Chapter 367: Come, Let's Conduct an Experiment
Konan abandoned her assault, swiftly returning to Nagato's side. She folded her paper wings and landed silently at his rear flank.
Her gaze moved rapidly between Yasushi and Nagato before settling with worry on Nagato's tense profile.
She understood him too well.
Nagato had always been introverted and socially anxious.
He'd never been good at dealing with people.
Back in the original Akatsuki, he'd simply been Yahiko's follower—content existing as the shadow behind Yahiko's sunshine, rarely initiating conversations or decisions.
But fate proved unpredictable. Yahiko died. Akatsuki teetered on collapse. Konan and other comrades barely escaped Hanzō's massacre.
Under those circumstances, no matter his discomfort, he'd been forced to step forward—using his Rinnegan to shelter everyone beneath a protective sky.
Yet even after becoming Akatsuki's leader, he remained that introverted, socially anxious Nagato.
Yahiko's death had sealed his heart completely. He no longer engaged in direct social interaction, instead using the Deva Path Pain as his "social medium"—black rod puppets replacing his voice and actions.
Such a Nagato never feared powerful enemies. What he couldn't accept was kindness from others.
Because everyone who'd been kind to him—except Konan—had died.
Nagato might feel some trust toward Yasushi due to his actions. But Konan was different.
Her only friends were Nagato and Yahiko. No one else.
She knew Nagato held himself to divine standards.
Not from arrogance or pride—purely self-discipline and strict demands to maintain an invincible presence that could suppress Akatsuki's unruly rogue ninja.
Only gods could overwhelm all shinobi world resistance, bringing peace once more.
Humans couldn't accomplish this!
Yet when facing Uchiha Yasushi, Nagato constantly suffered setbacks.
Yasushi always dragged Nagato down from his divine throne, returning him to humanity's fragile state.
This worried Konan tremendously.
She feared Nagato's convictions would waver, that his "divine" mask would crack. More than that, she feared this seemingly frivolous yet unfathomably deep Uchiha Yasushi would pull new tricks, ensnaring Nagato.
Her hands clenched quietly. Countless paper sheets condensed silently within her sleeves, ready to explode at any moment.
Yasushi's sudden appearance plunged the battlefield into even more complex stalemate.
On the alliance side, Killer B gripped his Seven-Star Sword tightly. His gaze wandered between Nagato, Uchiha Yasushi, and the skyborne stone sphere—uncertain which threat to address first.
His instinct demanded rescuing his brother, but that "Planetary Devastation" sealing sphere obviously wouldn't shatter easily. The two enemies watched like tigers eyeing prey, refusing him sufficient time.
Neither enemy could be easily handled.
Moreover, their expressions suggested no intention of fighting each other to let the alliance profit.
He'd never been particularly sharp. Without the Raikage's command, he'd lost his bearings.
Ao proved calmer, decisively assuming command authority.
He approached Killer B, asking quietly:
"Killer B, does Cloud Village possess other Treasured Tools?"
"Can we use different tools to reclaim the Crimson Gourd, eliminate Nagato with it, then rescue the Raikage before jointly facing Uchiha Yasushi?"
The reminder snapped Killer B to clarity. His mind rapidly weighed options before turning to gesture toward the Shadow Guard.
Receiving clear instructions, a ninja hidden within the crowd immediately leaped forward, shouting loudly toward Yasushi:
"Uchiha Yasushi!"
Yasushi turned at the call. His consciousness momentarily wavered as invisible, sharp mental force slammed forward, attempting to pierce his awareness forcibly.
But current Yasushi had long surpassed such attacks. His internal chakra instinctively fluctuated, expelling the invader.
His mouth opened slightly before closing again without producing sound.
Yasushi had dealt extensively with the Yamanaka clan previously. He recognized this intrusive sensation immediately.
The Mind Transfer Jutsu!
He frowned, instinctively preparing to shout rebuke. But his gaze focused on his opposite number, and his mouth closed again.
The person calling him was formerly Konoha Village's Hokage advisor—current Nara clan head Nara Shikasuke.
Though currently wearing Cloud Village's headband, his clothing remained identical to his Konoha days. He currently wore a sincere expression while calling to Yasushi, seemingly wanting negotiation.
"Uchiha Yasushi, do you remember me?"
"I'm Nara Shikasuke!"
"Please don't attack yet. Let's talk this through!"
Yasushi's gaze swept his vicinity without spotting any opened jar nearby.
But the crowd was dense. The Amber Purifying Pot likely hid among them.
That thing would immediately seal whoever responded to its holder's question.
Combined with the earlier Mind Transfer Jutsu intrusion, they intended treating him like Kinkaku!
They'd probably switched faces after discovering Yamanaka clan techniques proved useless against him.
Without knowing Treasured Tools intelligence and possessing sufficient strength, Yasushi might have fallen for this scheme.
Treasured Tools operated unreasonably.
A truly trusted him—actually entrusting such critical matters to a recently defected ninja.
Though with Ino-Shika-Chō clan's elderly, weak, and infirm held hostage in Cloud Village, trusting Nara Shikasuke seemed reasonable enough.
If Shikasuke successfully trapped Yasushi, such achievement would immediately establish the Nara clan's foothold in Cloud Village.
However, the Amber Purifying Pot occupied an important position in Yasushi's future plans. He wanted testing this thing's upper limits, so he smiled while waving toward Nara Shikasuke:
"Come! Let's conduct an experiment!"
"I also want to know—just how powerful are these Treasured Tools? What are their upper limits?"
Before words finished, enormous suction erupted behind Nara Shikasuke, firmly locking onto Yasushi's form while pulling his body in that direction.
Yasushi had prepared in advance, immediately mobilizing all his chakra.
"BOOM!" Green chakra cloak blazed like flames from his body surface, enveloping him completely.
He'd activated "Tenseigan Chakra Mode," mobilizing Tenseigan's gravitational control to resist the Amber Purifying Pot's suction with full power.