Chapter 60: "All the pieces were now set"
Kenzo POV continuation
Moreover, fighting Obito would put him at a severe disadvantage, his current fighting style mainly relied upon the physical strength of his body and close combat dominance, something he had refined over a long period of time, and Obito's Kamui would nullify that ability completely, making every strike meaningless no matter how precise or powerful it was. Even his Sharingan would be useless against the Mangekyō, the gap between them wasn't something that could be bridged with skill alone, therefore he absolutely couldn't fight Obito right now, if he did it would be nothing short of courting death.
And so he was stuck… if he did nothing he would eventually be found and then killed, hunted down slowly as the information spread further and further, tightening around him like a net with no real gaps left to slip through. Even if he chose to fight directly he would still be killed, just in a much faster and more direct way.
Therefore there was only one path left, Kenzo's gaze sharpened slightly as the thought fully settled in his mind, and that was to join the Akatsuki, because that was the only place where Uchiha Obito might not dare to touch him so easily. After all Nagato was still there, and as long as he remained, at least within the base itself Obito probably wouldn't act recklessly or without consideration, but here came the risk, it was all only "probably", nothing about this was certain. All his knowledge came from a fictional source from his past life, something that could not be fully trusted in this reality, there was no safety net if he failed, no second chance to correct a wrong assumption, and who knows Nagato might consider it all a hassle and simply choose to do nothing at all, ignoring his existence completely. In the end all of it depended on a single man's whims, which was no different from handing one's own life over to someone else and hoping they found it worth keeping.
In essence this was also not a good choice, but unfortunately this might be the only path left for survival… and there was a very good chance he might die before ever reaching the Akatsuki base in the first place. Kenzo was not stupid, there was zero chance that there were no White Zetsu at least around Amegakure and its surrounding regions, scattered and hidden within the environment itself, silently observing everything while passing information along without ever being noticed.
A fight with Obito was practically guaranteed, what he had to do was somehow get past him, not defeat him but simply survive the encounter long enough to move forward, and finally get into Akatsuki and convince Nagato that he was useful enough to keep alive, and that alone would be enough.
And now all that was left was to strategize.
Meanwhile in the Land of Rain…
Within the endless rain, in a high tower rising above the soaked land below, the sound of rain striking against stone echoed continuously, creating a heavy and almost suffocating atmosphere that never truly settled. There, seated upon a cold stone seat, was Pain, his Rinnegan eyes deep and unsettling, layered with those ripple patterns that seemed to pull in everything that looked at them, as if they were observing far more than what was visible.
Standing right across him was Konan, her calm eyes fixed on him, her expression steady yet slightly tense, her beauty quiet but striking even in such a dim and cold environment, her presence composed but not without thought.
However her delicate brows were slightly furrowed at this moment. "Pain, are you sure about this? Should we really recruit him?" her voice remained calm but carried a faint concern beneath it.
Pain looked at her directly for a few moments before speaking in a calm voice, "Are you doubting me, Konan."
"No, I just—" Pain cut her off before she could continue, his voice steady yet carrying a weight that pressed down on the atmosphere itself as he spoke, "Konan, you are forgetting who I am… I am the one who will bring an end to this world's suffering… I am Pain… I am God."
Konan fell silent at those words, indeed she had worried too much, her gaze returning to those ripple-patterned eyes once again, the doubt fading as she steadied herself. As long as he had them things should be fine, Nagato must have his own considerations that she simply could not fully see.
"Still, it may take time to locate him even if we use all our means." Pain simply nodded, not saying another word, as if the outcome itself was already decided regardless of the time it took. Konan also didn't speak further and quietly left without lingering, her figure disappearing as the sound of rain continued without pause.
Back in the forest… the rain had barely even stopped before it started falling again, droplets striking the ground steadily, building into a constant rhythm that filled the surroundings. On the other hand Kenzo just stood there motionless for a full hour, the rain drenched his clothes completely, water running down his face and body, dripping steadily from his frame, yet he stood upright like a statue, unmoving, his eyes closed once again as his mind remained focused.
After a while his eyes opened, slightly brighter than before, clearer and sharper. "That's it… that's the only strategy left."
The rain continued to fall around him without pause, the forest unchanged, yet the direction of everything had already shifted.
And so all the pieces were now set, what remained was only the arrow waiting to leave its bowstring.