Konan had a long nightmare.
In the dream, she witnessed Akatsuki, under Yahiko's leadership, grow from just a handful of people into an organization hundreds strong.
But with the organization's rise, they also became a thorn in Hanzo's side.
Their conflicting ideals gradually intensified, and eventually, Akatsuki formally declared war on Hanzo. At first, with Nagato's power, they won victory after victory.
But at that critical moment, Yahiko, Akatsuki's leader, died tragically. Nagato then went berserk. Although he killed Hanzo with some forbidden technique, he paid an equally terrible price.
From then on, Nagato's temperament changed drastically. His obsession became almost demonic, completely overturning Akatsuki's former ideals.
Driven by hatred, Nagato was tempted by a mysterious figure into launching a war against Konoha, only to die at the hands of a blond, blue-eyed boy.
Her own ending was just as tragic.
She returned to Amegakure alone to guard Yahiko and Nagato's bodies, only to be killed by that mysterious person and sunk into the vast ocean.
The dream felt so real that when Konan woke up, two tear tracks hung on her cold, beautiful face.
"Why did I have a dream like that?"
Konan wiped the moisture from her cheeks, a trace of panic appearing in her cool eyes.
"Konan, why are you crying?" Yahiko entered from outside. The moment he saw the tears on her face, he hurried over in alarm. "Are you okay? Who upset you? Don't cry, Konan!"
They had grown up together and trained under Jiraiya, so their bond was exceptionally deep.
And as the only girl among the three, Konan had always been especially well cared for. They could not bear to let her suffer even the slightest grievance.
Seeing Konan cry now, Yahiko was at a loss. "Tell me, Konan. Who upset you? Nagato and I will get revenge for you!"
"N-No one upset me, Yahiko." Konan bit her lips, worry showing in her eyes. "Yahiko, if—if I had a dream that felt incredibly real, and in that dream, you and Nagato both died, while our ideals became weapons in someone else's hands... what would you think?"
"Nagato and I died?"
Yahiko considered ten thousand possibilities, yet never expected that to be the reason.
"That won't happen, Konan." Nagato, his red hair conspicuous, walked in from outside. Hearing her words, he replied calmly, "As long as I'm here, I won't let anything happen to either of you."
"Hahaha, that's right, Konan."
Yahiko reached out and ruffled her light-purple hair. With a grin, he said, "Did you forget? Nagato has the bloodline of the Sage of Six Paths—and the legendary Rinnegan!"
Nagato slowly raised his head and brushed aside his bangs, revealing those legendary Rinnegan.
"But..." Konan's delicate brows furrowed as she clutched her chest. She seemed to still feel the grief from the dream. "That dream was too real..."
"It was only a dream, Konan." Nagato's tone was detached. It was not that he did not care about Konan; that was simply his personality.
"I know it was a dream, but..." A trace of sorrow remained in Konan's eyes. "Yahiko... it's not too late to give up now!"
In the dream, the pain of losing loved ones had seeped into her bones, carving into her heart.
Compared to Yahiko's grand ideal, her wish was simple and small.
She only wanted Yahiko and Nagato to live safely and peacefully. Even if they lived ordinary lives, she did not want them to lose their lives for that ideal.
Hearing this, Yahiko frowned. "Konan, there's no turning back for us now. Since we've decided to do this, then no matter the price, I'll keep going."
Konan lowered her eyelids and bowed her head in disappointment.
She knew Yahiko would not turn back. Even if he knew death lay ahead, he would still sacrifice himself for his ideals.
The usually quiet Nagato suddenly asked, "Konan, do you remember who killed us in the dream?"
When asked about the details, Konan suddenly froze. She realized she could not remember any of them. "I don't remember..."
She could feel the pain from the dream and had seen Akatsuki's final outcome, but anything involving specifics—how exactly Yahiko died, what Nagato's forbidden technique was, who the mysterious person who tempted them was—seemed to have been blocked out. Her memories were utterly blurred.
Nagato slowly crouched down, took Konan's hand, and said softly, "It was only a dream, Konan. It isn't reality. Yahiko and I won't die. I promise you."
"That's right. Don't worry, Konan."
Yahiko held the girl's other hand and smiled brightly. "I promise you too. I'll never abandon either of you. Together, we'll change Amegakure!"
Feeling the warmth of their palms, Konan's chaotic thoughts and heart seemed to gradually settle.
"Mm... I believe you."
Like an iceberg melting away, Konan revealed a warm smile.
"Do you really not need my help, Sōgetsu?"
Inside the room, Hikari sat obediently cross-legged on the tatami, tilting her head cutely. "If it were me, controlling those three would be easy."
Uchiha Sōgetsu rubbed her hair. Leaning against the wall at an angle, his loose robe exposed half of his firm chest. Resting one hand beneath his chin, he chuckled. "No need, Hikari. I appreciate the thought, but those three aren't worthy of you yet. Wait a little longer."
Hikari affectionately rubbed against his palm like an obedient kitten. "You can use my power however you want, so... please don't ever dislike me, Sōgetsu."
"Don't say things like that, Hikari."
Uchiha Sōgetsu lifted Hikari's chin and gazed at the girl's delicate face with a gentle smile. "I hope you'll always follow in my footsteps—not merely as a tool, but as my companion. Do you understand?"
"Mm, I'll remember that, Sōgetsu."
Hikari revealed a sweet smile. Her heart felt warm and sugary.
"Hikari, your eyes... how bad are they?" Uchiha Sōgetsu stared at the girl and asked.
The Uchiha Clan's Mangekyō Sharingan possessed immense power, but it also came with enormous risks.
Its flaw was that the more powerful the Dojutsu, the greater the damage it inflicted upon the user's vision and body.
With excessively frequent use, the user would eventually go completely blind. In more severe cases, their bodily functions would decline, leaving them dependent on medication like Itachi.
In the original story, after Second Pillar awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, using it only a few times caused his eyesight to deteriorate drastically.
Then what condition had Uchiha Hikari, who possessed the terrifying Dojutsu [Yachihoko], reached?
Hikari had been forced by the Uchiha Clan to use Dojutsu many times since the Warring States Period. Her eyesight could not possibly be in good condition now.
And this was also what troubled him.
Under the gaze of those eyes, Hikari's heart inexplicably grew unsettled. As though afraid of being abandoned, she pressed herself against him and hugged the boy tightly. Her voice was soft and low, trembling faintly. "I-I'm fine... I can still use Dojutsu many more times, so... don't worry about me, Sōgetsu."
"Hikari, look into my eyes."
Uchiha Sōgetsu's gaze sharpened, carrying a hint of pressure. "I don't like lies, so tell me the truth. Your eyes... how bad are they?"
"I'm sorry, Sōgetsu. I was wrong."
Like a child who had made a mistake, Hikari deeply lowered her head and bit her soft pink lips. "I can probably use it another three or four times."
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