It wasn't really surprising that Yahiko gave in so quickly.
In a certain sense, Chakra Users and ninja were naturally opposing forces.
Ninja were essentially tools in the hands of nobles and merchants.
Their survival depended on those elites.
Even though ninja could easily kill those people, it was still the nobles and merchants who decided the fate of the ninja.
At their core, ninja viewed themselves as tools.
The great wars of the ninja world were essentially just power struggles between nobles.
The Five Great Ninja Villages themselves didn't actually have many direct conflicts of interest.
Each village monopolized the missions within its own nation.
On the other hand, Chakra Users existed to live for themselves.
They could become ninja if they wanted.
They could also become nobles, merchants, or even farmers.
Their identities were flexible.
Chakra, to them, was simply a form of power.
At their core, Chakra Users were more individualistic—even more selfish than ninja.
But in this distorted world, that kind of self-centered independence was exactly what was needed.
Ninja would never allow such people to exist.
And nobles would never allow a power outside their control to appear.
As Arin had said—
The moment Chakra Users appeared, their existence was already a crime in the eyes of the world.
Before their existence was exposed, they needed to quietly accumulate strength and weaken the power of ninja.
The Hidden Rain Village was also a ninja force.
So attacking them was perfectly justified.
Nagato and Konan both stared at Yahiko speechlessly.
Apparently personality typing wasn't always accurate.
For someone labeled "simple and straightforward," Yahiko seemed pretty dark inside once you peeled him open.
"How about we call it Akatsuki?" Arin suddenly suggested.
"Akatsuki?" Yahiko's eyes lit up.
Arin looked out the window at the falling rain.
"Didn't you always say you wanted to save this country… even the world?"
"Then become the dawn that changes the world."
"Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki…" Konan and Nagato exchanged glances.
But Yahiko kept repeating the name.
It fit his vision perfectly.
"But teacher," Yahiko said with a bright grin.
"Aren't you one of us too?"
"And you'd be the First Leader!"
Since graduating from the ninja academy, Arin had already gained the nickname "the First".
If he didn't fight the real First Hokage someday, it almost wouldn't feel right.
Arin thought for a moment.
"In the future, I might end up becoming an enemy of all the ninja in the world."
"Even Konoha?" Nagato asked suddenly.
All three of them knew Arin came from Konoha, the village that once defeated the Hidden Rain.
Arin thought about it.
If Nawaki actually became Hokage one day…
He might not be able to bring himself to destroy Konoha.
"…Even Konoha," Arin said decisively.
"But I'll go easy on them."
He spoke very honestly.
Every other ninja village would be targeted for complete destruction.
But Konoha?
He'd leave half the village for Nawaki.
That was already very generous of him.
(Nawaki: Wow… thanks a lot.)
"Teacher," Yahiko said with his usual sunny smile,
"then we're already enemies of the world."
"No matter what you want to do now, you stand behind us."
"And someday, we'll stand behind you."
"Yahiko…" Arin looked deeply moved.
Yahiko scratched his nose awkwardly, trying to hide his embarrassment.
BAM!
Arin punched him in the head.
"Stand behind me? You're a hundred years too early for that!!"
Didn't he know what happened to the last guy someone stood behind?
That guy got his heart stabbed through and ended up sitting in a corner plotting revenge against the entire ninja world.
Yahiko clutched his head and crouched down.
He had just said something incredibly inspiring!
Clearly Arin was completely heartless.
Some people were just born demons.
"Anyway—"
"The Akatsuki organization is officially founded today!"
Arin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
And somehow…
He had become Akatsuki's First Leader.
Life really was unpredictable.
He glanced at Nagato and the others.
These three had finished their training much earlier than in the original timeline.
Who knew what the future would look like now?
Soon after, Yahiko and Konan were kicked out of the room.
Only Nagato remained.
"Teacher, what is it?" Nagato asked curiously.
Arin thought for a moment.
"I want to see the power of your eyes."
Nagato instinctively touched his eyes.
These eyes were the reason he had survived so long.
Aside from the combat fundamentals Arin taught him, it was the Rinnegan that had saved him time and time again.
Every emotional outburst awakened new abilities.
"But this isn't a good place to test them."
A blue sphere appeared in Arin's hand.
He smiled mysteriously.
"Awakening Skill: Player Dungeon — Activate."
A layer of blue membrane enveloped the room.
Arin only partially opened the dungeon, covering just the house.
Inside the blue space—
There were only two people.
And a pair of chopsticks.
"Chopsticks!?" Nagato stared blankly.
The two-meter-tall chopsticks beside him began shuffling forward as if preparing to attack.
Then they started fighting the air.
"Wait… what… I… chopsticks…?" Nagato's brain stopped working.
The chopsticks were alive.
After a moment, realization dawned on him.
"Teacher… is this your Nen ability?"
"Something like that," Arin replied vaguely.
"That part isn't important."
"This time, we can finally talk openly about your eyes."
"My eyes?" Nagato immediately became cautious.
Why was this suddenly a safe time to discuss them?
"…Someone is watching me?"
"Exactly," Arin nodded.
"Ever since I met you, I noticed something called White Zetsu has been monitoring you."
"The Rinnegan is the strongest of the three great dōjutsu."
"So of course people with ulterior motives will be interested in you."
Arin didn't reveal the full truth behind the Rinnegan.
Instead, he spoke in a serious tone.
"And the person behind White Zetsu…"
"Even I am not his opponent."
"In fact, no one in the current ninja world could defeat him."
Nagato's pupils shrank.
"Who is he?"
"Uchiha Madara."
"Who is Uchiha Madara?"
Arin stared at him with wide eyes.
Right… he had never actually told Nagato about the Uchiha clan.
"Anyway," Arin said,
"he's extremely powerful."
"But since he's only observing you and hasn't taken action, he must have some other plan."
"You should stay alert."
Nagato nodded solemnly.
He thought he had been extremely cautious.
Yet someone had still discovered him.
After a moment of thought, Arin said,
"Remember what I told you about power after death?"
Nagato nodded.
"When a Chakra User dies with strong regrets, their chakra may remain behind—"
"Sometimes even stronger than when they were alive."
Arin continued,
"You should develop your Nen ability in a way that completely claims the Rinnegan as your own."
"And if you die…"
"Destroy it immediately."
"That way, anyone coveting your Rinnegan will gain nothing."
Nagato nodded seriously.
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