(Question 2: Excuse me, which of the following characters is not from Konoha's undercover agents?)
[A: Angel Konan | B: Uchiha Itachi | C: Six Paths Pain | D: Uchiha Obito]
"The answer is… Nagato…"
Behind Nagato's wheelchair, Konan's ten slender fingers trembled as they interlaced unconsciously.
Witnessing the miracles unfolding within the Answer Space, even Konan began to doubt herself.
She knew the depth of Nagato's hatred for Konoha, as well as the unbearable pain he had endured—and was still enduring.
After all, compared to her, Nagato had not only lost Yahiko, but also his body, health, and freedom.
He would never stand again. Bound to a wheelchair, he had no choice but to control the Six Paths of Pain as his proxies to move through the world.
He held the power to change everything—yet remained shackled.
How tragic was that?
And so… if the answer from the Answer Space was truly correct—if any among them had betrayed Nagato—the only possibility… was herself.
A knife twisted in Konan's heart.
She'd already pictured the devastation her betrayal would bring Nagato.
"If I ever did betray you," she said softly behind him, voice quivering, "it would only be because your life was in danger."
"If that day ever comes…"
"I just hope… you won't blame me, Nagato."
Konan's voice cracked with emotion. Tears welled up and spilled down her face, dropping onto Nagato's pale cheek and scattering like petals.
"Nagato… choose this answer. The correct one has to be me…"
Her strength was enough to crush Sasori with ease. Her expression had stayed colder than ice for over a decade. Yet now, she couldn't stop crying.
Her breath caught. She couldn't understand why the shinobi world was so cruel to her.
Shouldn't the strongest be the gentlest?
Why… why was there only pain left for her?
Why?
She was still a woman.
She was still human.
"…Maybe, if we know the future, we can change what's coming."
Her voice shrank, almost too small to hear, as if even she couldn't believe it.
Her tears soaked into her makeup. The blue, frost-like eyeshadow she always wore dissolved completely.
Seeing the organization's angel fall apart like this, even the most cynical—Kakuzu, the most hot-headed—Hidan, and the cold-hearted—Sasori, couldn't bring themselves to look down on her.
They all understood—this so-called "angel" had never felt more helpless.
---
On the other side, standing behind Mizukage Terumi Mei, Ao's expression didn't change.
But his voice was unexpectedly soft:
"Even though it's unlikely… I really hope the correct answer is Konan."
He wasn't someone who knew how to comfort women. He said it because she was his superior… and also because he had eyes.
Byakugan gave him a full 360° field of vision.
He saw it.
The figure standing ahead of him, her face stained with tears.
Her shoulders trembling.
Though her tears evaporated instantly under the intense heat radiating from her, the pain still lingered, visible in her posture.
No matter how strong a kunoichi is… she's still a woman.
For a moment, Ao couldn't help but sigh.
---
On the road to Konoha, Shizune stared in shock at Lady Tsunade, who had suddenly stopped walking.
Two glistening tears had slid silently down Tsunade's cheeks.
Tears?
From Tsunade-sama?
Shizune could hardly believe her eyes. She had never imagined tears on the face of someone as strong and indomitable as Lady Tsunade.
But the look in Tsunade's eyes carried a depth of empathy, exhaustion, and sorrow that needed no explanation.
"Shizune," she said quietly, "I'm tired. Let's rest here for the day."
"Ah… o-okay!"
Shizune scratched her head. She didn't understand it. Less than thirty minutes ago, Tsunade had been yelling at the casino table:
"We must win! For the sake of the war orphans!"
Now, she looked… completely different.
---
Back inside the Answer Space, under the silent gaze of the world, Nagato finally spoke.
"Konan… the happiest moment of my life was meeting you and Yahiko."
Tears streamed from his Rinnegan, proving even the eyes of a god could cry.
"I believe Yahiko would feel the same."
"We were just three war orphans, bloodied and broken… but still, we dared to dream of peace."
"Yes, we failed. Yes, Yahiko is gone."
"But I know… if he were still here, he would've made the same choices we did."
With his mind made up, Nagato felt something he hadn't felt in years—peace.
"Answer Space… I choose A."
"Konan could never be Konoha's undercover agent!"
He relaxed in his wheelchair, eyes closing, a gentle curve at the corner of his mouth.
"Konan… I believe in you more than I believe in myself."
---
"Ugghh…"
Konan collapsed. She never expected this.
The one thing she had longed for—his faith—had finally arrived.
She cried loudly, not caring who saw. She wrapped her arms around Nagato from behind, wheelchair and all, burying her face in his hair.
And she cried.
Cried all her grief.
Cried out her pain.
---
"Idiot! Idiot!" Zetsu suddenly jumped out, pointing at Nagato furiously. "You're messing up the exam! What the hell is wrong with—"
BANG!
A fist smashed into him out of nowhere.
"Anyone who disturbs the exam space… I'll deal with them personally!"
It was Deidara. He punched Zetsu clean across the room.
After a moment, Deidara froze, sweat sliding down his neck.
He hadn't even meant to do it.
He'd just felt his nose sting, an ache in his chest, and saw someone yelling during that moment…
Now he was panicking.
If that smoky black palm from earlier came down on him—
["Maintaining discipline in the exam room is allowed."]
"…What?"
Deidara blinked. The words shimmered in the fog in front of him.
He let out a short laugh—then cut it off mid-chuckle.
Eyes wide, disbelief written all over his face.
"Cough… This… This can't be real!"