Put on this skin, and you'll be the fiercest cubs in the ninja world!

Three Black Red-Cloud Robes lay silently in the mud, like three coffins prepared for the past.

The blood-colored clouds, washed by the rain, seemed to be truly dripping with fresh blood.

Yahiko knelt on the ground, his body trembling violently—not from the cold, but from a despair that seeped from his very bones.

He stared fixedly at that jarring patch of red.

This pattern was almost identical to the logo he had designed with his own hands back then.

Yet, the clouds he had drawn were white, symbolizing the clearing of the sky after rain, bringing dawn and hope.

What lay before him now was an ominous red cloud, congealed only after being soaked in the blood of comrades, enemies, and ideals... everything.

"No..."

Two hoarse syllables squeezed from Yahiko's throat.

He jerked his head up, his eyes bloodshot, glaring fiercely at Lin Feng.

"This isn't a rebirth... this is a fall!"

"We founded Akatsuki to end this era of hatred through dialogue and understanding! To protect people like them from slaughtering each other!"

He extended a trembling finger toward the twisted corpses scattered around, his voice shrill.

"Not to become monsters like you! Ruling everything through slaughter and fear!"

Konan wept silently as she walked to Yahiko's side, reaching out to help him up, but he shoved her hand away.

"Don't touch me!" Yahiko's emotions spiraled completely out of control. "Are you going to accept this kind of thing too?! Nagato! Konan! Have you forgotten? Our dream was..."

His words were cut off by a rustling sound.

Nagato moved.

He ignored Yahiko's roar and did not look at Konan's worried face.

He simply walked with steady steps toward the three black robes, bent down, and picked one up.

He gently brushed the mud and water from the robe, his movements soft, as if he were cleaning a precious work of art.

"Yahiko."

Nagato spoke slowly, his voice devoid of even a shred of emotion, as if the bloody massacre and the tragic fireworks from moments ago had left no trace in his heart.

"You are wrong."

"Dialogue and understanding cannot buy peace."

He raised his head, his purple Rinnegan gazing calmly at his best friend.

"The only thing that can buy peace is the same kind of pain, a pain that makes everyone feel the agony in their own flesh."

"Human nature is just like this: the weak are prey to the strong, and only the fittest survive. Our Land of Rain is weak, so we are bullied by the great nations everywhere. This is the sorrow of a small country, but now, we possess the power to change it."

Having said this, Nagato unfolded the Black Red-Cloud Robe and, without the slightest hesitation, draped it over himself.

The wide trench coat covered his original clothes, and it also covered his once-burning heart.

As that ominous red cloud settled upon his chest, an indescribable aura radiated from him.

Cold, majestic, like a deity.

"Nagato..." Yahiko looked at the scene before him in disbelief, feeling as if his heart were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

"Me too."

Konan wiped the tears from her face. Her voice carried a tremor, but her eyes were exceptionally resolute.

She also stepped forward and picked up her own black robe.

She knew that Nagato had changed.

She could not stop it.

But she could not let this "home" of three people fall apart.

No matter where Nagato walked, even if it were hell, she would accompany him.

Soon, two figures draped in Black Red-Cloud Robes stood side by side.

Only Yahiko remained, still wearing his tattered, mud-stained old clothes, kneeling alone in place like a relic abandoned by the new era.

Lin Feng watched this scene of "best friends breaking apart" with great interest.

[Ding! S-rank roleplay mission "Despair and Rebirth in Amegakure" has been completed!]

[Overall Evaluation: SS-rank!]

[Reason for Evaluation: The host performed the dual roles of "mastermind behind the scenes" and "guide" perfectly, with performance exceeding expectations. Through both mental and physical strikes, you completely destroyed the naive ideals of the early Akatsuki organization and led Nagato onto the path of "Pain." A series of operations—the premature display of Super Shinra Tensei, crushing the Sharingan, inducing mutual slaughter, and the Devastating Planetary Destruction firework show—greatly intimidated the target characters. Character consistency was maintained at an extremely high level, earning an over-the-top evaluation!]

[Congratulations to the host for receiving the following rewards:]

[1. Rinnegan ocular power proficiency +20%! (Current total proficiency: 35%)]

[2. New ability unlocked: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Primary Link)! — You can remotely control the ownerless 'Demonic Statue of the Outer Path' to a limited extent through the Rinnegan and sense its status.]

[3. Random reward: 'Epic Entrance BGM' (One-time consumable, can be used on any occasion; automatically creates the background music most fitting for the current atmosphere, mental deterrence effect +100%).]

Oh?

An unexpected surprise.

Lin Feng's heart stirred; the connection rights to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path were a truly valuable asset. This meant his control over Nagato had reached yet another level.

As for that BGM... it sounded quite flashy, very much in line with his own style.

"It seems you have been abandoned by your companions."

Lin Feng pulled back his thoughts, shouldered his Gunbai, and walked over to Yahiko, speaking in a tone tinged with a hint of pity.

"How pathetic. Clinging to ridiculous ideals, only to end up all alone in the end."

"How do you choose? Will you continue to kneel here, a piece of trash wallowing in the past?"

"Or..." Lin Feng tapped the last black robe on the ground with the handle of his fan, "...put it on. At the very least, it will allow you to die with some dignity."

"You..." Yahiko snapped his head up, his eyes filled with flames of humiliation and rage.

He wanted to resist, to curse, but when he saw Nagato and Konan standing side by side, all his strength seemed to be drained away.

In the end, as if resigning himself to his fate, he let out a low, beast-like growl, grabbed the black robe from the ground, and clumsily pulled it over his body.

He did not stand up, remaining on his knees like a statue filled with resentment and agony.

"Very good."

Lin Feng nodded in satisfaction.

With this, the original Akatsuki was wiped out.

The new Akatsuki was established.

"Since you've put on your new clothes, it's time to get down to business."

Lin Feng turned around to face the three of them.

"From today on, the Akatsuki organization has only one goal."

"Collect the Tailed Beasts."

Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko all shuddered at once.

Tailed Beasts? Those were the ultimate weapons of war that every great nation guarded like precious treasures!

Collecting the Tailed Beasts? This was no different than declaring war on the entire ninja world!

"Of course, with your current strength, you are still far from ready," Lin Feng struck them down without mercy. "Therefore, you need helpers. Comrades who truly understand 'pain' and possess great power."

"Your first mission is to recruit the organization's first new member."

"Who?" Nagato asked, taking the initiative.

He had already completely immersed himself in his new role.

The corners of Lin Feng's mouth curled upward as he uttered a name that felt foreign to the three of them.

"Kakuzu."

"A guy who fought the First Hokage and lived to tell the tale."

"A monster who would kill anyone for money, including his own partners."

"Right now, he should be at some Underground Bounty Station, counting his filthy bounties."

Hearing this description, Yahiko's brow furrowed even deeper.

Another person like this?

Lin Feng seemed to see right through his thoughts and chuckled softly.

"Don't look at me with those eyes."

"You must go and understand his pain. A fugitive betrayed by his village, sold out by his comrades, and forced to believe only in money... isn't his pain worth saving?"

"Let him join Akatsuki, and let him understand that there are things in this world more valuable than money."

Lin Feng's twisted logic left Yahiko speechless.

"But where are we supposed to find him?" Konan asked.

"I have already made arrangements."

As Lin Feng spoke, he cast his gaze toward the shadows at the side.

"Come out. It's time for you to work."

As the words fell.

Under the suspicious and wary gazes of the three, a humanoid plant that looked like a pitcher plant, half-black and half-white, slowly "grew" out of the soil.

The white half wore an innocent, carefree smile on its face.

Meanwhile, the black half emitted a hoarse, low voice that sounded as if it had come from the depths of hell.

"Madara, it has been a long time."

"Zetsu..." A flicker of vigilance flashed through Nagato's Rinnegan.

"No need to be nervous." Lin Feng waved his hand. "It is an extension of my will, the 'eyes' of the organization."

"It will lead you to find Kakuzu."

Lin Feng hoisted the Gunbai onto his shoulder and turned to leave.

He had done what needed to be done and finished playing the part; if he stayed any longer, he might slip up and act out of character.

"Remember."

Lin Feng reached the edge of the spatial distortion and left behind one final sentence.

"The path to peace has no need for the tears of the weak."

"When we meet again, I hope to see a brand-new Akatsuki that I can truly acknowledge."

The vortex swallowed his figure completely.

In the canyon, only the three figures in Black Red-Cloud Robes remained, along with the strange, black-and-white Zetsu that had sprouted from the ground.

White Zetsu waved his hand with a grin. "Hello, you three! I'm White Zetsu! Please take care of me from now on!"

Black Zetsu, in his raspy voice, urged them on. "Let's go. Kakuzu is not a patient fellow."

Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

Before them lay a dark road, paved with thorns and blood, with no end in sight.

And for them, there was no turning back.