Two Whirlpools
After his identity was revealed, Nagato remained composed and said calmly:
"This is not Uzushiogakure, but the Land of Waves. You are an outsider, just like me."
"Oh?" Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly, then smirked. "Go ask the people on the streets of the Land of Waves—do they stand with Uzushiogakure or with Gato, the tyrant who devours lives without remorse?"
Naruto's tone turned sharp. "I should thank your Akatsuki, too. If it weren't for the masked man in your group manipulating Gato to strike at Uzushiogakure, I wouldn't have had a reason to intervene in the Land of Waves. Honestly, your Akatsuki's hands aren't exactly clean."
"Attacking Konoha to unleash the Nine-Tails, controlling the Fourth Mizukage to plunge Kirigakure into bloodshed, inciting conflicts between Iwagakure and other villages…."
"With all of that, my wariness toward Akatsuki is more than justified. And not long ago, you targeted Uzushiogakure itself."
Naruto's accusations left Nagato silent. Though the assault on Konoha and the manipulation of Yagura Karatachi were orchestrated by the masked man, it was undeniable that Akatsuki had profited from Iwagakure's conflicts. All of it served one goal—deepening the rift between the Five Great Nations, breeding distrust, and increasing the chances of capturing the Tailed Beasts.
After a pause, Nagato attempted to clarify: "The attack on Uzushiogakure was not sanctioned by me. It was Orochimaru's personal ambition. At the time, Uzushiogakure wasn't officially reestablished—it was merely a refuge for wandering shinobi."
"As for the other events, they are Akatsuki's internal affairs. No comment."
Naruto scoffed. "Isn't it all about collecting the Tailed Beasts and reviving the Ten-Tails? The masked man approached me months ago and told me everything about Akatsuki's so-called 'plan.'"
"The masked man told you?"
Nagato's expression darkened. The truth about the Ten-Tails Project was a tightly guarded secret. If the Five Great Nations learned of it, Akatsuki's entire operation would collapse. And yet, Naruto seemed to know far more than he should.
Realizing the threat before him, Nagato began mobilizing the other Paths of Pain, preparing to subdue the leader of Uzushiogakure.
Naruto, however, continued nonchalantly. "Even if you hadn't told me, your Rinnegan already explains everything. Those eyes belonged to the Sage of Six Paths—someone destined for ambition. This so-called temporary peace is nothing more than preparation for something much greater."
"Yet, even with the Rinnegan, I don't think your plan will succeed."
Nagato frowned, his voice steady. "Why? Do you think controlling the Ten-Tails to impose order on the shinobi world is unreliable? For small nations, deterrence is the only path to survival against the great powers."
Naruto shook his head. "Jinchuriki are the ultimate weapons of every village. The moment you start collecting Tailed Beasts, you're declaring war on all five nations. At best, it's another Shinobi World War waiting to happen."
"These wars will be brief pains," Nagato countered, his expression unmoved. "Once the Ten-Tails is revived, true peace will finally come."
He had considered the risks—Akatsuki's actions could spark another global conflict. But as long as they moved swiftly, the chaos would be temporary, and peace would follow.
Naruto gave him a sidelong glance before asking, "And what of the daimyos and nobles? The ones who pull the strings from behind the scenes? They, too, are enemies of the people. What will you do about them?"
Nagato's response was immediate. "The obedient ones stay. The disobedient ones die."
"Hah!" Naruto laughed. "At least we see eye to eye on that. If you can't defeat an enemy ideologically, then you remove them physically."
Nagato exhaled slightly, sensing an opportunity. "Then why not join Akatsuki?"
But Naruto merely shook his head.
From an outsider's perspective, Nagato's ideology wasn't entirely flawed. Using absolute force to suppress war between the great nations could, in theory, lead to stability. But the idea that smaller countries should wield that same power was a delusion.
More than that, the entire Ten-Tails Plan was a lie—nothing but a scheme orchestrated by Black Zetsu. Even Uchiha Madara himself was nothing more than a pawn.
"Why refuse?" Nagato pressed. "You acknowledge the power of deterrence."
Naruto raised a finger, his voice turning icy.
"First, deterrence only works if there's trust. How can I be certain you won't abuse the Ten-Tails once you obtain it?"
"Second, the Ten-Tails is no more effective than existing Jinchuriki. If a single village could be deterred by a Tailed Beast, the world would have been at peace long ago."
"And third…" Naruto's smirk deepened. "I won't allow your plan to succeed."
Nagato's expression hardened. "Why stop the Ten-Tails Project? Do you not desire peace?"
But then his gaze flickered—he finally noticed it. The vast, pulsating chakra swirling around Naruto. His Rinnegan widened in realization.
"This chakra… You're the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki?! But… the host should still be a child!"
Naruto casually reined in the surging energy and spread his arms. "Now you understand. As a Jinchuriki, there's no way I'd stand by and let you take the Tailed Beasts. And you won't be able to capture me—I'm a perfect Jinchuriki."
Nagato's eyes narrowed. "Perfect Jinchuriki…"
He could feel the immeasurable chakra surrounding Naruto. Given his previous battle prowess, Naruto was right—there was no guarantee of victory.
After a pause, Naruto's tone turned light, almost mocking. "No matter where you start gathering the Tailed Beasts, I'll expose Akatsuki's plan to the entire world. You'll be seen as an enemy of every major nation."
"And then what, Nagato? Will you fight me here, razing the Land of Waves to the ground? Will you march on Uzushiogakure next, trying to claim the Nine-Tails?"
"Or will you reconsider and return Akatsuki to its original purpose—a true peacekeeping force?"
A smirk played on Naruto's lips as he delivered the final blow.
"My dear kin, Uzumaki Nagato—leader of Akatsuki."
Nagato's breath hitched.
He knows my real identity…
For years, since adopting the persona of Pain, he had never felt so exposed. His plans, his goals, even his true name—all laid bare before Naruto.
How?
Only Konan and the masked man knew. Konan would never betray him, and the masked man needed him to gather the Tailed Beasts. That left only two possibilities—Orochimaru, or… Jiraiya-sensei?
But before he could piece it together, Naruto had already turned, walking toward the coastline.
"Let's take this to the beach," he called over his shoulder. "The Land of Waves may have only just come under my rule, but it's still my territory. I'd rather not let innocent people die—bad for business."
Nagato's fingers twitched. For the first time in years, the god of Amegakure felt uncertain.
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