At the same time, the sky above Amegakure was always gray.
Lead-colored clouds pressed down low over the village. Fine threads of rain fell without end, striking the dim, squat buildings and producing a cold, fragmented patter. This village, shrouded in rain all year long, seemed to have an oppressive gloom soaked into the very air itself.
Deep in the village, at the top of the tallest building, rainwater slid slowly down the glass of a darkened room, casting mottled, shifting shadows across the floor.
Nagato sat on a specially made wooden frame. His emaciated body seemed almost fused with the complicated mechanical apparatus around him. Red hair hung down, covering most of his face, but those Rinnegan still gleamed with a cold light in the dimness. His expression did not change, yet the faint trembling of his fingers revealed how rigid he was at that moment.
Konan stood beside him. Her long azure hair stirred lightly in the breeze. She said nothing, simply standing there in silence like an ice sculpture that would never melt.
The floor rippled like water.
A black-and-white figure rose halfway out of the ground.
Zetsu.
The black half of his face showed no expression at all, while the white half wore a strange smile. His voice was hoarse and drifting, like someone recounting a nightmare from far away.
"That old bastard Kakuzu... is really dead."
Nagato's eyelid twitched.
In truth, the news had already reached him. He had simply found it too hard to believe, so he had sent Zetsu to gather more information. That was why this meeting was happening now.
"Hidan was chopped into several pieces... and that Kazekage took him into a lab, saying he wanted to 'study' him."
Zetsu continued.
Konan's brows drew together slightly.
"As for Sasori and Deidara..."
Zetsu paused, and that eerie smile deepened.
"They really did betray the organization. They're serving that Kazekage now."
"One is researching some kind of steel puppets. The other is working on explosives."
Bang.
Nagato's gaunt hand slammed down on the wooden frame with such force that the entire apparatus shook.
"Damn it..."
His voice was hoarse and low, but the fury in it could not be concealed.
"They actually dared betray the organization... How dare they..."
"Orochimaru betrayed the organization, and now even they..."
"What do they think this organization is...?"
"Nagato!"
Konan's face was full of concern. She took a step forward and reached out as if to steady him, but Nagato raised a hand to stop her.
In the gloom, those Rinnegan shone with a frightening light, like a storm brewing in silence.
"Hah... hah..."
He breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling violently. Only after a long while did he finally force himself back under control.
"Tell me," he said at last. "How did they defeat Deidara and the others?"
Obito's voice suddenly broke in.
"If it had only been the Sand Village, they shouldn't have been able to do it."
He stood on the far side of the room. The iconic spiral mask covered his face, and the orange eye visible through the opening showed no trace of emotion.
"Heh heh heh..."
Zetsu spoke again, his raspy voice echoing through the room.
"Kakashi from Konoha, along with Might Guy and Asuma... they were in the Sand Village."
He paused.
"With help from those Konoha ninja, Suna won that battle."
"But..."
That strange smile widened again.
"It looks like Asuma died at Hidan's hands."
At the name Kakashi, Obito's eye flickered slightly.
It lasted only an instant, so brief that almost no one would have noticed.
"I see..."
His voice was still and flat, like stagnant water.
"Then that makes much more sense."
Obito knew Kakashi's strength well. In his eyes, Kakashi was still a useless fool, but compared to the Sand Village's bunch of incompetents, he was obviously much stronger. And with that taijutsu monster Might Guy added in, plus Asuma, the Third Hokage's son...
It was not unjust for four S-rank rogue ninja to lose.
If it had been the Sand Village alone...
He did not believe they could have pulled it off.
Nagato drew in a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, but the fire in his eyes still burned fiercely.
"The Sand Village must pay a price."
His voice was cold as ice.
"I'll go there myself."
He paused.
"And recover the One-Tail while I'm at it."
"Nagato!"
Konan spoke again, this time with even greater urgency.
"It's not time for you to move personally yet!"
Nagato looked at her.
Meeting those Rinnegan head-on, Konan said softly, "Your body..."
She did not finish the sentence, but the meaning was already clear enough.
Nagato's body was failing. Every time he used the power of the Rinnegan, he was consuming the little life he had left.
"Konan is right."
Obito spoke again, his tone leaving no room for debate.
"Wait a little longer."
He paused.
"There have been quite a few Konoha informants appearing near Amegakure recently."
Nagato's pupils contracted slightly.
"I suspect..."
Obito's voice dropped even lower.
"Information about the organization may already have leaked."
"We need to make preparations early."
Silence fell over the room for a short while.
Only the sound of rain striking the glass continued without end.
Nagato closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
After a long pause...
"And you?"
He did not open his eyes. He only asked the question flatly.
Obito tilted his head slightly, and behind the mask, that single eye gave off an eerie glint.
"As for the Sand Village..."
His voice remained calm and utterly without ripples.
"I'll go there myself."
"I'll meet this Kazekage."
Nagato finally opened his eyes.
Those Rinnegan met that single eye for a brief moment.
Then...
"Good," he said.
Obito said nothing more.
His body began to twist, as though some unseen force were drawing him into a void. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, and the room stood empty where he had been.
Zetsu slowly sank back into the ground as well, leaving behind only a faint, barely audible chuckle.
"Interesting... Very interesting..."
The room fell quiet again.
Only Nagato and Konan remained, along with the endless rain beyond the window.
"Nagato..."
Konan spoke softly.
Nagato shook his head.
"I know," he said, his voice low and distant. "But I can't wait too long."
He looked out at the gray sky beyond the window, and a complicated light passed through his Rinnegan.
"That Kazekage... something is wrong with him."
"He can make Sasori and Deidara betray the organization. He can wipe out Kakuzu and Hidan. He can even make Konoha's people help him..."
He paused.
"A man like that can't be left alone for too long."
Konan fell silent.
She knew Nagato was right.
But she also knew that Nagato's body truly could not hold out much longer.
Outside, the rain kept falling.
As if it would never stop.
(End of Chapter)
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