"There's no one else nearby."
After sensing his surroundings, Nagato spoke to Konan beside him.
He had genuinely been worried that other members of the organization were hiding nearby. After all, if they had secretly followed him, they had either turned traitor or joined Obito's faction.
Of course, there was no difference between the two. Either way, they were traitors who had betrayed him.
The "President" was different. Nagato had invited him to meet so they could discuss the Akatsuki's future development and plans. They had been partners from the start, rather than simply superior and subordinate.
As for Obito's claim that he had betrayed the Akatsuki's ideals, that was not entirely unfounded either.
He truly wanted to change the Akatsuki's current situation, obtain the remaining tailed beasts through more reliable means, and carry out the plan to revive the Ten-Tails and intimidate the entire Shinobi World.
But Obito had discovered Nagato's weakened condition and secretly followed him here.
Obito had even deliberately dressed in the President's usual attire. Nagato had only realized what was happening when the ambush began, but he still lost a Rinnegan, weakening his ability to control the Six Paths of Pain.
Had Konan not intervened in time, it was hard to say whether he could have kept his other Rinnegan.
He had then summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and become locked in a fierce battle with Obito, until the President arrived.
Konan looked toward Zou Hyuga with a conflicted expression, secretly preparing more explosive tags. The outcome of their battle against Madara Uchiha today would actually be decided by that man...
His flippant attitude also irritated her considerably.
Back in Amegakure, he had put on such a high-minded front, providing support for those displaced orphans.
If Nagato's dream was to carry on