Three Black Red-Cloud Robes lay quietly in the mud, like three coffins prepared for the past.
The blood-red clouds seemed to flow with real blood as the rain washed over them.
Yahiko knelt on the ground, his body trembling violently—not from the cold, but from a despair that seeped straight from his bones.
He stared fixedly at that glaring red.
The pattern was almost identical to the symbol he had designed with his own hands.
But the clouds he had drawn were white, symbolizing the clearing skies after the rain, bringing dawn and hope.
The ones before him were ominous red clouds, formed from the blood of his comrades, his enemies, and his ideals... everything.
"No..."
Two hoarse syllables scraped out of Yahiko's throat.
He jerked his head up, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Lin Feng.
"This isn't rebirth... It's corruption!"
"We founded the Akatsuki to end this age of hatred through dialogue and understanding! To protect people like them, so they'd never have to kill one another again!"
He pointed a trembling finger at the twisted corpses around them, his voice anguished.
"Not to become monsters like you! Ruling everything through slaughter and fear!"
Konan silently shed tears as she walked to Yahiko's side, trying to help him up, but he abruptly brushed her hand away.
"Don't touch me!" Yahiko had completely lost control. "Are you going to accept this too?! Nagato! Konan! Have you forgotten? Our dream was..."
His words were cut off by a rustling sound.
Nagato moved.
He paid no heed to Yahiko's shouting, nor did he look at Konan's worried face.
He simply walked calmly over to the three Black Red-Cloud Robes, bent down, and picked one up.
He gently brushed the mud from the robe, his movements tender, as if he were polishing a precious work of art.
"Yahiko."
Nagato spoke slowly, his voice utterly devoid of emotion, as if the bloody slaughter and devastating display of fireworks had left no mark on his heart.
"You're wrong."
"Dialogue and understanding can't bring peace."
He raised his head, his purple Rinnegan calmly meeting the gaze of his dearest friend.
"Only one thing can bring peace: a single, shared pain that makes everyone feel it down to their bones."
"That's human nature: the strong prey on the weak, and only the fittest survive. Our Land of Rain is weak, so the great nations bully us at every turn. That's the tragedy of a small nation. But now, we have the power to change that."
With that, Nagato unfurled the Black Red-Cloud Robe and draped it over himself without a moment's hesitation.
The wide coat covered his original clothes—and the once-burning heart beneath them.
As the ominous red clouds settled over his chest, an indescribable aura radiated from him.
Cold. Majestic. Like a deity.
"Nagato..." Yahiko watched in disbelief, feeling as though an invisible hand had clenched his heart.
"I feel the same."
Konan wiped the tears from her face. Her voice trembled, but her gaze was unwavering.
She stepped forward too and picked up the Black Red-Cloud Robe that belonged to her.
She knew Nagato had changed.
There was nothing she could do to stop him.
But she couldn't let the "family" of three fall apart just like that.
Wherever Nagato went—even to hell—she would go with him.
Soon, two figures clad in Black Red-Cloud Robes stood side by side.
Only Yahiko remained in his battered old clothes, stained with mud, kneeling alone where he was, like a relic abandoned by the New Era.
Lin Feng watched the scene of "close friends turning against each other" with interest.
[Beep! S-rank role-playing mission "Despair and Rebirth in Amegakure" complete!] [Overall rating: SS-rank!] [Reason for rating: The host's performance far exceeded expectations, perfectly portraying the dual roles of "mastermind" and "guide." Through a combination of psychological and physical blows, you completely shattered the early Akatsuki's naive ideals and steered Nagato down the path to becoming "Pain." The early demonstration of Super Shinra Tensei, crushing the Sharingan, inciting them to turn on each other, and the Devastating Planetary Destruction fireworks show—all of these moves greatly intimidated the targets. Your character consistency was exceptionally high, earning you an extra-high rating!] [Congratulations, host. You have received the following rewards:] [1. Rinnegan proficiency +20%! (Current total proficiency: 35%)] [2. New ability unlocked: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Basic Link)! — You can use your Rinnegan to remotely control an unclaimed Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to a limited extent, and sense its condition.] [3. Random reward: "Epic Entrance BGM" (single-use consumable; can be used in any situation to automatically create background music that best suits the atmosphere; psychological intimidation effect +100%).]
Oh?
An unexpected bonus.
Lin Feng's thoughts stirred. A link to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—that was a valuable ability. It meant he now had even more control over Nagato.
As for that BGM... It sounded flashy, and just like his style.
"Looks like your comrades have abandoned you."
Lin Feng snapped out of his thoughts, slung the Gunbai over his shoulder, and walked up to Yahiko, speaking with a hint of pity.
"How pitiful. You clung to your ridiculous ideals, only to end up all alone."
"What will you choose? Keep kneeling here, a useless fool pining for the past?"
"Or..." Lin Feng tapped the final robe on the ground with the handle of his fan. "Put it on. At least... you'll die with some dignity."
"You..." Yahiko jerked his head up, his eyes blazing with humiliation and fury.
He wanted to fight back, to curse him out, but when he saw Nagato and Konan standing side by side, all his strength seemed to drain away.
At last, as if accepting his fate, he let out a bestial growl, grabbed the robe from the ground, and clumsily pulled it on.
He didn't stand. He remained kneeling where he was, like a statue filled with bitterness and pain.
"Good."
Lin Feng nodded in satisfaction.
Thus, the original Akatsuki was wiped out.
The reborn Akatsuki was established.
"Now that you've changed into your new clothes, it's time to get down to business."
Lin Feng turned to face the three of them.
"From this day forward, the Akatsuki has only one goal."
"Collect the Tailed Beasts."
Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko all shuddered.
The Tailed Beasts? Those were ultimate weapons of war, treasures coveted by every great nation!
Collect the Tailed Beasts? That was no different from declaring war on the entire Ninja World!
"Of course, with your current strength, you still have a long way to go." Lin Feng didn't spare their feelings. "So you'll need help. Comrades who truly understand 'pain' and possess great power."
"Your first mission is to recruit the organization's first new member."
"Who?" Nagato asked first.
He had completely embraced his new role.
Lin Feng's lips curved slightly as he spoke a name unfamiliar to the three of them.
"Kakuzu."
"A man who fought the First and lived to tell the tale."
"A monster who would kill anyone for money—even his own comrades."
"Right now, he should be at some Underground Bounty Station, counting his filthy bounties."
At this description, Yahiko furrowed his brow even more deeply.
Another person like that?
Lin Feng seemed to read his thoughts and chuckled.
"Don't look at me like that."
"You're going to understand his pain. A renegade who was betrayed by his village and abandoned by his comrades, until he could only put his faith in money... Doesn't his pain deserve to be healed?"
"Bring him into the Akatsuki, and help him understand that there's something more valuable than money in this world."
Lin Feng's specious argument left Yahiko speechless for a moment.
"But where do we find him?" Konan asked.
"I've already made arrangements."
As he spoke, Lin Feng turned his gaze toward the shadows nearby.
"Come out. It's your turn to work."
At his words, the three watched in astonishment as a humanoid plant resembling a pitcher plant, half black and half white, slowly "grew" out of the muddy ground.
The white half wore an innocent, cheerful smile.
The black half spoke in a hoarse, low voice, as if it came from the depths of hell.
"Lord Madara, it's been a long time."
"Zetsu..." A note of caution flashed in Nagato's Rinnegan.
"Don't worry." Lin Feng waved a hand. "It's an extension of my will, the organization's 'eyes.'"
"It'll lead you to Kakuzu."
Lin Feng slung the Gunbai over his shoulder and turned to leave.
He'd done everything that needed doing and finished showing off. If he stayed any longer, he might say something that broke character.
"Remember."
Lin Feng reached the edge of the distortion in space and left them with one final line.
"There's no place for the weak and their tears on the road to peace."
"Next time we meet, I hope to see a completely new Akatsuki—one that truly earns my approval."
The vortex swallowed his figure completely.
All that remained in the gorge were the three figures dressed in Black Red-Cloud Robes, and the eerie Black and White Zetsu that had grown out of the ground.
White Zetsu waved cheerfully. "Hi, everyone! I'm White Zetsu! I look forward to working with you!"
Black Zetsu urged them on in his hoarse voice. "Let's go. Kakuzu isn't a patient man."
Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato exchanged glances, their expressions complicated.
Ahead of them lay a dark road, strewn with thorns and blood, its end nowhere in sight.
And there was no turning back.
Before you continue