As soon as she saw Nagato's expression, Konan knew that Zetsu had not lied to her.
Ryosuke had really made such a request.
Although she didn't understand why, Konan was willing to sacrifice herself in exchange for Konoha's two tailed beasts.
"Nagato, let's make that deal with him!" Konan said.
"No!!!"
Nagato sternly refused.
Nagato said, "Konan, we still have other ways. Just think about it—there must be another way!"
He really didn't want to see Konan exchange herself for two tailed beasts.
If that happens, he will lose his last close friend.
This was something Nagato absolutely did not want to see.
"Nagato, we can't think of any other way."
Konan shook her head and said, "Since Ryosuke is willing to give us two tailed beasts, I think we can agree. This is our only chance."
"No! I don't agree!!" Nagato said loudly.
"Nagato, don't you want to see your dream with Yahiko fulfilled?"
Konan looked at Nagato and said, "For the peace of the world, each of us can sacrifice. You can, Yahiko could, and I can too!"
Nagato: "..."
He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
Konan said, "Besides, since Ryosuke is willing to exchange me for two tailed beasts, he certainly doesn't just want my life. I don't recall ever making an enmity with him."
"So, I'm not really a sacrifice, am I?"
"But..."
Nagato wanted to say something else. But Konan had made up her mind.
She was going to exchange herself for those two tailed beasts from Konoha.
Because only in this way, the dream of Nagato and Yahiko would have a chance to come true.
Yes!
In reality, world peace had always been Yahiko and Nagato's dream.
As for Konan, she didn't think that far ahead.
She just wanted Nagato and Yahiko to be happy.
She just wanted this country to become more peaceful, where people wouldn't go hungry anymore.
Children shouldn't have to experience what she had gone through as a child.
But…
Thinking about the entire world?
Konan had never really considered it, but since Yahiko and Nagato wanted world peace, she was willing to support them and help make their dream come true.
Because in that dark time, they were her only light in the world.
Nagato and Yahiko were her only family.
Now, Yahiko was gone.
So she had to help Nagato achieve their dream of world peace.
Not just for Nagato, but for Yahiko as well.
Nagato failed to convince Konan. In fact, she kind of convinced him instead.
If—
And that was a big if—
If Ryosuke simply wanted Konan to go to Konoha and didn't intend to harm her, maybe this was the best option for her?
After all, compared to staying with him in the Akatsuki, living as a rogue ninja hunted by the world every day, wasn't it better to be somewhere else, living under a different identity?
When they continue collecting tailed beasts, conflicts with the world would inevitably erupt.
Nagato was ready to sacrifice everything.
Even though he called himself a god all the time, deep down, he knew his body couldn't sustain his ambitions.
Their plan wasn't foolproof. If he failed, Konan wouldn't meet a good end.
Instead of dragging her into danger with him, maybe it was better for her to go to Konoha...
To the strongest village in the world.
She would be safer there.
...
Boom!
Inside the room
Menma, who was resting on a chair with his eyes closed, suddenly heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." He said.
The door opened, and Konan, with her long light blue-purple hair, stepped inside.
"Tell Ryosuke that I agree." Konan said coldly.
"Oh~!"
Menma turned to look at her, his expression blank.
"Nagato agreed too?"
"I convinced him."
Konan said, "You just need to contact Konoha's Ryosuke now. As long as he really hands over Two Tails and Nine Tails, then from now on, I belong to him."
Menma said, "Konan, I didn't expect you to be willing to sacrifice yourself for the organization."
"Amazing!"
Menma gave Konan a thumbs-up, still wearing his usual blank expression.
Konan, on the other hand, continued staring at him coldly.
Seeing this, Menma stopped talking and pretended to use Summoning Jutsu to contact Ryosuke.
In reality, this was all a genjutsu.
But his genjutsu was too strong. Konan couldn't see through it at all.
Even Zetsu, hiding underground, didn't notice anything strange.
Soon
Menma received a reply.
"He agreed. The exchange will happen at the border of the Land of Fire in two days. He will bring the two tailed beasts then."
Menma said with his usual numb face.
Konan nodded, then turned and left without hesitation.
Menma smirked and said, "Tsk tsk! Such a noble sacrifice."
Zetsu, who had been hiding and eavesdropping underground, quickly left to inform Obito of the news.
Two days passed quickly.
During this time, Naruto returned to the village, and his classmates gathered for a rare meal together.
They chatted about their current situations, mostly asking Naruto about his journey.
After all, the others were still in the village and occasionally met each other.
But Naruto had been training with Jiraiya outside for more than a year.
He never had a chance to see them.
At one point, Naruto mentioned that he had met Sasuke in the Land of Rivers.
At first, Sakura was too focused on eating to care.
But when she heard Sasuke's name, she immediately leaned forward and asked Naruto how he was doing.
Naruto didn't feel the same way about Sakura as he once did.
At most, she was just a nostalgic first love.
Still, he told Sakura and the others about Sasuke.
Hearing that Sasuke was not only fine but had grown much stronger, Sakura was happy.
Of course, if she could see him again, that would be even better.
Sakura asked, "Naruto, didn't you try to convince Sasuke to come back?"
Naruto shook his head and said, "Sasuke said that he still has something to do, and he may come back when he is done."
In fact, Naruto was not sure.
After all, Sasuke's original words were "I am already a traitor to the village, and I probably won't go back in the future."
But Naruto didn't want to tell Sakura that directly.
He knew how much Sakura loved Sasuke.
She would be heartbroken if she heard that Sasuke might never return.
Although Naruto no longer had the feelings he once had for Sakura, he still didn't want to see her so sad.
...
That afternoon
Ryosuke left the village, heading toward the border of the Land of Fire to complete the trade with the Akatsuki.
He had said nothing about this deal to other. After all, this was a private matter.
There was no need to mention it to anyone else.
As for whether Konan would be recognized once she starts living in Konoha, like by Jiraiya?
That was something to worry about later.
Regardless, Ryosuke wasn't doing anything that harmed the village's interests.
And the Two Tails and Nine Tails he was trading weren't the ones sealed within Yugito Nii and Naruto.
Instead, they were newly formed tailed beasts, created from the chakra he had extracted from the ones sealed within him.
He could do whatever he wanted with his own power.
The Border of the Land of Fire
Ryosuke sat on a large rock, waiting for his trade partners to arrive.
At this moment—
On the distant horizon, three figures slowly approached.
Soon, they were close enough for Ryosuke to see them clearly.
He leaped down from the rock.
The ones who had come were Pain, Konan, and Menma, who was actually a disguised Wood Clone of Ryosuke.
"Where's the tailed beast?" Pain asked, his expression dark.
Although he had nearly been convinced by Konan earlier, now that the moment had come, the thought of trading Konan away for two tailed beasts filled him with discomfort.
It felt like a betrayal of Konan's trust.
"Here."
Ryosuke took out a sealed bottle.
It was a single-use sealing tool. Once used, it couldn't be used again.
He had sealed the two tailed beasts inside to make the transaction easier.
With that, Ryosuke casually tossed the bottle to Pain.
Pain caught it, then used his Rinnegan to sense the chakra within.
Sure enough—
Inside were two immense chakras belonging to Matatabi and Kurama.
The latter's chakra was so vast that even Pain felt a flicker of unease.
"This is real."
Pain nodded, storing the bottle away.
Then, he turned his gaze toward Ryosuke and asked, "You just handed the tailed beast over. Aren't you afraid I'll refuse to give you the person?"
In truth, he had thought about it.
"Then go ahead and try."
Ryosuke smiled, his expression completely unfazed.
Pain hesitated.
Just as he was about to act, Konan shook her head.
"I'll go with him."
She stepped forward on her own.
"Konan!"
Pain called out to her, but Konan simply turned, smiled slightly, and silently mouthed, "Take care of yourself."
Then, she walked toward Ryosuke.
"Good. That concludes our deal."
Ryosuke clapped his hands, then turned to Menma and said, "Menma, if you need something in the future, come find me. You guys are hunting tailed beasts, right? If you can pay the price, I might be able to help."
"That's not necessary!"
Pain's tone was ice-cold.
He didn't want to deal with Ryosuke any longer.
After all, this man had just taken Konan away.
Even though Pain had convinced himself earlier that Konan would be safer in Konoha, at this moment, he still felt a deep sense of bitterness.
So annoying!
"Alright, then. Until next time!"
Ryosuke smirked, grabbed Konan's wrist, and the two vanished instantly.
Meanwhile
Menma turned to Pain and said, "Let's go. We got what we wanted."
Pain said nothing and simply walked away.
Seeing this, Menma chuckled and followed.
...
Konoha
Yagami Residence
Ryosuke reappeared with Konan.
"You'll be living here from now on." He told her.
Then, he gestured at the Akatsuki cloak she was still wearing.
He said, "You won't need that anymore. Go change."
Konan nodded wordlessly.
She had agreed to the trade, so she would not go back on her word.
She had only stopped Pain earlier to prevent a fight from breaking out between him and Ryosuke.
If that had happened, she couldn't guarantee whether Pain would have won.
At this moment—
"Master, welcome home!"
A voice rang out as a maid stepped forward and bowed.
It was Yugito Nii.
At the same time, she curiously eyed the woman standing beside Ryosuke.
Why is there another one?
Yugito narrowed her eyes.
Ryosuke turned to her and said, "Her name is Konan. From now on, she'll be your colleague. Take her to change into work clothes, then teach her how to be a good maid."
Konan: "???"
Maid?
You traded for me... just to make me your maid?!!
She stared at Ryosuke in disbelief.
Across from her, Yugito's expression darkened.
This woman…
She was going to steal her position as the master's only personal maid?
How dare she!