Konan watched on worriedly, "Ryou-sama, would you like to go and rest for a bit?"
Nagato chimed in, "Yes, Ryou-sama, your body is in very poor condition right now. You need rest!"
Ryou said weakly, "Alright, I'll go rest then!"
Konan said to Ryou, "Ryou-sama, I'll go arrange a room for you."
Ryou called out to Konan, "Konan, Nagato, you don't need to call me 'Lord' anymore. From now on, we shall address each other as family."
"I am a few years older than you, so you can call me—Grandpa!"
Konan felt pity for Ryou's state where he couldn't even walk steadily, so she sincerely called out, "Grandpa Ryou."
Seeing this, Nagato followed suit and called him Grandpa as well.
When the members of the Akatsuki saw this, they all began calling him Grandpa Ryou.
Ryou was so happy he couldn't stop smiling, "Good, good, good. I, Ryou, have drifted for half my life without a wife or children. I didn't expect to gain so many grandsons in my old age."
"Good, good, it's truly wonderful!"
Konan, Nagato, and Yahiko helped Ryou into a stone room carved out within the cave.
This was Konan's room, which contained some paper toys she had folded.
The other rooms belonged to unrefined men and weren't very clean, so Konan vacated her own room for Ryou.
The stone room was simple, one might even say impoverished, but Konan's decorations gave it a certain rustic charm.
Konan said somewhat apologetically, "I'm sorry, Grandpa Ryou. You've helped us so much, yet we can only provide this kind of environment."
Ryou comforted Konan, "Konan, there's no need for that. I'm not someone from a wealthy background myself. Being here with you grandsons makes me feel like this is truly home."
"Come, Nagato, show your grandpa some filial piety."
Nagato suddenly clutched his eyes, which were starting to ache.
"Nagato!"
Konan and Yahiko rushed over in concern.
Nagato forced himself to say, "I'm fine! It's just a bit of pain."
Ryou was even more worried than Konan and Yahiko. Although the Rinnegan belonged to Madara, Nagato was currently Madara's only successor.
Since Madara was dead, wouldn't the Rinnegan belong to him?
Therefore, Madara's Rinnegan was his Rinnegan.
"Nagato, come here, let Grandpa take a look."
Nagato walked over, somewhat worried, "Grandpa Ryou, shouldn't you stop using Medical Ninjutsu for now?"
Ryou looked like he could drop dead at any moment, and Nagato didn't want Ryou to keep wasting his life because of his eye issues.
"It's fine. I don't have many days left anyway. Before I go, your grandpa will help you as much as he can."
Ryou reached out and slowly touched the area beneath Nagato's eyes.
Nagato was moved to the point of tears, but the Rinnegan sent out a frantic warning that the person in front of him wanted to steal them, urging Nagato to be on guard.
Nagato didn't believe his own eyes. How could a good man like Grandpa Ryou possibly steal his eyes?
Ryou really wanted to snatch them and run, but he couldn't. Black Zetsu was hiding underground.
Ryou still had Madara's Cursed Seal on him; even if he stole the eyes, he couldn't get rid of the seal.
In the original story, even with the Rinnegan, Obito couldn't remove the Cursed Seal from his body.
He suppressed the thought of stealing the Rinnegan and released the Mystical Palm Technique from his hand, a layer of green Chakra covering Nagato's eye sockets.
Why were Nagato's eyes hurting?
Ryou guessed it was mostly due to the Gedo Statue. After Madara regained his strength, he had awakened the Gedo Statue, and the Rinnegan had a deep connection with it.
The Rinnegan was responding to the Gedo Statue, calling for Nagato to control it.
With Ryou's Mystical Palm Technique, the pain in Nagato's eyes gradually subsided.
"Alright, Nagato, come find Grandpa once a day from now on."
"Grandpa Ryou, you're so good to me. I can't thank you enough."
Ryou patted Nagato's head, "Nagato, to tell you the truth, it was only because I heard you had the Rinnegan that I decided to join you."
"I've always believed that the Sage of Six Paths would reappear to bring a turning point to the Ninja World, and you are the one who will bring that change."
Nagato clenched his fist, "Don't worry, Grandpa Ryou, I will definitely end the wars of this world."
Ryou nodded, then looked at Konan, "Konan, I don't have much time left, but I cannot let my Medical Ninjutsu follow me into the grave."
"Come to my room tonight, and I will pass my Medical Ninjutsu on to you."
"Grandpa Ryou—"
Konan was stunned. Ninjutsu was very precious, especially Medical Ninjutsu, which fell under the category of secret life techniques.
In the black market, the medical secret techniques of the Great Ninja Villages would be sold for astronomical prices.
Konan felt that she could never repay Ryou's kindness and was inclined to refuse.
Yahiko persuaded her, "Konan, this is Grandpa Ryou's sincere wish. You should accept it!"
Nagato also said, "Yes, Konan, you have a Yang Affinity and you're a girl; you're the most suitable to become a Medical Ninja."
Konan's Chakra attributes were Wind, Water, Earth, and Yang. She was quite skilled in Yang Release, and her Dance of the Shikigami fell within the scope of Yang Release.
If Tsunade knew about Konan's talent in Yang Release, she might even try to steal this female disciple from Jiraiya."
Konan nodded and knelt before Ryou, "Thank you, Grandpa Ryou!"
Ryou patted Konan's head, feeling great, "Good, good, good. I, Ryou, have a successor. I have no more regrets in this life."
"Konan, remember to bring a 'set' when you come to see me tonight, and I'll pass all my secret techniques to you."
Yahiko and Nagato immediately looked at Ryou with suspicion.
Ryou quickly explained, "I mean bring a set of scrolls for recording secret techniques!"
Only then did Yahiko and Nagato breathe a sigh of relief.
Konan also smiled.
Every female Ninja dreams of becoming a Medical Ninja because, in the current Ninja World, Tsunade is the idol of all female Ninjas, and they naturally want to follow her model.
Konan also wanted to learn Medical Ninjutsu so that she could treat Nagato, Yahiko, and the others when they were injured.
After Konan and the others left, Ryou could no longer endure his weakened body and immediately absorbed the life spores in his body to regain his youth.
He collapsed on the bed, smelling Konan's lingering fragrance, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
If he didn't constantly replenish his life force, he really would kick the bucket!
Black Zetsu controlled Obito's body to emerge from the wall and said in a low voice, "I didn't expect you to actually gain the trust of Nagato and the others."
Obito roared, "Ryou, you despicable fellow, do you have your eye on that girl named Konan?"
Tobi appeared on half of Obito's face. At this moment, Obito was half black and half white; the colored side was occupied by Black Zetsu, while the white side was occupied by Tobi.
After Tobi emerged, he said, "Ryou-sama, do you like having people call you grandpa that much? Can I call you grandpa from now on too?"
Ryou refused, "Forget it, I don't want a grandson as annoying as you."
Obito shouted again, "Ryou, you despicable bastard! That guy named Daibutsu was blown up by your clone, wasn't he? You actually used such a method to gain their trust?"
"How dare you!"
Electricity sparked from Ryou's hand, crackling as it hit Obito's body, "Yell, yell, yell—you've already become an incompetent husband and you're still yelling?"
Obito's current state was like being trapped by a phantom wall; his body was controlled by Genjutsu, allowing Black Zetsu and Tobi to possess him, but his consciousness was still clear and he could still speak.
It was likely that Tobi and Black Zetsu were too bored, so they let Obito speak to keep them entertained.
Tobi was also being zapped dizzy, "Ryou-sama, stop the electricity, stop it."
Black Zetsu, however, was unaffected. He reminded Ryou, "Ryou, there are rats from other organizations within the Akatsuki. Do you want us to get rid of them?"
Ryou shook his head, "I'll do it. I just lost a life, anyway."