After a long while, Nagato slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze was filled with unwavering determination.
"I choose the former. I will conquer the Land of Grass and declare war on the Land of Earth as you requested. But you must guarantee that Konan will not be harmed."
Konan's eyes were filled with heartache and worry, tears streaming down her face. "Nagato, you shouldn't have agreed to him."
Shun's lips curved slightly, and the pressure from his golden Rinnegan gradually receded.
He said, "Don't worry, I never break my word. From today on, you will be the Great Villain of the Ninja World, and I will be behind the scenes, watching you pave the way for peace."
Nagato looked at Konan's reddened eyes, gently wiping away the tears on her cheeks with his fingertips. His movements were careful and extraordinarily gentle.
He said, "Konan, don't cry. For you, and for the peace of the Ninja World, I am willing to bear eternal infamy."
Konan wanted to say more, but then she saw a faint green glow emanating from Shun's palm. A glass tube containing a viscous liquid slowly floated up, hovering in front of Nagato.
Shun explained, "This is a specially formulated Hashirama cells optimization fluid. It can increase Nagato's Chakra reserves and physical recovery ability, enough to heal his leg injuries. At the same time, it will enhance his control over the Rinnegan and the Gedo Statue. With it, Nagato will have the strength to support the subsequent plan, but do not easily use Wood Release."
Konan stared at the medicine tube, her brows tightly furrowed.
The liquid in the glass tube shimmered with tiny green luminescence, possessing a powerful life force.
She yearned for Nagato to recover his health, yet she also feared that a conspiracy was hidden within the medicine. But then she thought, given the other party's strength, if he truly wanted to harm them, there would be no need for such an elaborate scheme.
Nagato looked at Konan's hesitant eyes and gave a rare smile. "Inject it. If he truly wants to kill us, we can't resist anyway."
Konan bit her lip, and took the medicine. She removed the needle cap, and carefully inserted it into Nagato's vein.
As the green liquid was slowly injected, Nagato's body instantly glowed with a faint green light, and Chakra began to surge wildly within him.
His originally emaciated body visibly plumped up, his pale skin gradually gained color, and even his dry white hair was dyed a vibrant red.
Most astonishing were his legs. The muscles, atrophied from years of paralysis, became vibrant and firm again, and the restraints of his mechanical chair gradually tightened.
Nagato could even feel the long-lost sensation of "standing on solid ground." He slowly stood up, and though his movements were still a bit stiff, he was truly standing on the ground, no longer needing mechanical support.
Konan reached out and touched his cheek. The warm sensation from her fingertips made her eyes redden again.
"Nagato… your legs… are they really healed?"
Nagato was also somewhat dazed. He flexed his ankles, Chakra flowed smoothly within his body, and even the vision of his Rinnegan became clearer. He could finally exert stronger control over the Gedo Statue.
He looked up at Shun, his eyes filled with a mix of complex emotions. Gratitude was intertwined with vigilance, as this "gift" came at the cost of "becoming a great villain."
Watching Nagato's transformation, Shun maintained a calm smile. He raised his hand and drew a phantom image in the air, outlining a simple map of the Ninja World.
"Now, you have enough strength to execute the plan. Remember, the first step is to conquer the Land of Grass. The Land of Grass is located in the center of the Ninja World, with weak national power, but it connects the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire, making it an excellent springboard."
"After you take over the Land of Grass, do not rush to expand. First, integrate local resources and develop Akatsuki's strength."
Konan frowned and asked, "If we occupy the Land of Grass, Iwagakure will surely attack us."
Shun's finger landed on the Land of Earth region on the map as he said, "I know Ōnoki will definitely not tolerate you growing stronger under his nose. What you need to do is to crush Iwagakure's counterattack head-on."
"Don't hold back. Let the Ninja World see your ruthlessness, and make them believe that you truly intend to subvert the existing order."
Nagato frowned. "Crush Iwagakure? I'm afraid many people will die."
Shun interrupted him, his tone brooking no argument. "Nagato, sometimes people have to make sacrifices. What you need to do is seize the opportunity."
His finger continued to move, tracing across the borders of the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, adjacent to the Land of Earth.
"After crushing Iwagakure, you will then seize three border cities in the Land of Earth, and then take a few small cities in the western part of the Land of Wind and the southern part of the Land of Fire—not too many, three from each country will suffice. Although these cities are not wealthy, they can form an encirclement, making the various countries of the Ninja World feel the pressure."
Konan said, "If we do this, we will have to face attacks from the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind."
She felt this plan was too risky, every step like walking on a knife's edge.
Shun's eyes sharpened as he said, "After that, you stop. Begin integrating the conquered cities, declare the establishment of the 'Akatsuki Country,' the sixth great nation of the Ninja World."
"Then publicly recruit ninjas, whether they are rogue or low-level, as long as they have strength, they can join. You must display a 'tolerant' posture, but also retain 'deterrent' power, making other nations both wary of you and unwilling to act rashly."
Nagato was silent for a moment, then raised his question, "Establishing a sixth nation... this will make us a target for everyone. The various nations are likely to unite and besiege us."
A glint flashed in Shun's eyes as he said, "This is exactly what I want. When you become a threat to everyone, when the various nations are suspicious of each other due to fear and unable to form a true alliance, only then can the Land of Water step forward under the guise of maintaining Ninja World order."
"At that point, you will be defeated, and I will accept the various nations of the Ninja World with a generous attitude, and unification will naturally follow."
He paused, looking at Nagato, his tone becoming more solemn. "Remember, when peace truly arrives, no one will remember your infamy. They will only remember the sacrifices you made for peace."
Nagato clenched his fists, his red hair fluttering slightly in the wind, and the resolve in his eyes intensified.
He said, "I understand. I will proceed with your plan step by step. But I hope you remember your promise. No matter what, you must not harm Konan, and you must not let the Ninja World fall into greater chaos."
Shun's figure gradually became transparent. "I never break my word. The effects of the medicine will last a long time, enough for you to complete the initial plan. If needed, I will contact you proactively."
As Shun's figure disappeared, only Nagato and Konan remained in the base.
Konan looked at Nagato's tall figure, her heart still filled with worry.
Even if this seemingly crazy plan could truly achieve the peace they had sought for years, she still had some reservations.
***
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