Naruto: With Favorabiltity System

Chapter 293: Akatsuki's Secret Split

After Orochimaru disappeared, Konan walked a few steps, glanced back at Pain, and then entered a hidden underground base.

This was where Pain's true body—Nagato—was located.

Konan walked inside, and a massive Gedo Statue came into view.

Beneath the statue, a red-haired, gaunt man with a grim expression was connected to the statue.

Looking at the increasingly frail Nagato, Konan bit her lip and stepped forward to ask:

"Nagato, what are you planning to do?"

"The bull-leg mushrooms developed by Haneda and Orochimaru are highly suited to the Land of Rain's environment and can clearly improve the lives of our people."

"But relying on bull-leg mushrooms alone won't solve the nation's food problem—food still has to be imported."

"If we had a train line connecting us to the Land of Fire…"

Konan raised her head to look at Nagato. Years of camaraderie allowed her to understand that Nagato would definitely support the widespread cultivation of bull-leg mushrooms.

The only uncertainty lay with the trains.

If the Land of Rain were to be connected to the Land of Fire via trains, it would inevitably involve one critical player—Konoha.

Yet the Akatsuki's true plan was to gather the Tailed Beasts, build a massive weapon of destruction, and use it to threaten all nations, ultimately achieving true peace.

Such a goal conflicted with Konoha's interests and the personal interests of Uchiha Haneda, its leader.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was not only a key combat asset for Konoha but also Haneda's adopted son.

Removing a Tailed Beast from its Jinchuriki's body would almost certainly result in death.

There was no way Haneda would allow the Akatsuki to take the Nine-Tails.

If the Akatsuki tried to seize it by force, they would become Haneda's mortal enemies.

As Konan expected, Nagato readily agreed to the bull-leg mushroom plan.

"I understand," Nagato said.

"I plan to promote the cultivation of bull-leg mushrooms so that impoverished families can have an additional source of income and won't have to beg or starve like we once did."

"As for the train…"

Nagato's words trailed off as if he were hesitating, weighing his options.

After a long pause, Nagato continued:

"I will represent Amegakure and negotiate with Uchiha Haneda on this matter."

"Massive weapons of destruction already exist in the ninja world—Haneda himself is one. We don't need to overly pursue such things."

As he spoke, Nagato recalled his encounter with Haneda years ago.

At the time, they were still young, and Yahiko was alive.

Both he and Konan believed Yahiko was the true Child of Prophecy who would lead the ninja world to peace.

But now…

Nagato instinctively moved his right hand, gripping the copy of My Struggle that lay beside him on his chair.

His gaze fell on the book.

Since its publication, Nagato had purchased a copy and kept it close, reading it carefully whenever he had free time.

He could remember every sentence, every word in the book.

Nagato's eyes burned with fervor, tinged with admiration and fanaticism, as he declared:

"To change a nation, to change the entire world, and to achieve true peace and happiness, a leader is required."

"A leader who is powerful, resolute, and possesses far-reaching vision!"

"That leader has arrived. He will lead the people to victory!"

Hearing this, Konan looked into Nagato's eyes.

She saw unwavering determination and a newfound brightness that dispelled the gloom surrounding him.

At that moment, Nagato asked:

"Konan, how is the preparation of the three hundred million explosive tags coming along?"

The mention of the explosive tags made Konan instantly understand Nagato's intentions.

He was prepared to completely sever ties with Madara and align himself with Haneda!

If the earlier mention of the explosive tags was to guard against Madara, this time it signified a true break.

Konan replied, "The funds collected by Kakuzu have mostly been used to purchase explosive tags on the market, but even so, only one hundred million tags have been gathered."

Nagato thought for a moment and said:

"I know the locations of all Kakuzu's treasure vaults. Steal his money in secret and replace it with ordinary paper."

"As for the remaining two hundred million, make some yourself and use Kakuzu's money to buy the rest—it should be enough."

"Madara represents darkness; he will never understand true peace. Haneda is the bridge to peace!"

"We need to help him eliminate Madara…"

"I understand," Konan said, nodding firmly.

She was well aware of Madara's sinister and enigmatic nature.

Without prior knowledge of his abilities, anyone facing him for the first time was likely to suffer greatly.

Suddenly, Nagato's eyes narrowed, signaling Konan to suppress her emotions.

Moments later, a vortex appeared, and a man wearing a tiger-striped mask and a red cloud cloak emerged.

It was none other than Uchiha Madara—or rather, Uchiha Obito—Nagato and Konan's intended target of betrayal.

Obito glanced at their positions, quickly deducing that they had just been having a conversation.

But Obito wasn't interested in such trivialities; his gaze locked onto Nagato.

His attention briefly lingered on the book resting on Nagato's chair before shifting back to Nagato's eyes.

"You seem interested in Uchiha Haneda's train project," Obito remarked.

Nagato responded before Konan could speak:

"I plan to pose as Amegakure's leader and feign negotiations with Konoha, aiming to collaborate with them. This will allow Orochimaru to further infiltrate Konoha and gather intelligence on the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

Obito nodded slightly. "To infiltrate the enemy, you must first eliminate their doubts. You're doing well, Nagato."

"But remember this: only by genuinely dedicating yourself to the task can you gain their full trust."

"Make sure Orochimaru doesn't leave Konoha unnecessarily. He should focus on serving the Fifth Hokage wholeheartedly before taking further action."

Hearing how easily "Madara" believed Nagato's words, Konan was secretly delighted.

However, Obito's attitude left her uncertain about his true thoughts.

He was permitting the Akatsuki to interact and even cooperate with Konoha—was he not afraid of unforeseen complications?

Konan cautiously probed, "What about the Nine-Tails?"

Obito glanced at Konan dismissively and replied, "Distant alliances, close conquests. First, we align with Konoha to deal with the other villages, then seize the Tailed Beasts when the opportunity arises…"

"The Nine-Tails will be within our grasp."

After explaining, Obito turned back to Nagato, warning him:

"When you visit Konoha this time, I will protect you from the shadows to prevent any unexpected incidents."

"Konoha's current strength is formidable. Even you wouldn't be able to withstand it. Only I can save you if something goes wrong."

With that, a vortex formed behind Obito, pulling him in. The tiger-striped mask and red cloud cloak disappeared without a trace.

Konan stared at the spot where Obito had vanished, feeling a hint of relief.

"Thankfully, he didn't overhear what we just said."

Nagato replied, "Or perhaps he chose not to hear it. I have a feeling he'll eventually turn against us."

"No matter the cost, we must help Haneda eliminate him."

"Before that, we'll quietly bide our time and establish preliminary agreements with Haneda. The rest will depend on the circumstances."

As his words faded, the Deva Path of Pain entered the room.

He handed Konan a scroll.

"These are the locations of Kakuzu's hidden treasures. Try to prepare the three hundred million explosive tags as soon as possible."

…