Since they couldn't be stopped, it was better to meet and talk face to face.
Nagato was actually quite curious too.
What exactly did Naruto want to talk to him about?
After all, he and Naruto were both Jiraiya's disciples.
Nagato wasn't particularly interested in their master, but when it came to a junior disciple—well, that was a different matter.
Naruto looked at Nagato and spoke:
"Senior Brother, I won't beat around the bush. I'll come straight to the point.
The reason I came here today is to talk to you about incorporating the Akatsuki under me."
Nagato stared at Naruto, for a moment wondering if he had misheard.
Konan took a step forward, her eyes fixed on Naruto:
"Naruto, are you insane? Do you even realize what you're saying?"
Naruto sighed.
"I know this is hard for you two to accept at once.
But to tell you the truth, I'm probably already considered a rogue ninja by Konoha—
even though I personally don't see it that way."
Konan was shocked.
"You defected from Konoha?"
Naruto nodded.
Nagato looked at him and said coldly:
"Then it should be you begging me to take you in,
not you arrogantly talking about incorporating Akatsuki.
You're insulting God!"
Naruto simply raised his hand and met Nagato's eyes.
"Senior Brother, let me be honest with you.
Before, I might've tried to talk you down with words alone.
But now I truly want to tell you this:
What you once cherished is still precious.
What you're doing now… is frankly ridiculous.
Why?
Because you're being led around in circles by someone else.
Everything you're doing is for another's sake!"
"If you were really the one controlling the whole situation, then fine.
Your idea of collecting all nine Tailed Beasts to control war and maintain peace in the ninja world—
that does have merit.
That could indeed be called divine.
At least you have something resembling a god's perspective.
In that, you're stronger than the Kage of the great ninja nations."
Hearing Naruto acknowledge and even understand his goals, Nagato hesitated, unsure what to make of him.
Nagato gave a small "Oh," then asked:
"You understand why I'm doing this?"
Naruto nodded.
"Of course.
Only by first experiencing pain can one understand pain,
and then come to fear pain,
and finally cherish peace."
Nagato furrowed his brows, as if trying to see through him.
After a few seconds, Nagato said:
"Naruto… you surpass Master Jiraiya—
at least when it comes to understanding pain."
Naruto continued:
"But Senior Brother, the Pain you've created now…
at best it's a false god.
The true will of God is nothing like what you think.
What you've created—at most it makes you a 'God of Shinobi.'"
Nagato stared.
"Then you mean… you've seen a true god?"
Naruto thought for a moment. Yes, by now he probably had.
"That's right.
A true god is one so powerful they view life as mere grass and call humans nothing but 'straw dogs'—
the Ōtsutsuki clan!
Before such beings,
the Pain you created is far too weak.
It's nowhere near enough to oppose them."
Having said that, Naruto unfurled a scroll and released a flock of crows, smiling:
"Come, let me lead you—
let us together forge a power that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods!"
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
The crows cried as Shisui's Kotoamatsukami activated.
Nagato and Konan both saw it—the eye hidden among the crows!
Naruto's voice came softly:
"Forever obey my commands.
Follow my lead.
And I will guide you onto the path of light!"
Almost without realizing it, Nagato murmured:
"What my junior brother says… makes sense.
From now on, I'll listen to him."
Konan also smiled faintly.
"If it's Junior Brother Naruto's words, then we'll accept any request."
Naruto gave a small smile, exactly as he had expected.
Shisui's ultimate genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, wasn't a simple visual illusion.
It didn't instantly change someone's mind without them realizing.
And besides, the Rinnegan Nagato possessed wasn't originally his—
Uchiha Madara had transplanted it into him.
Nagato could use it because he was of the Uzumaki clan,
with their immense chakra and vitality.
Thus Nagato's Rinnegan could not absorb or nullify
Shisui's ultimate genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami.
His consciousness was still altered by Naruto.
Naruto had waited this long precisely to build up his chakra—
just in case the jutsu didn't work on Nagato,
he was prepared to use force.
He'd even readied the key to open the Nine-Tails' seal gate.
After all, Nagato's Rinnegan and the Akatsuki were things he absolutely had to obtain.
Fortunately, it went off without a hitch.
Nagato and Konan were now under his banner.
Naruto walked over to Konan's side.
"Senior Sister, could you get me one of your robes too?"
Konan nodded.
"Of course, Junior Brother. Just wait a moment."
Then Naruto turned to Nagato.
"Senior Brother, how does that Uchiha Madara usually appear here?"
Having been completely brainwashed by Naruto's Kotoamatsukami,
Nagato now regarded Naruto as one of his own and as their leader.
He replied:
"Madara has an eye that can mark spatial coordinates.
He usually just appears out of thin air—
similar to your Flying Thunder God."
Naruto nodded. He already understood Obito's eye ability well.
But since his future base would likely be this Hidden Rain Village,
he couldn't allow Obito to come and go freely anymore.
"Naruto, here. I picked one that should fit you."
Naruto took the robe from Konan and thanked her before putting it on—
the black cloak patterned with red clouds.
"I never thought I'd see the day I'd wear this…"
Naruto sighed to himself at the strangeness of fate.
At that moment, Nagato summoned all six Paths of Pain before him and asked:
"Junior Brother, you said you'd lead us to the path of light.
What should we do next?"
Wearing the Akatsuki's signature cloak,
Naruto's entire aura had shifted into something darker.
"First, Akatsuki as it existed is already outdated.
From today onward, we're officially changing our name to 'ten.'"
Konan whispered:
"ten?"
Nagato murmured:
"ten… as in the will of God?"
Naruto nodded.
"Only partially right.
ten is an organization.
Within it, you and I are all gods.
Each of our wills is the will of God.
Together, we are ten itself—
the rules and order of this world!"
Konan and Nagato's eyes gleamed with light.
Hidden beneath the cloak, Naruto spoke in a low, resonant voice:
"Likewise, as ten we must shield the people of this world from the storms ahead."
With that, Naruto swept his cloak aside and strode out.
"The first action of ten—begins now!"
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