Even though Takuno hadn't explicitly pointed it out, the bone-deep sense of weakness had long been shadowing him.
Even Konan vaguely agreed with Takuno's words, because she didn't even need to feel Nagato's sensations; just looking at Nagato's emaciated appearance was enough to know the toll this pair of Rinnegan took on him.
You must know, she had been by Nagato's side all along; no one knew the changes in his body better than she did!
The decay of his body was like a maggot attached to bone; Nagato knew this cruel reality better than anyone.
Every time he channeled the power of the Rinnegan, it was like burning the candle of his life.
This treasure, hailed as the "Eyes of the Sage," had long become his most lethal shackle, dragging him toward the abyss of death, bit by bit, irreversibly.
He knew clearly that if this endless consumption were allowed to continue, he wouldn't need any powerful enemy to strike; he would eventually run dry and become the final sacrifice for these eyes.
Even if he were to harden his heart and gouge them out now, it would be nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst.
The erosion of the Rinnegan on his life force had already seeped into his marrow.
Removing them might barely buy him a decade or so of lingering survival, but it would ultimately fail to recover the immense vitality slipping away like quicksand.
Yet, the word "give up" weighed more than a thousand catties.
The Rinnegan had long transcended the category of an organ; it was the sole bridge connecting him to the dream he had woven together with Yahiko!
It was the existence of these eyes that allowed that distant vision of peace to reveal a faint yet real glimmer within the endless despair.
Abandoning the Rinnegan? This was no different from personally extinguishing that final fire of hope and completely burying the dream that carried his best friend's legacy into nothingness.
How could he? How dare he?
When Takuno displayed that three-tomoe Rinnegan, a sense of sudden realization surfaced in Nagato's heart; the doubts of the past might be answered before this eye.
Takuno's words were not groundless.
Although Nagato couldn't fully believe the other party's words, his heart told him that the other party's words were far more credible than those of that 'Madara'.
But if this were really the case, why would these "Eyes of the Sage," which shouldn't have belonged to him, abruptly reside in his eye sockets?
The answer was almost self-evident.
Even that tragedy that took the lives of his parents—what was the truth?
The direct cause was dying at the hands of Konoha Shinobi, that much was true; he had seen it with his own eyes.
But behind it, was there an invisible black hand carefully weaving a web of fate?
And Madara suddenly appearing in the Akatsuki seeking cooperation afterward was definitely no coincidence.
He not only found him with precision but also knew everything about the existence of the Gedo Statue and the ultimate Sealing Jutsu that only a Rinnegan holder could cast, the "Phantom Dragon Nine Seals"...
Everything pointed to one fact.
Madara's familiarity with these eyes far exceeded his own, the so-called "master."
His former self had been ignorant, knowing only that the Rinnegan was powerful, but not knowing it had evolved from the Sharingan.
Although he had had suspicions back then, he had no way to verify them and could only bury them deep in his heart, fruitlessly exploring in the dark.
However, the deepest secrets of the Shinobi World were only held by the Five Great Shinobi Villages; how could an exiled Rain Shinobi orphan touch upon that sealed truth?
Until this moment.
Takuno's words revealing the essence and origin of the Rinnegan were like a thunderclap, instantly dispelling the fog that had shrouded his heart for years.
All the fragmented doubts from before were finally connected into a clear chain at this moment.
So that was it!
This pair of Rinnegan, which gave him power and also brought endless pain, perhaps... never belonged to him, Nagato, from the very beginning!
It was more like a "seed" carefully planted in some massive conspiracy.
Madara must have had deep meaning in doing so, but that purpose remained hidden behind the scenes.
And he himself, this "vessel" chosen, was nothing more than a pathetic puppet.
When the Rinnegan drained the last bit of vitality from this shell, when his value was completely exhausted...
These eyes would eventually be ruthlessly reclaimed by their true owner.
Takuno sat on the throne, supporting his face with one hand, his peripheral vision fixed on Nagato below.
He saw that Nagato's expression was uncertain, confusion and struggle intertwined between his brows, as if his heart were experiencing a silent storm.
Takuno didn't urge him, just waited quietly.
The silence at this moment had more power than any words; he had to give the other party enough time to sort out this sudden truth.
He was certain that Nagato would eventually understand.
After all, before this, Nagato had been trapped on an island of information, only able to blindly trust the lies woven by Obito;
But at this moment, Takuno had revealed key fragments of information to him.
Although these fragments were incomplete, they were enough to become torches shining into the darkness.
Nagato only needed to ponder a little to glimpse the layered contradictions and deceits in Obito's words.
That was nothing more than a despicable method of manipulating his fate by exploiting Nagato's ignorance and isolation.
Inside the hall, the air was stagnant like ink.
Takuno tapped his fingers on the armrest, his thoughts churning.
He speculated with interest on Nagato's final choice: would he continue to be obsessed with the Rinnegan that symbolized power, or would he resolutely cut off this deceived fate?
Dead silence permeated between the three, with only the sound of wind blowing up from the sewers flowing.
It stirred Nagato's red hair, which belonged to the Uzumaki Clan and had already begun to turn white.
He took a deep breath, then slowly lifted his eyelids, using those Rinnegan to stare unflinchingly at the unfathomable Takuno in front of him.
Nagato's voice carried a kind of unquestionable determination: "Perhaps... you are right."
He paused, his gaze as steady as a rock.
"But regardless of the truth, it is embedded in my eye sockets right now! This Rinnegan, at this moment, in this place, belongs to me! This is a fact that cannot be changed!"
Along with his declaration, a cold chill suddenly shot out from those Rinnegan.
"Oh?"
Takuno curled the corner of his mouth in a playful arc, asking back with interest.
"In that case... you are determined to jump out of this established chessboard and raise a banner of rebellion against the one playing the game?"
"Why not?" Nagato retorted without flinching, his voice not loud but full of challenge.
"Fine! Of course, that's fine!" Takuno laughed lowly, "Not only is it fine, but I should say... this is where it truly gets interesting!"
"Is it... just 'interesting'?" Nagato stared at Takuno's expression, which seemed to be looking down on all living beings, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The other party's strength was indeed powerful enough to treat everything as a plaything, and he had the absolute qualifications to evaluate it so lightly.
Under Takuno's unfathomable strength, whether it was he, Nagato, or that "chess player" hiding behind the scenes who viewed him as a pawn, they were all likely just humble characters on stage for his amusement.
Power! This was everything that absolute power brought!
A strong desire surged in the depths of Nagato's heart.
If he also possessed power like Takuno that transcended all living beings, why would he need to be at the mercy of Madara's conspiracy-filled plan?
He could completely use thunderous momentum and absolute power to realize the ultimate vision of exchanging pain for peace in his heart!
However, the path to that level of power remained shrouded in thick fog for him, out of reach.
Precisely because of this, Madara's plan, which seemed full of conspiracies, became a ladder he couldn't abandon.
He had to keep going! Gather all nine Tailed Beasts, inject their power into the Gedo Statue, and awaken the ultimate weapon, the Ten-Tails, capable of destroying the world!
Only by becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, who controlled the power of the Ten-Tails, could he possibly break the shackles.
Reach the absolute power like Takuno, capable of controlling everything and reshaping the world! Even... to be even more powerful than the other party!
This road was the only journey he had to take toward the "peace" vision.
Nagato knew clearly that this road was by no means smooth; every step was like walking on the edge of an abyss.
Madara "generously" gifted this pair of Rinnegan and even taught him the secrets of the ultimate weapon, the "Phantom Dragon Nine Seals."
Behind this apparent generosity, there must be covetousness for the Ten-Tails.
Nagato absolutely did not believe that Madara would pave the way for him without any ulterior motives.
Although Madara's ultimate goal was still in the mist, Nagato was certain that the person behind the scenes would definitely appear at the last moment, intending to reap the fruits of the Ten-Tails he had painstakingly cultivated.
And he himself, in the other party's plan, was likely already destined to be a sacrifice in the process of the Ten-Tails' formation.
However, at this moment, sharp light flickered in Nagato's eyes.
How could he let his threads of fate be manipulated by others at will again?
He wanted to see what kind of schemes Madara could still come up with!
Nagato also secretly estimated that if he used the power of the Rinnegan with caution and restraint, this broken body might be able to last for about ten more years.
However, how luxurious is the word "restraint"?
Nagato knew better than anyone that it was impossible for him not to use the Rinnegan's abilities.
The path he was about to take was one of risking his life.
Huge funds needed to be raised; the nine scattered Tailed Beasts needed to be captured one by one; the draining "Phantom Dragon Nine Seals" needed to be cast again and again;
Finally, he had to suppress the power of the Ten-Tails to become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
All of this, every single item, required an immeasurable amount of time.
Could his body, this shell already riddled with holes by the Rinnegan's erosion, really hold out until the moment all missions were completed?
Time waits for no one! The only option was to break the cauldrons and sink the boats, spare no cost to compress the initial procedures, and race against time!
Then, before his body completely collapsed, become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
If what Madara and The Collector said was true, and the power of the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki truly possessed the might to shake the world, then the chronic illness that had plagued him for years might truly be solved at that moment!
Only by crossing this life-and-death tribulation and obtaining that ultimate power could he truly break free from this chessboard where he was a pawn.
By then, he would use thunderous momentum to launch the most violent counterattack against that chess player!
Nagato took a deep breath and pushed down the thoughts in his heart for the time being.
He stared at Takuno and asked directly: "Having finished my business, what is your purpose, sir?"
Nagato had no naive fantasies in his heart.
Takuno was definitely not revealing that information to him out of pure kindness.
Even if the "found it interesting" claim was true, there must be a deeper plot hidden behind it.
His goal... could it also be the Ten-Tails? Was that power capable of destroying the world the root cause attracting these mysterious figures?
"My purpose?" Takuno heard this, his demeanor remained calm, even with a bit of carelessness; he didn't intend to cover it up.
"Speaking of which, it's simple. Nagato, although your knowledge of many ancient secrets of this world is limited, surely you have heard of the legend of the 'Chakra Fruit', right?"
Hearing this name, Nagato fell into a brief silence.
He certainly knew this name; in the understanding of the Shinobi World, this was content almost equivalent to a fairy tale, illusory and ethereal.
However, Takuno mentioned it so solemnly now...
Could it be that this legendary fruit actually existed?
Nagato was shocked and uncertain, but he grasped the key point in an instant.
Regardless of whether it was true or false, this Chakra Fruit must have inextricable links with the Ten-Tails!
"Actually, who among you can eventually become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki," Takuno's tone carried a kind of detached indifference, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, "makes no difference to me."
This sentence made Nagato's heart sink again.
The Ten-Tails Jinchuriki was the core of his planned project, the ultimate "weapon," and the final means to realize his extreme vision of peace.
Such a critical existence was dismissed so lightly by Takuno?
Was this a disguise deliberately created by the other party to show how unfathomable he was?
Or... did the other party really possess the strength to look down upon all of this?
Nagato frowned tightly, examining Takuno with sharp eyes, unable to judge the truth for a moment.
"Therefore, during the long process of you collecting the nine Tailed Beasts," Takuno continued to speak calmly.
"I will also provide some assistance at the appropriate time."
"Otherwise, with the strength currently displayed by your 'Akatsuki' organization, wanting to collect all the Tailed Beasts, especially the last and strongest few, I'm afraid you will encounter quite a bit of difficulty."
Nagato fell silent again.
Although Takuno's words carried a condescending judgment, he had to admit part of the reality in his heart.
Regarding other Villages, he had considerable confidence that he could forcibly seize the Tailed Beasts by relying on the power of the Six Paths of Pain.
However, there was one exception: Konoha.
The Village that had nurtured his respected and complex teacher, Jiraiya.
Just the strength currently displayed by the other party on the surface was already powerful enough to be impossible to ignore.
What made Nagato's heart even more complicated was that he actually... did not want to truly be enemies with Konoha.
This unwillingness did not just stem from the complex emotional connection to his mentor, Jiraiya.
A deeper reason lay in the current state of Konoha: it had not launched a war!
In Nagato's observation, Konoha now possessed top-tier strength that crowned the Shinobi World, sitting on the rich land and resources of the Land of Fire.
It completely possessed the hard power foundation to launch a war, sweep the other four Great Shinobi Villages, and unify the Shinobi World.
But what faintly moved Nagato's heart was that Konoha hadn't done so.
It seemed to still be adhering to some concept of peace, restraining its powerful force.
And this was precisely the core of the issue.
What was the ultimate goal of the "Akatsuki" organization?
Wasn't it precisely to break this cycle of hatred and seek a permanent peace?
It was precisely this restraint currently shown by Konoha that invisibly became an insurmountable obstacle in Nagato's heart, making him not want to take the initiative to break this state.