Chapter 67: Harvesting the Rinnegan
In the underground base, Konan stared in shock as the Deva Path of Pain was summoned back.
Since Nagato had successfully created the Six Paths of Pain, they had overcome every opponent with ease. Even Hanzo the Salamander, hailed as a demigod, was slain with only three of the six bodies.
But this time, the battle had lasted only minutes—and only the Deva Path remained. The enemy's strength was simply incomprehensible.
"Who is this person?" Konan asked, confused, looking at Nagato.
"It's the Shadow Ninja… and Jiraiya-sensei is with him," Nagato said, coughing into his hand. "Prepare to evacuate. Jiraiya-sensei knows about the Outer Path Statue. We can no longer remain in the Land of Rain."
To unleash the full power of the Outer Path Demon Statue, all nine tailed beasts were needed. But each of those beasts was treated as a strategic weapon by the Five Great Shinobi Nations. If the statue was exposed, it was easy to imagine the reaction.
At this stage, Akatsuki wasn't yet the mighty organization it would become ten years later. Aside from Nagato and Konan, the only other known members were the mysterious masked man and the enigmatic Black and White Zetsu. With Nagato's body already fragile, they couldn't risk open war with the Five Great Nations.
And after losing to that "Shadow Ninja" so decisively, Nagato's will to fight was shaken.
"Understood," Konan nodded, though worry lingered in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak—but suddenly a low rumble echoed from above.
Looking up, Nagato saw a thick black fog swirling over the rock ceiling, until the fog tore it open, and sunlight poured into the hidden base.
"Well, if it isn't the so-called god of this new world," Ayaan said, grinning as he descended. He landed gracefully before Nagato and Konan, his gaze sharp as it locked onto the Outer Path Demon Statue behind them.
Konan paled, stepping protectively in front of Nagato. But Nagato calmly said, "Konan, stand down."
Nagato understood all too well—Konan's Shikigami no Mai may have been powerful, but it was meaningless against Ayaan's Dark release powers.
The Yami Yami no Mi didn't use chakra, didn't need hand seals, and had no physical tells—it simply worked, drawing everything into darkness like a black hole.
Only techniques forged from yin-yang release or near-divine energy could resist such a force.
Hesitating, Konan finally obeyed, stepping aside.
Nagato remained seated on a stone chair, the Outer Path Statue towering behind him. The Deva Path stood at his side, silent as a sentinel.
Ayaan studied Nagato closely. His once-vibrant red hair now looked brittle and lifeless. His body was gaunt, barely skin and bone. Even his eyes—those legendary orbs of power—seemed dim.
"Do what you must… but let Konan go," Nagato said softly.
"Nagato!" Konan cried in shock. But before she could react, Nagato gestured with one hand, and she collapsed unconscious.
Ayaan raised an eyebrow. "A special use of the Human Path? Fortunate that she didn't guard against you."
"But I promised Jiraiya I wouldn't take your life..."
"Nagato!" a familiar voice rang out as Jiraiya landed in the cavern, his face full of worry.
He stepped in front of Nagato and Konan protectively. "What happened to her?"
"I didn't touch her," Ayaan said calmly. "That was Nagato's doing."
Jiraiya sighed. "You expect me to believe that?"
"I don't expect anything," Ayaan replied. "And I didn't come here to reassure you."
A surge of oppressive black mist burst from beneath Ayaan's feet, filling the cave like a storm cloud.
"Kurozu no Dōkutsu!" (Dark Cave Road)
"Not good—!" Jiraiya and Nagato's expressions shifted.
But it was too late.
The Yami Yami no Mi's suction was absolute. It had no build-up, no chakra signature, no warning—just an all-consuming void. In an instant, the two were dragged into the darkness.
"Done," Ayaan smiled. Inside the black space, everything was under his control. Unless someone had the power of a divine being, like the Monkey King Sun Wukong, there was no escape.
"Still, I didn't see White Zetsu… Obito and Black Zetsu aren't here either. They must be in the Land of Water."
During this time, the Fourth Mizukage was under Obito's genjutsu, and the Water Country had become a hidden stronghold. It wasn't unusual that they'd be absent.
After Mei Terumi took over and broke the illusion, Obito began participating in Akatsuki's plans more directly.
Nagato had likely developed some means of avoiding Zetsu's surveillance.
"That means… neither Obito nor Black Zetsu know that I've captured Nagato yet. I might be able to use this."
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Inside a sealed chamber, Ayaan inspected his spoils with visible delight.
"The Sharingan is impressive… but the Rinnegan is something else entirely!"
"But me? I want both!"
Of course, the biggest prize wasn't the eyes—it was the Outer Path Statue itself. A fragment of the original Shinju, the Divine Tree. Even though the chakra had long been drained, it still contained secrets.
"This harvest is no less valuable than what I gained two years ago."
Thanks to the Baku Baku no Mi, Ayaan had already begun integrating Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan into the Rinnegan. As he did, a tomoe pattern emerged within the Rinnegan, increasing its power dramatically.
The moment he implanted the Rinnegan, Ayaan felt it resonate with his chakra. The dormant blood of both Senju and Uchiha within him stirred, beginning to fuse.
"So this is the path of the Sage of Six Paths... The Rinnegan is born from the union of the Sage Body and the Sage Eyes. I didn't expect it to help fuse my own bloodlines."
"But…"
He looked toward the massive Outer Path Golem.
"Integrating this thing... even with the Baku Baku no Mi, it's going to be a nightmare."
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