Chapter 52: Nagato's Hope

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In a dimly lit room, Nagato lay on an operating table, supported by Naruto.

This was once the place where he had created Pain, manipulating his Six Paths like a god overseeing the battlefield. Now, it had been transformed into a temporary research lab by Orochimaru, serving as a fully equipped surgical room.

When Nagato first constructed his Six Paths of Pain, he had required vast amounts of medical equipment to sustain the bodies. Orochimaru had merely repurposed those tools, ensuring that everything needed for the surgery was already in place.

Nagato was thin—painfully thin.

His body had long been ravaged by the Black Receivers embedded within him, constantly siphoning chakra to control his paths. The prolonged loss of energy had left him frail, his skin nearly ghostly white. The only thing that truly stood out were his Rinnegan—his Samsara Eyes—glowing with an eerie radiance.

Yet, despite the toll on his body, his eyes held a different kind of light today.

"Naruto," Nagato murmured, his voice weak but steady. "Do you think Yahiko will one day be resurrected... like Orochimaru?"

Orochimaru, who had been preparing the surgical instruments, briefly glanced up. His golden eyes flickered with amusement before returning to his preparations.

Naruto met Nagato's gaze, his mind drifting back to the past life he remembered so vividly.

In the end, at his final moment, Nagato had chosen to believe in him—so much so that he had sacrificed himself to perform the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu (Rinne Tensei no Jutsu).

That choice had cost Nagato his life.

Naruto took a breath and spoke carefully. "Nagato Senpai, you already know the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu… then why didn't you—"

The implication was clear.

Why didn't you resurrect Yahiko?

Nagato closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "Because this world fills me with despair, Naruto. Even if Yahiko were to return… he would still make the same mistakes. And this world would remain as cruel as ever."

He exhaled, voice heavy with resignation. "I could revive Yahiko once. But could I do it a second time? A third? Every time the world takes him from me, do I keep resurrecting him?"

His fingers trembled slightly as he continued. "What's more… the cost of Rinne Rebirth is my own life. Even if Yahiko came back, do you think he would ever forgive me for making that choice?"

He lowered his head, the weight of his past choices pressing down on him.

Naruto remained silent for a moment, considering Nagato's words carefully. Then, with a calm expression, he spoke.

"What if I told you… Yahiko will come back?"

Nagato slowly raised his head. His Rinnegan locked onto Naruto's, searching for even the slightest hint of deceit.

His voice was barely above a whisper. "Will this world change?"

Naruto smiled. Not a mocking smile, nor an arrogant one—just pure, unwavering confidence.

"Yes."

Nagato stared at him for a long moment. Then, slowly but surely, his lips curled into the faintest of smiles.

This was what he had hoped for all along—a reason to believe.

It was irrational, perhaps even naive, but to Nagato, this wasn't just a promise.

This was hope.

The hope of a new world.

Orochimaru clapped his hands lightly, breaking the moment. "Well, well, I must say… this is quite the touching exchange. But shall we proceed with the actual surgery now?"

He slipped on surgical gloves before turning to Naruto. "Naruto-kun, step aside. I'll begin by removing the Black Receivers from Nagato's body."

Naruto nodded and moved to sit on a nearby chair, watching intently.

Orochimaru administered the anesthetic, waiting a few moments before beginning the delicate procedure.

One by one, he extracted the Black Receivers embedded in Nagato's body. Each removal sent faint tremors through Nagato's weakened frame, though the anesthetic dulled most of the pain. Orochimaru worked swiftly, cleaning each wound and bandaging them with precise movements.

Naruto observed in silence. Then, his gaze shifted downward—toward Nagato's legs.

A thought surfaced in his mind, and he spoke without hesitation.

"Uncle Snake, you've researched Hashirama's cells before, haven't you?"

Orochimaru, still securing the final bandage, responded without looking up. "Indeed. When I was still in Konoha, I conducted extensive studies on Hashirama's cells. At the time, I had to work under the guise of legality, but in truth… the experiments were far from ethical."

He chuckled darkly, as if recalling a fond memory. "Most of them failed, of course. But the one successful subject… well, I believe you know him, Naruto-kun."

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly. "You mean Captain Yamato, right?"

Orochimaru's smirk widened. "Correct. Yamato was the only survivor of those experiments. And even then, it wasn't by my hand—Danzo intervened, stole the research, and took him into Root (Ne)."

Naruto tapped his fingers against the chair armrest, deep in thought.

Then he spoke again. "Uncle Snake, are you still capable of cultivating Hashirama's cells and transplanting them?"

This time, Orochimaru paused mid-movement and turned to look at Naruto directly.

"Naruto-kun… why do you ask? Are you concerned that you won't be able to suppress the Rinnegan after the transplant?"

Nagato, now more awake, also turned his attention toward Naruto, awaiting his response.

Naruto shook his head. "No, that's not it. Senior Brother Nagato and I both descend from the Uzumaki Clan. Our life forces are strong—I can control the Rinnegan without issue. What's more…"

He hesitated slightly before finishing.

"I'm different from others."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow but didn't press for details. "Then why bring it up?"

Naruto pointed to Nagato's legs.

"I want you to use Hashirama's cells to regrow Nagato Senpai's legs."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Nagato's breath hitched, his gaze flickering with surprise. "Naruto… you…"

Orochimaru's amused expression faded into something more serious. "Hmm… interesting request. But difficult."

He tapped his fingers against the surgical tray. "While I've researched Hashirama's cells extensively, their compatibility is… unpredictable. Even if we're not aiming for Wood Release mastery and only using them for organ regeneration, the risk of rejection remains dangerously high."

He exhaled. "In severe cases, the body can enter a fatal rejection state. In other words… the subject could die."

Nagato's expression darkened slightly.

The fact that even people with special constitutions had died from Hashirama cell transplants was… unsettling, to say the least.

Naruto, however, remained completely unfazed.

"Don't worry, Uncle Snake."

His eyes gleamed with confidence.

"I know how to modify Hashirama's cells so that they won't cause rejection."

Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly. "Naruto-kun… are you serious?"

Nagato, too, turned to look at him, a faint spark of hope in his tired gaze.

Naruto simply smiled.

"Absolutely."

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To Be Continued…

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