The Land of Rain, Amegakure.
A light drizzle fell endlessly, wrapping the entire village in silence.
Though the place was closed off, the villagers' lives seemed much better than before. Every household had paper angels hanging by their doors.
Now, Konan was the nominal leader of the Land of Rain. She brought stability and, in return, earned the love of the people.
Whenever she spread her wings and soared across the skies, the villagers below regarded catching a glimpse of their angel as an honor.
But today, Konan's face was clouded. With a flap of her wings, she quickly flew to the central tower of Amegakure.
Her body dissolved into paper and merged into the tower. Upon closer look, one side of the tower was made entirely of paper.
Nagato slowly opened his dull eyes. "What is it? Why have you come here to find me?"
Normally, Nagato only appeared through the Deva Path, and Konan usually communicated with that body. For her to come to his true location meant something serious had happened.
Konan steadied her emotions.
"Nagato, I've found out who killed Jūzō and Daibutsu!"
Nagato's pupils shrank. Yahiko's death had wounded him deeply, but along with Yahiko, many comrades who had shared hardships with them also perished that day.
Over the years, both he and Konan had been investigating who was behind it, but the culprits had covered their tracks too well. All they had ever found was a trace of Wood Release.
"Who!?" Nagato demanded.
"It was the masked man who calls himself Uchiha Madara, together with Zetsu!"
"Them!?"
"Where did this intel come from? Can it be trusted?"
Though Nagato trusted Konan, he feared she had been deceived.
Konan lowered her voice. "Uchiha Natsuki told me."
"Uchiha Natsuki…" Nagato repeated the name. The Uchiha clan's deputy leader was famous in his own right—Konan herself had once tried to recruit him.
She produced two scrolls that Natsuki had given her.
"Nagato, Natsuki gave us these."
"This jutsu is called Edo Tensei. It can summon the souls of the dead back to the world of the living in physical form."
Nagato's body trembled. He immediately pulled his hands out from the wooden frame of his chair and seized the scroll, scanning it eagerly.
"You mean…?" His voice quivered.
Konan nodded. "As long as we prepare a sacrifice, we can summon Yahiko back."
But after reading through, Nagato's hope dimmed.
"It only allows temporary revival?"
Konan explained, "Natsuki suggested we resurrect Jūzō and Daibutsu first. That way we can confirm if it truly was the masked man and Zetsu who killed them."
Nagato nodded. If Natsuki had even provided such a jutsu, the odds were high that the culprits were exactly who Konan said.
"It really was them!"
Konan was startled. "You suspected them already?"
Nagato replied, "They came from nowhere, and I never fully trusted them. I had suspicions, but no proof."
His Rinnegan flashed with hatred.
"Why would they do this?"
Konan recounted Natsuki's words.
Nagato fell silent, ripples stirring in his eyes. "To lead me into darkness…?"
He exhaled slowly. "No. I have already transcended mortal suffering within infinite pain—elevated from man into god!"
"Darkness cannot consume me. I will bring true peace to this world!"
His voice rang with unshakable resolve.
"Ridiculous… to think they could use a god! Cough, cough…"
Nagato suddenly coughed violently.
Konan rushed forward, worried. "Calm yourself, or your body won't endure."
"Haa…" He panted hard before gradually steadying. The Demonic Statue drained him daily, and controlling the Six Paths left his body frail. Any surge of emotion taxed him heavily.
"Whatever their scheme, it will be shattered beneath these Rinnegan."
Konan's heart ached at the sight. This all-or-nothing path… she could not see its end.
Nagato asked sternly, "What else did Uchiha Natsuki say?"
Konan unrolled the second scroll. "This reveals Madara's true identity, and the abilities of his Mangekyō Sharingan."
Nagato read aloud: "Uchiha Obito… intangibility… Kamui space… duration of several minutes… Izanagi!"
"So detailed!?"
He was stunned—at Obito's true identity and powers, but even more at how Natsuki had obtained such complete information.
A ninja's most precious secret was their own intel. To expose one's abilities so thoroughly was to hand an enemy the key to victory.
Yet here, Obito's abilities were laid bare as though the intel came from Obito himself.
For years, Obito had been mysterious, never abusing his power, keeping Nagato wary. All he had known was Obito's intangibility—nothing more.
Their relationship was cooperative, but never true trust.
And still, Obito and Zetsu had been diligent, even instrumental: Obito had used his Sharingan to control the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, remaining in Kirigakure for years to funnel resources and funds to Akatsuki.
That even improved the lives of Rain's people somewhat.
Yet all along, Obito and Zetsu had hidden such depths. Jūzō, Daibutsu, and the others…
Nagato had thought himself god, using Obito. But Obito was using him just the same.
"I was shocked too when I read it," Konan admitted. "But I feel it must be true. Natsuki said even if we attacked, we couldn't kill Obito. He wants you to meet him in person—he'll tell you more."
"Nagato, what will you do?"
Nagato set the scroll aside. His gaunt, skull-like face betrayed nothing.
"His space-time jutsu is too strange, a direct counter to me. Until I fully master the Rinnegan, we won't confront them. We'll continue using them for manpower and funding. Until everything is ready, I will remain hidden."
The paper wall tore open as the Deva Path walked in. "We will revive Jūzō and Daibutsu first. As for Yahiko… that must wait."
Konan understood. Nagato wasn't ready to face Yahiko—not when their path had strayed so far from his ideals.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for drastically altering Konan's life trajectory.]
Reward acquired: Shikigami no Mai – Divine Paper User (one-time use).
At that moment, in Sunagakure, Uchiha Natsuki was still in a council chamber with Rasa, deep in discussion.
Suddenly, the system's notification chimed in his ear.
It seemed Konan's fate had shifted—she likely wouldn't die at Obito's hands anymore. But Nagato?
Nagato's thoughts had already ascended into godhood—he wouldn't be swayed easily.
Still, it meant the two would probably break with Obito earlier than in the original timeline.
How far would Nagato go?
Given his nature, he would surely prepare thoroughly before making his move. Just as he had only faced Hanzo after he had mastered the Rinnegan.g
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