The three of Hakushi leapt off the body of the Water Dragon God, keeping their eyes fixed on Nagato's back.
"You're Nagato of the Akatsuki, aren't you? Madara is dead, perhaps we can have an open discussion now."
Hakushi was the first to break the silence and spoke to Nagato.
Faced with Hakushi's invitation, Nagato did not respond verbally.
He stood in place for a moment, contemplating, before suddenly sprinting forward, clearly intent on avoiding negotiations with Hakushi.
Seeing Nagato leave without saying a word, the three of Hakushi didn't think much but immediately stepped forward to chase him.
If peaceful negotiation fails, coercion by force is also an option, and it's the most direct and effective way to avoid some unnecessary troubles.
"Almighty Push!"
Nagato's extremely calm voice spread through the air.
The surrounding air twisted rapidly, visibly disorienting, and Hakushi's trio immediately felt as if blocked by an invisible wall ahead, unable to take a step forward, then their bodies were forcibly pushed back, sand and dust swirling around.
When the three turned again to look, Nagato's figure had receded in the distance, becoming a black dot in their field of vision.
"Chase!"
Hakushi said little, directing their pursuit towards Nagato's fleeing direction.
Although the biggest threat in the plan had been eliminated, the issue of the Rinnegan cannot be left unchecked.
The true potential of those eyes remains a mystery to Hakushi.
Nagato ran forward with all his might, but he was aware that Hakushi and the others were relentlessly chasing him.
It's the Rinnegan that concerns them more than him personally.
This legendary power, once noticed, attracts all kinds of ambitious seekers like bees to honey.
"Lord Nagato, I advise against engaging them now. Even if new power has emerged, two might be manageable, but three is too much for you."
Black Zetsu's voice rose in his ear, having appeared nearby at some point.
Black Zetsu, who can traverse any environment freely, moving far faster than White Zetsu.
He was worried Nagato might swell with newfound power and engage with Hakushi's trio.
To Black Zetsu, that would be extremely dangerous.
"Don't worry, I don't intend to do that," Nagato replied in his usual tone, with a plan in mind. "I need to find a quiet place to adapt to my newfound power. Both the Rinnegan and the abilities from the Wood Style and Uzumaki Clan require an extensive period to be organized."
This adaptive process might take a year or two to fully grasp the newly incorporated strength.
Leaving the Rinnegan aside, learning Wood Style and the Uzumaki Clan's secret techniques requires starting from scratch.
Confronting formidable foes while so inexperienced involves extreme risk.
"Exactly, there's no need to rush the timing. Once you've fully elicited the Rinnegan's power, within a few years, you'll challenge those three, suppressing them even."
Black Zetsu agreed with Nagato's viewpoint, loyally considering things for him.
Given Nagato's current development of the Rinnegan, along with the abilities of Wood Style and the Uzumaki Clan, defeating Hakushi's trio is impossible.
Suppressing just one of them would be strenuous enough; handling two might be feasible.
Facing three together spells certain defeat.
"How is Konan?"
"Rest assured, Lord Nagato, Konan has been relocated to another base ahead of time, and she's safe.
"Take me there.
"Certainly, but before that, I must deal with these three. It's unwise to let them continue the pursuit."
Black Zetsu intended to act personally, holding up Hakushi's trio to buy time for Nagato's escape.
"No need, I'm pressed for time, and I have a technique well-suited for this situation. I want to test the sealing technique's power."
As Black Zetsu looked on in astonishment, Nagato clapped his hands sharply, gathering a massive amount of chakra into his palms, creating a small black sphere between them.
"What's this!?"
Black Zetsu's eyes widened in surprise and shock, marveling at Nagato's current strength.
"Go."
As Nagato muttered, the tiny black sphere sped away from his palms, soaring toward the sky.
"Chibaku Tensei!"
As the trio pursued Nagato relentlessly, they suddenly felt a powerful gravitational force around them, halting their movement.
Their bodies gravitated towards the black sphere floating in the sky, as the ground cracked apart, numerous stones accompanied the trio upwards.
The black sphere's gravity grew more terrifying, attracting larger stones.
Within a mere ten seconds, a colossal stone ball was formed, floating in the air, slowly ascending.
Boom!
A sound resonated from within the stone ball.
The surface of the giant, perfectly spherical stone suddenly bulged, releasing an incomplete chunk that fell to the ground.
With an even more explosive sound, flames and dust surged, as the smoke revealed a giant figure enveloped in a blood-red chakra, standing inverted on the stone ball's base.