"Alright, everyone stop arguing!"
Yahiko slammed the table and said solemnly, "Uchiha Ryou, what exactly is your goal in joining our the Akatsuki?"
Ryou looked at Nagato and gave Yahiko a meaningful glance.
Yahiko understood instantly and immediately ushered all the Akatsuki members except Konan and Nagato out of the stone room.
Ryou said, "My purpose, naturally, is to protect Nagato's eyes."
Nagato pointed at himself. "Me?!"
Ryou nodded.
Yahiko and Konan were somewhat puzzled. Konan frowned. "You, Uchiha Ryou, would be so kind-hearted?"
Ryou looked at Konan and smiled. "Konan, I used to be a Medical Ninja; I have a compassionate heart too."
"Hmph!"
Konan snorted and avoided Ryou's gaze.
Nagato and Yahiko were skeptical. According to black market intelligence, the reason Ryou defected from Konoha was for murdering his fellow villagers and researching forbidden jutsu.
How could such a person be good?
Yahiko signaled to Nagato and Konan.
The three of them immediately left the stone room to discuss in private.
Ryou sat in the stone room and chuckled. He had a Spore Clone on Konan, monitoring their actions at all times.
To Ryou, the three of them were as exposed as if they were naked.
Yahiko and the others found a secluded spot to deliberate.
Konan spoke first. "We can't keep him. Ryou is too dangerous. Someone who can backstab his own Village's Ninja might sell us out any day."
Konan prioritized caution, though it was also because she had been seen naked by Ryou and still hadn't let go of her anger.
Yahiko frowned. "But you saw it before. If he had any ill intentions toward the Akatsuki, we wouldn't be able to stop him."
"..."
Konan and Nagato were suddenly speechless.
Nagato's Rinnegan could indeed hold off Ryou, but Nagato wasn't alone; the Akatsuki still had many liabilities.
Just now, Ryou's Sharingan had controlled all the Akatsuki members except Konan and Nagato.
Nagato was the type who cared deeply for his comrades. With Ryou holding so many hostages, Nagato couldn't muster any will to fight.
Back then, the Akatsuki would have to give Ryou whatever he wanted.
He held Yahiko's life in his hands; he could have demanded Konan or the Rinnegan.
But he didn't. Instead, he released everyone in the Akatsuki from the genjutsu.
Yahiko looked at Nagato and asked, "Nagato, do you have a way to handle him?"
Nagato thought for a moment. The abilities Ryou had shown so far were the Sharingan, monstrous strength, plus abnormal durability and recovery.
Nagato said, "If I can get close and use the Rinnegan to absorb his Chakra, I should be able to subdue him."
Yahiko nodded. "Then Ryou isn't invincible. He has too many unfair abilities, the Sharingan, Medical Ninjutsu, and... the forbidden jutsu of Immortality!"
When Yahiko mentioned immortality, Konan and Nagato's breathing grew heavy.
Though they were still young, that youth couldn't last forever; the day would come when they grew old.
Konan quickly dismissed the idea. "No, Jiraiya-sensei taught us not to pursue unrealistic things."
"A person's value is determined by their pursuits, not their lifespan."
Yahiko came to his senses and nodded. "Konan is right. However, the technique for immortality is too important; we can't just ignore it."
"Whether for the upcoming negotiations with Hanzou or for expanding the scale of the Akatsuki, Ryou is indispensable."
Konan frowned. "Yahiko, I think it's better to leave Ryou to Jiraiya-sensei."
"He's a Konoha rogue ninja with the forbidden jutsu of Immortality. This isn't something we can control."
Yahiko shook his head. "No, Jiraiya-sensei's answer would be to kill Ryou and seal away the forbidden jutsu of Immortality."
"Konoha is the number one hidden Village in the Ninja World; they can afford to do that. But the Akatsuki's goal is to end war in the world."
"The world is too big, and the Akatsuki is too small. We must take some shortcuts."
Nagato lacked his own initiative; he listened to whoever made more sense.
For now, Yahiko's proposal was the most beneficial for the Akatsuki, and Nagato didn't believe Ryou had the power to counter the Rinnegan.
Konan was somewhat reluctant. She felt Ryou was too dangerous, someone the Akatsuki simply couldn't control.
But she had no reason to refute Yahiko.
Could she delay the ultimate pursuit of ending the war just because of her own purity?
That would be too narrow-minded!
While the three of them were discussing how to handle Ryou, the members of the Akatsuki suddenly approached them.
They were all shouting denunciations at the trio.
"Yahiko, Konan, Nagato, are the three of you putting Grandpa Ryou on trial?"
"Exactly! Grandpa Ryou is a great benefactor of the Akatsuki; he's our grandfather. How can you be so disrespectful to an elder?"
"We've all voted and decided on your punishment: Orange Hair can get lost, Red Hair leaves his eyes behind, and Konan will go serve Grandpa Ryou."
Yahiko grew furious. "Ryou, are you hypnotizing our the Akatsuki members again?"
...The threads of rain were like shredded cotton, hanging weightlessly in the air.
Minato's Squad appeared in a small town within the Land of Rain, all wearing raincoats.
"Is this the Land of Rain?"
Kurenai frowned as she looked at the overcast, rainy sky.
The town in the Land of Rain was shrouded in a misty haze. The air was cool and crisp, carrying a bleak chill with every breath.
The Land of Rain was a nation that wept constantly.
Minato nodded and warned his three subordinates, "Be careful. The residents of the Land of Rain tend to be hostile toward Ninjas from the Great Nations."
Kurenai, Rin, and Kakashi looked at the residents through the mist; it felt as if demons in the shadows were staring back at them.
The three of them quickly averted their eyes.
Rin was puzzled. "Minato-sensei, do the people of the Land of Rain really hate people from the Great Nations that much?"
Minato nodded and explained, "The Land of Rain is located at the borders of our Land of Fire, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Earth. It has long been used as a pawn in the games of the Great Nations."
"During the Second Great Ninja War, the Ninjas of the three nations used the Land of Rain as their battlefield. Countless people lost their homes and loved ones in the flames of war."
"To the residents of the Land of Rain, the Ninjas of the Five Great Nations aren't 'guardians of justice,' but 'invaders who bring death.'"
The Second Great Ninja War sounded distant, but it was only ten years ago.
The residents, ravaged by war, still vividly remembered the tragic past of exchanging children to eat. Naturally, they had no warm feelings for the Ninjas of the Five Great Nations.
Kurenai and Rin felt some sympathy for the people of the Land of Rain, but it was only sympathy; with their abilities, they couldn't change the country's situation.
Small nations could only be pawns in the games of Great Nations!
Kakashi had no interest in the hatred of small nations. Minato had previously told him and Rin the news that Obito was still alive.
Kakashi was now filled with fighting spirit, just waiting to finish the mission in the Land of Rain so he could search for Obito's whereabouts in the Land of Grass on the way back.
Kakashi was a bit impatient and only wanted to finish the mission quickly. He then asked, "Minato-sensei, where should we look for that Ninja named Nagato next?"
"..."
Minato was speechless.