"Who... who are you?!"
In the cold, Amegakure, Konan, hiding in an abandoned building, suddenly opened her eyes, her body trembling violently, her face filled with horror and disbelief!
Her physical body was clearly still in the Land of Rain, thousands of miles away, but that man's voice and his gaze seemed to defy the barriers of time and space, truly imprinting themselves deep within her soul!
This feeling is like having your head forcibly pried open, revealing all your secrets!
"Who I am?"
In the throne room of the flagship " Amaterasu " in the Divine Kingdom, Gen'yō chuckled and put down the red tea in his hand.
Through the paper butterfly locked by the power of " Kamui," he projected his will directly before Konan.
In Konan's perception, a figure made of pure golden light particles, exactly like Gen'yō, slowly rose from the throne and walked towards her step by step.
Each step felt like it was treading on her heartbeat, giving her a suffocating sense of oppression.
You may call me Uchiha Gen'yō.
"Of course, you can also call me God, just like the people of this country."
The golden, Gen'yō projection stopped "in front" of Konan, scrutinizing her with a critical gaze.
" Konan, Yahiko's close friend, Nagato's protector, Jiraiya's disciple."
Am I right?
boom!
Each name was like a heavy hammer blow, striking Konan's heart hard!
Yahiko!
Nagato!
Jiraiya- sensei!
These are the deepest secrets in her heart, secrets she would never tell anyone! They are the bonds that sustained her and Nagato as they struggled through that hell of blood and fire!
How could this man possibly know everything?!
"You... you investigated me?!" Konan's voice became somewhat shrill with shock.
"An investigation?" Gen'yō's projection shook its head, a hint of pity on its face. "No, I don't need an investigation."
"Because in this world, there is nothing that can be hidden from my eyes."
The golden figure slowly raised its hand and pointed to its eyes.
In that instant, Konan seemed to see through this projection of will those true " Kamui - Creation " eyes, burning with golden Greater Yang!
Under those eyes, she felt as if she had been completely seen through. From body to soul, from past to present, and into the future, nothing could hide from her!
fear!
An absolute fear, far exceeding what she felt when facing Pain Deva Path, a fear stemming from an overwhelming disparity in the level of life itself, instantly gripped her heart!
"Let me guess, the Nagato you here to see what's really going on with this 'false god,' right?"
Gen'yō ignored Konan's fear and continued speaking to himself.
"He must be very curious as to why a descendant of the Uchiha could display power surpassing that of Six Paths Madara."
"He must be thinking about how my instability might affect his grand ' Eye of the Moon Plan ' plan, and his lofty ideal of using 'pain' to create 'peace'."
"Shut up!" Konan shouted sharply, trying to interrupt these words that were shattering her spirit.
But Gen'yō didn't give her a chance at all.
"Peace?" The golden figure scoffed, his laughter filled with disdain.
" Konan, do you really think that relying on a puppet deceived by Madara Uchiha and manipulated by Zetsu, using a Sealing Jutsu called ' Chibaku Tensei ' to collect the Tailed Beast, then reviving a monster called ' Ten-Tails,' and finally releasing a Genjutsu that covers the entire world, can bring true peace?"
"Do you really think that the ending where everyone dies happily in a false dream is what Yahiko hoped for back then?!"
"No, no, Pain's peace isn't like that!" Konan's face turned deathly pale instantly. She shook her head frantically, trying to refute it.
But she sadly discovered that she couldn't find any reason to refute it!
Because every word this man spoke was like the sharpest knife, precisely dissecting the darkest and most unbearable aspect of their plan!
"That's not how it is? Then how is it?"
Gen'yō's projection stepped forward, staring intently at Konan's soul.
"Is it like this? Using the name of 'God' and the power of the Rinnegan, establishing a dictatorial state of oppressive rule in Amegakure?"
"Use cold rain and endless surveillance to wear down everyone's will, turning them into a bunch of numb, obedient walking corpses?"
" Konan, open your eyes and look!"
Gen'yō suddenly waved his hand!
The scene before Konan's eyes changed once again!
She "saw" the vast farmland of the Divine Kingdom bathed in sunlight, the farmers' faces beaming with the joy of a bountiful harvest.
She "saw" the bright and clean modern school in the Divine Kingdom, where children were learning all sorts of new and exciting knowledge, their eyes filled with hope for the future.
She "saw" countless workers busily producing various supplies in the factories of the Divine Kingdom. Although their faces were covered in sweat, they had a greater sense of satisfaction from creating value.
She "saw" a young Uchiha couple strolling through a park on a bustling street with their newborn child, enjoying a peaceful afternoon.
All of this formed an incredibly stark and glaring contrast to the cold, oppressive, and lifeless Amegakure she knew!
Tell me, Konan.
Gen'yō's voice rang out again, like a resounding bell, shaking her soul.
"Which of these things before your eyes, and what I've shown you, is closer to the 'peace' that Yahiko desires?"
Which one is more deserving of the title ' Divine Kingdom '?
"I"
Konan opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
Her body slumped against the cold wall, feeling as if her decades of faith were being shattered bit by bit by this man in the most cruel and direct way.
She always believed that everything she and Nagato did was to carry on Yahiko's legacy and to bring true peace to this cursed world.
Even if the road is full of thorns and bloodshed, even if they have to bear endless sins, they are willing to do it.
But now, this man has shown her the truth.
You are wrong.
That's completely wrong.
Your so-called "peace" is nothing but a self-deceiving joke.
True peace, however, has long been achieved effortlessly by others in ways you cannot comprehend, in places you are unaware of.
"Why did you make me see this?" Konan's voice trembled with a sob, filled with confusion and pain.
"Because you are Jiraiya- sensei's disciple. Because your nature is not bad."
Gen'yō's projection softened its aggressive tone, and its voice returned to calm.
"Furthermore, because of Nagato, that descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, whose Rinnegan he treasured so dearly belonged to the Uchiha."
"It's time to return it to its rightful owner."
Gen'yō's words made Konan suddenly raise her head, her eyes filled with vigilance!
"What... what do you intend to do to Nagato?!"
"What are you doing?" Gen'yō's projection laughed.
"I told you, I'm here to reclaim what rightfully belongs to the Uchiha."
"However, for the sake of Jiraiya- sensei and Yahiko, I can give him a choice."
The golden figure slowly turned around, its back to Konan, leaving her with an unfathomable silhouette.
"Go back and tell Nagato."
"Hand over the Rinnegan, and I might spare his life, allowing him to live out his remaining years in my Divine Kingdom as an ordinary person."
"Or"
Gen'yō's voice suddenly turned cold!
"I'll personally go to Amegakure and gouge those eyes out of their sockets!"
The moment the words fell, the " Kamui power" that had been locking onto Konan's soul vanished with a bang!
puff!
Konan suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground.
Meanwhile, in the Divine Kingdom thousands of miles away, the paper butterfly that served as the "eye" instantly lost all its Chakra, turning into an ordinary scrap of paper that drifted off the railing of the " Amaterasu " and dissipated in the wind.
Gen'yō looked at the area representing Amegakure on the holographic screen, a cold smile curving his lips.
He knew that the seed of doubt had been planted deep in Konan's heart.
What he needs to do next is to make this seed take root and sprout as quickly as possible, so as to completely dismantle Pain's will from the inside!
" Obito! Itachi! Shisui! Fugaku!"
Gen'yō stood up, his authoritative voice resounding throughout the command hall.
"Come to my office for a meeting!"
"Now that the Akatsuki have noticed us, there's no need for us to play hide-and-seek with them anymore."
In Gen'yō's eyes, the golden Kamui spun wildly, reflecting the towering, cold iron tower of Amegakure.
"It's time to let that 'god' hiding behind the scenes feel real 'pain'!"