"Ryo, are you telling the truth?"
Tsunade suddenly stood up, her expression serious as she locked eyes with Ryo.
Ryo nodded. "It's true. In fact, Tsunade, you're also a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Nagato. "I told this story to make one thing clear. As a descendant of the Sage's body, you shouldn't have the Rinnegan. There's no way someone like you could awaken the Sage's eyes from birth. Even the Sage himself had to evolve his Sharingan step by step."
Nagato fell silent.
Everything he believed about his Rinnegan—its origin, its meaning—was now crumbling.
To him, those eyes had always symbolized his unique power, his destiny. But now, he was being told they weren't even his.
"That means... these eyes... they actually belong to someone else?" Jiraiya, who had remained quiet, finally spoke, his voice low with disbelief.
Ryo nodded. "Yes. In the current shinobi world, no one outside of the Uchiha clan can awaken the Rinnegan."
"But even the Uchiha... shouldn't be able to either," he added.
"Huh?"
Everyone looked over in confusion again.
Ryo continued, "To evolve into the Rinnegan, one doesn't just need the Sage's eye powers. You also need the Sage's body—both bloodlines combined. Only then can the Rinnegan be awakened."
"Right now, the Uchiha and Senju clans only carry one part each of that legacy. Theoretically, it's impossible for the Rinnegan to appear naturally anymore."
As Ryo explained, the others grew increasingly intrigued.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes and looked at Nagato. "Then how do you explain his Rinnegan?"
Ryo only shook his head and said nothing more.
Seeing this, the others frowned, but didn't press further.
Nagato, having collected himself slightly, looked at Ryo. "So what you're saying is... these eyes were given to me? And maybe... there's some hidden agenda behind it?"
Ryo nodded again. "I don't know who gave them to you or why. But I can say with certainty—they're not yours."
"And here's another question: If the Rinnegan really were yours, then why can't you deactivate them? Why are they always active, constantly draining your chakra?"
"The Rinnegan can be deactivated?"
Nagato furrowed his brows, confused.
Ryo rolled his eyes. "Even the Sharingan can be turned off. Why wouldn't the Rinnegan be able to? It's supposed to be more advanced, not less."
"In the anime, both Madara and even Sasuke in Boruto are shown deactivating the Rinnegan."
The others all nodded. What Ryo said made sense. Even the Sharingan could be turned off—how could something more advanced be stuck on all the time?
Jiraiya suddenly spoke up. "So... it's like Kakashi, right? Since it wasn't his original eye, he couldn't turn it off either."
Ryo nodded. "Exactly. The inability to deactivate it is a dead giveaway—it's not his."
Nagato felt even more shaken.
A few moments ago, he still clung to disbelief about the Sage and the history Ryo told. But this detail—the inability to deactivate the Rinnegan—struck a chord.
He'd lived every day with his eyes constantly active, draining his chakra.
And his frail body—he'd always thought it was just the side effect of using a powerful dojutsu.
But now, it all started to make sense.
Ryo looked at the silent Nagato and continued, "If you don't believe me, ask the Tailed Beasts. They know more about this than any of us."
"Whether you can get them to talk, though... that's up to you."
Nagato nodded slowly. "I understand. I'll look into it. But Ryo, whether the Rinnegan is mine or not—what does that have to do with my dream?"
Everyone turned toward Ryo again.
That was true—they had started this conversation talking about Nagato's ideals... so how did they end up discussing the origin of the Rinnegan?
Had they gone off-topic completely?
If Nagato hadn't brought it up again, they might've all forgotten.
Ryo gave a faint nod and replied, "Let me ask you—was it really your idea to pursue peace through such extreme means?"
Nagato and Konan both froze for a moment. Then they frowned and shook their heads.
"That's what I thought," Ryo said. "Then where did it come from? I don't believe this plan originated from either of you."
"Uchiha Madara."
Konan spoke at last, her voice cold, her brows tightly furrowed.
She had always opposed the direction their organization was heading.
If Yahiko were still alive, there's no way he would've chosen such a path to peace.
And Nagato, too, hadn't believed in that path at the beginning—until that man calling himself Uchiha Madara appeared.
"Uchiha Madara?"
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged stunned glances.
Everyone knew the name. In the ninja world, it was legendary.
But... wasn't he supposed to be long dead?
"I see now."
Nagato's eyes widened.
As Ryo's words echoed in his mind, everything began to click.
He remembered... back when Yahiko was still alive, this man—claiming to be Madara—had approached them.
Yahiko had refused him.
And then... not long after, Yahiko was dead.
Nagato had never given that coincidence much thought. But now...
Why had Yahiko died right after turning him down?
Why had he, Nagato, started to change so drastically after that man appeared?
"Thank you, Ryo," Nagato said sincerely, rising to his feet. "I need to investigate this. If everything you said turns out to be true, I'll bring the Akatsuki to you."
He glanced at Konan, clearly ready to depart immediately.
Right now, he wanted only one thing—to find that man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara and uncover the truth.
"Wait," Ryo said, standing as well. "I don't want to kill your resolve, but... you may not have much chance of uncovering anything."
Nagato's brows furrowed again, but his eyes remained firm. "Even if there's only a sliver of a chance—I have to try."
This was about Yahiko's death. Even the tiniest possibility needed to be pursued.
Konan nodded beside him, her determination matching his own.
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