Konan gazed at Nagato lovingly, gently stroking his cheek.
"Nagato, I want you..."
Wh-what?
Nagato's thoughts froze for a moment.
The woman he had always admired had suddenly confessed to him.
When something like that happened...
Anyone would be momentarily stunned, and Nagato was no exception.
And it was in that very instant...
Konan's slender hand, already resting on Nagato's face, stabbed toward his eye sockets.
In a sweet, enchanting voice, she uttered words that sent a chill down his spine.
"I want your eyes!"
"Aargh!"
Blood spattered.
A purple eyeball fell into Konan's hand.
What a shame...
Outside the Akatsuki Hidden Village, Setsuna pursed his lips.
If Nagato had not instinctively tilted his head just then...
Konan would now have both Rinnegan in her hand.
"Aaaaaaargh!"
Nagato let out an agonized howl.
A terrifying repulsive force erupted, blasting Konan away from his side.
Rustle!
Konan transformed into sheets of Paper Shikigami to withstand the terrifying force that had suddenly erupted.
White paper fluttered through the air.
Konan re-formed a short distance away, blood spilling ceaselessly from her mouth.
She spoke coldly.
"Nagato, are you trying to kill this woman?"
Her appearance was identical, and her voice was no different from before.
But her manner as she spoke, and what she had just done...
This person definitely wasn't Konan!
Clutching his left eye socket, Nagato stared intently at "Konan" and demanded,
"Who the hell are you? What have you done to Konan?"
"Konan" spoke indifferently.
"Who I am is unimportant. You need only know that those eyes of yours belonged to me all along."
Hatred filled Nagato's gaze as he spoke through gritted teeth.
"So it was you people!"
Konan took out a bottle and placed the Rinnegan inside.
Tucking the bottle into her clothes, she looked at Nagato and