"Don't you prefer weapons powered by radiation?" Peter asked casually, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I have other kinds here, too."
Payne's head shook rapidly, as if it might fall off. "Boss, I think this is way too powerful..."
Peter finally realized something. He'd always assumed the others thought his weapons weren't strong enough. But now, it turned out they felt the opposite — his weapons were far too strong!
He grinned wider and said, "Well, I do have some less powerful options."
With that, Peter tapped a few buttons on his device and played another video. The footage showed a warhead much smaller than the massive three-phase bomb he'd demonstrated earlier. It dropped silently from the sky and hit the ground, then emitted a blinding white light.
A towering black mushroom cloud billowed upward, darkening the sky. The blast radius flattened everything within twenty kilometers of the epicenter, turning the land into a wasteland. The aftereffects stretched more than a hundred kilometers, causing devastation before finally fading away.
"This is a nuclear bomb," Peter said with a sly smile. "What do you think? Its power is much smaller, right?"
Payne was speechless.
What was the difference between this and the three-phase bomb Peter showed before?
Well... the difference was significant. The nuclear bomb's destructive power was about ten times less than the three-phase bomb.
Even so, with this nuclear bomb, the entire ninja village would be incinerated instantly.
To be honest, Payne felt tempted. If he just obliterated one village, the other villages would be terrified after seeing the power of this weapon — they wouldn't dare to wage war anymore.
Yes, one village would be sacrificed, but that sacrifice would bring peace to the entire ninja world.
After all, peace in the ninja world or "nuclear" peace in the ninja world—same pronunciation, same meaning. As long as there's peace, why care whether it's "peace" or "nuclear"?
Payne thought this was far more convenient than chasing and capturing all the tailed beasts, and clearly more powerful.
Catching the tailed beasts would require making enemies of every ninja village — a thankless, impossible task. Even if it succeeded, it wouldn't compare to the terrifying might of nuclear weapons.
Seeing Payne's hesitation, Konan wanted to voice her opposition, "Pain..." but she swallowed her words.
Because, after all, this was a way to bring peace to the ninja world. It might be cruel, requiring the sacrifice of a village, but the impact would be undeniable.
Peter smiled knowingly, looking between the two of them. "What do you think about this nuclear bomb?"
Payne nodded silently, giving a clear sign of approval, then asked bluntly, "Boss, how much does this nuclear bomb cost?"
They skipped over doubts and immediately asked about the price, showing their interest.
Peter suppressed his excitement and said with a calm smile, "One nuclear bomb costs 10 billion."
There was a brief silence.
They knew nuclear bombs would be expensive, but 10 billion was beyond their wildest expectations.
Still, when you think about it — a weapon that can guarantee world peace — a price that seems outrageous makes sense.
However, their faces showed embarrassment when faced with such a huge figure.
After all, the Akatsuki's accumulated wealth over the years was less than one billion — only a tenth of the cost for one nuclear bomb.
Add to that the fees promised to Orochimaru's experiments and Kakuzu's joining fee, and it became a massive financial burden.
If not for that, Payne would have handed over the money long ago, instead of waiting so long.
In fact, the two of them often joked behind his back that he was all talk and no action...
Now Payne finally understood why Kakuzu and Orochimaru kept demanding money. Things here with Peter were just that expensive!
Seeing Payne and Konan troubled by the price, Peter was afraid they might give up, so he quickly added some encouragement.
"It's only 10 or 20 billion. With your skills and resources, I believe you can earn it in a few years."
He looked at them intently and continued, "The future peace of the ninja world depends on you! Isn't this your dream all along?
Now, with just money, you can realize that dream. What are you still hesitating for? Go make that money fast!
Money in this world is limited. If you don't make it now, what will you do when all the wealth falls into others' hands later?"
Peter's words finally hit home.
Payne's eyes brightened, and he said quickly, "The boss is right. Konan, let's go!"
The two of them had been thoroughly convinced — almost brainwashed by Peter's vision.
"Wait!" Peter shouted hurriedly.
Payne and Konan stopped in their tracks and turned back, curious.
Peter smiled and said, "Dragging a disabled body around will slow down your efficiency... Nagato."
---
Rain Shinobi Village.
Somewhere deep in the Akatsuki base.
Nagato, who controlled the Six Paths of Pain, suddenly opened his eyes wide in shock. He never expected the boss would know his true identity.
Few people knew, and Nagato hadn't thought "Madara" would reveal it to Peter.
He muttered under his breath, "This boss... is simply unfathomable..."
---
Inside the store.
Konan's eyes sparkled with excitement when she heard Peter mention Nagato's condition. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Boss... can you really cure Nagato's body?"
After seeing Peter's incredible power, Konan instinctively used honorifics, showing newfound respect.
Peter smiled faintly. "Of course."
He walked to the counter, lightly touched it, then pulled out a device that looked like a hibernation capsule.
The device gleamed with a metallic shine. Inside, complex instruments and machinery hummed softly, their purpose unmistakable.
Payne and Konan stared in shock. How could Peter hide such a massive device behind that small counter?
Seeing their disbelief, Peter explained patiently, "This is a treatment chamber. Just lie inside, and it will automatically repair your body's damage."
Konan's face lit up instantly.
"Nagato, let's bring your real body here!" she said urgently.
Since learning that Nagato could be healed, she was filled with hope.
She remembered how Yahiko had died saving her, and Nagato's legs were crippled ever since.
That tragedy weighed on her heavily; she blamed herself for what had happened.
After Yahiko's death, Nagato had turned dark and evil. Although his ideals now contradicted Yahiko's original vision, Konan never opposed him — she quietly supported his path.
Because Nagato's legs were disabled, his Chakra was drained not only by the Gedo Statue but also to control Pain's Six Paths.
This left his own body weak and emaciated over time.
Every time Konan saw him like that, her heart ached.
But now, with the chance to restore his body, she was overjoyed.
Payne noticed her excitement and nodded approvingly. "Alright."
The two hurriedly left the shop, heading straight for Rain Shinobi Village.
---
Peter watched them go and sighed softly.
"Am I considered a master of dreams in the Hokage world?" he muttered to himself.
Suddenly, Peter noticed movement in the bushes on both sides of the street.
Two figures darted swiftly toward his shop, moving with unmistakable stealth...
---
Expanded Scene and Reflections
Peter's mind wandered back to the earlier discussions — the weight of his decisions pressed heavily on him.
Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of any ninja were a terrifying thought.
Yet here was the paradox: true peace might only come from such overwhelming power.
Sacrificing one village to save many seemed harsh, but was it any different from the endless bloodshed that plagued the ninja world?
Was the cost of peace too high, or was peace itself the highest goal worth any price?
Payne and Konan, his closest allies, had been drawn in by the dream — the vision Peter painted so vividly.
Their willingness to accept such a monstrous price gave Peter hope that the future might change.
Still, a nagging doubt lingered — how much of their loyalty was genuine hope, and how much was desperation?
The mysterious healing chamber stood as a symbol of his power and intentions.
If he could heal Nagato's broken body, then maybe there was still a chance to heal the broken world as well.
As the two sneaky figures approached, Peter braced himself.
Was this a threat? An ally? Or something far more complicated?