Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

Fortunately,

Before this operation began, Zongxian had already made many preparations. This base, which was specially raised and had its internal space expanded, was one of his preparations. After all, the Gedo Mazo was such a large thing that it couldn't be hidden in just any corner.

After setting up the Gedo Mazo, Sogen finally had time to take a quick shower, change into dry clothes, and then went to the Anbu's dungeon.

"Jiraiya-senpai."

"Zongxian, you've come!"

Jiraiya stood outside the prison gate, his expression very heavy.

For nothing else,

Just because his disciple was locked in a cell, staring at him with eyes full of hatred and anger, Jiraiya felt very uncomfortable! Finally, when Sogen arrived, he hurriedly inquired about the decision regarding Konan, "Sougen, what... what do you plan to do?"

"Persuading her to cooperate would be ideal; if not, then..."

Zongxian stood beside Jiraiya, looking into the cell. The angel of Amegakure was currently bound by a new type of straitjacket developed by the Equipment Development Department of Konoha. This straitjacket, imbued with a cursed seal technique, not only restricted the prisoner's mobility but also possessed the power to seal chakra.

If not,

This angel from Amegakure wouldn't just sit obediently in the cell; he simply glared angrily at the two people standing outside the cell door.

"The real culprit!"

Zongxian shook his head and glanced at Jiraiya, whose expression was solemn. "Jiraiya-senpai, don't worry! Even if we can't persuade her to cooperate with us, we can spare her life for your sake. However... I'm quite confident that I can persuade her to cooperate with us."

How do you plan to persuade Xiao Nan?

Jiraiya stared wide-eyed at Sogen, puzzled.

Even his teacher couldn't turn Konan back from that wrong path, let alone Sogen, who personally killed Nagato. From the moment Sogen came over, Konan's hateful and angry gaze shifted from Jiraiya to Sogen. If looks could hurt, Sogen would probably be a sieve by now, riddled with holes all over his body.

Given this situation,

He couldn't figure out how Zongxian could persuade Xiaonan to change her ways.

"Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it."

Zongxian spoke in a lighthearted tone.

He fed Jiraiya a huge bowl of chicken soup.

Of course,

He wasn't just spouting platitudes; he genuinely had confidence before saying those words. Convincing Konan to cooperate with Konoha was certainly not easy, but it wasn't exactly simple either.

The fastest and most convenient way is naturally to send Shisui.

Once the [Kotoamatsukami Technique] is used,

Getting Konan to willingly cooperate with Konoha would be a piece of cake, but the problem is that Konan's identity is rather special. With Jiraiya watching over her, it's inconvenient to use such methods to forcibly distort Konan's will. To be honest, such methods are really too villainous.

Furthermore,

Shisui himself doesn't particularly like using the "Kotoamatsukami Technique" to forcibly alter other people's perceptions.

Fortunately, Zongxian had more than one method. Shisui's "Kotoamatsukami Technique" was his last trump card. In addition, he had another move.

"Dou, come here quickly."

Zongxian waved.

In the dim light at the end of the corridor, Kabuto jogged over.

"How's it going? How's the preparation going? Are you confident?"

"Everything is ready. If nothing unexpected happens, everything will go smoothly." Kabuto Yakushi pushed up his glasses with his index finger, his eyes full of confidence.

"Let's begin!"

Zongxian issued permission.

original,

Kabuto Yakushi's backup plan was intended to deal with Orochimaru, but he didn't expect Orochimaru to appear in that way and fall so quickly. His prepared backup plan was rendered useless. However, this was not a bad thing. The problem was solved without using all his backup plans, which was a good thing!

In addition to dealing with Orochimaru.

This backup plan can also serve another purpose.

For example, now,

As they watched, Kabuto began to slowly form hand seals. After completing the four seals—Tiger, Snake, Dog, and Dragon—he clapped his hands together, and immediately Sogen and Jiraiya both felt the ground beneath their feet tremble slightly. Two coffins burst from the ground and stood upright in the corridor.

"This, this is..."

Jiraiya stared wide-eyed in surprise.

As expected of a well-informed literary giant, although he had never seen this forbidden technique before, he quickly realized what kind of forbidden technique Kabuto Yakushi had used.

"The Impure World Reincarnation Technique!!!"

Yes,

The technique of reincarnation in the Impure World.

This is the forbidden technique that Yakushi Kabuto mastered after diligent study.

"Zongxian, this is a forbidden technique that manipulates the souls of the dead!!"

"I know."

"You know that..."

Jiraiya looked at the composed Sogen and the words he was about to say stuck in his throat. It was true that the Impure World Reincarnation technique was a forbidden technique that played with the souls of the dead and violated ethics and morality, but such a forbidden technique was not absolutely untouchable.

Forbidden techniques can be researched as long as they involve the interests of the village and have the Hokage's endorsement.

exactly,

Zongxuan was the Sixth Hokage.

So it doesn't seem like it's unacceptable for Kabuto Yakushi, the Hokage's secretary, to learn one or two forbidden techniques.

Although Jiraiya was still very resistant to such a thing.

"Everything is for the village."

Zongxian was too lazy to explain anything to Jiraiya. There was no need to explain such things. He didn't believe that Jiraiya didn't understand the principle that where there is light, there must be shadow. It was just that Jiraiya was used to acting uprightly and looked down on such underhanded methods, which was why he reacted that way.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two coffin lids slammed to the ground, and when the dust settled, Jiraiya could clearly see the faces of the people inside the two coffins. His expression underwent a dramatic change in that instant, and his hands, which had been hanging by his sides, couldn't help but reach forward. His trembling fingers proved how turbulent his emotions were at that moment.

"Yahiko? Nagato?"

He murmured two names.

at the same time,

Confined in her cell with her mouth gagged, Konan couldn't see inside the coffin due to the angle of her confinement. However, after hearing Jiraiya's mutterings, she struggled frantically once again, trying to break free from these hateful restraints.

and,

Although she could not speak, she could still let out low growls that sounded like the roars of wild beasts.

"I have fulfilled my mission, Hokage-sama."

Kabuto let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it was successful on the first try, and I finally lived up to the Hokage's expectations.

"Let them wake up!"

Zongxian pointed to the two coffins.

Kabuto nodded slightly to indicate that he understood. He then manipulated the two figures in the coffin to come out. He walked behind the two corpses, took out two kunai with talismans tied to their ends, and inserted them into the back of the two corpses' heads.

The moment Yakushi Kabuto withdrew his hand.

The red-haired man on the left opened his eyes, his wavy, light purple eyes filled with confusion. If he remembered correctly, wasn't he dead? How could he see Jiraiya-sensei, Uchiha Sogen... and Konan, now a prisoner?

and many more,

This is the Ninja World!

Nagato saw Konan confined in the cell and sensed the vigorous life force of the people around him. He immediately realized that he had returned to the ninja world, and was existing in a strange state of being neither dead nor alive!

He instinctively prepared to rescue Xiao Nan from the cell.

However, someone else was faster than him.

Having anticipated this, Zongxian decisively plunged a black rod into Nagato's heart, followed by a second, a third, and a fourth. In a short instant, Nagato's heart, throat, back of the head, lower abdomen, and wrists were all pierced by the rods.

Sōgen had long considered the possibility that Nagato in his Edo Tensei state would be beyond Kabuto Yakushi's control, and had prepared corresponding countermeasures.

These black rods, created using the power of the Rinnegan, are the perfect limiters.

It was inserted into Nagato's body.

It disrupted the flow of chakra within his body.

Even though he could ignore the control that the caster, Kabuto Yakushi, had over him, he couldn't get rid of the numerous black rods that had practically turned him into a hedgehog.

"Nagato? What are you doing?"

A voice that hadn't been heard for years suddenly echoed in Nagato's ears, causing Nagato, who was pondering how to remove the black rods from his body, to look in astonishment at his side.

"······Yahiko?"

[Chapter 401 Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan]

Midnight,

The dungeon in the shadows was dimly lit, and the long shadows of the group were cast askew on the walls and floor.

Zongxian waved his hand, summoning the members of the Dark Guard responsible for guarding her, and ordered them to untie Konan. Without restraint, Konan did not do anything irrational. This was not because she was particularly sensible, but simply because Yahiko and Nagato had captured her full attention.

Let her leave at this time.

She will never leave this dungeon.

"Nagato, Konan, and Jiraiya-sensei... what on earth is going on?"

The young man with orange hair looked around blankly.