The conversation lasted half an hour.
The more Yahiko listened, the darker his expression became. Konan and Akaashi looked just as grim.
"So, they took Nagato just to use his Dōjutsu?"
"Yeah. So you don't need to worry about his safety—at least not for now."
Kazuyama Gekkō felt his throat go dry. He had rushed over without bringing water. Damn, that was rough.
"Madara Uchiha, the ancestor of the Uchiha clan..."
"I heard stories about him when I was a kid. He was one of the two who could make the entire ninja world tremble single-handedly..."
"I never thought he'd still be alive..."
Akaashi leaned against the cave wall with a sigh. He had always believed Madara was just a legend—he never imagined he'd actually appear.
And even attack them.
It was hard to wrap his head around it.
"Damn it! Those are Nagato's eyes—how the hell could they be his?!"
"Kazuyama, you must know where he went. Tell me—I'm going to get Nagato back. He's my comrade!"
Yahiko shot to his feet, ignoring how worn out his body felt. His face was tense with emotion—he couldn't accept that his friend had been taken and used.
Konan slowly stood beside him, her expression serious.
"Yahiko's right. Kazuyama, please tell us where that man went. We won't give up on Yahiko."
Seeing his friends stand, Akaashi struggled to rise too. But with a cut on his leg from the fight, he dropped to his knees in front of Kazuyama.
Kazuyama jumped in surprise.
"Whoa, what are you doing? We don't do kneeling here!"
"Get up. Even if you kowtow, I still don't know where they went."
He quickly blinked to the side, leaving Akaashi kneeling awkwardly, his face darkening.
"My leg's injured!"
"I'm not trying to kowtow!"
"Oww... help me out, I can't get up..."
The serious atmosphere completely broke with Akaashi's fall.
Yahiko and Kazuyama hurried over to help him up.
"Brother, you're my brother—you don't have to act like that."
"To be honest, I really don't know where they went. That guy used his Dōjutsu to escape—I couldn't keep up."
"And his Dōjutsu messes with my Flying Thunder God Technique. That's why I was a step behind."
Kazuyama winced just thinking about that bastard's Dōjutsu.
A distance-based Dōjutsu—he'd never seen one like it. Tch, it was all because the original story didn't have enough Uchiha characters. The eye abilities were too limited.
There was nothing for him to reference.
"Besides, he didn't flee in any traceable direction. Even if I wanted to chase him, I wouldn't know where to start."
"In any case, you don't need to worry about Nagato's life. They need him alive. He won't be in danger anytime soon."
"But there's one thing you should be prepared for. We don't know what he'll go through after being taken. When you see him again, he might not be the Nagato you remember."
"You need to be ready for that."
Yahiko and Konan went quiet. They didn't have to imagine what Nagato would face after being taken by the enemy.
But he was their comrade. How could they give up?
Yahiko stood silent for a long while, fists clenched so tightly they creaked. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy.
"No matter what happens to him, I'll find him and bring him back."
"He's a member of the Akatsuki. I won't abandon him."
"I'll find him. I'll bring him home. No matter how long it takes."
Kazuyama looked at the orange-haired Yahiko, and for some reason, another image flashed in his mind.
Naruto Uzumaki—the protagonist of Naruto. Tch, this was just like the whole series of Naruto chasing... well, chasing Sasuke, wasn't it?
What was it with different hair colors always firing up this kind of passion?
First, the blond chases the raven-haired. Now it's orange hair chasing red.
"Alright, let's not dwell on Nagato for now."
"What do you think about Amegakure?"
"The situation is really bad for you."
Thinking of how many Amegakure ninja had gone after Yahiko and the others, Kazuyama couldn't help but click his tongue.
He could tell those ninjas were likely under the control of the Sharingan—but he wasn't about to say that out loud.
This was the perfect chance to get Yahiko and the others out.
No way he was ruining that.
Yahiko opened his mouth but didn't say anything for a while. Eventually, all that came out was a long sigh.
"Right now, all of Amegakure has its eyes on you."
"The Akatsuki is down to just the three of you. Aren't you even considering what I suggested?"
"If you leave Amegakure, you'll be treated very well."
"If that's not doable, Takigakure is an option too. It's safer over there, and you'd get a break."
Kazuyama started again. He needed Yahiko and the others to follow his script.
Amegakure was being stifled under Hanzo's grip—it was too hard to operate there.
Yahiko said nothing. He had grown up in this land. If he could, he really didn't want to leave. He wanted to change this country, this village.
But with comrades dead and his brother taken, his dream had already cracked.
"Takigakure might not be a bad choice. They're far from the war. We could use the time to gather strength."
"And if we're ambitious enough, we could build power there."
"Then launch a direct strike on Amegakure."
Konan, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up. Her voice was more resolute than ever.
Even Yahiko and Akaashi were taken aback.
Konan had always followed Yahiko and Nagato, rarely voicing her own opinions.
No one expected her to speak up after everything that had happened.
Kazuyama looked at the blue-haired girl, a flash of approval in his eyes.
Adversity truly makes people grow—and Konan was growing now. Whether or not it was because of him, who cared? As long as she followed the path he laid out, that was enough.
Truth was, he'd been eyeing Takigakure for a while. He had stolen their Tailed Beast—the relationship between them had soured beyond repair.
If Yahiko could go to Takigakure and take charge, it would be a huge win for him down the line.
If something happened, he could count on Yahiko to handle it.
He believed that if Yahiko went to Takigakure, with his ideals of peace, he could win over everyone there.
That was his charm.