Fugaku's words were hard for Nagato and Konan to accept.
"This is Heaven's gift to the Land of Rain. How could it be a plot by Madara Uchiha? You're lying!"
Konan protested loudly, unable to believe it. Nagato also stared at Fugaku, though he already believed most of what he had heard. After all, Fugaku had used Planetary Devastation, a Rinnegan technique.
And Fugaku had used it without any side effects, with far greater ease than Nagato could.
Fugaku said, "The Rinnegan is what the Mangekyō Sharingan becomes when its wielder acquires and fuses Yin-Yang Release. It has nothing to do with any so-called gift.
"The Uzumaki Clan is born with vast Chakra reserves. Madara Uchiha was already old when he awakened the Rinnegan, so he transplanted his eyes into Nagato.
"Guangtai and White Zetsu's ultimate goal was to use you. Once you'd collected all the Tailed Beasts, you would use the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to revive Madara."
Neither of them could accept it. Everything they had done had been planned by someone else. Every step had followed someone else's design.
It took several minutes for them to calm down.
Nagato asked, "Why are you telling us all this?"
"I need you to keep leading Akatsuki. Keep building it up, slowly, and recruit the Shinobi World's elite Ninja.
"Carry on as you have been. I'll take the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. From now on, your only goal is to make Akatsuki stronger.
"If I have other tasks for you, I'll let you know."
Nagato and Konan thought it over for a while, then nodded and agreed to Fugaku's terms.
No one could remain unmoved when faced with life or death.
Bringing Akatsuki under his control was a move Fugaku had made for the future. It might