"Naruto, war makes both sides live with death, injury, and pain. No one can accept the death of their most important comrades, always thinking they are still alive..."
"Especially for those of your generation who haven't experienced war, there's nothing that can be done... Even if the meaning of death is found, what remains..."
"Is only pain and unvented resentment... Either die like an ant, or hate forever..."
"Naruto, this is also something you will have to face in the future... Whether it's you or me, it feels like all of this was pre-arranged by someone... No, perhaps this is truly the work of a God. It seems my mission ends here."
"Naruto... you really should..." (Nagato's words to Naruto before his death)
"Nagato..."
"Nagato..."
In a dim, nameless space, the sound of a water droplet echoed from a quiet place. Nagato, slowly waking up, seemed to hear a call from the depths of his Soul.
"Where is this?"
Nagato's consciousness slowly recovered. He opened his hazy eyes but only saw the dimness of an empty space around him.
"Is this Hell?"
Nagato thought to himself.
Nagato recalled his Issho, and a sense of powerlessness he had never felt before arose from the depths of his heart.
"I once thought I was the Child of Prophecy of the world, with unique Rinnegan, accompanied by close comrades. I fantasized that I could bring peace to the world through the efforts of my comrades..."
It wasn't until Yahiko's death that he realized the gap between dreams and reality, finally waking up as if from a dream.
"What does everything I've done now amount to?"
"Destroying Konoha for the sake of so-called peace, causing significant casualties through violent means..."
"Then, seeing the hope of the living in Naruto, he let go of his obsession and used a forbidden jutsu to save the deceased of Konoha..."
"Perhaps..."
"This is the true charm and meaning of the Child of Prophecy? My past self was always blinded by hatred, which is why I couldn't see the light belonging to the world."
"Naruto..."
"He was that ray of sunshine, illuminating the darkness in my heart and changing my original intention..."
"Now that I think about it..."
"Such an ending isn't meaningless, is it?"
"An ending?..."
"Perhaps this is just the real beginning... Nagato."
A strange sound suddenly emerged in the dark and silent space, making Nagato, who was deep in thought, realize that this space was not Hell as he had imagined.
It was the Six Paths Sage speaking. The Six Paths Sage knew Nagato was lost in thought and didn't expect Nagato to immediately get used to his presence.
"Nagato..."
"I am the Six Paths Sage..."
"The space you are currently in is the Six Paths space where I reside. As your Soul lingered, I saved you and pulled you into this space."
"Nagato..."
"Do you regret it?..."
"Do you regret sacrificing your life to save the deceased of Konoha?"
The Six Paths Sage's continuous questions brought Nagato's thoughts back to reality from his contemplation.
"Regret it?..."
"Why should I regret it?..."
"Isn't it perfect to be able to do something meaningful with my life before leaving that world?"
Nagato didn't understand why the Six Paths Sagewould save him, but he still answered truthfully.
"Perfect?..."
"Once, as the Child of Prophecy..."
"You were given a powerful mission by me to live in that world, but in the end, you were blinded by hatred."
"Because of your actions, you brought irreversible trauma to that world..."
"I had no choice but to designate another Child of Prophecy during your lifetime, and that was Uzumaki Naruto."
"And now your mission in that world has ended, while Naruto's has just begun. Do you have any regrets in your heart?"
The Six Paths Sage seemed not to need Nagato's answer and continued.
"The establishment of a New World order..."
"Is often accompanied by sacrifice and pain..."
"Blood and bone..."
"The New World order is always established after destruction."
"Nagato..."
"You can hate the world, but you must not forget your mission as the Child of Prophecy."
"Fortunately..."
"Your final awakening in that world allowed me to see the light and hope rekindled within you."
"I am willing to give you another chance to reorganize the New World order as the Child of Prophecy..."
"Do you accept?..."
Nagato listened carefully to everything the Six Paths Sage said, but his thoughts fell into a brief contemplation.
"The order of the New World?..."
"A world without Yahiko and Konan..."
"What does it have to do with me?"
"Yahiko..."
"His death was too long ago..."
"Even as an Immortal, I am powerless to revive him; his Soul has long since dissipated."
"The only thing I can do is to give you Yahiko's Physical Body in the New World..."
"Allowing you two to achieve your unfinished bond through the Fusion of your Souls and bodies."
"Konan..."
"She will also be killed protecting your eyes not long after you leave that world."
"Although I am an Immortal, I cannot forcibly interfere with the order of that world..."
"The only thing I can do is save her Soul at the moment of her death..."
"I will help her reshape her Physical Body and accompany you in the New World..."
"What do you think?"
Nagato wasn't curious why the Six Paths Sage could read his thoughts; Nagato was currently a Soul entity.
Nagato believed that with the Six Paths' abilities, it wasn't strange at all for the Six Paths to read his thoughts.
But what the Six Paths Sage said afterward was what Nagato truly desired. At this moment, Nagato's heart, calm for many years, couldn't help but ripple.
Although Nagato didn't know where the Six Paths Sage's New World referred to, he thought of his Soulbeing able to fuse with Yahiko's body.
And Konan could also reunite with him. Nagato felt that nothing was more important than this, so he asked with a slight tremor, "Where is the New World?"
"A world where oceans occupy eighty percent of the world. The people there revere the power of Devil Fruit, which is a completely different system from your Chakra Cultivate method."
"Given the difference between your Cultivation system and that world's, as well as the side effects of your previous use of Six Paths abilities..."
"I will modify your body in the New World, removing the pain and side effects of using Six Paths abilities in that world."
For any of Nagato's questions, the Six Paths Sageanswered calmly and patiently.
"So..."
"If there are no problems, let's go."
"Konan..."
"When can she be with me?"
Nagato cared most about Konan, so he asked about her with great concern.
"Konan is still alive in that world..."
"I can only send her body, Soul, and abilities to the New World after she dies in that world."
"However, you may need to search for each other to meet, because you must immediately begin your mission in the New World after you depart."
"Otherwise, your lifespan will decline..."
"At that time, you will die of old age."
"When Konan arrives, you will no longer be at the starting point, so... go to the New World first and begin your mission, awaiting Konan's arrival."
"Is that so?"
"If I don't start the mission in time, my life will decline?"
"In that case..."
"Then, New World..."
"Send me there!"
"Nagato..."
"Remember your mission..."
"This is all I can do..."