"No, this is very urgent."
Nagato said.
"When my body was recovering its vitality, I discovered a curse mark buried in my heart. It's a formula that, once activated, will seize control of someone else's body."
"What!?"
Konan stood up abruptly, her eyes widening in astonishment.
She was so shocked she could not speak.
Suddenly, she noticed Nagato looking speechless on the floor.
She hurriedly crouched down and helped him up.
"Sorry, I was just a bit surprised."
"It's fine!"
Nagato stared blankly at the ceiling and spoke.
"To be honest, when I discovered this situation, I was even more surprised than you."
"Why would you have something like that in your heart?"
Konan frowned her delicate eyebrows, puzzled.
They met when they were very young, then lived together, wandered together.
They found a master, learned ninjutsu, and experienced everything together.
Aside from Yahiko's accident, they had never been separated.
They had never seen any other accidents occur.
If a curse mark was planted silently inside Nagato, the only possibility was.
Suddenly, Konan thought of something and looked sharply at Nagato.
Nagato was also looking at her.
"Sigh!"
Nagato sighed deeply and spoke.
"It seems we have all become pawns used by someone else."
To be able to silently plant a curse mark inside Nagato.
It could only have been done when he was young and ignorant.
And for a child, the only thing worthy of an enemy doing this was that pair of Rinnegan.
Having experienced so much, the two thought of this immediately.
"Was it Madara?"
Konan guessed.
"It's highly likely him."
Nagato said blankly.
"From the moment he found us, I could feel he was plotting something. However, at that time, because of Yahiko's death, I only thought of revenge and didn't care about anything else. But."
A sharp glint flashed through Nagato's eyes.
"If I had been plotted against early on, then Yahiko's death might also be related to him."
"That guy."
Konan recalled the tragic sight of Yahiko's death.
She involuntarily gritted her teeth.
"If it was his doing, we definitely cannot let him go."
"That's why I need to recover quickly."
Nagato propped himself up against the ground and stood up shakily.
"Not only do I have to avenge Yahiko, but I also have to realize his dream. Anyone who obstructs the path forward, no matter who they are, I will eliminate them without mercy."
"Do you have a solution for the curse mark inside you?"
Konan looked at Nagato worriedly.
Compared to Yahiko's vengeance and dream, she cared more about Nagato himself.
It had been this way since they were little.
She did not understand the greatness of Yahiko's dream.
Nor did she understand Nagato's feelings of admiring Yahiko.
She only knew these two were her companions, her family.
As long as it was their dream, even if she could not understand it, she would protect it.
Therefore, despite feeling hatred towards the enemy who killed Yahiko.
She cared more about the safety of the person in front of her.
"Of course I have a solution."
Nagato nodded.
"However, right now we have a common enemy to deal with. It's not the time to drop all pretenses yet, so I won't undo the seal for the time being."
"Jokichi, huh."
Konan pondered slightly.
"That guy's power is indeed unimaginably immense. Furthermore, he is still very young. In three years, who knows how powerful he will become."
"We won't need three years."
Nagato said.
"My body has recovered its vitality, and the preparations won't take three years. One year will be enough."
"One year."
Konan murmured.
"If that's the case, our chances of winning will be much higher. When the time comes, we'll settle the score with Madara."
"Mhm!"
Nagato nodded, then transmitted a remote message.
"There is a change in plans. The preparations can be completed in one year. Everyone, make your preparations early. In one year, it will be time to take action."
Land of Rivers.
"One year, huh."
Deidara chuckled.
"I really hope that day comes quickly. I can't wait to show my art to everyone in the ninja world, hm!"
Sasori glanced at him and spoke indifferently.
"Only eternity is true art."
"Sasori-danna, you don't understand art at all."
Deidara lectured like a preacher.
"Only the beauty that blooms in an instant is true art. Eternity is just a smelly, hard rock, hm!"
"Someone who doesn't understand the beauty of eternity has no right to discuss art with me!"
Deidara remained silent.
Land of Hot Water.
Hidan boredly carried his scythe on his shoulder.
Hearing Deidara and Sasori's argument, he could not help but smile.
"Kakuzu, want to make a bet?"
Kakuzu's eyes lit up and he asked a question.
"How much are we betting!"
"Hey, can you not be so vulgar?"
Hidan said speechlessly.
"Can't you just liven up the atmosphere nicely?"
"As long as there's money, I'm very happy."
Hidan looked at him speechlessly for a while.
He then walked away with his head down, carrying his scythe.
Kakuzu hurried to catch up.
"Do you want to bet or not? We can bet a smaller amount."
"Get lost. You reek of copper. Lord Jashin will despise you. If I get too close to you, I'll be despised too."
Land of Earth.
Itachi sat on the edge of a cliff, staring blankly down below.
From the moment he contacted Madara to kill Danzo, he had been plotting something in his heart.
That was to kill Madara.
Only, there was still a lot he did not understand about Madara.
His confidence in assassinating him was not high.
Especially that spatial ability that came and went without a trace.
This made him incredibly wary.
He had originally planned to use the three years to understand Madara's abilities.
Waiting until he was confident before taking action.
But Nagato's notice disrupted his plan.
Although he did not know what Madara was plotting, he had to kill him before his plan succeeded.
Otherwise, the chances would be even slimmer.
However, a plan that already had a low chance of success now had even tighter time constraints.
Making the probability of success even more remote.
He was hesitating whether to continue executing this plan.
If the plan failed, his agreement with Madara would be broken.
He would attack Konoha again.
Although there was no follow-up to the previous attack on Jokichi.
If he broke the agreement, the Akatsuki organization would openly attack Konoha.
If everyone attacked Konoha together.
Could Konoha fend them off?
At that moment, the sound of footsteps rang out from behind.
Itachi knew who it was just by listening to the sound.
Sure enough, the next second, Kisame's voice sounded from behind.
"Did you hear Nagato's notice?"
"Mhm!"
"Any thoughts?"
"No."
Kisame chuckled lightly.
"You're as cold as ever!"
"Is that so?"
Land of Frost.
A certain underground base.
After receiving Nagato's message, Obito could not help but chuckle softly.
"It seems Nagato's body has recovered."
"Is this okay?"
White Zetsu emerged halfway from the ground nearby.
"If Nagato has recovered his physical condition, can you still control him?"
Obito smiled confidently.
"Of course."