Own Path!

That night, Akatsuki Camp.

After several hours of travel, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan finally returned from Amegakure to Akatsuki Camp late at night.

After greeting the members on guard at the camp and confirming that nothing unexpected had happened, Yahiko's Trio all went to Yahiko's room.

Their conversation with Uchiha Jin today had given them far too much information. Sleep was out of the question.

They lit an oil lamp, and its orange flame cast a halo of light that drove the gloom from the room.

Yahiko and Nagato sat at the table. After Konan brought over dried rations and water and handed them out, she sat down beside them as well.

Yahiko was the first to speak. Looking at the other two, he asked, "Nagato, Konan... what do you think of Jin Big Brother?"

Yahiko had a fairly good impression of Uchiha Jin, but they had only just met. There were some things that were difficult to say in front of him.

He had no such reservations with Nagato and Konan.

The three of them had grown up together, relying on and supporting one another. They were closer than Loved Ones, bound together as though they shared a single fate.

There was nothing they could not say to each other.

Konan hesitated before answering, "He probably bears us no ill will, but what he said was far too shocking. Whether it is true still needs to be verified."

It was not that Konan suspected Uchiha Jin of lying to them. Some things simply overturned everything they knew so completely that even if they were true, they were difficult to believe.

They needed time to accept reality.

"Jin Big Brother had no reason to lie to us." Nagato paused, raising a hand to press against his eye socket. "Especially about the Rinnegan. For a long time now, I have vaguely sensed these eyes rejecting me."

"I simply cannot bring out their true power."

"These eyes... are not mine."

No one knew their own affairs better than themselves.

Nagato possessed enormous Chakra reserves, extraordinary healing abilities, and inexhaustible stamina. By all rights, he should have been a shinobi with an incredibly powerful physique.

Yet Nagato's body was tall and thin, even frail. That was not normal.

It was like getting perfect marks in every individual subject but failing the overall score.

These Rinnegan were drawing Nutrients from his body, devouring his vitality!

Nagato had always thought it was because the Rinnegan's power was too great and he himself was too weak.

But the key was that, from beginning to end, Nagato had never used the Rinnegan's immense power!

With Uchiha Jin's reminder, Nagato finally realized that he was nothing more than a vessel!

And how could a vessel possibly wield the power of what it carried?

Nagato gave a bitter smile. "I can barely face my own existence now. Ever since I was little, I've been treated as a pawn, all for such a ridiculous reason!"

Yahiko's expression grew solemn as he comforted him. "Nagato, don't overthink it! No matter what others have done to you, from beginning to end, you have acted according to your own will!"

"You are you! You are Nagato!"

"Perhaps." Nagato nodded and said firmly, "No matter what happened in the past, I have found my own path now. I won't let others manipulate me so easily again!"

Yahiko frowned at that and said seriously, "Nagato, don't decide so quickly what you think! A decision made on impulse cannot represent your true will, especially when it comes to something like this!"

Nagato's expression did not change in the slightest because of Yahiko's words. He said calmly, "Don't talk big, Yahiko. You clearly agree with Jin Big Brother's words too, don't you?"

Yahiko froze. The serious expression he had worked so hard to put on instantly crumbled, and he scratched his head. "Was it that obvious?"

Nagato rolled his eyes at Yahiko without saying anything.

Given the relationship between the three of them, they could basically see through any little thoughts at a glance.

Yahiko could only admit it. "Fine, I admit it. Jin Big Brother's idea really does move me. After all, I can't think of a better one right now. It's just..."

Nagato pressed, "Just what?"

Yahiko shook his head. "Jin Big Brother's ideas are a little... extreme. That scares me."

Nagato paused, puzzled. "Why would you say that?"

Yahiko explained with a bitter smile, "Jiraiya-sensei once told me some things about Konoha Village during a casual chat. Some of it involved the Uchiha Clan."

"Jiraiya-sensei said that Uchiha Clan Members are all very proud and prone to Extremes!"

"I never paid much attention to it before, but after meeting Jin Big Brother today, I understand it deeply now!"

"First, there was Uchiha Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan. It was practically no different from destroying the world!"

"And in a sense, Jin Big Brother's idea is even crazier than Uchiha Madara's!"

"One wants to destroy the Old World, while the other wants to destroy the Old Order. Both are essentially making enemies of the entire world!"

"That worries me..."

Yahiko did not finish his sentence.

It would have been impolite to say that he was worried Uchiha Jin had mental problems.

But Nagato shook his head and said in a deep voice, "Yahiko, your worries are completely unnecessary!"

"I won't deny that Jin Big Brother's ideas are somewhat extreme, even crazy, but that does not mean his ideas are wrong!"

"What is wrong is this world, which has been plagued by endless conflict for thousands of years!"

"This world is already terminally ill. Without strong medicine, it cannot be changed!"

"As for your concerns... they are not important!"

"No matter what Jin Big Brother becomes in the future, all that matters is that we can be sure his ideas are right at this moment!"

"And those ideas are all we need to carry through to the end!"

"So long as we can hold fast to our Original Intention, why should we worry about such intangible things?"

Yahiko stared blankly at Nagato, never expecting that one day Nagato would be the one lecturing him.

In the past, Nagato had followed in Yahiko's footsteps most of the time and rarely expressed his own opinions.

But now, Nagato could not only debate him but even turn around and lecture him. Yahiko felt heartfelt relief for Nagato!

Yes, relief!

Not only was Yahiko not dissatisfied in the slightest, he was instead delighted!

Because this meant Nagato had found his own path!

And Nagato was right!

Their approval of Uchiha Jin's ideas did not mean they had to blindly follow Uchiha Jin!

They could also forge their own path based on Uchiha Jin's ideas!

His worries really had been unnecessary!

"I was overthinking it." Yahiko slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and revealed a brilliant smile. "When we meet Jin Big Brother next time, let's learn more about his ideas in detail!"