Chapter 202: I Said I'd Take You to the Moon — So We're Going to the Moon!!
"Nagato, this will only destroy the peace we've finally achieved! If you go after the tailed beasts, it will inevitably lead to another war!"
So-called deterrence always meant starting a battle first.
Would Renji simply stand by and watch Nagato capture all nine tailed beasts?
In that instant, Konan suddenly remembered the question she once asked Renji—if someone destroyed the current peace, what would he do?
He would fight them directly. And that would shatter the fragile peace that had taken so long to build.
"But Konan… what if he changes later?"
Nagato didn't press her further; he could already see the shift in her heart.
And knowing that, his first reaction wasn't anger, but quiet relief. He never wanted Konan to sacrifice herself for his dream, nor to follow him blindly.
There was no need for her to walk that path—he would fulfill their shared dream himself. All he wanted was for Konan to live peacefully, free of burdens.
"Changes later…"
Konan murmured softly, her gaze distant. She too was wondering—if things did change later, what would become of everything?
Would they change?
She didn't know if Renji would ever change, but she longed for the peace before her to continue. To her, it was already enough.
"I don't know… but Nagato, if this is your decision, then I'll stand with you."
Konan didn't want to think further. Looking at Nagato's frail body, her heart hardened with resolve.
Nagato's condition was her fault, and she couldn't escape that guilt.
"No, Konan. If possible, I don't want you involved in this anymore."
Nagato rejected her immediately. He didn't want her hands stained with more sin.
"No!"
Konan's expression changed at once. She couldn't just watch Nagato face all this alone.
"Konan, you're not suited for this. You're too kind."
Yes—Konan was kind, to her very core.
Nagato didn't want that kindness twisted by blood and guilt.
"Nagato, without me by your side, you'll die the moment someone gets close!"
Nagato was powerful, but his frail body made him vulnerable to close-range attacks.
"We'll talk about it later. I'm still thinking about this. By the way, are you going back soon?"
Nagato's tone grew distant as he thought. Obito's words echoed in his mind—perhaps he was right. With a deterrent, Renji might act more cautiously.
But Konan was right too. Peace was precious, and if he acted now, he would be the one to destroy it.
"I was given a few days off. There's still a lot to handle over there."
"Konan, it seems things are going well for you over there."
A trace of emotion flashed across Nagato's face. He had seen subtle hints in her expression—tiny signs of warmth and light.
Was that happiness?
Had Konan never been truly happy here in the Rain Village?
Perhaps she was happier there.
"…"
Konan didn't know how to answer him.
Was she happier? Maybe.
In truth, part of her wanted Nagato to go with her—to the Shinobi Nation. But she couldn't say that aloud.
It would sound like she was leading him to his death.
"Orochimaru, how's the progress with what I gave you?"
Inside Orochimaru's laboratory.
Obito's eyes darkened as he stared at him. He had supplied Orochimaru with vast experimental materials and even guided him through various problems, yet the man had still produced no results.
It was beginning to test Obito's patience.
If Renji hadn't already unified the shinobi world, Obito wouldn't even bother dealing with Orochimaru's "cheap tricks."
"Hehehe… impatience won't make hot tofu cook faster. If you plan to fight the Shinobi Nation, these creatures can't just be revived so simply."
Orochimaru's expression turned feverish, almost deranged. His research had reached its peak.
With the information provided by Obito and Black Zetsu, his progress was extraordinary. He had even deciphered the Shinigami's seal and could soon summon the Fourth Hokage himself.
And recently, he had uncovered something even greater.
"But you have to show us some results, Orochimaru!"
White Zetsu complained irritably. So far, they'd seen nothing but promises.
"Hehe, our agreement was clear. You must give me what I want, or I won't give you anything further. And there's still so much more I want to know…"
Orochimaru's words filled Obito with silent rage. He'd already decided—if Orochimaru produced nothing useful soon, he would kill the snake without hesitation.
But… Orochimaru didn't understand how dangerous it was to know too much.
Leaving the lab, White Zetsu muttered angrily, "Obito, that guy's too arrogant! Does he really think mastering Impure World Reincarnation gives him the right to keep us waiting?"
"Idiot. If you could do it, we wouldn't need him."
Black Zetsu's cold tone silenced him instantly.
"What's that supposed to mean, Black Zetsu?! Whose side are you even on?"
White Zetsu huffed in frustration.
"I'm reminding you—we can't fight him with our current strength."
Originally, their plan for capturing the tailed beasts had been straightforward.
The Five Great Villages were divided and hostile, incapable of unity. They planned to exploit that gap and capture the tailed beasts before anyone could react.
Akatsuki was strong, but Nagato wasn't the true wielder of the Rinnegan. Using it taxed his body greatly, limiting him to a fraction of its true power.
In such a plan, the unification of the Five Great Villages should never have happened.
Ten thousand White Zetsu and Akatsuki together couldn't fight the united strength of all five.
And now, what was the shinobi world's power structure?
Renji, the other four Kage, countless veteran Kage-level shinobi, nine jinchūriki, elite jōnin, and legions of chūnin.
How were they supposed to fight that?
Even the full Akatsuki would be crushed in an instant!
Now, they could only rely on Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation—and not the incomplete version. They needed the perfected technique, one that restored a person's full power.
Black Zetsu was already considering resurrecting Uchiha Madara first. Without him, completing this plan seemed impossible.
"For now, we'll use him. We can't succeed without him anyway."
Obito nodded grimly. It was the only viable path.
"What about Nagato?"
Obito suddenly remembered that problem. Since Konan's return, Nagato had tightened control over Akatsuki.
He had tried everything—persuasion, manipulation—but Nagato wouldn't move. Unless pushed to the edge, Obito couldn't force him.
And right now, he wasn't ready for open conflict. Without Nagato, would he have to act alone?
"Konan has returned."
White Zetsu announced Konan's return. Hearing this, Obito's eyes flashed with surprise—he had not expected Konan to come back. Her return, however, might sway Nagato's stance.
Previously, Obito had taken advantage of Konan's absence to try persuading Nagato. He knew Konan's mission in the Shinobi Nation was infiltration, though he was unclear on the exact orders Nagato had given her.
"Move sooner rather than later. The Shinobi Nation is growing stronger, and Nagato may lose the will to act."
"I'd like that," Obito said, but what could he do if Nagato refused?
"Why not take the chance to seize Nagato's Rinnegan?" White Zetsu suggested.
If Nagato would not execute the plan, they would need someone else—and the Rinnegan could not remain with Nagato indefinitely.
"Let's wait. Approaching Nagato now isn't easy," Obito replied. Seizing the Rinnegan from Nagato without forcing a final confrontation was not desirable.
"Everyone, I called you here to discuss something important."
With Renji as leader of the Five Great Villages, the other four held decision-making power. Konoha's decision-making role had been given to Tsunade.
In the conference room, Onoki, Tsunade, Ai, Yegura, and Mei pondered Renji's summons. It had been a long time since such a formal gathering, and Renji's tone suggested gravity.
The secretariat stood nearby; except for Konan, the others exchanged uneasy glances.
"What is it?" Rokku guessed. He was not one for meetings, nor for summoning all these decision-makers.
Renji spoke plainly: "I called you to discuss an organization. Onoki, you should be familiar with it—the Akatsuki."
Akatsuki!?
Onoki's face flushed with embarrassment upon hearing the name. He knew all too well; he had once hired Akatsuki for covert operations. Before Renji began the war, Onoki had even considered hiring them against Renji, but had abandoned the idea—Akatsuki's price was exorbitant, and he had been confident that three villages besieging Konoha would ensure victory.
Who could have imagined that Renji would handle it alone?
"Akatsuki is a mercenary organization of shinobi. I don't know all their members, but they are powerful. I've commissioned them many times," Onoki admitted after hesitation.
Renji's disclosure meant he already knew much, so concealment was futile. Hearing Onoki, Kurotsuchi was stunned—she had not known her grandfather had done such things.
"You old scoundrel," Ai scoffed; no wonder their clashes with Iwa had been problematic—enemy reinforcements had appeared from nowhere.
War is war; one does what one must to win, Onoki shrugged.
"Renji, is that why you summoned us?" Onoki asked, unwilling to linger on the past. Renji had previously said that old grievances would be set aside after joining the Shinobi Nation—who had not shed others' blood?
"Yes. That's the first matter. I know Akatsuki's members: Uchiha Itachi from Konoha, Kisame Hoshigaki from the Hidden Mist, Deidara from Iwa, Sasori from Suna, Hidan of the cult, Kakuzu from Takigakure, and a shinobi named Zetsu. Their leader calls himself Pein and claims to be a man of god."
Renji had planned to wait for Konan's return, but decided to act preemptively. Holding the initiative was best.
At Renji's revelation, everyone fell silent. Their rogue shinobi had joined this organization?!
"Kisame joined Akatsuki?" Mei muttered, recalling Mist Village's losses under the Blood Mist policy.
"Grandfather, Deidara is in Akatsuki?!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed, stunned to learn a pupil she had raised had defected. Onoki's face grew awkward—he had once intended Deidara to succeed as Fourth Tsuchikage.
"Scorpion…" Chiyo felt sorrow at hearing Sasori's name again.
"What do you intend to do?" Ai asked. The intelligence Renji revealed implied grave danger—Akatsuki had gathered many rogue shinobi.
"Itachi…" Fugaku Uchiha felt remorse; he had failed to guide Itachi. Itachi now seemed far removed from them.
"Hmph—only we remain," Ai muttered, then swallowed the remark when he saw Renji's calm smile.
"Their objective is to gather the tailed beasts and revive the Ten-Tails. I intend to act against them. Everyone here is discreet, so I ask you to keep this secret—beyond this room, say nothing."
Renji had summoned them precisely because of their discretion. Konan's absence made his decision to strike Akatsuki now more urgent.
"Tailed beasts?!"
At Renji's words, the assembly's expressions darkened. Capturing nine tailed beasts to resurrect the Ten-Tails was not merely taboo. The beasts still resided within jinchūriki; extracting them would kill their hosts.
Ai could not accept this. "So you mean annihilate Akatsuki?" he demanded, glaring at Renji. With no Suna members in Akatsuki, destroying them would not trouble him.
"We need not necessarily obliterate them. Those not beyond redemption can be brought back."
Renji's reply gave Onoki, Kurotsuchi, and Chiyo pause; perhaps they did not wish to kill Sasori or Deidara.
"Don't worry about Akatsuki for now—I will act. I also summoned you for a second matter, which I've discussed with the Hyūga clan head."
"Me?" Hyūga Hizashi pointed to himself in surprise; he had thought his presence was merely ceremonial.
"Remember when I said I would take you to the moon? I've decided we'll go soon—I'll take you to the moon!" Renji announced.
Silence.
Are you serious? Is he actually doing it? Hizashi and others were dumbfounded. They recalled Renji's old remark about going to the moon—what had been a casual boast now became a concrete plan.
Why go to the moon? The representatives from the other great villages were baffled—what purpose could such an expedition serve? Was Renji no longer satisfied with achievements on Earth and needed to display them on the moon? The Hakurei project?
(End of Chapter)
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