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Mastermind of the Akatsuki 28
🕑 Added 2024-06-17 13:06:27 +0000 UTCChapter 28: Guidance from the Sage of Six Paths
A hint of apprehension danced in Nagato's eyes as he spotted the familiar figure of Byakuya approaching. It wasn't Byakuya's formidable strength that caused the unease but the grueling training sessions he seemed to relish.
Nagato vividly recalled their last encounter. The last time they sparred, Yahiko approached Nagato and encouraged him to embrace his arrangement and harness the power of the Rinnegan.
Nagato, naturally, agreed, only to be plunged headfirst into a week of training that could only be described as a nightmare.
With a wary exchange of glances, Nagato, summoning his courage, voiced his trepidation.
"Byakuya, are we going to repeat yesterday's weighted training?"
Byakuya, his stoic expression etched on his face, nodded.
"Don't worry. I'll be training alongside you."
Without further ado, the two launched into their special training. The routine was deceptively simple: one hundred grueling laps around the training ground, burdened by twenty-pound weights.
This was just the first round, followed by an onslaught of frog jumps, challenging rock climbs, and a myriad of other exercises designed to push their bodies to the limit.
Byakuya's rationale behind these brutal training sessions was clear: Nagato's physical fitness was abysmal. Despite wielding the legendary Rinnegan, his endurance paled in comparison to the Six Paths of Pain. While Nagato's low steam contributed somewhat to this disparity, the core issue lay within Nagato's limited chakra reserves. The Rinnegan, a chakra-guzzling machine, drained Nagato's vitality with alarming speed.
Ideally, transplanting Hashirama cells would have been the perfect solution. Unfortunately, Byakuya wasn't in possession of such a rare commodity. Left with limited options, he resorted to the most fundamental method for strengthening the body – old-fashioned physical training – hoping to alleviate the strain placed on Nagato by the Rinnegan.
Hours bled into one another as they pounded the training ground with weary legs. Finally, exhaustion claiming victory, they collapsed onto nearby tree stumps, ravenously devouring cold rice balls for sustenance.
Byakuya, ever the blunt one, broke the silence.
"Nagato-senpai, frankly, you're far too weak. Your physical prowess is frankly pathetic for a descendant of the Uzumaki clan. Running a few dozen kilometers with weighted training is beyond you - you wouldn't even last as long as an average person."
Nagato, his face flushed red with exertion and a hint of shame, could only manage a heavy breath. He harbored a silent rebuttal – an indignant reminder that they were both Uzumaki, both imbued with the clan's resilience.
But faced with the undeniable reality that Byakuya, despite his younger age, far surpassed him in physical strength, Nagato held his tongue.
He had no ground to stand on.
The true crux of Nagato's confusion lay in Byakuya's seemingly contradictory approach.
Byakuya had spoken passionately about unlocking the Rinnegan's potential, yet their current training regimen focused solely on physical conditioning. Nagato struggled to connect the dots.
"Byakuya, we're supposed to be developing the power of the Rinnegan, so why are we doing physical training?"
Byakuya met Nagato's gaze with a calm assurance.
"It's simple, Nagato-senpai. Even for a Rinnegan wielder, the body remains the foundation of a powerful ninja.
Remember the aftermath of your Rinnegan usage in the Hidden Grass Village? It's been on my mind ever since.
The best solution I could devise to assist you is to strengthen your physical fortitude. Only then can we mitigate the toll the Rinnegan takes on your body. My goal is to enhance your strength without compromising your physical well-being."
Nagato absorbed Byakuya's explanation, a contemplative silence settling over him. Finally, a resolute nod accompanied his reply.
"Byakuya, I trust your judgment. I'll dedicate myself to this physical training."
With renewed determination, Nagato devoured the remaining rice balls and wasted no time in resuming their grueling exercises. Byakuya followed silently, a hint of relief softening his features as he observed Nagato's unwavering resolve.
During his Akatsuki days, Nagato had exhibited a remarkable willingness to consider others' perspectives, which some might construe as a lack of personal initiative. His focus seemed to lie more on achieving goals for the collective rather than personal advancement.
Even after Yahiko's tragic death, Nagato clung fiercely to the ideal of peace, albeit through increasingly extreme methods.
Byakuya recognized this as a quality that could be harnessed. With a little guidance, Nagato would push himself to his absolute limits, even to the point of exhaustion.
Suppressing his introspective musings, Byakuya cast his gaze towards the distant forest, his mind preoccupied with devising a strategy to help Nagato unlock the Rinnegan's true potential – all while remaining under Madara’s watchful eye.
The memory of White Zetsu's presence from their previous encounter resurfaced. He vividly recalled the fluctuations in their chakra signatures.
Byakuya, armed with the knowledge of future events – a privilege his plot-induced advantage offered – could effortlessly determine whether White Zetsu lurked nearby. The answer was clear – he was absent.
Nagato's existence was a constant target for White Zetsu's watchful eyes, a twenty-four-seven surveillance that extended even to his meals and sleep. While Nagato himself wasn't significant enough to warrant Madara Uchiha's direct attention, his connection to the Rinnegan could raise suspicion.
Maintaining a friendly relationship with Nagato was acceptable, but delving too deeply into the secrets of the Rinnegan was an invitation for Madara's scrutiny.
Weakened by the loss of his Rinnegan and the ravages of time, it was uncertain whether Madara still possessed the strength that once made him a legend of the Shinobi World. Dealing with him, Byakuya mused, wouldn't necessarily require unleashing the full power of his Susanoo.
A plan began to form in Byakuya's mind. With a practiced sequence of hand seals, he summoned a paper clone, dispatching it to their living quarters to retrieve a dusty tome chronicling the legend of the Six Paths Sage.
The shinobi world was awash with myths and legends surrounding this enigmatic figure. Byakuya intended to leverage these historical accounts to guide Nagato in unlocking the true potential of the Rinnegan.
As the paper clone returned with the hefty book, Byakuya eagerly flipped through its pages, encountering tales of the Six Paths Sage's divine power – the power he used to create the world, humanity, and even the very foundation of the shinobi way of life.
A smirk played on Byakuya's lips as he skimmed through a few passages. It seemed these historical accounts were heavily embellished. The Six Paths Sage wasn't a literal creator deity, nor did he single-handedly birth humanity. His true contributions lay in the creation of the nine tailed beasts and the establishment of the shinobi code – aspects Byakuya could readily utilize.
However, the Six Paths Sage's mythical status offered a degree of creative freedom. To effectively guide Nagato's training, Byakuya reasoned, he could add a touch of his own interpretation to the narrative.
With this strategy in mind, Byakuya instructed his paper clone to continue the rigorous training with Nagato while he himself retreated to the cover of the nearby bushes. There, nestled in the foliage, he meticulously formulated a plan – a plan to manipulate the existing mythology and steer Nagato towards mastering the Rinnegan.
Several grueling hours later, Nagato finally completed the grueling training regimen. As he returned to the training ground, he spotted Byakuya perched on a chair, engrossed in a book.
Byakuya waved him over, a glint of triumph in his eyes.
"Nagato-senpai, I have discovered means to significantly develop your Rinnegan training."
Tears welled up in Nagato's eyes. After weeks of relentless training, he had finally reached the stage where he could truly begin to unlock the power of the Rinnegan.
Byakuya finally had the means to unlock Nagato’s Rinnegan’s true potential.
