Nagato's Choice

Rain Village, a city where the rain never ceases.

Uchiha Xingye walked alone through the downpour, his Byakugan scanning everything in a 360-degree radius.

According to the intelligence provided by Konan, Nagato resided in the Rain Village headquarters, while the Six Paths of Pain were scattered across every corner of the city, monitoring the entire place.

"Nagato," Uchiha Xingye muttered to himself, "a poor soul deceived by Obito."

"Today, I will make you see the truth."

Just then, the system's notification chime rang out.

[System Notification: Target Found]
[Nagato, one kilometer ahead]
[Chakra Signature: Rinnegan, physically frail]

A cold glint flashed in Uchiha Xingye's eyes.

"Here we go."

Uchiha Xingye adjusted his course and headed toward the target location.

One kilometer later.

Uchiha Xingye arrived at the Rain Village headquarters and saw a man sitting in a wheelchair.

He had long red hair, distinct markings on his face, and eyes that were the Rinnegan.

It was none other than Nagato of the Akatsuki.

Konan stood behind Nagato; upon seeing Uchiha Xingye, a flicker of tension crossed her eyes.

Nagato's Rinnegan rotated slightly, looking in Uchiha Xingye's direction.

"Uchiha Xingye," Nagato said slowly, "you have finally come."

Uchiha Xingye stepped out of the rain, looking calmly at Nagato.

"Nagato, I know you have been waiting for this moment."

Nagato nodded: "Konan has already told me."

"She said that you can help me achieve true peace."

Uchiha Xingye said: "Nagato, the Eye of the Moon Plan is not true peace."

"That is a lie from Obito, intended to make you a pawn for the resurrection of Kaguya."

Nagato was silent for a moment, then said: "Then tell me, what is true peace?"

Uchiha Xingye said: "True peace is not a false tranquility achieved through genjutsu."

"It is the understanding and trust built through the collective efforts of everyone."

"The Eye of the Moon Plan will only plunge the entire Shinobi World into permanent slavery; this is not peace, it is a new hell."

A flicker of pain crossed Nagato's eyes: "But this world is filled with pain."

"War, hatred, discrimination... how can these pains be eliminated?"

Uchiha Xingye said: "Nagato, I know your pain."

"You, Yahiko, and Konan founded the Akatsuki with the initial goal of achieving peace."

"However, Obito deceived you, making you believe that the Eye of the Moon Plan was the only way to achieve it."

"That is simply not the truth."

Nagato fell silent.

Uchiha Xingye continued: "Nagato, you believed Obito's words because you yearned for peace."

"But the Eye of the Moon Plan cannot bring you peace."

"On the contrary, it will make you a sinner in the eyes of the entire Shinobi World."

A flicker of struggle appeared in Nagato's eyes: "Then what should I do?"

Uchiha Xingye said: "Nagato, I will give you a choice."

"Right now, let us spar."

"If you can defeat me, I will let you kill me."

"But if I defeat you, you will abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan and join me."

A flicker of fighting spirit appeared in Nagato's eyes: "Interesting."

"Then let me see just how strong the genius of the Uchiha is."

Nagato formed hand seals, and the Six Paths of Pain began their assault.

Deva Path, Asura Path, Human Path, Animal Path, Preta Path, and Naraka Path—the Six Paths of Pain appeared before Uchiha Xingye simultaneously.

"Uchiha Xingye," Nagato said, "the Six Paths of Pain are not so easily dealt with."

Uchiha Xingye looked at the Six Paths of Pain and said indifferently: "They are indeed strong."

"However, the Six Paths of Pain also have weaknesses."

Nagato sneered: "Weaknesses? You say the Six Paths of Pain have weaknesses?"

Uchiha Xingye nodded: "That's right."

"Although the Six Paths of Pain are powerful, they all require Nagato to control them."

"As long as I defeat you, the Six Paths of Pain will lose control."

Nagato was furious: "Impossible! No one can defeat me so easily!"

Uchiha Xingye said indifferently: "Then let me prove it to you."

His Mangekyo Sharingan slowly activated, and his Byakugan scanned the chakra flow of the Six Paths of Pain in a 360-degree radius.

Within the vision of the Byakugan, the chakra connection points of the Six Paths of Pain were clearly visible.

"Found you." A cold glint flashed in Uchiha Xingye's eyes.

Lightning Release: Chidori!

Uchiha Xingye's figure vanished instantly, reappearing in the center of the Six Paths of Pain.

The Chidori precisely severed all the chakra connection lines before surging straight toward Nagato.

Nagato's pupils constricted; he had not expected Uchiha Xingye to be able to sever the connections of the Six Paths of Pain so easily.

The Six Paths of Pain instantly lost control and collapsed limply to the ground.

Uchiha Xingye's Chidori pointed directly at Nagato, but he did not strike.

"Nagato," Uchiha Xingye said, "do you understand my strength now?"

"Continuing to resist will only bring you pain."

Nagato looked at Uchiha Xingye, his eyes flickering with complex emotions.

"Uchiha Xingye," Nagato said, "your strength is indeed very great."

"I admit, I cannot defeat you."

Uchiha Xingye nodded: "Then are you willing to abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan and join me?"

Nagato pondered for a long time before finally saying: "I can abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan."

"However, I have one condition."

Uchiha Xingye asked: "What condition?"

Nagato said: "You must help Yahiko be resurrected."

"Yahiko is the most important person to Konan and me, and I wish to see him again."

Uchiha Xingye was silent for a moment, then said: "Nagato, Yahiko is already dead."

"The dead cannot return to life; this is the law of nature."

"However, I can help you realize Yahiko's dream."

Nagato: "What dream?"

Uchiha Xingye said: "Yahiko's dream was to build a world without war and without pain."

"I will help you realize this dream and make the Rain Village a true land of peace."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Nagato's eyes: "Really? You can help me realize Yahiko's dream?"

Uchiha Xingye nodded: "Of course."

"Furthermore, I will give you a new body."

"Your body is too weak to support the power of the Rinnegan."

"I will use the healing abilities of the Otsutsuki Bloodline to repair your body."

Nagato was shocked: "Repair my body? Is that possible?"

Uchiha Xingye said: "It is."

"My Otsutsuki Bloodline possesses powerful healing abilities capable of repairing most bodily damage."

"Nagato, although your body is weak, it is not beyond healing."

"As long as you cooperate with my treatment, you will certainly recover."

Tears welled up in Nagato's eyes: "Uchiha Xingye, if you can truly heal my body and help me realize Yahiko's dream, I am willing to abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan and join you."

Uchiha Xingye nodded: "Good, I agree."

Uchiha Xingye walked to Nagato's side and placed his palm on Nagato's back.

The healing power of the Otsutsuki Bloodline began to activate, with the Mangekyo Sharingan assisting the treatment.

The Byakugan scanned Nagato's physical condition in a 360-degree radius, searching for the source of his ailments.

In the vision of the Byakugan, Nagato's body was indeed severely damaged.

The side effects of Shinra Tensei were slowly destroying Nagato's body.

"Found you," Xingye muttered to himself.

Xingye channeled his chakra into Nagato's body, beginning to repair the damaged tissues.

The healing capabilities of the Otsutsuki Bloodline, combined with the Chakra Control of the Mangekyo Sharingan, produced remarkable results.

Nagato felt a warm current flowing through his body, and the pain in his frame gradually subsided.

"Xingye," Nagato said in surprise, "I feel... much better."

Xingye replied, "You aren't fully healed yet; we need to continue the treatment."

"Nagato, although your body is severely damaged, it is not beyond repair."

"As long as you cooperate with my treatment, you will certainly recover."

Nagato nodded, "Xingye, thank you."

"If it weren't for you, I might have continued to be deceived by Obito, becoming a pawn to resurrect Kaguya Otsutsuki."

Xingye said, "No need to thank me."

"We are both victims, victims deceived by Black Zetsu."

"Now, we need to join forces to expose Black Zetsu's conspiracy and save the entire shinobi world."

Konan stepped forward, her eyes shimmering with gratitude.

"Xingye, thank you so much."

"If it weren't for you, Nagato might never have been able to see the truth."

Xingye shook his head, "Konan, don't thank me."

"Helping you is also helping myself."

"We are all comrades-in-arms fighting against Black Zetsu."

The system's notification chime rang out.

[System Prompt: Successfully recruited Nagato]
[Obtained Traits: Recruitment (Blue), Red Rinnegan (Red), Shinra Tensei (Red), Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique (Purple)]
[Plundered from Nagato: Rinnegan Chakra (Blue), Perception (Green), Stealth (Green)]

Xingye was overjoyed; the Red Rinnegan and Shinra Tensei were Red-tier traits, worth a fortune.

"With the Red Rinnegan and Shinra Tensei," Xingye muttered to himself, "my strength will increase significantly once again."

Furthermore, the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique was an extremely rare jutsu capable of bringing the dead back to life.

Although Xingye could not use it yet, it would surely have its uses in the future.

"Nagato," Xingye said, "next, I need you to do three things."

Nagato replied, "Please, speak."

Xingye said, "First, continue to establish peace in the Rain Village."

"Yahiko's dream is the goal you and Konan want to achieve most."

"I will support you with all my might to help the Rain Village become a true land of peace."

Nagato nodded, "Understood."

Xingye continued, "Second, investigate Black Zetsu's intelligence in secret."

"Black Zetsu is the son of Kaguya Otsutsuki, and he has been laying plans in the shadows, attempting to resurrect his mother."

"We need to find Black Zetsu's weakness and defeat him completely."

Nagato replied, "Understood."

Xingye said finally, "Third, at a critical moment, I will request your intervention."

"If war becomes inevitable in the shinobi world, I will Form the Shinobi Allied Forces."

"At that time, I will need a powerhouse like you to join."

Nagato nodded, "Understood."

"I will cooperate with you fully to oppose Black Zetsu."

Xingye smiled slightly, "Very good, Nagato."

"Next, I will continue to treat your body."

"Once you have fully recovered, your strength will be even greater."

Hope flickered in Nagato's eyes, "Xingye, I am truly looking forward to it."

Xingye nodded, "Nagato, Konan, rest assured."

"I will definitely help you realize Yahiko's dream."

"The Rain Village will become a true land of peace."

Tears shimmered in Konan's eyes, "Xingye, thank you so much."

"If it weren't for you, Nagato and I might never have been able to walk out of our painful past."

Xingye shook his head: "Konan, there is no need to thank me."

"Helping you is also helping myself."

"We are all comrades-in-arms fighting against Black Zetsu."

The system's notification sound rang out once again.

[System Notification: Successfully won over Nagato, Akatsuki Disintegration Plan progress 80%]

[Rewards obtained: Red Tenseigan, Red Six Paths Sage Technique]

Xingye was ecstatic; the Red Tenseigan and Red Six Paths Sage Technique were both red-tier entries, worth an immeasurable fortune.

"With the Red Tenseigan and Red Six Paths Sage Technique," Xingye muttered to himself, "my strength will reach the Six Paths level."

"Black Zetsu, your doomsday is fast approaching."

Xingye stood at the Rain Village headquarters, gazing out at the curtain of rain beyond the window.

The rain in the Rain Village continued to fall without cease.

However, Xingye knew that spring was coming to the Rain Village.

With Xingye's help, Nagato and Konan would realize Yahiko's dream.

The Rain Village would become a true land of peace.