Under Nagato's surprised gaze, Shigeo Aburame began revealing the secrets of the ninja world.
"A long time ago, there was a woman named Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. She had two sons, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki and Hamura Ōtsutsuki. Hagoromo is the legendary Sage of the Six Paths…"
...
Shigeo Aburame narrated the hidden truths he knew in detail, from the sealing of Kaguya by the Sage of the Six Paths, to Black Zetsu manipulating the feud between Indra and Asura, and finally to Obito's Eye of the Moon Plan.
For Nagato, these were just the plots of an anime he had once watched, so internally, he felt nothing.
Nagato listened quietly, but his wide-open eyes and shocked expression betrayed his emotions.
When Shigeo Aburame finally stopped, Nagato couldn't hold back any longer.
"Are you saying that the wars in the ninja world are not just due to conflicts between nations but are also driven by Black Zetsu's behind-the-scenes schemes to unseal Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?"
Shigeo nodded. "Exactly!"
Nagato's face darkened slightly.
"And my eyes... they were transplanted by Madara Uchiha, who intended for me to use the Rinne Rebirth to bring him back to life. The current 'Madara Uchiha' is actually Obito Uchiha, and all of this is part of their Eye of the Moon Plan?"
"That's right!"
Shigeo Aburame nodded again, his expression growing serious.
"Black Zetsu used Madara, Madara used Obito, and Obito intended to use you. Your task now is to pretend to be used by them and then..."
"Strike them with a fatal blow at the critical moment!" Nagato clenched his fist. "I won't let them succeed!"
"Exactly!"
Shigeo Aburame smiled and patted Nagato's shoulder lightly.
"Don't worry. Black Zetsu's schemes will fail. The new children of destiny have already appeared. They will be the bridge to peace, and we will be the pillars supporting that bridge. Nagato, will you help me?"
"Of course!"
Nagato nodded without hesitation.
"I trust you. You helped us bring peace to the Land of Rain last time, and now it's my turn. What do I need to do?"
"Carry on as usual. Let Black Zetsu and Obito think everything is going smoothly."
Shigeo adjusted his sunglasses, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Gather strength, wait for the right time. Victory will be ours, and the ninja world will see true peace. I firmly believe this!"
"So do I!" Nagato smiled as well, then asked, "By the way, how do you know all this? Did the teacher tell you?"
"No," Shigeo replied, shaking his head. Then, pushing up his sunglasses, he added, "Let's just say the Sage of the Six Paths told me in a dream."
Nagato: "..."
What a perfunctory answer!
Since Shigeo Aburame was unwilling to elaborate, Nagato didn't press further and changed the subject.
"Was there a reason you said nothing earlier? Were we being watched?"
"Not nearby, but underground!"
Shigeo pointed to the ground beneath their feet.
"Black Zetsu's clones can hide underground. I used my insects to thoroughly search the area before I started speaking. Be cautious about this in the future."
Nagato nodded solemnly. "Understood. I'll stay vigilant and ensure they detect nothing unusual. Is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Yes, prepare a cell cultivation lab for me."
Shigeo took out a scroll and handed it to Nagato.
"The required materials and quantities are listed here. It might cost quite a bit."
"Money isn't an issue. Kakuzu handles finances exceptionally well."
Nagato glanced at the scroll and smiled.
"The materials you need aren't particularly rare and can be acquired easily. But what kind of cells do you plan to cultivate?"
"That depends on you, Nagato," Shigeo said with a sly look. "Where on your body do you think is suitable for experimentation?"
Nagato: "..."
...
Under Nagato's leadership, the cell cultivation lab was quickly built and operational on its first day.
The costs were significant, which annoyed Kakuzu greatly. His obsession with money had skewed his priorities.
To address this, Shigeo demonstrated the "Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs Technique," destroying two of Kakuzu's hearts in the process and helping him regain focus.
Kakuzu's failure served as a warning to other Akatsuki members, ensuring greater unity within the organization.
With the team's support, Shigeo Aburame donned a ring symbolizing the trinity and became Akatsuki's first internal researcher, codenamed *Three*.
Akatsuki rings were the hallmark of official membership. There were ten rings in total: Zero, Blue, White, Vermilion, Black, Sky, South, North, Three, and Jade.
Only ring-bearers were considered official members. Non-ring bearers were merely "interns."
Akatsuki allowed internal conflict. Interns could challenge official members to claim their rings and become members themselves, though they risked being killed in the process.
Over the years, Shigeo witnessed many ring holders change and numerous interns vanish.
He realized Nagato was intentionally reducing the number of members to control Akatsuki's growth.
Despite this, the organization's overall strength continued to rise. Almost every official member was of S-rank—essentially Kage-level.
The current core members—Nagato, Konan, Zetsu, Sasori, Kakuzu, Orochimaru, and Shigeo Aburame—were the strongest and most stable.
Soon after, a rogue ninja from Kirigakure, Jūzō Biwa, claimed the *South* ring. Armed with the Kubikiribōchō, he defeated numerous challengers to secure his position.
However, the *Blue* and *Vermilion* rings frequently changed hands.
This continued until a special new member joined Akatsuki.
"A new recruit has arrived!"
With Nagato's announcement, a man wearing ANBU attire and a Leaf forehead protector with a deep scratch walked into the room.
When he raised his head, his face was revealed to everyone.
A handsome man with sharp facial features stood before them. His deep tear troughs extended from his inner eyes to the sides of his nose, as if carved by a blade.
But what captured everyone's attention were his blood-red Sharingan eyes, each bearing three tomoe.
**Sharingan!**
Seeing the man, Orochimaru's snake-like pupils widened before a sinister smile crept across his face.
"The one who destroyed the Uchiha clan—Itachi Uchiha!"
(End of Chapter)