"Correct. As you said, even knowing your scheme, I cannot stop the war. However..." Ryuji paused, then smiled. "Although I cannot stop the war, I can stop you."
"Oh?" Nagato was noncommittal.
"Resolving the current situation is indeed difficult, but not impossible. From what I can think of right now, there are three methods."
Ryuji spoke while staring intently at Nagato's face.
Seeing no change in his expression, he continued explaining. "The first method is to deal with you before finishing the battle with the Allied Shinobi Forces."
"If you can do it, then by all means try." Nagato responded expressionlessly, though his nerves were taut.
He didn't know Ryuji's current strength, so he had no certainty of victory.
But judging by Ryuji's strength five years ago, even if he could win, it would require a significant price. In that case, his plan to take advantage after Sunagakure and the Allied Forces weakened each other would fail.
Ryuji didn't comment on Nagato's bravado.
He chuckled and said, "Indeed, that plan carries considerable risk. Because I also cannot guarantee I'd maintain enough strength to fight the Allied Forces after defeating you. That much is clear from me coming to negotiate with you rather than taking direct action."
Nagato didn't respond, merely listening quietly.
"Therefore, I lean more towards the second plan: cooperation!"
Hearing Ryuji's words, Nagato's impassive face couldn't help but let out a derisive snort. "Your Sunagakure killed Yahiko, killed Konan. What makes you think I would cooperate with you?"
"You know Uchiha Madara killed Konan, yet you're still cooperating with him, aren't you?"
Without waiting for Nagato's stunned reaction, Ryuji continued, "You willingly become your enemy's pawn for the ideal of 'creating a world without tragedy'. Then cooperating with another enemy for that ideal shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"...What are you implying?"
"Correct. My actions are also for peace!"
"Tch!"
Nagato couldn't help but scoff again derisively.
He sarcastically remarked, "Massively expanding and absorbing Shinobi Clans, seizing secret techniques and weapons from other villages, recklessly expanding military capabilities... ever since you entered Sunagakure's power structure, you've continuously promoted strategies that put every village in the Shinobi World on edge. That Sunagakure ended up being jointly attacked by the entire Shinobi World is largely your merit. And yet, you have the nerve to say it's for peace?"
"Aren't you the same?"
Hearing this, Nagato's pupils sharply contracted, then dilated.
He originally thought Ryuji knowing his plan to take advantage after the Allied Shinobi Forces and Sunagakure fought was the extent of it. But judging by his words, it seemed there was more.
'Is he probing me, or does he truly know something?'
Nagato couldn't decide internally and tentatively asked, "What do you mean?"
"Even now, you're still acting clueless with me?" Ryuji chuckled. "The Eye of the Moon Plan, the Outer Path Statue, the Ten-Tails, the Tailed Beasts... I know more than you, even more than Uchiha Madara."
"How do you know these things!?"
Nagato's heart was in turmoil.
"You don't need to know that. But what I want to say is, your plan will inevitably fail in the end. You cannot grasp true peace!"
"What do you mean?"
"You overestimate human nature!" Ryuji explained. "Using absolute force to suppress war... that is indeed one direction. But your mistake is wanting to distribute this force to all nations. Because absolute fairness doesn't exist in the world, and wherever there is unfairness, there will be disputes, leading to war."
"When small nations possess the same weapons as great nations, they will no longer be satisfied with their minor status. They'll think, 'Since we all have the same power, why are you a great nation and we're a small nation?' Based on this thought, they will constantly demand equal rights from the great nations."
"Then the great nations, based on, 'Aside from the weapons you distributed, you don't compare to us in anything else, yet you want equal rights and benefits?' will go to war with them."
"By then, war will erupt again, and it will be a war of annihilation!"
Nagato's brows furrowed deeply as he sank into thought.
He had previously only thought that when everyone possessed weapons that could instantly destroy each other, everyone would refrain from action out of fear. But he had never considered the deeper aspects of human nature.
He pondered carefully… if his plan truly succeeded, would the situation develop like that?
The answer was a high probability it would.
Although Nagato was only in his twenties, he had wandered the Land of Rain since childhood, experiencing all facets of human life, understanding the good, evil, beauty, and ugliness of human nature.
He knew if things really developed that way, they might indeed become like that.
But...
"It's just a possibility." Nagato looked directly at Ryuji. "Human nature is the most inscrutable thing in the world. It can be beautiful enough to be intoxicating, and ugly enough to make one vomit. My plan might bring permanent peace to the world, or it might lead to the world's destruction. What it ultimately becomes depends on the people who control these weapons..."
Here, Nagato's tone changed, becoming self-mocking. "If the world is truly destroyed because of it, then it would only show that humanity by then had become foolish beyond salvation, no longer worth saving."
"No, it's just that you haven't thought of a method yet."
Seeing Nagato look over, Ryuji smiled. "I have an idea similar to yours, but with specific differences. Would you like to hear it?"
"An idea..." Nagato was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "No wonder you thought I would agree to cooperate with you. Then let's hear it. If it's viable, what harm is there in cooperating with you?"
"A wise choice!" Ryuji smiled. "Similarly, create weapons capable of instantly destroying any country. But instead of handing them to any currently existing village or country, use them as a deterrent point to establish an organization supervising the Shinobi World. Any nation that initiates war first will face strikes from these weapons."
Hearing this, Nagato's eyes lit up, but then dimmed again.
"The idea is good, but it's impossible to realize."
"Why?" Ryuji looked at him curiously.
"Nations will not bow to an organization." Nagato said self-mockingly. "As you said earlier, small nations with weapons will want to demand more. And great nations will not bow to small nations just because they have weapons to counter them. Merely possessing balancing weapons isn't enough to make nations submit."
"I see." Ryuji chuckled lightly. "But, you think I would propose something without countermeasures for problems I've already considered?"
"What countermeasures?"
"The organization will be established in the name of the various countries' Daimyo Courts!"