Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Yugito Nii watched Uchiha Taiga's departing back, then looked in the direction he was heading, deep in thought.

That direction led outside the village, toward the wilderness—a desolate place devoid of human presence. Uchiha Taiga wouldn't head to such a place for no reason; he must have seen or sensed something.

Yugito Nii didn't follow him. Having spent so much time together, the two had long established a tacit understanding.

She looked down at the red-haired woman beside her. "Let's go. Come with me to get settled first."

After saying that, she walked forward at a moderate pace, just slow enough for the red-haired woman to keep up.

The red-haired woman froze for a moment before hurriedly quickening her steps to follow. She didn't know where this woman was taking her, but at the very least, she hadn't hurt her or her child.

Yugito Nii walked ahead without looking back.

She kept her ears trained on the footsteps behind her, confirming that the woman was still following.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Taiga made his way out of Kusagakure.

When the sentries at the village entrance saw him approaching, they subconsciously stepped aside. No one dared to stop him, nor did anyone dare to ask where he was going.

They simply stood there, watching him leave the village and disappear into the wilderness outside.

The terrain outside Kusagakure was completely different from the inside.

The village was built in a valley, surrounded by rolling hills and dense forests. Once outside, the road narrowed, and the trees on both sides grew increasingly dense. Their branches and leaves intertwined, completely blocking out the sky.

The air was damp, carrying the scent of soil and decaying leaves. Beneath his feet was a soft dirt path that left deep footprints with every step.

The environment here was quite pleasant—lush vegetation, abundant river water, and greenery everywhere.

But Uchiha Taiga knew that this place could never be truly prosperous.

The Land of Grass was situated in the center of four great nations: the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, and the Land of Lightning. It served as a natural buffer zone.

Wars between the great nations were frequently fought here. The Land of Fire might invade today, and the Land of Earth might strike back tomorrow. The land of the Land of Grass had been repeatedly trampled for decades. Just surviving was difficult enough for its people, let alone developing the country.

He walked along the dirt path for about fifteen minutes before arriving at a small river.

The river wasn't wide, only about three or four meters across. The current was gentle, and the water was crystal clear, revealing the cobblestones and swimming fish at the bottom. A few fallen leaves drifted on the surface, slowly floating downstream with the current.

Uchiha Taiga stopped by the riverbank. He stood on this side, his gaze falling on the opposite shore.

Across the river was an even denser forest. The trees were tall and leafy, their canopies so thick that the sky was barely visible through them.

At the edge of that forest, from behind a thick, sturdy tree, a figure stepped out.

The person wore a black cloak adorned with red clouds. The cloak was loose, wrapping tightly around his body and concealing his build.

His appearance was ordinary, with unremarkable facial features that would blend seamlessly into a crowd. However, several black receivers were embedded in his face. They weren't just pinned to the surface; they were deeply pierced into his flesh—from his cheeks to his chin, from his forehead to the bridge of his nose—as if something had nailed his skin directly to his skull.

Those black receivers made him look somewhat terrifying, as if his face were covered in iron thorns.

Coupled with those purple, ripple-patterned eyes, he looked even more eerie.

Uchiha Taiga recognized the attire, and he recognized those eyes.

One of the Six Paths of Pain.

But exactly which Path it was, he couldn't easily tell.

Each of the Six Paths of Pain was modified from a ninja's corpse. Their outward appearances remained the same, except for the black receivers pierced into their faces and bodies, which were used to receive and transmit chakra.

Different corpses possessed different abilities. Some excelled in close combat, some in long-range attacks, some in summoning, and some in absorbing ninjutsu.

Which Path this body belonged to could only be known by fighting it.

Across the river, that Path of Pain stood under the shade of the trees, making no move to cross.

Uchiha Taiga stood on his side of the river, also making no move to cross.

The two stared at each other across the three-to-four-meter-wide river.

The water babbled between them, as if drawing an invisible boundary line separating the two.

After about three or four seconds of silence, the Path of Pain spoke first.

"You came."

Two simple words, brief and devoid of any superfluous emotion.

Uchiha Taiga looked at him, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

"Yes, I came."

The Path of Pain fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

"You shouldn't have come."

Hearing this, Uchiha Taiga was completely baffled.

This dialogue felt inexplicably familiar.

"Then should I leave?" Uchiha Taiga asked.

The Path of Pain fell silent once more.

He just stood there on the opposite bank, not saying a word. His face was completely expressionless, and those Rinnegan eyes showed no fluctuation.

The silence lasted for several seconds.

Uchiha Taiga looked at that emotionless face, feeling somewhat speechless.

'Wait, you called me over just to act all mysterious and pretentious?'

He didn't want to waste time on this meaningless conversation.

"Are those eyes of yours the Rinnegan?"

He asked directly.

To his slight surprise, the other party didn't hesitate and answered straightforwardly.

"They are indeed the Rinnegan."

The voice remained deep, still devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

Uchiha Taiga raised an eyebrow slightly. The other party was more candid than he had expected.

But thinking about it carefully, it wasn't surprising.

The Six Paths of Pain had no need to hide it. Something like the Rinnegan couldn't be concealed; the moment he made a move, others would recognize it.

Rather than trying to cover it up, it was better to admit it openly.

The Path of Pain spoke again. "What is your purpose in collecting Tailed Beast chakra?"

This question was also very direct.

Uchiha Taiga was slightly surprised, but not caught off guard.

From the time he left Kumogakure to his arrival in Kirigakure, he hadn't hidden his actions along the way. Those who needed to know would naturally know.

Since Akatsuki's ultimate goal was to collect the Tailed Beasts, they would naturally keep a close eye on anyone showing interest in them. It was perfectly normal for them to be aware of his situation.

"To conduct an experiment."

Uchiha Taiga's answer was equally direct. He didn't fabricate any excuses, nor did he mince his words.

Pausing for a moment, he added another sentence.

"Since you're asking, it seems you're also interested in the Tailed Beasts. Are you trying to collect them?"

This was naturally a probe. He already knew Nagato's plan and Akatsuki's ultimate goal, but he wanted to see how the other party would respond.

The Path of Pain fell silent once again.

This time, the silence lasted longer than before, about ten seconds or so.

He just stood there, his facial expression remaining unchanged, but the ripple patterns in his Rinnegan seemed to contract slightly.

Then he spoke. "How did you figure that out?"

By saying this, it was obvious that the Path of Pain—or rather, Nagato—had no intention of hiding it.

Uchiha Taiga smiled faintly.

"It's simple."

As he spoke, he held up two fingers.

"The Tailed Beasts are connected to Hagoromo Otsutsuki, and the Rinnegan is also connected to Hagoromo Otsutsuki."

He lowered one finger, his tone certain.

"If these two powers are combined into one, there will inevitably be some special transformation."

He spoke casually, but the weight of his words was heavy.

The Path of Pain looked at him, those Rinnegan eyes emitting a faint glow in the dim shade of the trees.

The wind blew across the river, rustling the leaves on both banks.

The Path of Pain fell silent once more, and this time the silence lasted longer than the previous two. He stood there like a statue, with only the hem of his cloak swaying slightly in the wind.

The sound of the flowing river was exceptionally clear in the silence.

After a long time, the Path of Pain finally spoke.

"Will you become my enemy?"

His voice was still deep, but this time, it carried something different.

Uchiha Taiga looked at him, the curve of his lips unchanged.

"I should be the one asking you that."

His tone was light. "Will you become my enemy?"

He neither denied nor confirmed it. He threw the question back, leaving the other party to judge for themselves.

The two fell silent for another moment.

The fallen leaves on the river's surface had drifted several meters away, and the water continued to babble.

The Path of Pain narrowed his eyes slightly, then slowly raised his hands.

His movements weren't fast; every detail could be seen clearly. His fingers were long and slender, his knuckles distinct. He brought his hands together in front of his chest and began to form hand signs.

Those signs were for the Summoning Jutsu.

"It seems you will be an obstacle on my path."

The Path of Pain's voice echoed through the quiet forest, as if he were making an important decision.

The next moment, he slammed his hands onto the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Bang!!

With a loud crash, a massive plume of white smoke erupted on the opposite bank, as if something gigantic had been forcibly dragged out from another dimension.

The white smoke spread rapidly, engulfing the entire opposite bank, obscuring the forest and the man.

The smoke billowed over the river like a white cloud.

Then, something stepped out from the smoke.

It was massive and heavy.

With every step it took, the ground trembled.

The white smoke gradually dissipated, revealing the entity in its entirety.

It was a gigantic three-headed hound.

Three heads, each larger than a house. Six eyes, three massive maws. Thick black receivers pierced through each head, and its mouths were filled with densely packed, razor-sharp teeth, each one like a small blade.

Its body was like a small mountain, with thick limbs and sharp claws. It was covered in dark fur that looked as if it were forged from steel.

All three heads were moving; all six eyes were watching.

Six gazes fell entirely on Uchiha Taiga.

The three mouths opened simultaneously, revealing the sharp teeth within. Saliva dripped from the corners of its mouths, hitting the ground with a sizzling sound, as if corroding whatever it touched.

Uchiha Taiga stood on his side of the river, looking at the three-headed hound on the opposite bank. His facial expression didn't change at all.

His hands were still tucked in his pockets; his posture hadn't shifted.

The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, as if he were looking at something amusing.

Confirmed. The one who came was the Animal Path.