Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 413 Past

In that dark, deep tree hollow, Nagato stood silently, his eyes cold and resolute, as if he had seen through everything. "Naruto Uzumaki, you will become a sacrifice, contributing to my peace plan." Nagato's voice was calm and ruthless, without a trace of emotion.

A black rod suddenly shot out from under Nagato at lightning speed toward Naruto, piercing his abdomen. Blood dripped from the wound onto the ground, but Naruto kept his head down and did not utter a sound of pain.

After seeing that the chakra had landed squarely on Naruto, Nagato spoke up, "At this distance, I can control your chakra at will. Don't worry, I avoided your vital points. You are a precious Jinchūriki!"

"Whoa!" Before Nagato could finish speaking, Naruto suddenly raised his head. His pupils had turned into scarlet beastly eyes, radiating a wild and ferocious aura. At the same time, the Nine-Tails' chakra surged forth from Nagato's black rods like a raging torrent. This immense negative energy, carrying a powerful impact, slammed into Nagato's consciousness, causing him to involuntarily let out a panicked gasp.

"What's going on?" Nagato stared in astonishment, feeling the powerful force eroding his mental world. He tried to resist, but the Nine-Tails' chakra surged in like an unstoppable flood, engulfing him.

Naruto Uzumaki gritted his teeth, his face contorted in pain. Yet, his eyes shone with unwavering determination and resilience. He knew he was at a crucial moment and had to persevere to defeat his enemy.

The Nine-Tails' chakra continued to surge, colliding with Nagato's black rods and producing deafening roars. The entire space was enveloped by this powerful energy, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Nagato quickly severed his connection with the black rods, allowing him to recover. He stared at Naruto Uzumaki with an extremely ugly expression. He had realized that Naruto had deliberately not dodged his sneak attack.

“Nagato…” Konan noticed the change in Nagato, a hint of worry and tension flashing in her eyes. She knew Nagato was very strong, but Naruto was no pushover either, and she was very worried that something might happen to Nagato.

"I came here to talk to you, but there are also some other things I want to confirm. I want to confirm my own heart, what I would do if my enemy were in front of me, because even I don't know." Naruto Uzumaki spoke in a low voice, his tone filled with confusion and doubt.

“Then…” Nagato’s eyes shifted slightly, as if stars were swirling within them, before locking onto Naruto Uzumaki once more. He wanted to know what answer Naruto would come up with, an answer that might affect the fate of the entire world.

"I can't forgive you! I want to kill you right now, and my body is trembling uncontrollably." Naruto's face was contorted with rage, his eyes flashing with fury and hatred as he roared at Nagato. His voice resounded like thunder, moving everyone present.

As soon as he finished speaking, Naruto Uzumaki charged forward with lightning speed, like a ferocious beast. His fists were clenched, veins bulging, as if he were ready to fight to the death. His figure drew an arc in the air, carrying endless killing intent and anger, as he pounced towards Nagato.

Just as Naruto charged towards Nagato, Konan couldn't hold back any longer. She quickly rushed forward and stood in front of Nagato. Her eyes were firm and resolute, as if saying, "I will absolutely not let you hurt him!"

Konan moved with incredible speed; her body instantly became transparent, and paper wings, like butterfly wings, unfurled, forming a sturdy barrier. Her hands clenched tightly together, ready to meet Naruto's attack.

She knew that Nagato was the leader of their Akatsuki organization and her most important ally. No matter what, she couldn't let Nagato suffer any harm. Even when facing the powerful Naruto Uzumaki, she wouldn't back down.

But Naruto suddenly stopped, stood up again, and stared intently at Nagato, his anger practically spitting out at him. At that moment, Naruto thought of the dream his teacher, Jiraiya, had told him during their travels.

Naruto lowered his head, his eyes filled with sadness and dejection. He spoke slowly, his voice tinged with sorrow, "Jiraiya-sensei said he believed a world where people could truly understand each other would eventually arrive. But when he said that, I was only listening absentmindedly. He said he entrusted me with finding the answer to this problem, and I thought he was just happy to have me as his disciple. Now, I finally understand the deeper meaning of Jiraiya-sensei's words. It's not something that's easy to do."

Looking at the incredibly downcast and sorrowful Naruto, Nagato couldn't help but say, "But you still can't forgive me, can you? The feelings between people aren't so cheap that they can be wiped out with a few nice words."

"Ah, that's true." Naruto Uzumaki, head bowed, still spoke in a low and sorrowful tone.

"What Jiraiya-sensei said is outdated idealism, too far removed from reality. You said you would defeat me and bring peace to the ninja world. Even if that was just empty talk, nothing more than self-satisfied revenge, if that's your justice, then so be it. You're not a god. Seeing this reality, do you still believe in Jiraiya-sensei's utter nonsense?" Nagato said loudly to Naruto Uzumaki with a questioning tone.

"When I learned that you were Jiraiya's disciple, there were some questions I'd always wanted to ask you. As Jiraiya's disciples, why did you become like this? I know you're not like the previous Akatsuki members, just guys who enjoyed killing. But I know nothing about you, so I want to hear your story before I draw my own conclusion." Naruto spoke with an excited and firm tone, wanting to rely on the other person's experiences to make a judgment before drawing a conclusion.

"Alright, I'll tell you about our pain." After listening to Naruto's question, Nagato looked at him seriously, also wanting to get an answer from him.

Nagato began to recount everything they had experienced over the years, especially during World War II, when their country, the Land of Rain, became a battlefield between major powers, and his parents were murdered in front of him by Konoha ninja. He became an orphan, wandering the Land of Rain, where he met his close friends Yahiko and Konan.

At that time, the three young orphans, living in a rare peaceful area, barely managed to survive by petty theft. Although life was extremely difficult, they were very content. Unfortunately, the cruelty of war far exceeded their imagination, and the rare peaceful area soon became a battlefield, making them truly realize the importance of peace.

They were determined to learn ninjutsu, become ninjas, and restore peace to their country through their own efforts.

Following the footsteps of war, they ventured to the edge of the battlefield, hoping to receive guidance from ninjas. Finally, they encountered the legendary Sannin of Konoha, and their teacher, Jiraiya, decided to stay and mentor them, giving them a chance to survive the chaos of war. Thus, the three of them lived under Jiraiya's tutelage for three years. Those were the best and most fulfilling years of their lives.

Jiraiya passed on his ideals to the three of them, hoping that one day they could truly change the world and bring true peace. This was also Jiraiya's wish; he believed these young people had unlimited potential and possibilities to realize their dreams. However, reality is often much crueler than imagined. With Jiraiya's departure, they had to face even more challenges and difficulties. But they did not give up; instead, they continued to uphold their beliefs and move forward relentlessly.

As the leader of the trio, Yahiko, along with Konan and Nagato, began establishing an organization called "Akatsuki." Their goal was to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, refusing to use force, and hoping to change this world filled with war and suffering through peaceful means. This naive idea might seem somewhat unrealistic, but they firmly believed that with enough effort and patience, they could definitely achieve their dream.

In the Land of Rain, they actively engage in various activities, attempting to dialogue and negotiate with other nations. They have also gathered many like-minded partners, working together for the peace of the Land of Rain. These people come from different backgrounds and social classes, but all share the same ideals and pursuits. They work together, learn, grow, support and encourage each other, gradually forming a powerful force.

Despite facing numerous difficulties and setbacks, they never gave up. They believed that as long as they persevered, they would one day see the dawn of peace. In the process, they also experienced countless life-or-death trials, each time nearly losing their lives. However, they remained steadfast in their journey, because they believed that only in this way could they truly change the world.

Alas! This world is so cruel and real; their naive thoughts and actions quickly plunged Akatsuki into utter despair. At this point, Nagato and Konan's faces revealed undisguised pain, as if endless sorrow was overflowing from the depths of their hearts. Even the surrounding air seemed to sense their grief, becoming heavy and oppressive, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Even Naruto Uzumaki, who was listening intently, could feel the suffocating pain and despair in it.