Chapter 42 : Sage of Six Paths!!

"Who are you? And what do you want?" 

Konan was on high alert, her senses sharp, fully considering the man before her an enemy. 

"My name is Adam," replied the man with a slight pause, then continued with deliberate slowness, "As for my purpose—" He leaned forward with an air of mystery. "In the name of 'Lord', I act on 'His' behalf, walking through this world to save the lost lambs."

Adam was playing a role, pretending to be someone he was not. Lies were a useful tool, and he wielded them like a master. He had to admit, he was good at it—so good that even Konan seemed hesitant to dismiss him.

"Are you calling me a lost lamb?" Konan's voice was cold, her icy demeanor reflecting in her eyes. "You say that every gift from fate carries a price. What do you mean by that?"

"Have you not seen the signs of fate?" Adam gently tapped his slender fingers on a worn book he carried. "The 'price' is what happened to your dear friend, Yahiko."

"Who are you? How do you know this? And why—?" Konan's voice trembled as if she was on the brink of losing control. Her face grew pale, and her body felt as if all warmth had been drained. 

Adam's tone was calm, almost casual. "Didn't I already answer this? As for how I know, it's simple—I am the one who shows you your destiny."

"It's you?!" Konan's emotions burst forth like a dam breaking. The grief, regret, and anger from the past few days swirled together, igniting a fire within her that she could no longer contain.

Her eyes grew fierce, red with fury, like a wild animal cornered and desperate to strike. She was ready for a fight.

Konan felt as though she might rush forward and tear the man before her to shreds. Her rage was almost palpable. Yet she knew she couldn't act recklessly; that would lead to her demise, and if she died, who would take care of Nagato?

Yahiko's death had taught her that giving in to uncontrolled anger and panic would only make things worse. The best path forward was to calm down and seek a solution.

Suppressing her hatred, Konan tried to maintain her composure as she spoke, "Can you tell me why you chose me?"

"It wasn't my choice. It was the 'Lord's'," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a calmness that hinted at something deeper. 

"I merely followed the 'Lord's' will, extracting a small fragment from the torrent of fate and presenting it to you in a dream. What you do with it is up to you. You may choose to change the outcome, but know that it won't be easy."

Konan clenched her fists and bit her lip until it bled, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. It was agonizing to watch events unfold, unable to change them, like grasping for something to hold onto while drowning, only to find more despair. 

It was as if an unseen hand pulled her deeper into the abyss, away from any hope.

"It's cruel," she said, the bitterness of helplessness evident in her voice.

Sogetsu simply nodded, his eyes steady like a still lake. "I understand, but I've done my duty. Your fate is not altered by this warning. What you saw will still happen. So, what will you do? Will you succumb to fate, or will you carve your own path through the darkness?"

"Do I even have a choice?" Konan replied, her voice heavy with hopelessness. 

"I tried to change things, and it only brought Yahiko's death sooner. What kind of irony is that? My actions to prevent a tragic future only made it happen faster. It would've been better if I hadn't known."

Her body sagged with the weight of her words. If she hadn't tried to change things, perhaps Yahiko would still be alive, and he could continue to lead the Akatsuki. 

Now, everything was bleak and uncertain, as if every step she took brought her closer to a destiny she couldn't escape.

This shocking revelation sent shivers down her spine. She dared not tamper with the thread of fate, fearing it might hasten the end.

"The key question is," Uchiha Sogetsu's voice was deep and laced with a subtle psychological edge, "Do you have the courage to let go of everything?"

"Everyone has their moments of hesitation," he continued. "It's not the hesitation that's the problem; it's failing to act in spite of it. Because once you make a decision, you're no longer uncertain—you'll head in the direction you've chosen."

Konan paused, conflicted and unsure of what to do next. Uchiha Sogetsu's words echoed in her mind—did she become a puppet of fate and allow a tragic outcome, or did she carve a new path in this bleak landscape? 

She couldn't decide.

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice fraught with confusion. It was always like this for her.

If only Yahiko were alive, she thought. He'd know what to do, right?

"If you can really foresee fate, tell me," Konan said, her voice trembling with emotion. Her eyes were moist, her lips quivering. 

"Why is fate so cruel to us? Yahiko—he always wanted to change the ninja world, make it better for everyone. Why did he have to die?"

"The harsh truth is..."

Uchiha Sogetsu knew exactly how to frame this in a way that made sense: "Yahiko's death was necessary. It was the only way to propel Nagato's transformation."

"Nagato?" Konan's eyes widened in shock, her pupils dilating. "What does Yahiko's death have to do with Nagato?"

"Because Nagato..." He spoke with a calm yet unnerving indifference, his eyes carrying a heavy intensity. 

"Nagato is the catalyst for the prophecy and the Child of Prophecy. The fate of the entire ninja world depends on 'him' and from the moment Nagato was born, today's situation was destined to happen."

"Who is 'he'? What is this 'Child of Prophecy'?" Konan felt her mind spinning, overwhelmed by the information. It was too much to process.

But a voice seemed to whisper in her heart, a name that held power and reverence throughout the ninja world. A name known only in legends.

Konan felt a growing fear, and she couldn't bring herself to meet Uchiha Sogetsu's gaze.

"The blue-eyed boy who tames the Nine Tails—he is the child of prophecy."

Uchiha Sogetsu gave her a calm glance and said, "You already know who 'he' is, don't you? So why do you need me to confirm it for you?"

"The Sage of Six Paths," Konan muttered under her breath, stepping back instinctively. Her heart raced with fear.

Many people believed that the Sage of Six Paths was merely a legend, but Konan knew for sure that he was real, a living person from the past. 

After all, Nagato possessed the Sage's eyes— the Rinnegan.

"Was everything we went through just for the 'Child of Prophecy'?" Konan's heart swelled with resentment. She had never felt such anger before.

She wanted to shout at the Sage of Six Paths, asking why he would destroy everything she held dear just because of some absurd prophecy.

But then, Konan felt a crushing sense of helplessness. She looked to Adam, seeking guidance. "What should I do?"

"You need to ask yourself that question." Uchiha Sogetsu gestured towards her heart, speaking gently, "Look within. What does your heart tell you to do?"

Konan slowly closed her eyes.

Memories flooded her mind, flashing by like a whirlwind. Yahiko's smile and dreams, Nagato's determination and suffering, and the complexities of their past and future all came rushing back. At last, the whirlwind of images paused.

When Konan opened her eyes, they were no longer clouded with uncertainty.

At that moment, she transformed, as if she had been reborn.

"I don't want to be a slave to fate!" Her voice was resolute, her pupils burning with a fierce determination. "I will not be a pawn in someone else's prophecy. I will carry on Yahiko's dream!"

"In your eyes, I see 'enlightenment.'"

Uchiha Sogetsu extended his hand with a warm smile. "Then the Twilight Hermit Order welcomes you."

Meanwhile, in a realm beyond time and space...

A figure dressed in pure white sat cross-legged, a Zen staff laid across his legs, with several black orbs hovering behind him.

"Hmm?" The white-clad figure opened his eyes, a hint of perplexity in them. "Fate... A new choice has emerged. Who could it be?"

His eyes, with their distinctive purple concentric circles, were the legendary Rinnegan, a Dojutsu that held a unique power.

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