Standing at a distance from Nagato, Ryōsuke did not launch another attack.
Naturally, he had no intention of killing the man.
At this stage, Nagato hadn't even destroyed the Leaf Village yet.
Besides, if he killed him, how would he explain it to Konan?
Looking at the other man, he spoke slowly.
"Don't move. I have no intention of killing you."
Enduring the agonizing pain, Nagato felt deeply bewildered.
"What do you mean?"
At that moment, Ryōsuke slowly walked up to Nagato.
He suddenly pressed a palm against Nagato's body. A boundless surge of life force poured into Nagato, significantly alleviating the chronic pain that had plagued him for so long. Even the searing agony in his eye sockets began to fade.
Nagato was astonished.
*What exactly is this guy trying to do?*
He felt an intense, uncomfortable itch spreading throughout his body.
His cells were multiplying at an incredible rate, and his atrophied muscles gradually began to expand.
He could even feel sensation returning to his legs.
He was utterly astounded.
*What kind of ability is this?*
*Is he actually healing me?*
He no longer had any desire to resist; he simply wanted to see what this man was plotting.
Besides, he truly had no strength left to fight back anyway.
Half an hour later, the black receivers embedded in Nagato's body were pushed out by his newly regenerated muscles. He was no longer a frail, emaciated skeleton.
While he still couldn't compare to a healthy, ordinary person, his condition was vastly improved from his previous inhuman state. Even his complexion looked much better.
Only then did Ryōsuke finally stop.
Nagato's physical condition had been far too dreadful.
The only thing that had kept him going for so long was likely his sheer willpower and convictions.
It took a tremendous amount of effort to heal him. Even with the Yin-Yang Release of the Rinnegan, it was impossible to restore Nagato completely.
Nagato assessed his current physical state. It was leaps and bounds better than before. His legs actually had feeling in them, and he felt as though he could even walk. He couldn't believe it.
"Why did you save me?"
Ryōsuke replied.
"For Konan's sake, of course."
"Furthermore, I quite liked the original Akatsuki. You were like the first light of dawn. Unfortunately, you were too naive and placed your trust in the wrong people."
"So, how about it? Will you follow me and help create a peaceful world together?"
Nagato was taken aback. *He did it for Konan's sake? That means Konan is with him. No wonder she hasn't returned.*
However, to think this man shared the same goal as the Akatsuki—to bring peace to the shinobi world.
This left him deeply puzzled.
"Why do you harbor such ambitions?"
"To create a world that isn't so repulsive, naturally. The current shinobi world truly disgusts me. It lacks all order, wars break out constantly, and the weak cannot even survive in peace."
"I will unify the shinobi world and establish fundamental order, allowing commoners to at least live their lives without fearing they won't live to see tomorrow."
Nagato was stunned.
*This man actually wants to establish order.*
It was a far more radical plan than the Akatsuki's goal of deterring the entire shinobi world through fear.
Yet, through the concept of order, Nagato could almost envision a truly peaceful shinobi world.
The Land of Rain had once been completely devoid of order, where commoners were nothing more than livestock slaughtered by ninja and bandits. If there had been order, perhaps his parents wouldn't have died such tragic deaths.
Even Yahiko wouldn't have died. In that instant, he felt a sudden urge to join him.
This man was many times stronger than him, and he even appreciated the Akatsuki's past dreams.
Although the Akatsuki had been incredibly naive in its early days—something he himself acknowledged when looking back.
Otherwise, Yahiko wouldn't have died so easily.
But the man standing before him was not naive. He had both the power and the means.
"I am willing to join you."
His tone even carried a hint of joy.
To him, this feeling was completely different from following that Orange-Masked Man.
That guy was merely using him, and their goals just happened to align.
They had only cooperated to make the world know pain.
But even though the man before him spoke with an air of superiority, Nagato genuinely felt that he could create such a world.
And that was exactly the kind of world Nagato wanted to see.
Ryōsuke was pleased.
"A wise choice."
"I won't be returning these eyes to you, but with your methods, acquiring a suitable pair shouldn't be a problem."
Hearing this, Nagato still felt deeply confused.
"If these eyes aren't mine, then whose are they?"
Ryōsuke answered slowly.
"I suppose I can tell you. In truth, these eyes belong to Uchiha Madara."
Nagato was shocked. *These eyes actually belong to Uchiha Madara?*
*That means the man before me isn't Uchiha Madara. Did that other man who calls himself Uchiha Madara implant the Rinnegan into me?*
*But why would that guy leave them with me?*
Seeing Nagato deep in thought, Ryōsuke knew exactly what he was pondering and spoke slowly.
"The man you are thinking of isn't Uchiha Madara either. He's just an impostor. The real Uchiha Madara died long ago."
Nagato was incredibly surprised. It seemed as though the man before him knew absolutely everything.
Since that guy was just an impostor, it wasn't worth dwelling on him anymore.
Instead, the identity of the man standing before him piqued his interest.
"May I ask who you are, my lord?"
Ryōsuke still had no intention of revealing his true identity.
"You may call me the God King."
Nagato was surprised once again. It was an incredibly arrogant title.
Had he not fought this man himself, he would have scoffed at such a claim.
But after crossing blows with him, he felt the title was absolutely well-deserved.
After all, he, who called himself a god, was completely outmatched. Why shouldn't this man call himself the God King?
Thinking of Konan, who was still with him, Nagato asked.
"Is Konan alright?"
"Rest assured, Konan is doing very well under my care."
"When the time is right, she will come find you herself."
Hearing this, Nagato stopped worrying about Konan's situation.
Instead, he asked.
"Lord God King, when do we begin the plan to unify the shinobi world?"
"With your power, you could easily sweep across the entire shinobi world."
Previously, the Akatsuki had planned to collect the Tailed Beasts precisely because they lacked the personal strength to deter the entire shinobi world.
Even with his own outstanding abilities, facing a united shinobi alliance in a war of attrition would eventually exhaust him to death.
But the man before him had crushed him effortlessly. He was surely even stronger than the Ten-Tails that would be resurrected after gathering the Tailed Beasts.
Even if the shinobi alliance tried to wear him down with endless waves of attacks, they wouldn't stand a chance.
He had a strong intuition about this, as the man had completely overwhelmed him without breaking a sweat, barely even using any of the Rinnegan's abilities.
He didn't think the Rinnegan's abilities were weak. On the contrary, if this man's Rinnegan were his own original eyes...
Then the God King was undoubtedly on the same level as the Sage of Six Paths. The shinobi world would finally see another chance at unification after thousands of years.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
Hearing Nagato's words, Ryōsuke merely sighed.
He spoke with certainty.
"You are right. I alone am more than capable of sweeping across the shinobi world, unifying it, and establishing order."
"But doing so would undoubtedly cause massive casualties."
"And that is completely unnecessary, understand?"
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