Hikari sat crouched on the doorstep, her cheeks cupped in her hands, a blade of grass dangling from her lips as she gazed at the clouds in the distance, feigning indifference. She casually asked,

"Where are you going?"

She couldn't shake the feeling…

That this brat had been hiding something from her lately.

First, arranging for clan members to stay in the Secret Realm, then making arrangements for his younger brother…

It almost felt like he was preparing for the worst.

"I'm heading to the Akatsuki Organization's headquarters."

Kaito paused, first smiling, then pointing inside the house.

"After tomorrow, I might be in seclusion on the second floor…"

"When I'm not around, it's best if you don't show yourself in public. Avoid revealing your identity as much as possible, got it?"

His tone was earnest, his words full of concern for his great-grandmother.

Hikari was incredibly strong, but her nature was still too naive. If someone schemed against her, she would undoubtedly suffer a major loss.

"Go, go, go."

Hikari waved her hand dismissively, her expression full of disdain as she shooed him away.

But just as Kaito was leaving, she muttered under her breath,

"I'll protect you."

After yesterday's explanation from Kaito, she could now understand most of what he said, and an inexplicable flicker of joy rose in her heart.

Like just now, when he mentioned seclusion… That was something Cultivation of Immortality practitioners did…

Hm?

Wait… Why am I happy about this?

Just as Hikari was secretly pleased about being able to communicate with Kaito without barriers, a strange, indescribable feeling suddenly welled up inside her.

Watching the boy's retreating figure, she abruptly realized something was off. The blade of grass in her mouth fell unnoticed at her feet.

"I…"

"Have I been infected now?"

While the Uchiha great-grandmother was pondering whether she had actually caught something, two fellow patients in Amegakure happened to cross paths and began exchanging symptoms.

"Here."

Kaito tossed a translated copy of the Raging Wave Flowing Water Technique to Pain. "A cultivation manual from the Secret Realm. As the leader of Amegakure, see if you can train in this."

Pain glanced at the papers on the table and instinctively replied,

"A god has no need for such things."After coming to his senses, he lowered his stance slightly and began to explain.

"Water Release is useless to me."

For Nagato, the current priority was refining the Six Paths Puppets. If he were to actually go and train in combat-related Water Release Ninjutsu...

Not only would it delay progress, but it wouldn't help improve his strength at all.

"This isn't Ninjutsu," Kaito sighed. Hearing Pain's words, he immediately understood that Nagato hadn't grasped the importance of the technique. He then explained in simpler terms.

"You can think of this technique as Sage Arts from the three great sacred lands."

"But it's stronger than those Sage Arts."

"And after mastering it, you'll live much longer."

Kaito paused for a few seconds, stroking his chin. "Just the basics will let you live 300 years."

"Oh, no need."

"It won't help me much..."

Pain replied coldly, but the moment the words left his mouth, his Samsara Eyes widened abruptly, and he whipped his head around to stare at the boy.

"Wait!?"

"What did you just say!?"

"3… 300 years!?"

Nagato, who was secretly controlling three puppets from the shadows, was so shocked upon hearing "300 years" that, aside from the Deva Path Puppet Pain, the other two puppets disconnected in surprise.

Wait…

Had he misheard? Or had this kid added an extra zero?

The power of the Samsara Eyes was indeed formidable, but Nagato knew full well that living another ten years would already be considered long-lived—let alone 300 years.

And besides…

From what he knew, even the Sage Arts of the three great sacred lands couldn't extend one's lifespan that much.

At best, mastering Sage Arts would grant a slightly longer life than normal.

At this moment, Nagato desperately wanted to swallow his pride and rephrase his earlier words—to admit that he had indeed been too hasty.

"Huh? Yeah."

"300 years."

Kaito blinked his small eyes, radiating the innocence unique to children, his attitude making it seem like he was talking about some trivial matter.

It was downright infuriating.

The sight nearly made Nagato raise his hand and blast the kid with an Almighty Push.

Just as the atmosphere in the room was growing increasingly tense, Kaito spoke again.

"You're dying."

Pain remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on the boy before him, waiting for Kaito to continue.

If this was all just a ploy to get his eyes…

Then no matter how favorable his impression of Kaito had been before, he would kill this brat without hesitation.

"Haven't you realized that using the Samsara Eyes to control puppets is draining your lifespan?"

Pain stayed silent, but after three seconds, he replied with confidence.

"I don't care about death…"

"As long as I can complete my plan for world peace before I die, that's enough."

With that, Pain's entire demeanor shifted abruptly.

"So, what are you trying to say?"

"I can save you."

After answering, Kaito summoned his "left and right guardians." "You've seen Sunflower before. The light orbs they spit out can restore Chakra and heal accumulated injuries."

"You must have seen it in the Secret Realm."

Pain nodded but said nothing, his expression torn with conflict.

After what had happened with Danzo and Hanzo, he could no longer trust anyone—especially when it came to matters concerning his own safety.

After a long pause, Pain looked at Kaito and spoke in an extremely serious tone.

"Uchiha Kaito… can I trust you?"

To say Nagato was cautious…He didn't agree outright, but to call him naive...

This guy was truly naive beyond words, actually asking such a thing directly.

"You could try trusting me. After all, no matter what, our Uchiha clan is now in Amegakure, right?"

Hearing this, Nagato thought it did make sense. If this kid had any ulterior motives, he could always target the other Uchiha.

Realizing this, Pain nodded and motioned for Kaito to follow him.

"Come with me."

Ten minutes later...

Following Pain, Kaito finally saw the emaciated Nagato in a hidden room within the Akatsuki Organization's base.

Under the terrifying drain of the Samsara Eye, Nagato had withered to little more than a skeleton. Even the distinctive red hair of the Uzumaki clan had faded, almost indistinguishable from roadside weeds.

Honestly...

Kaito was genuinely afraid Nagato might drop dead right in front of him.

"Are... you sure you can last three days looking like this?"

Seeing Nagato's near-death state, Kaito couldn't help but blurt out the question.

Nagato hadn't expected the kid to lead with that. After a stunned pause, he gasped out a fragmented reply.

"N-No... I won't..."

"I... I know my own body..."

Kaito rolled his eyes, then stepped forward and had Hikari spit out glowing orbs.

As the two orbs merged into Nagato's body, he lifted his head, eyes wide with shock, and stared at Uchiha Kaito in amazement.

"I... I can move!"

"My lower body—I can move it!"

Nagato's excitement made Kaito stiffen slightly—mainly because his words were a bit... odd.

Bro...

Are you happy about regaining mobility, or are you happy about...?

Kaito didn't understand but assumed Nagato meant the former.

After all, being able to walk again after years of paralysis was definitely something worth celebrating.

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