Chapter 151: Nagato's Resolve

Strictly speaking, "Uchiha Madara" had failed.

As Konan had pointed out, the Akatsuki was still in its development phase, and almost nothing was ready. Under such circumstances, it was indeed unwise to be overly aggressive and expose the organization's existence.

However, after listening to Obito's account, Nagato formed a completely different perspective.

The Akatsuki was currently facing a shortage of manpower, and the geopolitical landscape of the world was shifting constantly. Especially Konoha, home of the Nine-Tails, which had grown increasingly powerful since Namikaze Minato took office. This posed a monumental obstacle to his grand plan.

Not to mention Terra, which had made a brief yet terrifying appearance over two years ago, where two Mangekyo Sharingan users had nearly killed Kakuzu outright. Just how powerful was Terra, and why had no one ever heard of them before? A thorn remained lodged in Nagato's heart; he had a lingering intuition that Terra might eventually become an enemy of the Akatsuki.

Driven by these factors, he had begun consciously accelerating the recruitment of Akatsuki members. He hoped to gather personnel quickly and then execute the plan to capture the tailed beasts.

"Uchiha Ryo's younger sister possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan. If we can recruit Uchiha Ryo as well, wouldn't that mean gaining a powerful combat force out of thin air?"

Nagato pondered this, a plan gradually taking shape in his mind. Controlling Pain to look toward Obito, Nagato spoke directly: "What is the relationship between Uchiha Ryo and Uchiha Yao? Tell me your thoughts on them in detail."

He needed to weigh the actual intelligence before deciding whether it was worth his personal intervention.

Obito did not think too deeply and replied straightforwardly: "Based on what I know, Uchiha Yao listens closely to Uchiha Ryo. Their relationship is exceptionally close; they are closer than family..."

Hearing this, Nagato stated bluntly:

"Since their relationship is so close, if we manage to recruit Uchiha Ryo, Uchiha Yao will certainly follow. This means we can instantly gain two formidable members for our organization. Furthermore, according to your account, Uchiha Ryo himself seems quite extraordinary—does he also have the potential to awaken the Mangekyo?"

Hearing Nagato's reasoning, Obito was slightly taken aback and blurted out, "That may be so, but it's far too idealistic."

Konan, meanwhile, fell into deep thought, roughly grasping Nagato's intentions. Nagato must have been tempted by the strength of the sibling pair, Uchiha Ryo and Uchiha Yao. After all, having an openly acknowledged pair of Mangekyo Sharingan, coupled with the possibility of Ryo awakening his own, was a tempting prospect. Such power was naturally something the current Akatsuki wanted to absorb into its ranks.

"Ideals exist to be realized." Having received Obito's confirmation once more, Nagato declared, "You no longer need to be involved in this matter. I will handle it personally."

Obito's failure as "Uchiha Madara" had bred a trace of contempt in Nagato's heart. At the same time, Uchiha Yao's ability to inflict such heavy injuries on Obito, and Uchiha Ryo's authority over Yao's decisions, commanded his utmost attention. As he calculated, as long as Ryo could be recruited into the Akatsuki, Yao would inevitably follow. The prospect of simultaneously strengthening the Akatsuki and weakening Konoha proved overwhelmingly alluring to him.

Therefore, this time, he intended to move in person—Pain's Deva Path would step forward to recruit Uchiha Ryo.

With this thought, Nagato spoke again: "Very well. Since you are injured, go back and recuperate. You don't need to worry about this anymore."

"You..."

Hearing these words, Obito's expression turned ugly. Fortunately, his mask concealed his emotions from view. Even so, the sudden shift in Nagato's attitude put Obito on high alert. This time, due to his failure in the recruitment attempt, this "Uchiha Madara" persona of his was likely being looked down upon.

Obito clenched his fists slightly at the thought. Finally, sweeping his gaze over the Deva Path and Konan, Obito sneered: "Since that's how you want it, I won't interfere. But I'll say this one last time: don't be too naive. Every pair of Mangekyo Sharingan has its own unique and dangerous aspect."

With that parting remark, Obito activated Kamui, his figure vanishing into a swirling vortex.

Nagato showed little reaction to Obito's parting words. Konan, however, spoke up: "Nagato, we still need to be careful with that fellow. Who knows what he's plotting in his heart."

Controlling Pain, Nagato nodded, then shook his head slightly. "Rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

He was well aware that this collaborator claiming to be Uchiha Madara harbored ulterior motives. Yet, he retained absolute confidence in his ability to suppress him. Even if Obito truly were Uchiha Madara, it would matter little in the face of absolute power. Moreover, the fact that Obito had suffered a defeat at the hands of Uchiha Yao only proved that this "Uchiha Madara" was far weaker than he pretended to be.

"As long as we successfully recruit Uchiha Ryo and Uchiha Yao, we can easily use them to keep our Mr. Madara in check."

A playful smirk crossed Nagato's face as he said this. Obito could not be considered a true member of the Akatsuki, so Nagato welcomed such a dynamic.

Hearing this, Konan's eyes lit up. Having Uchiha Yao—the one who had thwarted Obito—keep an eye on Obito was indeed a favorable outcome. That was, of course, assuming they could successfully recruit Uchiha Ryo; otherwise, it was all idle talk.

With that in mind, Konan asked, "What are your plans? After Obito's rash actions, he has essentially alienated Uchiha Ryo. Ryo may not be willing to meet with us."

Nagato thought for a moment before replying, "Send Orochimaru first. Have him act as an intermediary to arrange it."

Pausing briefly, Nagato added, "According to Orochimaru's assessment, Uchiha Ryo is a pragmatist. As long as our terms are sufficient, I doubt he will refuse."

Seeing the firm resolve on Pain's face, Konan knew Nagato's mind was made up. She replied, "Understood. I will have Orochimaru facilitate this matter."

A rare gentleness surfaced on Pain's face as Nagato said, "Thank you for your hard work, Konan. We will certainly realize Yahiko's dream."

Hearing this, Konan opened her mouth to speak, looking at Pain, but ultimately swallowed the words she wanted to say. While she supported world peace—it had once been her own ultimate dream—she was now far more worried about Nagato's day-by-day fading vitality. If possible, she would rather Nagato stopped sacrificing his life for an ideal.

Yet she knew Nagato would never agree, so she could only do her best to stay by his side and offer him her unwavering support. After all, following Yahiko's death, Nagato was the only person left in this world worth protecting to her.

Sighing inwardly and gazing at the Deva Path with a pang of heartache, Konan turned and left.

From Pain's perspective, Nagato watched Konan depart, a flicker of guilt crossing his heart. There were some things he understood all too well... Yet, he could not let go of his resentment; the final scene before Yahiko's death remained deeply etched in his mind. And so, he could only pretend to remain oblivious, pouring his entire soul into this dream.