a beautiful woman helped with empathy.
Furthermore, from the beginning Konan's dream was simply to live in peace, she was swept away by Yahiko's dream first and then by Nagato's obsession. Among the three, she is the only one who went with the flow. Even if he didn't end up developing any relationship with her, saving her cost him nothing.
Even Jugo has a heart.
Now what to do with she?
Jugo thought for a moment and felt that he had found a good job for Konan.
The process of healing her was easy, then he placed the werewolf curse on her. When she awoke, she was a completely different person, kneeling on one knee and calling out - Master.
Konan didn't know where she was, but she knew that the man in front of her meant everything to her, even Nagato had become less important.
Jugo nodded, although he disliked this curse, he didn't plan to make it permanent. Instead, he only wanted Konan to forge bonds before removing it, so that when the war was over and there were no more Nagato or Yahiko, she could live in peace.
He dragged her out of the Tenebrous World and took her to the Otogakure orphanage. Most of the children there were from outside the village, but there were still several children there, at least 50.
Inside, several children laughed as they chased a olive skin figure with green hair flying and scattering silver dust.
The children were very excited, Fuu even more so.
Jugo brought her here after rescuing her. At first, she wanted to go back home, but after Jugo explained what happened, she was very understanding, so he didn't arrest her. Instead, he found her a job here.
Fuu loved it, here, none of the adults had told the children not to play with her, no one looked at her like a powder keg. Jugo even helped her become a jinchuuriki like Kimimaro, and she was making rapid progress toward becoming a perfect jinchuuriki, even faster than Kimimaro.
Kimimaro was reserved, but Fuu was cheerful and wanted to make friends with everyone, even a giant insect.
Fuu was living the best moment of her life and she discovered that she truly loved these children, she finally felt happy.
Not far away, a woman with light brown, almost blonde hair and round glasses looked at this with a smile, dressed in a nun's habit, she was sewing a sweater while rocking in a rocking chair. Yakushi Nono.
Not far away, Kabuto was healing a small bird with several children around him, learning from it.
Kabuto had a gentle smile on his face, a smile that would have been almost impossible to see before. It was incredible how much he had changed since Nono appeared. He had told Nono everything he had done, yet she still hugged him tightly and cried as if she herself had done it.
In Nono's opinion, if it weren't for his weakness, Kabuto could have had a happy childhood and a happy life.
Kabuto cried as much as she did that day, if not more.
The next day, Kabuto asked to stay at the orphanage with Nono, and Jugo didn't think twice before sending them there.
Fuu also became dependent on Nono very quickly, the girl was enveloped in a pure and sincere love, and she came to see Nono as a mother figure shortly after arriving here.
Nono had this talent, perhaps that's why she was such a good spy, because from beginning to end, her acting was simply her true personality.
Here, she didn't have to do anything besides take care of the children. Kabuto wasn't here all the time, still working with Orochimaru, but he came to this place whenever he could.
As soon as they saw them, Nono stood up, surprised, flashing a sincere and affectionate smile. Jugo felt a shiver down his spine, he didn't like coming here because of this, this woman even made Jugo feel... kinder.
Jugo didn't want a mother, so he avoided meeting Nono.
The children also saw Jugo, their eyes lit up, that was the village leader! The strongest ninja in the world!
Sure, that was just the children's notion, but ironically, it was the truth.
Jugo was soon surrounded by children, leaving him even more speechless. Sighing, he separated two wooden clones and let them play with the children, making fruits grow and giving them all kinds of delicious fruit to eat. They even used ice to freeze-dry them into sugary dried fruit, the children loved them.
Otogakure hadn't had problems with hunger for a long time, vegetables and fruits were incredibly cheap, although sweets were more expensive. The most expensive food there was meat, after all, Jugo couldn't grow a tree of cows, could he?
Sure, if he put his mind to it, he could find a solution, but he didn't want to be a farmer, so why would he do that?
Jugo, now free, finally spoke with Nono.
-This is Konan, she'll be staying with you from now on, she'll help you with the children.- Jugo said.
Nono looked at Konan, her face was completely cold and serious. Even so, Nono had worked as a spy for a long time, she could read even the most serious people like an open book. Seeing Konan stare at the children for an extended moment, she already knew what kind of person she was.
-Konan-san, it's a pleasure to have you with us.- Nono smiled gently, leaving Konan slightly surprised.
However, in the end, she nodded, Jugo asked her to take care of the children, so she would.
Soon Nono dragged Konan inside, and when they came out again, Konan was wearing a nun's habit. This made Jugo feel a slight fire inside him for a moment. He looked away and left quickly, thinking that if he stayed any longer, he probably wouldn't be able to control himself.
Sure, he had an angel-level Bind, so he wouldn't do anything even if he stayed, but he still preferred not to have that "temptation" right in front of him.
Nono noticed, she let out a soft giggle, before pulling Konan over to the children, ready to introduce the new caregiver.
With Jugo out of the picture, Konan's gaze soon softened. A little girl approached, fell to the ground, scraped her knee, and began to cry.
Nono was about to move, but Konan acted first. She bent down, her hand rising as a white origami rose formed in her hand, leaving the girl stunned. She even forgot about the injury as she picked up the rose with wide eyes. Konan smiled, placing her hand on the wound and beginning to heal it.
Nono and Kabuto looked at it, until Fuu stopped and stared, as did the other children.
Nono smiled very gently, Kabuto smiled too, and Fuu looked like she was about to pounce on Konan, she wanted a rose as well!
The other children were thinking exactly like Fuu!