That night, in the grand conference hall of Amegakure.
Sumptuous dishes were carried out one after another from the kitchen — steaming, rich, and aromatic — making the children like little Yahiko and Haruyu drool uncontrollably. To them, it felt like another festival was upon the village.
Nagato and Yahiko lifted their cups of sake, smiling as they greeted the villagers and encouraged everyone to eat freely. Laughter and warmth filled the air.
Konan sat beside Naruto, watching the lively scene with a serene smile. "Thanks to you," she said softly, "they can finally eat their fill tonight."
Naruto blinked, slightly puzzled, but when he saw the children devouring their food with unrestrained joy, realization struck him.
"This is…" he murmured, eyes softening.
Konan chuckled gently. "I took the money and handed it to the village's treasury. I told them to buy food and supplies. So tonight, everyone gets to eat like this."
Hearing that, Naruto raised his glass apologetically. "I'm sorry. That card's been with me this whole time… I didn't realize it was causing everyone here hardship."
Konan shook her head with a light smile. "No, Naruto. It's not your fault. The village still hasn't recovered fully. You know how Amegakure's economy mainly relies on fishing and small-scale trade. Our shinobi force is still weak, and the missions we receive are scarce. It's a slow rebuild."
Naruto nodded in understanding. "I get it. But don't worry, Konan-nee. The money in that card is enough to keep Amegakure stable for a long time. From now on, continue following the plans we laid out before. I want these children to grow strong as quickly as possible."
He leaned forward slightly. "As for ninjutsu instruction, I'll talk to Konoha's leadership. We'll send qualified teachers here — maybe even invite Uncle Killer Bee to bring a few Kumogakure shinobi. That should help you build up stronger instructors."
Konan raised her glass and smiled warmly. "Thank you, Naruto."
Naruto waved his hand. "No, I should be thanking you, Konan-san. Without your help, Amegakure wouldn't be where it is now."
Just then, Nagato and Yahiko returned from greeting the villagers. They sat down with relaxed smiles and filled their cups again.
"At your wedding banquet," Yahiko said, laughing, "we didn't dare interrupt you much. But here, this is our home turf. We can finally drink freely!"
"Haha, exactly," Nagato added. "This tower… this village… we built everything here with our own hands."
Naruto smiled. "Then let's drink properly this time."
The four clinked their glasses together. The room filled with laughter and nostalgia.
The night stretched on — three rounds of sake, five rounds of dishes.
Eventually, everyone drifted away, one by one, until only the sounds of distant rain and faint laughter echoed through the halls.
Naruto returned to his room. It was just as he remembered — spotless, the faint scent of paper flowers in the air. Clearly, Konan still had someone keeping it clean all these years.
Nagato hadn't drunk much, but Yahiko was absolutely wasted.
With a sigh, Nagato slung Yahiko's arm over his shoulder and carried him back to his room.
"Konan," Nagato said, laying him down carefully, "I'll leave him to you. I'll say goodnight to Naruto and rest."
Konan nodded, closing the door behind Nagato.
She turned to Yahiko, who was muttering something incoherent, still half-drunk.
"Drink… Naruto… let's keep drinking…" he slurred, waving his hand lazily.
Konan sighed and gave him a gentle slap on the forehead. "You're hopeless. Naruto's gone to bed already."
Yahiko didn't respond — he just turned on his side and immediately fell asleep.
Konan, shaking her head, began removing his jacket, covering him with a blanket. Afterward, she wiped the sweat from her forehead, locked the door, and began preparing to shower.
Meanwhile, Nagato knocked on Naruto's door.
"Come in," Naruto called out.
Nagato stepped inside, smiling faintly when he saw Naruto lying awake. "Heh, I knew you weren't asleep."
Naruto sat up. "Couldn't sleep. What's up, Brother Nagato?"
Nagato took a seat at the edge of the bed, exhaling deeply. "Nothing serious… I just wanted to talk."
Naruto tilted his head. "About what?"
After a pause, Nagato looked him in the eyes. "I heard it from Konan earlier, and I also confirmed it myself in Konoha. Naruto… is it true? You were reborn from the future?"
Naruto blinked. It wasn't exactly a secret anymore, so he nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. It's true."
Nagato was silent for a few moments before continuing. "Do you remember when we first met? Back then, I was using the Six Paths power — I was ready to kill Jiraiya-sensei. Then you appeared out of nowhere with the Flying Thunder God Technique… to save him. Do you remember?"
"I remember," Naruto said quietly. "What about it?"
Nagato looked down, staring at the floor, his voice dropping.
"In that past life… I killed Jiraiya-sensei, didn't I?"
Naruto's expression hardened slightly. After a few seconds, he nodded. "…Yes."
A faint, bitter smile crossed Nagato's face. "And when you came to me after that, you used Shisui's eye — Kotoamatsukami — to change my perception, right?"
Naruto exhaled slowly. "Yeah. Shisui's Kotoamatsukami is an ultimate Genjutsu — Reality Control. But your Rinnegan was given to you by Madara. Since you never had the true Yang power of the Sage of Six Paths, you weren't completely immune to Genjutsu like that. I used it to help free your mind… not control it."
Nagato nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. He stood up and turned toward the door. Naruto stayed silent, watching him.
When Nagato reached the doorway, he suddenly turned back around.
"After the war," Nagato said softly, "I already suspected as much. Naruto… from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You saved me. If you hadn't saved Jiraiya-sensei, I would have truly become a murderer of my own master."
He smiled faintly. "And without you, Yahiko wouldn't have returned to me. Amegakure wouldn't be what it is today."
He paused, eyes gleaming with warmth. "Thank you, little brother. You changed my fate."
Naruto grinned. "You're wrong, brother. After Shisui came back to life and reclaimed his eyes, the Genjutsu seal was broken. Kotoamatsukami stopped influencing you completely."
He placed a hand on his chest. "The man who changed… was you. You chose your own path."
Nagato's smile deepened. "Maybe you're right."
He remembered the last moment of his past life — the boy with blond hair standing before him, speaking of peace even after everything. And in the end, he had believed him. He had believed in Naruto and used the Rinne Rebirth to revive all those he had killed.
Nagato chuckled quietly. "Good night… little brother."
He closed the door gently behind him. The burden that had lingered in his chest for years was gone. His heart finally felt light.
He took a deep breath, released it, and walked back toward his room.
Tonight, for the first time in many years, Nagato would truly sleep in peace.
In the next room, Konan had just stepped into the bathroom. The faint sound of running water filled the air.
Behind her, Yahiko stirred from the bed, his eyes half-open, the haze of sake still clouding his thoughts.
"Yahiko? You're awake?" Konan turned slightly, startled. But before she could react, Yahiko stood up and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Yahiko! What are you—?"
Konan froze, her cheeks instantly flushed.
"Yahiko, what are you doing?!"
Yahiko's voice trembled, but his words were clear — raw and unrestrained.
"Konan… I love you."
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