In the VIP prison of the Anbu base, Byakuya encountered a disheartened Hanzo. After losing to the young members of the Akatsuki, this demigod seemed to have lost all his vitality and spirit. He now looked like a decaying old man waiting for death, exuding an air of rot.
Hearing footsteps echoing down the corridor, Hanzo lifted his eyelids. Seeing that the visitor was Byakuya, he gathered his remaining energy, his eyes filled with complexity, and slowly spoke, "Byakuya, why have you come? To send this old man off?"
"Yahiko wanted to kill you, but I persuaded him to spare your life," Byakuya replied.
"It's only you who truly wants me dead," Hanzo said with a hint of helplessness. He knew Byakuya was but a true mastermind, a devil in human's clothing. In comparison, Yahiko was far more sincere and honest. If not for Byakuya, he would have already eliminated the Akatsuki.
Byakuya shook his head and sighed, "I saved your life, and yet you doubt my intentions. Do you really think that without joining the Akatsuki, I couldn't have played Yahiko and the others to their deaths?"
Hearing this, Hanzo squinted his eyes, wanting to hear more of Byakuya's words.
"Do you know why I joined the Akatsuki, Hanzo-sensei? Aside from Nagato being my clanmate, it's because Nagato possesses the Rinnegan."
"Rinnegan?!" Hanzo's expression stiffened. During their previous battle, he had suspected Nagato's eyes were the Rinnegan. Now, hearing Byakuya confirm it, he was utterly shocked.
The Rinnegan, like the Byakugan and Sharingan, was one of the Three Great Dojutsu, but it was the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, with power enough to change the world.
Byakuya continued, "Hanzo-sensei, your strength is considerable, but can you compare to the Rinnegan? Remember the Shinra Tensei and Bansho Ten'in that Nagato used? Those are just a few of the many abilities of the Rinnegan. Besides, Nagato can't even utilize a tenth of its power.
If you had harmed Yahiko and driven Nagato to despair, do you think you and Amegakure would have survived? I was merely preventing Nagato and the others from losing hope. If they lost hope, the world would have followed the path of true bloodshed."
Hanzo fell silent, his back drenched in sweat. If the Rinnegan was indeed that powerful, everything Byakuya said could very well happen. In that case, he would be doomed.
However, after thinking carefully, Hanzo's gaze fell on Byakuya. Compared to the idealistic Nagato and others, Byakuya was the real monster, his terror no less than Nagato's.
First, Byakuya was three to five years younger than Nagato, yet his mind far surpassed his age. Second, Byakuya's strength was not to be underestimated; he was proficient in Uzumaki sealing techniques, the secret art of Paper Release, and possessed the Wood Release bloodline limit. In their recent battle, he had forced Hanzo to surrender through sheer force.
At this age and strength, not even the resurrected First Hokage could compare.
Realizing this, Hanzo's eyes filled with dread as he cautiously asked, "Byakuya, what do you want from me? What is your ambition?"
"Ambition?" Byakuya sneered, then sighed as if remembering something, "Perhaps to see a world filled with peace, or maybe to restore the fallen Uzushiogakure."
"Uzushiogakure? So, you're an Uzumaki ninja?" Seeing Hanzo taking the bait, Byakuya nodded slightly.
"I was once a ninja from Uzushiogakure. Finding Nagato and the others was part of my plan to rebuild a new Uzushiogakure here in the Land of Rain. But I just changed my mind. I think the new Uzushiogakure should be established in the land of Whirlpool. To achieve this goal, I need to amass enough strength to seize that land and still have the power to fend off any counterattacks."
Hanzo stared intently at Byakuya and countered, "Rebuilding a nation... What a lofty ideal. And what about your Wood Release bloodline limit?"
"I don't know either. It awakened recently," Byakuya said, feigning confusion. "But this bloodline is excellent for controlling people. I plan to plant a Wood Release seed in you to prevent you from contacting your old subordinates."
"If I've chosen to surrender, I won't cause trouble," Hanzo said, his tone resigned. "But I'm curious, how will Yahiko and the others react when they learn about your ambition?"
"Yahiko will not betray me. I will assist him in developing Amegakure and the Land of Rain. If we can't develop Amegakure into a village that surpasses the Five Great Shinobi Villages, then there's no hope for Uzushiogakure's restoration to begin with."
Byakuya paused, then extended his hand towards Hanzo. "So, Hanzo-sensei, are you willing to join my Akatsuki and make the Land of Rain great again?"
"Make the Land of Rain great again?" Hanzo muttered, seeing in Byakuya a reflection of his younger self. The difference was that Byakuya was stronger and more ambitious, not just aiming to match the Five Great Shinobi Villages but to become number one.
That was a dream Hanzo had never dared to imagine in his youth.
Trembling, Hanzo extended his arm but then withdrew it quickly, muttering to himself, "It's impossible. Amegakure can never surpass the Five Great Shinobi Villages. The fate of the Land of Rain is to be confined to this battleground. No matter how many attempts, it will always return to square one, if not worse."
Seeing the demoralized Hanzo, Byakuya's eyes filled with contempt as he sneered, "This is the so-called demigod of the ninja world, the former idol of Yahiko and Nagato? It seems you're just a coward who fears the Five Great Shinobi Villages' retaliation. You're just someone who indulges in comfort and fears death. I admire Hanzo who wields the sword against the five great ninja villages, but I hate the corrupt demigods."
Upon hearing Byakuya's mocking words, Hanzo knew he was deliberately provoking him, attempting to reignite his spirit. However, his original intentions had long been lost in the rainforests of the Land of Rain.
Nevertheless, for the sake of the Land of Rain's hope, Hanzo sighed and said, "Stop provoking me. If it's for the Land of Rain, then I agree. But my old bones are of little use now. Don't expect too much from this demigod."
"Demigod?" Hearing this, Byakuya shook his head and replied, "Amegakure doesn't need the protection of a 'demigod,' but the Akatsuki does need qualified instructors to train ninjas who operate in the darkness. If you want to join us, the first thing you must do is abandon the title of 'demigod.' The name of demigod only attracts attention and brings no real benefits…. Also, it is cringe."