Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

"It doesn't matter if you make mistakes. It doesn't matter if your ideals are shaken. It's not too late to find the true path now," Zixu guided Nagato's thoughts, hoping he could act according to his own heart.

Unexpectedly, Nagato remained firm. He might have realized he was being used, but he still refused to believe Zixu's words.

"There is some truth in what you said, but I still stick to my own philosophy. Pain may not necessarily make everyone understand each other, but pain can help people better grasp the meaning of peace..." Nagato's chest rose and fell slightly, the beating of his heart audible in the cave.

"Alas, it turns out my words still aren't persuasive enough..." Zixu shook his head and muttered softly.

"But his philosophy was slightly shaken. Let's try to dig more information out of him..."

Zixu was not discouraged. He walked closer to Nagato, making Konan tense up, condensing several paper shuriken from the surrounding air. She was ready to defend Nagato against Zixu's sudden approach.

"I've already said, I'm not that interested in your philosophy. Our ideologies are too different to cooperate. What I'm more curious about... is who made you the way you are now."

"You should be Jiraiya-sensei's student. I know him. He would never teach such an extreme form of peace."

Zixu raised his hands high, signaling Konan not to panic.

"After countless experiences of pain, I realized that humans are selfish creatures. Unless they are pushed to the brink of death, they simply can't understand the pain felt by those who die in war..." Nagato wanted to continue, but Zixu interrupted him. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"I won't beat around the bush. The strong devour the weak — I just want information about some of your Akatsuki members."

Zixu mainly wanted to know about the elusive Zetsu and Tobi, who seemed to have mastered spatial abilities, and also Orochimaru, who seemed to have suspiciously returned to Akatsuki.

"The Akatsuki is loosely organized. I don't know much about the others. I only issue tasks; I don't interfere with their activities," Nagato said, which made Zixu a little disappointed. But what he said next caught Zixu's attention.

"Orochimaru has been researching something. He's very close to Tobi and Zetsu. Orochimaru defected from your village before. I don't trust him much."

"Cooperation? Tell me more." Zixu's instincts sharpened. When those people grouped together, it could only mean trouble. He didn't know exactly what they were planning, but as long as he could disrupt it, it would be a win.

"I'm not sure about the specifics, but it's related to some fruit that Orochimaru's been working on. Zetsu's body has a lot of characteristics from the First Hokage's cells, so it's likely tied to the fruit Orochimaru mentioned." Nagato could only infer from bits and pieces.

"Ahem... I've told you everything I know. If there's nothing else you want, let's get this over with," Nagato coughed violently. His body was frail, drained of chakra by the Outer Path Statue behind him to control the Six Paths of Pain. His limbs were thin and deformed, and his legs, injured years ago, made him a cripple.

Seeing this, Konan's eyes were full of guilt and sadness. Nagato's state was irreversible unless he activated the Outer Path Statue forcibly. But given his condition, doing so would certainly kill him.

She cared little for Akatsuki's goals now — she only wished to protect Nagato and hoped for his recovery.

Zixu frowned. Did he look that vicious? Did they think he came to kill?

"I like nuclear war too. I hate fighting and killing. My dream is world peace..." Zixu joked.

Konan thought bitterly that, had he not destroyed Pain's Six Paths, broken their strongest defense, and crushed the tailed beast known as the tailless tailed beast with his laser cannon, his words might have been convincing.

"I have a way to treat him — at least to prolong his life so he doesn't drop dead anytime soon," Zixu said, walking forward. Before Konan could react, he bypassed her and stared directly into Nagato's dim eyes.

"You said Akatsuki collected the tailed beasts to create weapons of war. Some of the Outer Path Statue's eyes have already opened, and sealing marks are visible. You... intend to resurrect the Ten-Tails (Jūbi), don't you?"

Zixu voiced his suspicion. The sealing marks on the statue were obvious, with pale red dragons faintly coiling around it.

Nagato hesitated. He had just been planning to forcibly activate the golem and let Konan escape if Zixu attacked. But now Zixu was too close — he couldn't risk it.

"...That's right," he admitted.

Zixu didn't press for more answers. Instead, he turned away and threw a small iron ball toward Konan. She instinctively reacted, defending with a paper shuriken, but quickly realized it wasn't an attack.

"If you want to heal him, activate the spell on this ball. I'll come. But after that, you must tell me everything you know."

Hearing this, Konan caught the small black ball.

"Of course, if you insist on continuing your plan to collect the tailed beasts and attack the Land of Whirlpools, I'll hunt you down — no matter where you hide."

Zixu smiled casually, but the dragon shadow behind him twisted and roared, baring its fangs at Nagato and Konan.

"You don't plan to take responsibility for the Konoha incident, right? Now that your leader's been defeated, you might as well just stay here. Take some time to rethink your so-called philosophy..."

Leaving these words behind, Zixu exited the cave. He didn't want to kill Nagato yet. He wanted to draw out the person manipulating Nagato from the shadows. Everything Nagato had done seemed deliberately guided by someone. His Rinnegan also felt unnatural — disharmonious somehow.

From afar, Zixu reached the outskirts of Konoha. Thanks to Zixu interrupting Pain's Super Shinra Tensei (Chō Shinra Tensei), the damage to Konoha wasn't too severe. Only the central buildings were destroyed — though coincidentally, those housed Konoha's core leadership. Whether this was intentional on Zixu's part was unknown.

The Konoha survivors gathered, their faces filled with gratitude, tossing Naruto into the air, celebrating their so-called "Konoha Hero."

"Hah. Hypocritical support," Zixu scoffed, shaking his head as he returned to the Land of Whirlpools.

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