The reasons for halting the collection of the Tailed Beasts were numerous. First, the Cloud Village was currently at its peak strength and highly protective of its Jinchūriki, making it a risky target. Second, the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki was now the Mizukage of the Mist Village. Given that the previous Mizukage was already captured by the Akatsuki, any further moves against their Jinchūriki would likely provoke an all-out retaliation from the Mist Village against either the Akatsuki or the Hidden Rain. Lastly, capturing the Nine-Tails wasn't an immediate concern as it was intended to be sealed last. Once the Nine-Tails was obtained, they could directly summon the Gedo Statue to absorb its chakra and complete the plan.
At that point, Nagato would control the Gedo Statue infused with all nine Tailed Beasts' chakra, a force powerful enough to impose peace upon the entire ninja world.
To restart the plan, however, they needed to have the power to capture the remaining Tailed Beasts in rapid succession. Starting with the Six-Tails, then the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails, and finally the Nine-Tails all needed to be captured without significant delay.
"Leave the Two-Tails, Six-Tails, and Eight-Tails to me," Ye Zi stated confidently, offering Nagato his straightforward rationale.
Nagato's face remained impassive as he responded, "Can you capture all three Jinchūriki within a week?"
Time was the most critical factor in the entire plan. If the Tailed Beasts were captured successfully but delayed in sealing, the counterattacks from the Cloud and Mist Villages could overwhelm the Hidden Rain before the Gedo Statue could be completed.
For Nagato, the survival of the Hidden Rain was secondary. As long as the plan progressed on schedule, even sacrificing the entire village to the Cloud and Mist Villages was acceptable. By then, he would likely have already captured the Nine-Tails in Konoha.
Ye Zi fell silent at Nagato's words. Capturing three Jinchūriki within a week, factoring in travel and sealing times, was clearly impossible for one person alone. Moreover, attacking the major ninja villages directly, especially the Cloud Village, was an extremely high-risk endeavor. Even with his mastery of Sage Mode, Ye Zi wasn't confident he could escape unscathed, especially considering the need to capture the Jinchūriki alive.
If he wasn't in peak condition when Nagato went to capture the Nine-Tails, he wouldn't be able to act as the proverbial "sparrow behind the mantis." To execute his plan to ambush Nagato and claim the Rinnegan, Ye Zi knew he had to be in perfect health.
After pondering for a moment, Ye Zi proposed, "Leave the Six-Tails to someone else. I'll focus on capturing the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails in the Cloud Village."
Nagato and Konan both knew that infiltrating the Cloud Village and capturing not one, but two Jinchūriki would be the most challenging task. Yet Ye Zi's demeanor and tone suggested he was confident in his ability to succeed.
"Are you absolutely certain you can do this?" Nagato questioned.
"Yes," Ye Zi affirmed with a nod.
Nagato's eyes flickered with thought. If Ye Zi could guarantee the plan's success, Nagato was willing to accelerate its timeline. However, he wasn't one to trust based on mere words.
The Cloud Village's Jinchūriki weren't just strong individually. They were under the protection of a village led by the formidable Third Raikage, known as a "monster" in his own right.
Sensing Nagato's hesitation, Ye Zi added, "Give me one year." He held up a single finger. "In one year, I will capture both the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails in a single operation. As long as the Six-Tails is captured simultaneously, only the Nine-Tails will remain."
"So there's no need to waste time gathering funds or developing the Hidden Rain further. Instead, focus on collecting intelligence on the Jinchūriki and their abilities to ensure success. Meanwhile, send all the other Akatsuki members to handle the Six-Tails."
A year was the deadline Ye Zi had set for himself. He didn't want Nagato to squander this time, even if it was to build up the Rain Village.
Nagato observed Ye Zi coldly, his expression unreadable. "I don't believe you can succeed. The Cloud Village's strength is unmatched among the major ninja villages."
Ye Zi's response was calm and unwavering: "If I fail, I'll die."
His words were delivered so lightly, without a hint of fear or hesitation, that even Nagato paused to consider them.
Nagato fell silent, weighing whether to heed Ye Zi's proposal. His original plan was to wait until he was certain of success, even if that meant waiting several more years.
However, Ye Zi's confidence was compelling. If Ye Zi could single-handedly capture the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails, and the other members succeeded with the Six-Tails, the Nine-Tails would be the only remaining obstacle.
Nagato's deliberation was further influenced by Ye Zi's recent exploits in Konoha. Without that feat, he wouldn't have even entertained the suggestion.
After a long silence, Nagato's face grew colder, his voice sharp as ice:
"As you say, if you fail. Even if you don't die in the Cloud Village, I will kill you myself."
Ye Zi's brow furrowed slightly but he replied with unwavering determination: "I will succeed."
Nagato didn't know where Ye Zi's confidence came from, but he decided to trust him this time.
Even if Ye Zi's mission in the Cloud Village ended in failure, with his ability to inflict severe damage on Konoha and escape unscathed, he could still create enough trouble in the Cloud Village to ease the burden of capturing the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails.
In essence, Nagato was prepared to use Ye Zi's life as a stepping stone to pave the way for the plan. That rationale led him to agree to Ye Zi's proposal.
"I hope so," Nagato replied coldly.
Beside him, Konan's eyes flickered with a trace of surprise, though her expression remained unreadable. Internally, she wished for Ye Zi to die in the Cloud Village.
Ye Zi gazed into Nagato's Rinnegan and said, "When the time is right, I'll inform you."
"Very well," Nagato nodded slightly.
Thus, the plan to resume the collection of the Tailed Beasts was set.
From Ye Zi's perspective, a year was ample time to prepare everything he needed. One critical aspect of his preparation involved sealing Shokui within himself as a tool for drawing chakra at will. This was a significant factor behind his confidence in the mission to the Cloud Village.
A chronic shortage of chakra had long been a limitation he sought to overcome. If he could resolve that issue, it would not only improve his odds of success in the Cloud Village but also increase his chances of killing Nagato and taking the Rinnegan.
Nagato, however, remained unaware of Ye Zi's ulterior motives for urging the plan's restart. Since he held control over the Gedo Statue, he saw no way for Ye Zi to disrupt the plan significantly.
To Nagato, maximizing Ye Zi's utility before discarding him was an acceptable outcome.
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Currently on Chapter 509 - Ye Zi vs The Third Raikage