Nagato's Plan

Kou looked at the pair of purple Rinnegan in Pain's eyes, his internal alarm bells ringing, yet he maintained a nonchalant facade and immediately laughed it off:

"Leader, you've got a sense of humor! I'm a veteran of the Akatsuki, a seasoned member with two whole years of practice under my belt."

"What do you mean 'join the Akatsuki'? Haven't I been one of your own for a long time?"

His eyes were filled with a clear, naive stupidity, as if he truly didn't understand what Pain was talking about.

Is this... poaching?

Kou naturally understood the hidden meaning behind Pain's words.

While maintaining his superficial disguise, he quickly analyzed the situation in his mind:

No, Nagato isn't stupid enough to actually think that would work.

He's sowing discord, trying to make Obito suspicious of me? What a classic tactic, though it certainly is effective...

He knew that with Nagato's level of cunning, he wouldn't simply believe that a few words could pry him away from their side.

What he wanted was to use provocative language to probe, to test just how deep the connection between him and Obito really was.

After all, given their current state of cooperation, it was impossible for them to have a falling out over something as trivial as this.

Besides, the cost of spreading rumors was so low; if it failed, there was no loss, and if it succeeded, it would be a massive profit!

Brother Nagato, your heart is truly wicked.

Kou teased Nagato in his mind, but the smile on his face grew even brighter.

He scratched his head with an innocent expression and said tentatively:

"Leader, if there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave now."

Pain gave him a meaningful look.

A moment later, he nodded slowly.

Kou let out a long sigh of relief in his heart, then waved goodbye to Pain and Konan respectively.

He then raised his hands to form a seal, and his phantom image dissipated completely.

In this silent space, only the two phantoms of Pain and Konan remained.

They exchanged a tacit glance and simultaneously dispelled the Illusionary Dragon Nine Consuming Seals.

Land of Rain, Amegakure.

This city, covered in high towers and pipes, was shrouded in rain all year round.

The pitter-patter of rain poured in from all directions, like a background noise that would never cease.

The sky was gray, the clouds hanging so low they seemed to press against the rooftops, with lightning occasionally flashing to illuminate the hideous stone statues hidden within the curtain of rain.

Pain stood atop a high building and slowly opened his eyes.

Outside the window was the scene he was all too familiar with: the leaden sky, the endless curtain of rain, and the occasional pedestrian hurrying by with an umbrella on the wet streets.

Rainwater dripped from the eaves, hitting the windowsill and splashing into tiny droplets, making a crisp sound.

The Rinnegan in his eyes glowed with a faint purple light in the dim environment.

Konan stood silently behind him.

She opened her eyes almost at the same time as Pain, her cold, beautiful face devoid of any emotion.

Her gaze fell on Pain's back, and she remained silent for a moment.

"It seems we failed, Nagato."

Her voice was very soft, and there was little regret in her tone; clearly, she had anticipated this result.

Pain did not turn around. His gaze remained fixed on the curtain of rain outside the window, the gray sky reflected in his Rinnegan.

"No."

His voice was low and heavy, as if he were pondering something:

"It doesn't count as a failure."

He slowly turned to look at Konan. His face—the face of the Deva Path, which usually lacked expression—now held a hint of deeper meaning than usual:

"The relationship between Uchiha Kou and 'Madara' is even deeper than we imagined. We only needed to confirm that much."

As he said this, his brows furrowed slightly.

The arch of the furrow was subtle, but Konan saw it.

She knew this man too well; she knew he was worried.

Pain... no, Nagato.

Although he was the public leader of the Akatsuki, the true mastermind behind the organization today was actually the "teacher" who had taught him how to use the Rinnegan—Madara.

A mysterious man who called himself Uchiha Madara, wore a spiral mask, and never showed his true face.

Unlike the man who possessed almost all the intelligence on their side, Nagato knew very little about this "teacher."

He didn't know where he came from, didn't know his true identity, and didn't know what his ultimate goal was.

He only knew that the man was strong, so strong that even he, a "god" with the Rinnegan, had to be wary.

One Uchiha Madara was already troublesome enough, and then five years ago, such a formidable Uchiha Kou appeared by his side.

Even Nagato, who was extremely confident in his own strength, couldn't help but feel apprehensive and a little anxious when facing Madara and the others now.

"But it's really surprising..."

Konan's voice carried a hint of doubt.

She took two steps forward, standing beside Pain, her clear, cold eyes gazing with his at the endless rain curtain outside the window:

"That Madara actually trusts Uchiha Kou so much...

When Uchiha Kou is a completely different kind of person from him."

"...This kind of thing is irrelevant."

Pain said coldly:

"Uchiha Kou is Madara's man, a guy we must guard against... That's all we need to know."

Konan was silent for a moment.

She looked at Pain's profile and slowly nodded.

Pain looked at the somewhat silent Konan before him and sighed inwardly.

He naturally knew what Konan was thinking now.

He understood her just as she understood him.

Uchiha Kou, although that man was Madara's subordinate, and indeed a bit ostentatious and flamboyant in his daily life, he... was truly a good person.

This conclusion was both based on his few observations over the past five years and from his own intuition.

After all... the aura he possessed was something that both Konan and he were all too familiar with.

Jiraiya-sensei, Yahiko...

Uchiha Kou possessed the same essence as the people they loved.

It was an essence called "goodness," which could not be erased by this cruel Ninja World, no matter how much suffering one endured.

Facing such a person, even he now couldn't help but feel a touch of emotion, let alone Konan?

She must have seen some shadows of Jiraiya-sensei and Yahiko in Uchiha Kou...

A rare trace of sadness appeared in Pain's eyes.

The sadness was faint, fleeting.

In an instant, it was replaced by a sense of determination.

For the true peaceful world without war, he would do anything.

Even if it meant hurting good people, even if it meant... he would become the kind of person he once hated the most.

That damned person who would harm others and disrupt others' lives for his own goals...

"In three days, I will send the Animal Path to Mist Harbor."

Pain's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Konan's thoughts.

A look of surprise appeared on Konan's face.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of worry flashed in her clear, cold eyes.

She quickly calmed down, her tone carrying a hint of persuasion:

"Isn't it too early to make a move against Uchiha Kou now, Nagato?

Doing this might provoke Madara, and it's not time to fall out with him yet."

Pain shook his head.

"It's just to observe his intelligence from behind the scenes. Under the current circumstances, I naturally won't make a move against him."

He paused, and a sharp glint flashed in his Rinnegan:

"I just want to take this opportunity to see what his current strength really is.

After all, it's been three years since I last saw him in action."

His voice lowered, and he said meaningfully:

"Moreover, we happen to have an old acquaintance who is currently investigating intelligence around Mist Village.

We can use his hand to test the depth of Uchiha Kou's strength."

"Old acquaintance..."

Konan seemed to have thought of something and was startled.

Someone they knew, someone who had the strength to make Uchiha Kou go all out... she could only think of one person!

Pain nodded tacitly:

"Although Uchiha Kou is absolutely no match for him, with his level of Body Flicker Technique, it would be no difficult task for him to leave."

"Furthermore, with the Animal Path following him, nothing should go wrong."

Konan listened to Pain's words and nodded gently.

From beginning to end, they had deliberately avoided the name of that "old acquaintance."

They also shared a tacit understanding to avoid further discussion of that person—someone who was incredibly important to them, yet someone they would inevitably have to oppose one day—that cherished individual.

Outside the window, the rain continued to fall.

Pattering incessantly, as if it would never stop.