Chapter 302: The Cruel Price That One Must Pay

"The overt leader of Akatsuki? Overt?" Nagato murmured this title, then showed a bitter smile. He initially wanted to refute, but recalling the man behind the mask and Zetsu, he realized how apt the title was.

"Regrettably, I was used for so long without knowing." Although Nagato didn't know the exact plans of the man behind the mask, he was sure they weren't what had been explained to him at the time; otherwise, there wouldn't have been such haste to act.

Nagato acknowledged that although he couldn't defeat Natsuro, he still held some value. For instance, had the enemy never considered using the phasing ability to take him away? Even though he likely wouldn't have agreed, the lack of an attempt indicated something.

They never saw him as a comrade, just a pawn to be discarded at any time.

"Used for so long? Do you know when you started being used?" Natsuro asked teasingly while treating Nagato.

"… You mean, it wasn't only after Yahiko's death that I began to be manipulated?" Nagato tensed up at the thought. If that was the case, could Yahiko's death also be linked to the man behind the mask?

"Smart." Natsuro felt it was easier talking with someone intelligent, as he didn't need to lay everything out step-by-step.

"So, do you know when I began to be used?" Nagato asked urgently.

"Of course, it started when you received the Rinnegan," Natsuro answered.

Nagato was stunned because he had considered many possibilities, but he never expected the timeline to be as early as Natsuro suggested.

This made him momentarily unsure of what to question, though he had prepared to challenge Natsuro's statements, such as 'Were you there? How can you be sure that I was being used at that time?'

Now, the timeline he mentioned completely threw Nagato off; it seemed totally unrelated to what Konan had just described, right? "Let's hear it." After a moment of silence, Nagato asked, the explanation seeming so far-fetched it might just be true…

"The Rinnegan, as the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, do you know how it actually came into being?" Natsuro also asked.

"Born with it? Shouldn't it be… natural?" Nagato paused, having never doubted the origin of the Rinnegan, but according to Natsuro, it seemed it might not be inherent? "Of course not, at least… your Rinnegan wasn't, because aside from that clan, the birth of the Rinnegan isn't instant but evolves from the Sharingan," Natsuro pondered a while before deciding not to mention the Otsutsuki clan.

"Sharingan?" Nagato and Konan were both taken aback, completely surprised by Natsuro's explosive statement.

Natsuro continued, "So, even if your mother was from the Uzumaki clan and your father from the Uchiha clan, it wouldn't be possible to directly activate the Rinnegan. It would evolve step-by-step from the Sharingan, three tomoe, Mangekyo, and then the Rinnegan."

"Are you sure?" Nagato asked dryly, feeling as if his thoughts had completely halted because if Natsuro was telling the truth, then his entire life… was a joke!

"Absolutely sure. I have no reason to deceive you, and don't you find it strange? If they were your eyes, would it really be so strenuous to use them?" Natsuro pointed out.

Indeed… There was no need. Plus, Nagato felt relief and liberation when he removed his eyes, realizing that feeling wasn't an illusion but the sensation of discarding something foreign to his body.

But if it were true…

Nagato's body trembled, his mind swirling with thoughts.

"Nagato…" Konan looked at him worriedly as he delved into memories he preferred not to revisit.

That night, the night his parents died and he 'awakened' the Rinnegan.

Now, that night remained vivid in Nagato's memory, the trembling child he was, and his parents rushing out to protect him…

He had never doubted the origin of the Rinnegan before, but now, doubting it, was everything just a coincidence?

He remembered hearing voices inside the house. While it was true that Leaf ninja killed his parents, the initial conversation was merely about searching for food. The conversation after they killed his parents indicated they mistakenly thought his parents were enemy ninjas...

Previously, Nagato thought such misunderstandings were meaningless because, despite being just misunderstandings, his parents truly died at their hands!

But now, if what Natsuro said was true, was the arrival of those two Leaf ninjas for food really just a coincidence?

"That's right, your life was predestined. The death of your parents awakened the Rinnegan that wasn't yours, and your friend's death steered you towards the path they had arranged for you," Natsuro explained.

"So, even if the incident with Danzo hadn't occurred, something else would have happened?" Nagato asked dully.

"Exactly, or you should be thankful that only Yahiko's death was needed to set you on this path," Natsuro remarked, glancing at Konan.

Konan was silent, realizing from his words that if Nagato had continued with his previous ideology, she might have been next.

Nagato understood Natsuro's implication, his mind in complete disarray.

If Natsuro was right, the Rinnegan wasn't his, and its real owners were likely allied with the man behind the mask and Zetsu, then their actions were understandable.

Were they worried their Rinnegan wouldn't be retrievable if it fell into Natsuro's hands? "Why should I believe you?" Nagato's voice carried struggle and pain, as if he had lost everything, suddenly feeling his life was truly worthless.

"Don't believe it then. I'm just stating the truth, I didn't expect you to actually believe it," Natsuro shrugged.

"…" Nagato was silent, his inner turmoil continuing, essentially feeling on the verge of collapse.

"Sixth Hokage, why are you doing this?" Konan stared at Natsuro, puzzled. Even though he had let them go, why bring up these points now when he could have remained silent, as silence wouldn't have affected anything?

"Why do this? Remember what I said, 'death penalty can be avoided, but punishment cannot be escaped.' You didn't think that was the punishment, did you?" Natsuro said mockingly, "I just didn't want to say everything in front of Jiraiya-sensei."

"And truth is just truth; whether I speak it or not, it exists. Or would you rather Nagato be manipulated his entire life and die without ever knowing the truth?" Natsuro continued treating Nagato, his medical skills, including his mastery of medical ninjutsu, nearly rivaling Tsunade's.

As for why Natsuro was doing this, it was indeed a form of punishment.

Natsuro could be certain that if Jiraiya went to investigate Amegakure, his fate would likely not differ much from the original story.

Nagato would still have killed Jiraiya.

This event hadn't happened, which was why he could spare Nagato and Konan.

But that alone wasn't enough for him; others might not know what happened in the original, but he did. Without imposing some form of punishment, he felt he would be dissatisfied.

There's a saying, "Lies don't hurt people, the truth does like a sharp knife!"

And Nagato, struck by this blade, would have to spend the rest of his life healing this wound.

"Nagato, don't believe him, he has no proof what he's saying is true!" Konan, seeing Nagato still trembling, couldn't help but speak out.

"…Konan, he has no reason to lie to me," Nagato said.

At that, Konan fell silent. If Nagato chose to believe, what more could she say?

But still, Nagato was puzzled and asked, "Why would you tell me all this? Is it really just to punish me?"

"What else?" Natsuro countered.

Nagato was silent, then couldn't help but ask, "Sixth Hokage, we didn't have much of a grudge before, did we?"

"Indeed," Natsuro nodded, making Nagato even more confused.

"Previously, Jiraiya-sensei planned to go alone to Amegakure to gather intelligence on Akatsuki. I wonder, if he had actually gone, what would you have done?" Natsuro asked.

Nagato fell silent, contemplating. If it were the old him, there seemed to be only one answer...

"So, do you understand?" Natsuro asked.

"I understand…" Nagato couldn't respond, only remaining silent, while Konan also grew quiet, understanding from Nagato's answer.

Would Nagato have personally killed Jiraiya? At that moment, Konan didn't know what to think. Would she have stopped him? Probably not… She would have just followed Nagato's lead.

"However, such a thing didn't happen, did it?" Konan managed a weak smile.

"That's why you're still alive," Natsuro glanced at Konan and said.

Immediately, both Konan and Nagato fell silent, realizing the implication…

But at the same time, they were puzzled, why was he so sure that Jiraiya going to Amegakure would certainly have led to his death?

Ultimately, they didn't voice this question.

After a long while...

"Alright, it's done." The green glow from Natsuro's palm faded as he spoke.

"Nagato, how are you feeling?" Konan asked, looking at Nagato with some concern.

"I feel... very good," Nagato responded, clenching his fist a bit in surprise. "The Sixth Hokage's medical ninjutsu is very strong."

"That's good," Konan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Also, do you still need this device?" Natsuro asked, looking at the machine beneath Nagato.

"No need for it anymore. Without the Rinnegan, this machine serves no purpose," Nagato replied.

"Then I'll take it away and hand it over to the research team," Natsuro thought aloud, and Nagato didn't object further.

Konan helped Nagato out of the machine.

After sealing the machine with a sealing jutsu, Natsuro, along with Nagato and Konan, used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave.

.....

At Jiraiya's residence.

Nagato, sensing the sudden change in his surroundings, was a bit surprised.

"Is this... the Flying Thunder God? It's really convenient."

"You've finally arrived. How is it, has Nagato's condition been treated? If not, I'll call Tsunade over," Jiraiya asked with a smile.

"It's been treated, Jiraiya. I have other matters to attend to, so I must leave now," Natsuro suddenly said.

"Are you in such a hurry?" Jiraiya scratched his head.

"Yes, the security state of Konoha hasn't been lifted yet, I need to go back and check on it," Natsuro replied.

"I see," Jiraiya nodded, understanding the urgency, so he did not keep him.

Watching him leave, Jiraiya sighed again, glad once more that he had taken such a disciple.

At that moment, Jiraiya also glanced at Nagato and Konan, uncertain what exactly Natsuro had discussed with them while he was away. But, as long as they were still alive... that was good.

As long as it wasn't too extreme, Jiraiya generally wouldn't interfere with Natsuro's decisions.

Jiraiya didn't ask what exactly he had said to Nagato and Konan; since he was deliberately excluded, it meant those words weren't meant for his ears. He didn't need to pry too much.

...

Inside a Konoha shelter, many villagers were staying there.

The last time they had been here was several years ago during a Chunin Exam, and they had stayed for a long time. How long would it be this time?

It probably wouldn't be short. Although they hadn't seen the enemy directly, some who arrived late had seen the massive Tailed Beast Ball in the sky, describing its awe-inspiring presence to those who hadn't seen it.

It was as if another spherical continent had appeared in the sky...

Those who arrived early, while they hadn't witnessed the power of the Tailed Beast Ball firsthand, had felt the continuous vibrations it generated during its creation, a phenomenon not experienced during the Chunin Exams.

But even so, no one was overly worried because they had their Hokage.

They believed that their Hokage would resolve everything.

At that moment, Sasuke, who was in charge of arranging the shelter, appeared before everyone again. As people looked on somewhat puzzled, Sasuke smiled and said, "This crisis has been resolved. The Sixth Hokage has dealt with the invading enemies."

As Sasuke finished speaking, the shelter first fell silent, then, as Sasuke looked on puzzled, suddenly erupted into loud cheers.

Seeing this, Sasuke also smiled faintly. This mission had been one he sought for himself, as operating always in secrecy as an Anbu wasn't conducive to his ambitions to become Hokage. He needed more public accomplishments.

So, such opportunities to stand out in front of everyone were not something Sasuke would pass up.

But at that moment, Sasuke also thought of Naruto. Was he, in doing this, somewhat stepping ahead? But, I won't let the position of Hokage go to you, Naruto.

Sasuke thought to himself.

After leaving the shelter, Sasuke looked around at Konoha, which was mostly intact, though some older, unrepaired buildings had collapsed due to the recent earthquake.

Those buildings were due for demolition anyway, so there wasn't much loss.

Thinking back to the Tailed Beast Ball in the sky, Sasuke fell silent. How would he have dealt with the Tailed Beast Ball?

With his current strength, it seemed difficult to counter something like the Tailed Beast Ball. This made Sasuke take a deep breath; indeed, his strength was still lacking...

Days later, Konoha returned to its usual bustle.

And quietly, two new people appeared in Konoha.

It was Nagato and Konan. At the moment, Nagato was sitting in a wheelchair pushed by Konan, while Jiraiya walked alongside them.

Jiraiya was introducing them to everything around, focusing on places necessary for daily life, as he wouldn't foolishly take Nagato and Konan to any secret bases.

Konan listened intently; she and Nagato would be living here now, so it was essential to know where to buy daily necessities.

Nagato, for his part, didn't speak much. He hadn't wanted to go out but ended up being dragged along by Jiraiya.

Now, without transplanting new eyes, the sockets where his eyes once were looked somewhat frightening, so they were covered by a black band.

Nagato listened to the sounds around him, the children's laughter and the bargaining voices of vendors, and felt a bit uncomfortable.

Is this what a major ninja village is like? He had never experienced such feelings in the Hidden Rain Village, such tranquility and happiness.

Even though Nagato knew that Konoha couldn't be without its dark corners, it was much better compared to the Hidden Rain...

But this peace and joy were built on the suffering of smaller ninja villages.

Nagato's fists tightened on the wheelchair armrests.

Suddenly, a breeze blew his way, and the next moment, Nagato felt a small figure bump into him.

Nagato instinctively reached out his thin hand to steady the little one who had collided with him.

"Hey, Jiro, why aren't you looking where you're going? You bumped into someone," a playful voice from a companion came from nearby.

"Um, sorry, big brother, I didn't mean to bump into you," the little one named Jiro looked up at Nagato, somewhat embarrassed.

"It's alright, go on and keep playing, but watch where you're going," Nagato spoke, following his heart's prompt.

"Yeah, thanks, big brother! Here, take this as an apology," Jiro said, handing Nagato an unopened lollipop before running off with his friends before Nagato could refuse.

Nagato was left silently holding the lollipop.

Konan watched the scene with a smile. She had initially wanted to stop Jiro from bumping into Nagato, but Jiraiya had stopped her.

Now, watching the children run off, she thought of her own childhood, free from the need to hide or steal food to survive...

"Nagato, do you think all this is fake?" Jiraiya asked softly.

Nagato remained silent.

"Each of us hopes for world peace, but that hope is so vast, we don't know how to achieve it. But I will at least protect everything before my eyes, protect my village from the pain of war," Jiraiya said, "For me, the hope within the village isn't fake."

The three continued walking. Konan and Nagato felt the familiar warmth of their kind teacher in Jiraiya.

However, what stunned Konan and Nagato was when they reached an area with many bathhouses, and many people started calling Jiraiya a pervert...

That's when Konan and Nagato realized that their teacher often peeped...

"It's not peeping, it's 'research' for artistic creation!" Jiraiya vehemently argued against the notion of peeping.

Regardless, Jiraiya's attempt to maintain a grand image of a teacher collapsed at that moment, making Konan smile.

At that moment, Nagato, listening to Jiraiya's defense and holding the lollipop, had to admit that life here was much better than in the Hidden Rain...

Was this a contented exile?

For someone who settled wherever life took him, this might be a good outcome, but for someone like Nagato, with lofty ideals, perhaps this too was a punishment.

But now, he had no other choice, or perhaps, giving up that ideal and integrating into this new life was the best choice?

Or maybe... Nagato clenched his fist. Although he didn't fully believe Natsuro, the man had no reason to deceive him. So, he still carried a deep-seated vendetta, but what could he do about revenge in his current state?

Nagato finally sighed deeply, listening to everything around him.

Now, he was just a man who relied on a wheelchair to move, incapable of achieving either his ideals or revenge...

This sense of powerlessness pained him, made him struggle, and made him want to bid farewell to the world, but for Konan's sake, he had to keep living.

"So, is this my punishment?" Nagato murmured.

Then, he slowly unwrapped the lollipop and tasted it.

It was sweet, yet bittersweet.

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Currently on Chapter 357 - Madara vs Natsuro Part II