Chapter 76: Fledglings Eventually Have to Learn to Fly Themselves
Konan didn't actually quite understand Uehara Naraka's meaning.
But as a woman with a delicate mind, Konan heard the hidden loneliness and desolation in Uehara Naraka's words. What was wrong?
It was a feeling of having no support.
Konan slowly walked to Uehara Naraka's side, stroked his head, and held it against her chest, saying softly, "Naraka, if you have anything troubling your heart in the future, you can tell me directly..."
"..."
Uehara Naraka felt Akatsuki's uniform wasn't great; the zipper was a bit uncomfortable against his face.
Konan's fingers ran through his hair, gently ruffling it, "You don't have to only see me as your teacher... Naraka, I am also your family, understand?"
"Yes, Teacher."
Uehara Naraka broke free from Konan's embrace, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Nagato, sitting nearby, symbolically covered his mouth and coughed lightly a few times, saying softly, "Cough cough cough cough... Uehara, me too."
Although Nagato didn't quite understand Konan's actions, he roughly understood he should echo Konan at this time. Nagato did indeed regard Uehara Naraka as his junior.
Because the burden of the Rinnegan, the Six Paths of Pain, and the Gedo Statue was too great, Nagato understood in his heart that his lifespan wouldn't be particularly long.
If he left Konan all alone, how could he possibly rest assured?
Now Konan had taken Uehara Naraka as a disciple, and he was an obedient youth. He should be suitable to become the future leader of the Akatsuki organization.
No.
Not just the Akatsuki organization.
A light flashed in Nagato's eyes. If they could successfully ambush Hanzō of the Salamander this time, they must also carefully nurture Uehara to become the future leader of Amegakure (Village Hidden in the Rain).
Whether it was the will of the Generation of Dawn or the dark Akatsuki...
In the future, it must all be passed down to this little fellow, Uehara Naraka.
Uehara Naraka didn't know their thoughts, just smiling helplessly, "Why do Lord Nagato and Konan-sensei feel strange? Let's go hide in that valley first and wait for that guy Hanzō of the Salamander!"
"...Okay."
Konan fiddled with her blue hair.
Their group quickly arrived at the destination.
A valley where the Akatsuki organization was nearly wiped out.
The surging rains of the Land of Rain didn't seem to have eroded the terrain of this valley too severely. Traces remaining from the battle back then were still preserved here, inevitably making one feel somewhat sentimental.
Nagato manipulated the Deva Path Pain to push his wheelchair onto the open ground below the valley. A trace of grief gradually appeared in his expression, "Yahiko, you said your dream was to become the God of this world... I will soon help you achieve it."
Back then, Nagato used Yahiko's corpse to create the Deva Path Pain precisely to kill Hanzō of the Salamander today, to descend upon the world in the name of God!
By God's will, eliminate all darkness in the world!
By God's power, execute the violent who do not cherish peace!
Listening, Uehara Naraka felt very complicated emotions.
At this emotionally heavy moment, Uehara somewhat empathized with Nagato. Fulfilling someone else's dream sounded righteous, but was actually somewhat tragic.
These wishes should be realized by them personally!
Like that bookstore owner who sold Uehara a book...
"That is where Yahiko committed suicide..."
Konan looked up, gazing at a damaged small hill not far from them, her eyes somewhat red, "Back then, I was held hostage there by Hanzō, watching helplessly as Yahiko threw himself onto the kunai in Nagato's hand."
Clearly, the two of them had already been here once before, yet coming here again, they inevitably fell into sadness.
"Teacher..."
Uehara Naraka sighed faintly, finally deciding to snap them out of it, "Our manpower is ultimately too small. If we fight fiercely here, perhaps Hanzō might escape..."
"There's absolutely no possibility of that!"
Konan was the first to awaken from her memories. Her palm floated slightly, and tiny cracks suddenly appeared layer upon layer across the entire ground and cliff walls!
Konan spoke with a cold expression, "Yesterday, I set up six hundred billion exploding tags here. Everything here was reconstructed by me using the Technique of the Paper Person of God..."
Speaking here, Konan slowly clenched her fist, "At that time, Hanzō of the Salamander and his trusted ninjas underneath him cannot possibly leave alive!"
"Um... Teacher..."
Cold sweat gradually appeared on Uehara Naraka's forehead, "If something goes wrong in the middle, we'll also be blown to death here, right?"
"No need to worry about that problem."
The Deva Path Pain pushed Nagato's wheelchair over, "This battle will mainly be conducted by the Deva Path. The Preta Path, Human Path, and Asura Path will be responsible for support. The Naraka Path and Animal Path will be far away using Summoning Technique to cover our retreat."
Regarding how to target Hanzō of the Salamander, Nagato and Konan already had a plan mentally drafted.
Since it was a battle of revenge, it was only natural for the Deva Path Pain to be the main combatant, with the Preta, Human, and Asura Paths responsible for providing vision and support for the Deva Path.
To ensure it was foolproof, Nagato also placed the Animal Path, specialized in summoning, and the Naraka Path, responsible for repairing Pain, in a safe location, guaranteeing they could retreat safely.
Regardless of whether this battle succeeded or failed, they would blow up this place.
Nagato looked at Uehara Naraka and said seriously, "Uehara, Konan and I are both worried Hanzō of the Salamander will resort to desperate measures when cornered. After the battle starts, you leave the battlefield first, understand?"
"Uh..."
Uehara Naraka instantly hesitated.
Because his system panel had several quests related to Hanzō of the Salamander, some of which definitely couldn't be completed [if he left].
For example, the quest about being granted a title by the Ninja Demigod.
However, the quest to kill the Ninja Demigod, Uehara Naraka still wanted to try.
After all, the rewards given by the system were always unpredictable. It might give 100 gold coins like dismissing a beggar, or it might, like the other day, give a whole set of super high-skill rewards—that would be the real surprise!
"I can be responsible for support from the side..."
Uehara Naraka looked at Konan and Nagato, saying softly, "If something really goes wrong, I can also choose to fly away at any time."
"You may not."
Konan rejected his proposal. She seemed to feel her attitude was somewhat stiff, then adjusted it, "Naraka, this is our revenge..."
Uehara Naraka looked somewhat aggrieved, as if hurt by Konan's words, "But just now you said we were family... Besides, I can protect myself. I could even escape from a tricky enemy like Uchiha Obito."
While Uehara spoke about the current matter, he also smeared Obito's name again.
Uchiha Obito was already on Konan and Nagato's must-kill red list; there would be no chance to compete with him in the future.
Konan refused to agree, still earnestly persuading him, "It's precisely because we are your family that we don't want to see you get hurt..."
"Let Uehara stay..."
Nagato interrupted Konan's words, saying gravely, "Uehara will bear the burden of Akatsuki and Amegakure in the future. We cannot protect him under our wings forever. Fledglings eventually have to learn to fly themselves."
"..."
Listening, Uehara Naraka became confused.
Nagato's first sentence was okay, but what the hell was that later stuff about bearing the burden of Akatsuki and Amegakure? What did these two want to arrange for him now?
"Alright then."
Hearing Nagato's words, Konan nodded with no small regret, "Then let him stay. With the current strength of the two of us, we can also protect our family."
"Mm..."
Nagato couldn't help a long coughing fit, his hands slowly gripping the wheelchair tighter, "Next, let that guy Hanzō experience the pain we endured back then! Let this world feel pain!"
(End of Chapter)
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