Jiraiya walked inside as well. "You really are Nagato!"
Nagato frowned. Naruto clenched his fists and shouted, "Everything you've done… was it all just to force people to feel your so-called pain?!"
"Yes. Only through this method can you understand what justice is… what peace is." Nagato looked at Shigeo and Naruto, an icy smile on his face. At this moment, as long as the Six Paths of Pain outside defeated Shigeo, no one in the shinobi world would be able to stop them.
"Heh…" Shigeo let out a cold laugh. "The excuses you make for what you've done are truly ridiculous."
"Yeah. If that is what you call justice, then what about my teacher? My comrades? My people? All your righteous talk is just a joke you tell yourself…"
Naruto's eyes shifted toward a Tailed Beast state, fury swelling inside him as if he were about to erupt.
"You call me self-important, then what is your goal? To prove yourself? And even if you proved yourself—then what?"
Nagato lifted his head coldly, staring straight at Naruto. He seemed to be searching for an answer, yet also for a reason to deny him.
"I want to use my own strength to protect everyone. I want to use my strength to bring peace to this world—not to make people suffer even more like you do…" Naruto had already charged forward. A blade of wind formed in his hand and slashed toward Nagato.
Konan rushed forward. Her Dance of Paper formed a shield in front of her, blocking Naruto's wind blade. The collision made a harsh tearing sound as paper shredded in the air.
At that moment, the Six Paths of Pain outside entered the tree-cave, forming an umbrella-shaped defensive formation around Nagato.
Shigeo's six wooden clones also entered, standing behind their original.
Nagato looked at them and laughed coldly.
"Uzumaki Naruto, you call me self-righteous—isn't that what you are too? Why should you be the one to bring peace to this world? Why can't I? All your talk… it's nothing but your own hero complex. And tell me, can you guarantee that everything you've done has been absolutely correct? Think back—have you truly never killed an innocent person? And all those shinobi who died by your hand—did every one of them deserve it?"
Naruto's brows tightened. He did not refute it.
Shigeo frowned.
Why wasn't Naruto's mouth ninjutsu working? He brought him here to persuade Nagato. Only then could Konoha's fallen shinobi be revived—only then could Shizune-neechan wake up.
Nagato continued, "Before you accuse me, think about this—everyone here fights for the benefit of their own village. Isn't that right, Jiraiya-sensei? Isn't that right, Shigeo, Shadow of the Ink Village?"
"So Naruto, spare me the accusations. Compared to what I've done, the Five Great Nations have committed far worse. First war, second war, third war—how many innocents were crushed beneath your iron boots? And Nanmo Country—wasn't its so-called expansion built on invading Tea Country and Bear Country? Don't tell me Shigeo has never killed the wrong person."
Nagato's eyes bulged as he shouted,
"If we're all the same, then stop pretending you stand on the side of justice. If you want to prove something—show it with your strength!"
The Six Paths of Pain stepped forward, attacking Shigeo's clones and the three before them.
Shigeo glanced at the blond youth beside him, puzzled.
"Naruto? Say something."
Jiraiya frowned deeply. He could already feel it—no one would be able to change Nagato's mind.
Suddenly Naruto swung his arm and shouted,
"I don't know about the past. But I'm sure of one thing—through everything I've experienced, I've never killed an innocent person. And yeah, I make decisions based on what's best for Konoha. But in every battle I've ever been in, I've always worked to keep casualties as low as possible. I don't know much about the first, second, and third wars—but I'm sure of this: after those wars, every one of us has been trying to make this world better. And I… will try even harder. I believe that someday, people will achieve mutual understanding, and this world will be peaceful. And that peace… won't come from killing people."
In that moment, even Shigeo—who already knew the entire Naruto story—felt moved. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he turned toward Nagato.
Nagato stared at the blond boy before him, doubt written across his face. He had nothing to say in response.
Yes… he had always clung to the tragedies of the past, always tried to force understanding through pain. But everything Naruto said—reducing suffering, bringing hope to the future—was far more noble.
Time seemed to freeze. Inside the tree-cave, the Six Paths of Pain and Shigeo's six clones all stood still, facing each other. Nagato stared blankly, still processing everything. He was smart—and he understood clearly what Naruto's words meant.
That mutual understanding, that light shining into the future, pierced his heart.
He asked quietly, "That kind of world… will it really come?"
"It will."
Naruto clenched his fist and answered with certainty.
Jiraiya's eyes shone. It was as if he had found his lost faith. At one time, he thought Nagato and the others were the children of prophecy—but now it was clear.
Naruto was the one.
"But… I trust myself even more!"
Suddenly Nagato's expression turned cold. The Six Paths of Pain lunged toward Naruto.
"Uzumaki Naruto, we came here for you. The others have already gone to the Hidden Cloud. With both the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails extracted, our plan will soon begin. The world you imagine is uncertain—but the world we will create is about to be born…"
Inside the tree-cave, Jiraiya, Naruto, and the Six Paths of Pain clashed.
Shigeo moved his hand, sending his six clones forward.
"Nagato, why are you so stubborn? You're smart—how can you let Black Zetsu and White Zetsu use you like this? They want to use all of humanity as nourishment. Do you really believe in Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
Nagato turned his head toward Shigeo.
"Don't think that just because you're strong you can stop our plan. No one can stop Infinite Tsukuyomi. Soon, a world of dreams will reshape the shinobi world. As long as the moon rises, the future of the shinobi world will not change. Just wait for Infinite Tsukuyomi!"
(End of Chapter)
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