The domineering Uchiha drove the Third Hokage mad!

Chapter 241 Nagato, transformed into a major villain

After a long silence, Nagato slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze was resolute: "I choose the former. I will do as you request, conquer the Land of Grass, and declare war on the Land of Earth. But you must promise not to harm Konan."

Konan's eyes were filled with heartache and worry, and tears streamed down her face: "Nagato, you shouldn't have agreed to him!"

Uchiha Mitsunori's lips curled slightly, and the oppressive aura of his golden Rinnegan gradually dissipated: "Rest assured, I never break my word. From today onwards, you are the 'greatest villain' of the ninja world, and I will watch from behind the scenes as you pave the way for peace."

Nagato looked at Konan's reddened eyes and gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks with his fingertips.

He moved with extreme care and gentleness: "Konan, don't cry. For you, and for the peace of the ninja world, I'm willing to bear eternal infamy."

Konan wanted to say something more, but then she saw a pale green halo appear in the palm of Uchiha Sanfeng's hand, and a glass tube containing a viscous liquid slowly flew up and hovered in front of Nagato.

"This is a specially made Hashirama cell optimization fluid that can increase Nagato's chakra reserves and physical recovery abilities, enough to heal his leg injury. It can also enhance his control over the Rinnegan and the Gedo Mazo. With it, Nagato will have the strength to support the subsequent plans, but do not use the power of Wood Release lightly."

Xiao Nan stared at the vial of medicine, her brows furrowed.

The liquid in the glass tube glowed with a faint green light, possessing a powerful life force. She both longed for Nagato to recover his health and feared that the potion might conceal a conspiracy. But then she thought, given the other party's strength, if they truly wanted to harm them, they wouldn't need to go to such lengths.

Seeing Konan's hesitant gaze, Nagato gave a rare smile: "Let's do the injection. If he really wants to kill us, we can't resist."

Xiao Nan bit her lip, took the medicine, removed the needle sheath, and carefully inserted it into Changmen's vein.

The green liquid was slowly injected, and Nagato's body instantly glowed with a pale green light, as chakra began to surge wildly within him.

His originally thin and bony body became plump at a visible speed, his pale skin gradually regained color, and even his dry white hair was dyed a bright red.

What is most shocking is his legs. The muscles that had atrophied due to years of paralysis have become vibrant and firm again, and the restraints of the mechanical chair have gradually tightened.

Nagato could even feel the long-lost sensation of "being grounded." He slowly stood up, and although his movements were still a little stiff, he was truly standing on the ground, no longer needing mechanical support.

Konan reached out and touched his cheek. The warmth from her fingertips brought tears to her eyes again. "Nagato... your leg... is it really healed?"

Nagato was also somewhat dazed. He moved his ankles, and his chakra flowed smoothly through his body. Even the vision of his Rinnegan became clearer, and he was finally able to exert stronger control over the Gedo Mazo.

He looked up at Uchiha Mitsurugi, his eyes filled with a complex emotion.

Gratitude was mixed with wariness, after all, this "gift" came at the cost of "becoming the villain".

Watching Nagato's transformation, Uchiha Mitsunori still wore a calm smile.

He raised his hand and drew a blur in the air, outlining a simplified map of the ninja world.

"Now you have enough strength to execute the plan. Remember, the first step is to conquer the Land of Grass. The Land of Grass is located in the center of the ninja world, and although its national strength is weak, it connects the Earth and Fire Kingdoms, making it an excellent springboard. After you take over the Land of Grass, don't rush to expand. First, integrate local resources and develop the strength of the Akatsuki organization."

Konan frowned and asked in a low voice, "If we occupy the Land of Grass, the Hidden Stone Village will definitely attack us!"

Uchiha Mitsunori's finger landed on the Land of Earth region on the map: "I know Onoki will definitely not tolerate you growing stronger under his nose. What you need to do is to crush Iwagakure's counterattack head-on. Don't hold back, let the ninja world see your 'ruthlessness,' let them believe that you really want to overthrow the existing order."

Nagato frowned: "To crush Iwagakure? I'm afraid... many people will die..."

Uchiha Mitsunori interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Nagato, sometimes someone has to make a sacrifice. What you have to do is seize the opportunity."

His finger continued to move, tracing the borders of the neighboring Kingdoms of Wind and Fire: "After defeating Iwagakure, you should take advantage of the situation to capture the three border cities of the Land of Earth, and then take a few small cities in the western part of the Land of Wind and the southern part of the Land of Fire—not too many, three from each country will suffice. Although these cities are not wealthy, they can form an encirclement, putting pressure on the various countries of the ninja world."

Konan couldn't help but ask, "If we do this, we'll have to face attacks from the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind."

She always felt that the plan was too risky, and that every step was like walking on a knife's edge.

Uchiha Mitsunori's eyes sharpened: "After that, you stop. Begin consolidating the conquered cities and declare the establishment of the 'Land of Akatsuki,' the sixth largest nation in the ninja world. Then openly recruit ninjas, whether they are rogue ninjas or low-ranking ninjas, as long as they have the strength, they can join. You must show an attitude of 'inclusiveness,' but also retain the power of 'deterrence,' so that other nations both fear you and dare not act rashly."

Nagato paused for a moment, then raised his question: "Establishing a sixth nation... will make us a target of everyone. Various nations might very well join forces to encircle and annihilate us."

A glint of light flashed in Uchiha Mitsunori's eyes: "This is exactly what I want. When you become a 'threat' to everyone, when nations are filled with fear and distrust, unable to form a true alliance, then the Land of Water can step in under the guise of 'maintaining order in the ninja world.' At that time, if you are 'defeated,' I will accept the nations of the ninja world with 'tolerance,' and unification will be a natural outcome."

He paused, looked at Nagato, and said with a more solemn tone: "Remember, when peace truly arrives, no one will remember your 'infamy,' but only your sacrifices for peace."

Nagato clenched his fists, his red hair fluttering slightly in the wind, his eyes filled with even greater resolve: "I understand. I will proceed according to your plan, step by step. But I hope you remember your promise. No matter what, you must not harm Konan, and you must not let the ninja world descend into greater chaos."

Uchiha Mitsunori's figure gradually became transparent: "I never break my word. The effects of the potion will last a long time, enough for you to complete the initial phase of your plan. If needed, I will contact you."

With the disappearance of the three peaks of the Uchiha clan, only Nagato and Konan remained in the base.

Konan looked at Nagato's tall and straight back, her heart still filled with worry.

Although this seemingly crazy plan could actually be realized, it would fulfill their long-held desire for peace.