Konan didn't quite understand what Uehara Naraku meant.
Yet, as a woman of subtle understanding, Konan detected the solitude and loneliness hidden in Uehara Naraku's words. What happened?
It was a feeling of having no support.
Konan slowly approached Uehara Naraku, stroked his head, and held him against her chest, gently saying, "Naraku, if you have anything on your mind in the future, you can tell me directly..."
"..."
Uehara Naraku thought that the Akatsuki uniform wasn't very comfortable; the zipper was a bit scratchy.
Konan's fingers slipped into his hair and gently rubbed it, "You don't have to only think of me as your teacher... Naraku, I'm also your family, understand?"
"Yes, Teacher."
Uehara Naraku extricated himself from Konan's embrace with a bittersweet smile.
Nagato, sitting nearby, covered his mouth with his hand and lightly coughed a few times, softly saying, "Cough, cough... Uehara, I'm the same."
Though Nagato didn't quite grasp Konan's actions, he somewhat understood that he should echo Konan at this time, and he indeed considered Uehara Naraku as his junior.
Due to the burden of the Rinnegan, the Six Paths of Pain, and the Gedo Statue, Nagato understood that his lifespan would not be particularly long.
If Konan were left alone, how could he be at ease?
Now that Konan had accepted Uehara Naraku as a disciple, and he was a well-behaved and obedient teenager, he seemed suitable to become the future leader of the Akatsuki.
No.
Not just the Akatsuki.
A gleam flashed in Nagato's eyes; if they could successfully ambush Hanzo of the Salamander this time, they also needed to groom Uehara to become the future leader of the Hidden Rain Village.
Whether the will of the Dawn or the Dark Akatsuki...
In the future, it must all be inherited by this little guy Uehara Naraku.
Uehara Naraku didn't know their thoughts, he just smiled helplessly, "Why do I feel like Lord Nagato and Teacher Konan are a bit strange? Let's hide in that valley over there and wait for that guy Hanzo of the Salamander!"
"...Alright."
Konan played with her blue hair.
The group quickly reached their destination.
A valley where the Akatsuki nearly met complete destruction.
The torrential rain of the Land of Rain did not seem to have washed away the terrain of the valley too much, still retaining the traces of the battle from years ago, making one sigh emotionally.
Nagato manipulated the Deva Path Pain to push his wheelchair to the clearing at the bottom of the valley, his expression gradually showing a hint of sorrow, "Yahiko, you said your dream was to become the god of this world... I will soon help you achieve that."
Long ago, Nagato used Yahiko's body to create the Deva Path Pain, all to kill Hanzo of the Salamander today, to descend upon the world in the name of a god!
By God's decree, eliminate all darkness in the world!
With God's power, execute those who do not cherish peace!
Uehara Naraku felt very complicated hearing this.
In this oppressive moment, Uehara shared a bit of Nagato's feelings, noting that realizing someone else's dream sounds honorable, but indeed, it's a bit melancholic.
These wishes should be realized by them personally!
Like that bookstore owner who sold a book to Uehara...
"That's where Yahiko committed suicide..."
Konan raised her head and gazed at a damaged hill not far from them, her eyes slightly red, "Back then, I was held captive by Hanzo there, watching Yahiko crash into the kunai in Nagato's hand."
Even though they had been here once before, coming here again is inevitably saddening.
"Teacher..."
Uehara Naraku sighed softly, finally deciding to wake them up, "Our manpower is ultimately limited. If we fight fiercely here, Hanzo might escape..."
"There's no such possibility!"
Konan was the first to wake up from her memories, her palm slightly moving, and suddenly tiny cracks appeared all over the earth and cliff!
Konan spoke with an indifferent expression, "Yesterday, I set up six billion paper bombs here, everything you see was reconstructed using my Paper Person of God Jutsu..."
With that, Konan gradually clenched her fist, "At that time, neither Hanzo of the Salamander nor his loyal ninja underlings could possibly leave here alive!"
"Well... Teacher..."
Cold sweat gradually appeared on Uehara Naraku's forehead, "If there's any mistake, we'd also be blown up here, right?"
"Don't worry about that."
The Deva Path Pain pushed Nagato's wheelchair over, "This battle will mainly be fought by the Deva Path. The Preta Path, Human Path, and Asura Path will support, while the Naraka Path and Animal Path will summon us for a retreat from afar."
Nagato and Konan had long planned how to deal with Hanzo of the Salamander.
Since it's a battle for revenge, naturally, the Deva Path Pain should take the main role, while the Preta Path, Human Path, and Asura Path provide vision and support for the Deva Path.
To ensure everything goes perfectly, Nagato has positioned the Animal Path specializing in summoning and the Naraka Path responsible for repairing Pain in a safe place, ensuring they can retreat safely.
Whether the battle is successful or not, they will destroy this place.
Nagato looked at Uehara Naraku, speaking seriously, "Uehara, Konan and I are worried that Hanzo of the Salamander might become desperate when in danger. Once the battle starts, you should leave the battlefield, understand?"
"Uh..."
Uehara Naraku was a bit hesitant at once.
Because in his system panel, there are several tasks regarding Hanzo of the Salamander, some of which are certainly unachievable.
For instance, the task to be granted a title by the Ninja Demigod.
However, the task of killing the Ninja Demigod is something Uehara Naraku still wants to try.
After all, the rewards given by the system are always unpredictable, it might give a hundred gold coins as a small compensation, or it might give out a set of high-level skill rewards like a few days ago, which is the real surprise!
"I can stay nearby to support..."
Uehara Naraku looked at Konan and Nagato, softly speaking, "If something goes wrong, I can choose to fly away at any time."
"No."
Konan refused his suggestion, seeming to find her stance a bit rigid, she adjusted her attitude, "Naraku, this is our revenge..."
Uehara Naraku looked a bit aggrieved, as if hurt by Konan's words, "But you just said we're family... And I can protect myself, I managed to escape from the troublesome enemy Uchiha Obito."
While talking about the current matters, Uehara Naraku also disparaged Obito.
In Konan and Nagato's list, Uchiha Obito had already become a must-kill target, with no chance to compete with him in the future.
Konan remained unmoved, continuing her persuasive effort, "It's precisely because we are your family that we don't want to see you get hurt..."
"Let Uehara stay..."
Nagato interrupted Konan, speaking deeply, "Uehara is meant to take on the burden of the Akatsuki and the Hidden Rain Village in the future, we cannot shelter him under our wings forever, the fledgling must learn to fly on its own eventually."
"..."
Uehara Naraku listened, growing somewhat puzzled.
The first part of Nagato's sentence was understandable, but what was all this about taking on the burden of the Akatsuki and the Hidden Rain Village? What were these two planning now?
"Alright."
After hearing Nagato's words, Konan regretfully nodded, "Then let him stay. With the strength we have now, we can protect our family."
"Hmm..."
Nagato couldn't help but cough at length, his hands gradually gripping the wheelchair tightly, "Let's allow Hanzo to experience the pain we once suffered and let the world feel pain!"