Teacher Jiraiya is a fool.
This view has been unanimously approved by Jiraiya's disciples.
In their hearts, there is no lack of respect for their foolish teacher, but it really doesn't hinder their disdain for their teacher's frequent basic mistakes.
"Your meaning is..."
Nagato's eyebrows furrowed, still wanting to reject this proposal: "You want us to deceive Teacher Jiraiya with lies? I cannot do this..."
Yes.
Nagato is not a person skilled at lying.
He is not even a person good at hiding his emotions.
Even when Jiraiya mistakenly believed that Yahiko was still alive, Nagato did not admit that Yahiko was alive and even bluntly stated that Yahiko had died. He is not a person skilled at deception; it was already quite difficult for him to hide the truth.
"Nagato does not deceive people."
Konan's eyebrows also furrowed.
Looking at Nagato, who was skinny as a stick in his wheelchair, Akihara Kagura softly said, "Don't worry, when you meet him, I will speak for you..."
"How will you do it?"
Konan looked at Akihara Kagura, somewhat doubting her younger fellow disciple: "If you help us, wouldn't Teacher Jiraiya suspect you?"
"Absolutely not."
Akihara Kagura was very confident in himself.
"Okay."
Nagato and Konan agreed.
Because the two of them had very few ties in this world, apart from the deceased Yahiko, only a teacher who had taken care of them for three years remained.
If just meeting this teacher could make him let down his guard a bit, it would indeed be a good thing for the Akatsuki organization.
"Right."
Akihara Kagura reminded them again: "Let's not let more people know about my identity. Before we meet Teacher Jiraiya, have Orochimaru go to the Sand Village, and then during the meeting, reveal Orochimaru's news to Teacher Jiraiya..."
"In this way..."
"After your meeting, Teacher Jiraiya will lose interest in staying in the Land of Rain to investigate the Akatsuki's situation and will definitely rush to the Sand Village to stop Orochimaru's conspiracy."
...
Nagato and Konan were shocked.
This fellow disciple's scheming is somewhat terrifying!
If things really went as he said, Teacher Jiraiya would definitely not feel like staying in the Land of Rain, and would probably rush to the Sand Village immediately!
"Hmph..."
Uchiha Obito had long experienced Akihara Kagura's scheming and was no longer surprised, anyway, this kid was just a future piece for collecting the Tailed Beasts.
"I'm leaving first."
Akihara Kagura waved goodbye to them and disappeared instantly from the spot.
"This kid's personality is very extreme."
After Akihara Kagura disappeared, Uchiha Obito spoke up: "Once this kid becomes the Hokage, he will definitely start the Fourth Great Ninja War, affecting our plans."
...
Nagato and Konan were somewhat silent.
Could it be that this guy was really hit by what Akihara Kagura said, being unable to become the Hokage, jealous that Akihara Kagura could succeed the position of Hokage of Konoha?
"I'll continue to recruit people."
"Take good care of the affairs in the Land of Rain."
Uchiha Obito ignored their thoughts, and a space-time vortex appeared in his Sharingan, carrying his body away from the spot.
"This guy…"
Konan's expression was somewhat heavy, whispering: "We must find a way to break his space-time ability; this guy's personality and ability are too dangerous."
"Konan."
Nagato shook his head, signaling his companion not to worry, and then mentioned the little brother they encountered today: "Let's go back and prepare, then visit Teacher Jiraiya."
Akatsuki organization, the new base.
This base definitely could not compare to the original base.
However, Sasori of the Red Sand managed it well, even placing some small puppet parts for surveillance in some key places.
Of course.
Sasori of the Red Sand could not be considered a true model of hard work.
The real model of hard work for the Akatsuki organization was Kakuzu, this old man who lived from the early days of the ninja village era to this era, leaving the base early in the morning to carry out mercenary commissions and to collect new hearts, as the hearts collected by using Earth Grudge Fear were all crushed one by one by Akihara Kagura.
Besides,
The most leisurely person was Orochimaru.
A few days ago on the battlefield, Orochimaru was collectively abandoned by the members of the Akatsuki organization to serve as a decoy to attract the enemy, and it was unexpected that he could still come back alive.
Fortunately, the members of the Akatsuki organization were all heartless.
Orochimaru knew these people were not good, and did not open his mouth to blame them, just continued to stay in the Akatsuki organization, waiting for an opportunity to seize the Rinnegan.
Unfortunately.
Orochimaru did not see Nagato after he came back.
Sasori of the Red Sand and Kakuzu chose to stand with Konan, and Orochimaru did not think he could win, so he could only continue to bury himself in experiments to pass the time.
In the depths of this base.
There still stood that statue-like golem.
Nagato and Konan returned with Tendo Pain, continuing to let Tendo Pain lead the Akatsuki organization, and the other members of the Akatsuki organization could not possibly be opponents to Pain.
Tendo Pain gathered everyone and announced a new commission according to the plan devised by Akihara Kagura: "There is a commission to assassinate the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa of the Sand Village. This task is given to you, Sasori, any problem with that?"
"Rasa?"
Sasori of the Red Sand acted as if he was completely unaware.
This S-rank rogue ninja from the Hidden Sand Village nodded, indifferent to taking on the mission to assassinate the Kazekage, and accepted the task: "Rasa's Magnet Release's ability to absorb gold sand is also quite interesting. It seems I can add an interesting puppet to my collection."
From any perspective...
This commission should indeed be given to Sasori of the Red Sand.
Orochimaru had no objections either, assassinating the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was not a difficult task, considering it to be a slightly troublesome mission at most.
Seeing that Sasori of the Red Sand and Orochimaru had no objections, Tendo Pain immediately breathed a sigh of relief, at least the first step of their plan was successful.
Next...
Was to meet with Teacher Jiraiya.
On the other hand,
In front of Yahiko's gravestone.
Jiraiya was still unaware that the corpse underground had been stolen, still insisting on guarding the tomb secretly with Akihara Kagura, waiting for Nagato and Konan to arrive.
However,
Jiraiya strictly forbade Akihara Kagura from practicing ninjutsu here, to avoid startling Nagato and Konan, preventing the other two disciples from worrying and daring not to come.
In the deep night.
The moonlight was still bright.
Jiraiya was dozing off beside a tree.
A woman with light blue hair was pushing a wheelchair towards Yahiko's empty grave, with a gaunt red-haired man sitting in the wheelchair, both of their faces expressionless.
After all...
They both knew this was an empty grave.
Akihara Kagura, lying on the tree, seeing Nagato and Konan, didn't know what to say about these two, could only sigh inwardly: "Such mediocre acting, these two fellow disciples really look like two honest people..."
Under the tree.
Jiraiya's eyes suddenly opened wide!
This tall man's body was agilely leaped up, landing in front of Yahiko's gravestone, and he also saw his two disciples.
"Nagato? Konan?"
"Teacher Jiraiya, long time no see..."
Nagato slightly turned his head to look at his teacher, but his gaunt body and somewhat restrained demeanor couldn't be as proud and indifferent as Pain.
"You..."
Seeing Nagato sitting in a wheelchair, Jiraiya's face immediately turned ugly, as in the past, wanting to check the disciple's leg injury.
This was no ordinary injury!
Nagato was even sitting in a wheelchair now!
For a ninja, issues with their legs and arms would render them incapable of handling battles or missions, making it impossible for them to undertake any tasks for the rest of their lives.
Jiraiya suddenly understood why Nagato manipulated Yahiko's corpse from behind and turned Yahiko's body into the Tendo Pain, because this disciple could not even move freely.
"Teacher Jiraiya!"
Nagato tried to avoid his palm.
"It's useless."
Konan shook her head, a touch of sadness in her eyes, and explained, "Initially, Nagato was injured in both legs by Hanzo's explosive seals trying to save me..."
Jiraiya fell silent, whispering, "I'm sorry, I always thought you were dead. I didn't expect our reunion to be like this..."
"We are lucky to be alive."
Nagato seemed indifferent to his leg injury, merely looking up at the tombstone before him: "Yahiko died to save us, and I could only turn his body into Pain, allowing him to continue serving as the leader of the Akatsuki, just as he did in life..."
"So, what is the purpose of the Akatsuki?"
Jiraiya asked his disciple in a deep voice.
Nagato did not hide anything and openly said, "To change this world filled with war, to make the world forever peaceful, without any more wars."
As Nagato said these words, he slowly stretched out his palm, touching Yahiko's tombstone: "Just like Yahiko wished at that time..."
At this moment, Nagato was sincere.
Because what he was doing was indeed Yahiko's dream.
However, their methods were different.
Jiraiya looked at Nagato before him, looking into Nagato's Rinnegan eyes, listening to Nagato talk about changing the ninja world, reminded of the prophecy the Great Toad Sage had mentioned.
The prophecy...
It finally began to manifest.
His disciple, Nagato, wanted to change the ninja world.
It was just unknown whether this change would be destruction or rebirth.
And as the teacher of the prophesied child, his duty was to guide his disciple towards a rebirth of the ninja world rather than its destruction.
Just as Jiraiya was about to ask Nagato about his plan and why he was gathering those dangerous rogue ninjas, a figure teleported in!
Akihara Kagura suddenly appeared next to them, looking down at Nagato as if seeing him for the first time.
"Nice to meet you."
Akihara Kagura looked at Nagato, his expression somewhat serious: "If the purpose of the Akatsuki is to bring eternal peace to the ninja world, please be sure to invite me to join..."
Nagato was momentarily at a loss.
Even Konan did not know what to do next.
This younger brother claimed to have settled Teacher Jiraiya…
Joining the Akatsuki in front of Teacher Jiraiya?
"Welcome...to join?"
Nagato felt that he should have offered an invitation.
"You, behave yourself!"
Jiraiya firmly held onto Akihara Kagura while turning to Nagato: "This kid is spouting nonsense, don't mind him!"
"Teacher Jiraiya."
Akihara Kagura shrugged off Jiraiya's hand, explaining: "The Akatsuki wants eternal peace for the ninja world, and the only way is to kill all the people in the ninja world, eliminate all life, turning this world into a blank slate. And I, for one, quite enjoy killing..."
"Behave yourself!"
Jiraiya patted Akihara Kagura on the head, angrily shouting: "Don't always come up with such extreme ideas! The world is still a beautiful place!"
"Indeed...too extreme..."
Nagato and Konan were shocked by Akihara Kagura's ideas.
Compared to Akihara Kagura's idea of annihilating all life, their Akatsuki's plan to collect the Tailed Beasts to create weapons of war seemed far more moderate.
"This is the only way."
Akihara Kagura reiterated his stance, his gaze hopeful as he looked at Nagato: "Your methods are the same, right?"
"Not...not exactly..."
Nagato, not knowing how to respond and not good at lying, could only express his own stance: "Your method...is really too extreme..."
"That's a relief..."
Jiraiya felt somewhat relieved.
Thankfully, his other student Nagato wasn't so extreme.
As long as it wasn't Akihara Kagura's apocalyptic ideas, Jiraiya felt there was room to negotiate any other method for peace in the ninja world...
"What should we do then?"
Akihara Kagura turned to Nagato, initiating the conversation: "I've discussed this topic with others, like periodically killing half of the ninja world's population to ensure the resources can sustain the remaining people..."
But then Akihara Kagura contradicted his own idea: "But then I thought about it, human greed will make them never satisfied, no matter how many are killed, there will always be those greedily wanting more resources..."
After finishing, Akihara Kagura judged for himself: "So, I think this method won't work either, the method of periodically killing half the ninja world's population is too mild..."
"This method...isn't mild, is it?"
For the first time, Nagato truly felt he was getting to know Akihara Kagura.
Because they had never thought of such a method, just hearing Akihara Kagura mention this proposal was enough to give them the chills.
"It's also very extreme."
Konan solemnly nodded, even commenting: "Deciding everyone's life and death as if drawing lots, those who survive will only despair, because they have to live through deciding their fate over and over, and the chances are very low, everyone will think they will die sooner or later, and the world will eventually be doomed..."
...
Jiraiya was infuriated by Akihara Kagura.
Jiraiya originally thought Nagato and Konan would have some serious issues, but it turned out the disciple who had always been by his side had even more severe problems!
"Teacher Jiraiya..."
Konan, somewhat understanding Akihara Kagura's ideas, decided to take her leave: "Nagato and I have urgent matters to attend to, Orochimaru has defected from the Akatsuki..."
"Orochimaru!"
Jiraiya found another point of focus.
"Yes."
Konan nodded, continuing: "His teammate, Sasori of the Red Sand reported, Orochimaru plans to assassinate the Fourth Kazekage of the Sand Village. To avoid making more enemies for the Akatsuki, Nagato and I must stop Orochimaru…"