The sky of the Land of Rain was perennially shrouded in gloomy rain.
But at this moment, it was as if someone had pressed a pause button, the rain stopping abruptly and eerily.
Deep within Akatsuki's base, Nagato sat in a specially made mechanical chair, surrounded by six Pain puppets, his gaze exceptionally vigilant.
Just a moment ago, an indescribable pressure had suddenly enveloped the entire base.
The next second, Shun's figure appeared before him, his golden Six Tomoe Rinnegan particularly dazzling in the dim room.
"Shun, why do you have a golden Rinnegan?"
Nagato's Chakra surged rapidly within his body, and the eyes of the Six Paths of Pain lit up simultaneously, ready to attack at any moment.
He could feel that the man before him possessed strength far exceeding anyone he had ever seen, including the former Madara.
Shun released a faint pressure and said, "Because the limit of the Rinnegan is the Nine Tomoe Rinne-Sharingan. As for your Rinnegan, Madara secretly transplanted it into you when you were young. He wrote the script for your life, and I am here to change your destiny."
Nagato and Konan frowned. They had watched the recently popular movie, 'The Legend of Madara and Hashirama'.
Nagato asked, "In the movie, wasn't it said that Madara was killed by Hashirama? Why would he have the Rinnegan?"
Shun replied, "The Uchiha forbidden jutsu: Izanagi, can modify events within a certain period, including death and resurrection. Madara used this forbidden jutsu to feign death at the hands of Hashirama, then hid to awaken the Rinnegan. He only successfully awakened the Rinnegan in his old age, which is why he specifically chose you as the vessel for the Rinnegan."
Konan looked at Nagato, a hint of sadness in her eyes, and retorted, "What can you do to prove that what you're saying is true?"
Shun transformed his golden Six Tomoe Rinnegan into an Eternal Mangekyo, then into a three-tomoe Sharingan, then into normal human eyes, and finally back into the golden Six Tomoe Rinnegan.
"Nagato's father is from the Senju clan, and his mother is from the Uzumaki clan. He possesses the bloodline of both the Senju and Uzumaki, which is why he can bear the immense consumption and pressure of the Rinnegan. Madara's plan was for Nagato to revive him using Rinne Tensei, so he trained a puppet to guide and control him, which is the mysterious masked man you saw."
Nagato asked, "You didn't specifically come all this way just to tell me this, did you? What is your true objective?"
"Nagato, what are your thoughts on peace?" Shun slowly spoke, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable power.
Nagato put down the novel, his eyes becoming complex. "My peace is to collect all nine Tailed Beasts, combine them into Ten-Tails, become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, and use absolute power to deter the entire Ninja World, so that all countries dare not wage war again."
Shun shook his head. "Peace achieved through deterrence is only temporary. Once your power weakens, or a stronger person emerges, war will break out again. Just like after Hashirama's death, Konoha's deterrent power declined, and didn't the Ninja World still fall into chaos?"
He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes. "True peace is to eliminate the possibility of war at its root. To have only one country, one government in the entire Ninja World, with no national borders, no struggle for resources. Only then can war be completely avoided."
Nagato suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock. "Unify the Ninja World? That's impossible. The feudal lords and nobles of each country would never agree, they would resist with all their might."
Shun's gaze fell on Nagato as he said, "Therefore, I need a 'villain'. I need you, in the name of the Land of Rain, to conquer the Land of Grass. At that time, the Land of Earth will certainly declare war on you. I hope you act powerful enough, 'evil' enough, to make everyone in the Ninja World believe that you want to destroy the world and rule everyone."
Konan, who was at his side, suddenly spoke, her eyes vigilantly fixed on Shun, "Are you crazy? Doing this will make Akatsuki a target for everyone, it will kill Nagato. You're not pursuing peace at all, you're using us."
Shun looked at Konan, his tone still calm. "With my strength, if I wanted to forcibly unify the Ninja World, I could have done so a long time ago. But that would result in many deaths, and I don't want to see such an outcome."
His gaze returned to Nagato, his voice gaining a hint of solemnity. "The Ninja World needs a 'villain' to eliminate those stubborn feudal lords and nobles for me. They are the biggest obstacle to unification. When you have beaten them into submission, when the people of the Ninja World yearn for someone to step forward and end the chaos, then the Land of Water will appear as a 'savior' and unify the Ninja World. This way, the resistance from various countries will be minimized, and casualties will also be the lowest."
He paused, his eyes turning sharp. "Nagato, are you willing to bear the burden for the peace of the Ninja World?"
Nagato fell silent. He looked at Konan's worried eyes, then thought of his own ideals from many years ago.
He pursued peace, even if the methods were extreme, but Shun's words showed him another possibility.
But he also knew that becoming a "villain" meant enduring the scorn of the entire Ninja World.
"Can I refuse?" Nagato's voice trembled slightly.
He tried to resist, but found that his body was unable to move under Shun's pressure.
Shun's golden Rinnegan suddenly glowed, and a stronger pressure instantly erupted. Nagato's mechanical chair began to tremble slightly, and Konan was pressed to her knees, her face pale.
"You can refuse. In that case, I will take back the Rinnegan. After all, those eyes belong to Madara, you are merely a temporary user."
He paused, his gaze falling on Konan, his eyes becoming somewhat ambiguous. "However, I can cure your eyes and legs, allowing you to live like a normal person. This is my compensation to you. As for Konan... You are no longer worthy of having a beautiful woman like her. I will take her as my queen and let her live a peaceful life."
Konan struggled to lift her head, her eyes filled with anger and unwillingness. "Shun... you wish... I... I would rather die than go with you."
Shun ignored Konan, only staring at Nagato, pressing him. "Nagato, make your choice now. Either become my tool and continue pursuing your ideal of peace, and Konan will stay with you, or I will take back the Rinnegan and heal your body, and Konan will become my queen. Which one do you choose?"
Nagato's body trembled violently. He looked at Konan, who was kneeling on the ground, his eyes filled with pain and struggle.
He knew he had no right to refuse. Doing so would not only mean losing the Rinnegan and the chance to pursue peace, but also implicating Konan.