The Forgotten Mysterious Masked Man

"It is—our honor."

Nagato gently shook his head, not believing he needed Shirou Emiya's gratitude, and was even somewhat moved by Shirou Emiya's attitude.

The power within the Akatsuki had been transferred in a very quiet manner.

Both Nagato and Konan have already decided that Shirou Emiya one of their own. They have always followed Shirou Emiya's two paths, so naturally they would never compete with Shirou Emiya for power in Akatsuki. In fact, they are not even aware that it has been taken from them.

As if·

The Akatsuki should have belonged to Shirou Emiya.

Because the two generations of this organization's operations both originated from Shirou Emiya.

Certainly.

From one perspective...

The true control of the second-generation Akatsuki was never in their hands, but rather in the hands of the Mysterious Masked Man who had been manipulating them from behind the scenes.

To be honest.

Compared to that arrogant Mysterious Masked Man who called himself Madara Uchiha, who always boasted that he would guide them and make them carry out various orders, Emiya Tsuchihara standing in front of them was so approachable. He was like someone from a childhood fairy tale, showing compassion for everyone in the world.

"Are these your companions?"

Shirou Emiya's gaze shifted to Pain Deva Path Pain him. Seeing Nagato and Konan simultaneously bowing their heads in anguish, he casually remarked, "It seems you two have a very good relationship. Even at a time like this, you still hope he can live to be with you."

"Yes"

Nagato lowered her head instinctively and answered with a single sentence.

"But-"

"He must know that you will remember him."

"I have been rescuing souls who are trapped and lost by their obsessions in the gap between life and death, but I have never seen his soul. He must have thought that his death was meaningful when he died, so that he could return to the Netherworld Pure Land without regrets."

"Yahiko— "

Tears welled up in Nagato's eyes.

Even Konan couldn't help but wipe away the moisture from her eyes.

At this moment, Nagato's heavy burden of believing that he had caused Yahiko's death seemed to be lifted up considerably.

Konan's fingers clenched tightly, and she asked with a hint of sadness in her eyes, "Lord Shirou, what happens to a person's soul when it returns to the Underworld after death—."

"Every deceased person is different."

As someone who had truly died, Emiya Tsuchihara knew the Netherworld Pure Land better than anyone. He seemed to be communicating with the living on behalf of the dead, and his gaze turned toward Deva Path Pain with a hint of compassion, as if he could see the soul of this puppet of Pain in his previous life.

"If it were him—"

"They should be watching over you from the Underworld— "

Shirou Emiya's words always seemed to easily touch people's hearts. Every word he spoke was like a gentle stream soothing Nagato and Konan's pain, "There is no time or space there. You two, living in the present world, are his only solace."

Perhaps his words will intensify their emotions.

Both Nagato and Konan seemed to have already imagined, through Shirou Emiya's words, their former best friend watching them joyfully from the Underworld. It wasn't until much later that Konan finally reacted, her fingers gripping the Wheelchair tightly.

Looking at the black rod deeply embedded in Nagato's back, even stained with blood, he wanted to reveal another reason why he had come to see Shirou Emiya.

However·-·

Shirou Emiya spoke first.

"So-"

"Don't let your friends down."

Shirou Emiya reached out and grasped Nagato's wrist, gazing at the black rods on his back, and said softly, "At least you must survive. Your body seems no longer able to bear the burden of the Rinnegan."

"It's nothing serious—cough cough cough—"

Nagato instinctively wanted to refuse, but involuntarily coughed violently.

"Hehehehe—"

Black Zetsu chuckled sinisterly beside him, its laughter somewhat disrupting the atmosphere, yet its words were utterly truthful. "Wei Yuan-sama wouldn't just stand by and watch a patient suffer in front of him."

"Nagato!"

Konan was a little nervous.

"Did you overdraw your life force to use the power of the Rinnegan?"

Shirou Emiya immediately identified Nagato's problem. A wisp of emerald Chakra emanated from his palm as he examined Nagato's body. "Although you have ample Chakra, it's still far from sufficient to use the Rinnegan."

"Lord Shirou, is there any way?"

Konan stared anxiously at the weakened Nagato.

"First, pull out the Chakra Transmission Black Rods at the back."

Shirou Emiya placed his finger on Nagato's back, intending to pull out the black rods on his back, as these rods were also the Chakra Transmission Black Rods between him and Deva Path Pain.

It was through these black rods that Nagato was able to continuously supply Chakra to Deva Path Pain, thus maintaining Deva Path Pain's actions.

"Lord Shirou!"

Nagato rejected this approach.

Obviously.

Nagato also wanted to use these Chakra Transmission Black Rods, so that his former friend Yahiko could Pain.

"To carry out Lord Shirou's will—"

"Making the world peaceful has always been Yahiko's dream."

Nagato clenched his fists, enduring the pain from the black rods on his back, and gritted his teeth, insisting, "If Yahiko is watching over me and Konan, I hope Yahiko will continue to participate in our Peace Plan."

"How does this conflict with healing your body?"

Shirou Emiya frowned, and after thinking for a while, he seemed to be unable to understand Nagato's meaning.

"Won't that be a problem?"

Nagato felt that he himself didn't quite understand.

"It won't bother you, will it?"

Shirou Emiya tapped Nagato's back with his finger and explained softly, "I am also a user of the Rinnegan, and I have some understanding of Yin Yang Release and Chakra transfer. I just think this method is too harmful to you—."

"Let's obey Wei Yuan-sama's wishes!"

Black Zetsu's voice echoed again, a sinister smile playing on its lips as it spoke, "You've underestimated Wei Yuan-sama's other identity. Wei Yuan-sama's true identity has always been the greatest medical ninja in the Shinobi World."

This statement is clearly an exaggeration.

In a sense, this is not exactly praise.

Because Shirou Emiya was indeed able to provide solutions for any disease in the Shinobi World, even the problem of the Rinnegan being overburdened had a way to deal with it.

Just·

Shirou Emiya had a cure on hand.

After all, Nagato's real problem was that his Chakra was being excessively depleted by the Rinnegan, to the point that sometimes his Chakra was so overdrawn that it began to drain his life force.

It has to be said

We have to thank Orochimaru for the Hashirama Cells he sent.

Because there could be no material more suitable than Hashirama Cells, even Shirou Emiya's Curse Mark is inferior, as his Curse Mark energy can only replenish Chakra.

However, the Rinnegan consumes a lot of energy.

Emiya Tsuchihara transplanted Hashirama Cells into Nagato's body, allowing him to control the Rinnegan's ability to suppress the Hashirama Cells' reproductive and phagocytic properties. He also left his own Curse Mark on Deva Path Pain's body.

"This is my Curse Mark."

"It can be converted into Chakra by refining Natural Energy."

"Theoretically speaking, this Curse Mark is enough to support Deva Path Pain's daily activities, except for some Rinnegan techniques that require a lot of Chakra and cannot be used."

"In that case, most of the time, you only need to control Deva Path Pain's actions with your own will."

"Even more powerful Almighty Push and Chibaku Tensei?"

Nagato immediately realized the prohibition mentioned by Shirou Emiya. Shirou Emiya nodded before continuing, "At that time, your Chakra will be needed. I will surgically transplant the black rod Chakra transmitter and my Curse Mark into your body, which will also provide some Chakra for his actions."

"Besides·-"

"I will teach you a Chakra control technique. This technique will allow your body to reduce Chakra consumption in normal times, seal away some unnecessary Chakra, and leave only some Chakra to regulate and maintain your body in a healthy state. By the way, when you really need to fight, you can use this normally sealed Chakra to avoid excessive consumption of the Rinnegan."

"Bi Yi"

"Sooner or later, we'll have to fight."

"Many people will oppose this path."

While performing surgery on Nagato, Shirou Emiya casually remarked, "No one wants someone controlling their behavior."

"Yes."

Nagato expressed his complete understanding of this.

"As for your legs—"

"This must be a lingering effect of the burns from the explosion..."

Shirou Emiya's fingertips flickered with fine Chakra needles, which pierced Nagato's chakra points. A delicate Chakra Scalpel appeared between his fingers, slowly slicing open Nagato's legs. His voice calmed somewhat. "Compared to the trouble with the Rinnegan, this kind of sun injury is probably the least worth mentioning. As expected, the explosion destroyed the nerves in his legs."

Outside the laboratory.

Or rather, outside the Operating Room.

Konan stood at the door looking somewhat nervous. Nagato believed they could trust Shirou Emiya and refused to let Konan stay inside, but Konan was just a little worried about his injuries.

"Hehehehe—"

White Zetsu couldn't help but laugh, and said with a grin, "Don't worry, Konan, Lord Shirou's medical skills are definitely the best!"

Konan believed that neither White Zetsu nor Black Zetsu could possibly understand her feelings, but she was also somewhat troubled.

He casually brought up another matter. "Lord Shirou is back, but why didn't that Mysterious Masked Man who keeps claiming to be Madara Uchiha come to greet him?"

Both Black Zetsu and White Zetsu wore expressions that confirmed this.

They-·

It seems I've forgotten about this!

With Shirou Emiya's return, no other pawn became important. The Mysterious Masked Man was incompetent and possessed the arrogance of the Uchiha Clan; neither of them considered informing the other of anything for the time being.

What to do?

Are we going to just abandon the Mysterious Masked Man?

This·.

Isn't this a little inappropriate?

That guy knows more about the plan and has an extremely strange Mangekyo Sharingan ability. It probably won't be easy to kill him. If he jumps out and causes trouble in the future, it will be difficult to deal with him.

"I'll immediately send my clone to inform him."

White Zetsu form quickly offered his suggestion.

"I hope he will not oppose Wei Yuan-sama's will."

Black Zetsu's voice became somewhat hoarse, because it had never had a good impression of the Mysterious Masked Man.

The other party's arrogance made his thoughts truly unfathomable to Black Zetsu.

"Jue, you've been addressing Wei Yuan-sama '?"

Konan, somewhat aloof, voiced her confusion, a hint of doubt flashing in her light purple eyeshadow. "That man would oppose Lord Shirou?"

"This is a unique title reserved for those close to Wei Yuan-sama; sometimes we can even call him by his name directly."

Black Zetsu's voice immediately turned somber. After reminding Konan, he continued, "That guy is arrogant and has never been very respectful to others."

"Because-"

"He is not the real Madara Uchiha."

"He was merely someone who inherited Madara's will."

Black Zetsu reconnected with Shirou Emiya, decisively revealing his identity as the Mysterious Masked Man: "I'm just worried he might offend Wei Yuan-sama."

"Although Madara has always respected Wei Yuan-sama, it's hard to say who would become completely arrogant after gaining a little power—"

"One of my clones actually likes him quite a bit."

White Zetsu sighed helplessly, not entirely agreeing with Black Zetsu's idea, "Forget it, at least he represents Madara's will. Let's deal with Orochimaru, that Konoha spy, first."