Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan stared blankly at the resolute Uchiha Ren.
At that moment, the three of them felt as if his figure had become extraordinarily tall—radiant from head to toe, like a rising sun illuminating the darkness.
Ren continued,
"You might think my ideas are radical. But that's only because you haven't seen the things these eyes of mine have seen."
"Once you truly witness the darkness of this world… you might become even more radical than I am."
Ren wasn't exaggerating.
As for Yahiko, it was difficult to say—but in the original timeline, Nagato would eventually become someone who forced the entire world to "carry the pain."
Compared to that, Ren considered himself relatively moderate.
Yahiko remained silent, his eyes full of confusion.
He genuinely didn't know what he should do anymore.
At that moment, Nagato suddenly asked,
"Brother Ren, I still have one question."
"Why must changing the system and liberating productive forces require a unified standpoint first?"
Ren smiled.
"That's an excellent question."
"Let's start with the matter of changing the system."
"Imagine that no other country changes—but we initiate reforms only within the Land of Fire."
"What do you think would happen?"
Nagato shook his head. That was precisely what he didn't understand.
Ren answered with certainty.
"I can guarantee that once the other nations notice the changes in the Land of Fire…"
"They will join forces to attack it."
Nagato frowned.
"Why? If the reforms prove successful, shouldn't other countries imitate them?"
"You underestimate the darkness of human nature," Ren said, shaking his head.
"The reform in the Land of Fire would essentially redistribute resources from a small privileged minority to the majority of people."
"For those who currently hold power and wealth, that is absolutely unacceptable."
"And that is precisely why there would be bloodshed and sacrifice."
"Even if such reforms allowed most people in the Land of Fire to live better lives, the elites of other nations would feel fear."
"They would label the Land of Fire's reforms as dangerous."
"They would use their influence to manipulate public opinion, condemn it relentlessly, and ultimately wage war."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"It's like when a beam of light shines into a dark room."
"The filth hidden in that room is suddenly exposed."
"And in the end, the light itself becomes the crime."
"Breaking the old system inevitably offends those who benefit from it."
"The two sides are naturally destined to stand in opposition."
"So if we want to change the system, we must first unify our standpoint."
"That way we can avoid a great deal of unnecessary bloodshed."
Starting reforms first and then attempting to unify the world afterward would face far greater resistance.
But if the world's standpoint were unified first, many vested interests might still hold on to hope and hesitate to fight to the death.
If reforms came first, however, it would mean completely tearing the mask off the old system—leaving no room for compromise.
In that case, those benefiting from the old order would resist desperately.
"I understand now," Nagato nodded.
"But what about liberating productive forces?"
"That part is even simpler," Ren replied with a smile.
"In essence, liberating productive forces means creating more resources."
"But if there isn't a unified standpoint…"
"Those additional resources will only provoke envy."
He continued using the Land of Fire as an example.
"The Land of Fire is the most fertile country in the world and the richest in resources."
"You've already seen the result of that."
"Since the First Great Ninja War, every major war has begun with other nations declaring war on the Land of Fire first."
"They all want to tear a piece of flesh from it."
"And that only escalates conflict even further."
"That's why I say both systemic reform and the liberation of productive forces require a unified standpoint as their foundation."
Nagato nodded again, finally resolving the doubts in his mind.
After hesitating for a moment, he looked up at Ren.
"Brother Ren… do you have any concrete plans right now?"
"Nagato?!"
Yahiko and Konan stared at him in shock.
For Nagato to say something like that was essentially declaring his intention to join Ren's cause.
Neither of them expected that a single conversation would lead Nagato to such a decision.
Nagato looked at them seriously.
"Yahiko. Konan. Brother Ren is right."
"Our Akatsuki may appear effective—many people have joined us."
"But deep down, we all know the truth."
"Whether Konohagakure and Iwagakure stop fighting or withdraw their troops has nothing to do with us."
"Both villages act solely for their own interests."
"They will never care about our ideals."
"If we want to change that reality…"
"There is only one path."
"Unity. And reform."
"Only when we all stand on the same side will they listen to our voices."
"And only by changing the system can everyone truly live better lives."
Nagato's voice trembled with excitement.
At last, he believed he had found a way to break the curse of endless war.
Yahiko stared at him blankly, his body trembling slightly.
In truth, Ren's words had moved him as well.
But as the leader of Akatsuki, Yahiko had to think more carefully than Nagato.
After all, he had only just met Uchiha Ren.
He couldn't completely trust him yet.
Ren simply smiled.
"You don't need to make any decisions right now."
"Today's conversation was just a casual discussion."
"I'll be staying in the Land of Rain for a while longer, so we have plenty of time to get to know each other."
"And even after I leave, it doesn't matter."
"As long as we're all working toward the same goal, my door will always remain open to you."
Yahiko and Konan visibly relaxed.
Their trust in Ren increased slightly.
Nagato also stopped pressing the matter.
Just as Ren said—there was no need to rush.
Yahiko looked at Ren sincerely.
"Thank you, Brother Ren."
"This conversation has truly opened my eyes."
Ren shook his head with a smile.
"We're simply learning from one another."
"Your ideas have also given me much to reflect on."
After a brief pause, Ren's smile faded, and his tone became serious.
"Now that we've discussed ideology…"
"Let's talk about something more practical."
Yahiko blinked in confusion.
"Brother Ren… are you referring to Shimura Danzō and Lord Hanzo?"
Ren shook his head.
"With me backing you up, that situation won't harm you."
"What I want to talk about is another matter—one that concerns your very survival."
The three of them exchanged confused glances.
Aside from Danzō and Hanzo…
Was there someone else targeting Akatsuki?
Ren didn't keep them guessing.
He spoke directly.
"Recently…"
"Has a mysterious man wearing a spiral mask approached you?"
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