The fox's roar was still echoing in the chasm that used to be Konoha. With the final Pein defeated and Naruto standing before Nagato the tension was near unbearable.
"Are you the real Pein?"
The red haired man's breathing was heaving as he spoke. He was either exhausted or the machine he was in sucked the life out of him. Naruto thought it was both.
"So peace has stumbled onto me."
Naruto steeled himself against his own want for revenge as thoughts of his dead sanseis flashed through his head. Even as he stood there, staring at the killer he could feel natural energy flooding to him, raw carnal energy telling him to go nuts.
"Do you hate me? You're facing the object of your vendetta... Do you wish to exact revenge?"
The blond gritted his teeth. Remembering Pein's words to him about ending the cycle of hatred he knew now more than ever what he was combating. His thoughts were briefly broken as the man's elegant attendant spoke up.
"Nothing in this world will change, even if you kill Pein now and inflict your revenge. All it will be is self-satisfaction."
Naruto's fists trembled as the solemn pair spoke as if they were heroes.
"If you could not find the answer then there is nothing you can do, but to do the just thing and sacrifice yourself for the peace which I am about to create."
With these words a mechanism on Pein's machine clanked into action, shooting one of the chakra rods at Naruto. He did not dodge. Blood dripped to the floor as Naruto fought the pain caused by the missile now burrowed in his chest.
"At this close distance," Pein spoke, "I can easily control your movements with my chakra. Rest assured. I've avoided hitting your vital spots. For you are invaluable, Jinchuuriki."
Red sage eyes of hatred looked upon the Akastuki leader allowing both Naruto and he Kyuubi vision at this time. Nagato stirred violently as he felt the biju's power nulling the effects his chakra had on the boy and engulfing his own body as the chakra flowed into him. Nagato's head dropped and a panicked Konan turned to him asking what was wrong.
Nagato looked up, staring at the boy. He... purposely didn't move. Why would he do that? There was no logical explanation, he allowed his own capture but at the same time resisted Nagato's controlling power.
"I came here... intending to talk to you." A grim Naruto spoke up. "But I also wanted to confirm something."
"Confirm... something?" It was now Nagato who seemed unable to control his rage.
"I wanted to confirm my feelings. If I stood before my enemy..." Naruto stood up straight, holding the metal rod tightly. "What would I do?"
Nagato listened intently, recognizing his own question and waiting somewhat patiently for a man in his position for an answer.
"I wasn't sure of myself."
"And?" The powerful shinobi put forward.
Naruto put both hands on the rod and grimaced.
"I can't forgive you! Even now, I want to kill you so badly..." The killer intent showed Naruto was not holding back the truth as he glared at his enemy with dark eyes. "I can't stop shaking!" Slowly he yanked out the rod.
Konan watched on, surprised that the boy could resist Nagato's chakra at such short a distance. Nagato too stared, beginning to see the doubt creeping into his mind, perhaps even a god could be killed by a mere child if his rage was strong enough.
Naruto cast aside the bar as he ran towards the pair, a cry of rage emitting from his lips as he pulled back a fist. Memories of Ero-Sennin's words repeated in his mind. His wisdom, his words, his laugh.
Naruto stopped dead just as Konan blocked his path to Pein.
"Ero-Sennin said he believed the day would come when people can truly understand one another. I wasn't paying much attention when he told me that..." He lowered his fist, seeming calmer as he spoke of the old man. "Even when he said he'd entrust me with finding the answer."
Konan lowered her guard slightly, listening to the emotional words the boy now spoke.
"I got excited, taking it as a sign that he acknowledged me as his student. Thinking back..." The Uzumaki let out a sigh. "I finally understand what Ero-Sennin meant. That it's not so simple."
"Still, it doesn't change the fact that you can't forgive me." The skeletal man spoke up. "Words of forgiveness come easy. Love does not. "
"Yeah... You're right about that." For a brief moment Naruto thought of those who had come to acknowledge him, about Hinata's reason for protecting him and about the one who had thrown aside his love, Sasuke.
"Jiraiya-Sensei's words reflect and idealism from an era long past. It is far removed from reality. Didn't you say you would kill me and bring peace to the Ninja World?" Nagato felt the Kyuubi's chakra diminish as Naruto's eyes turned their normal ocean blue, the sage art also extinguished. "Even if you seek vengeance for you own satisfaction, if that is your idea of justice, so be it. You're not a god. After witnessing this harsh reality, do you really still believe Jiraiya-Sensei's silly ramblings?"
Naruto turned away slightly. Was this how Ero-Sennin felt when that snake Orochimaru spoke ill of their sensei? Was this how it felt to be enemies but also fellow apprentices? Naruto thought to himself.
"When I found out you were Ero-Sennin's student, I wanted to ask you one thing."
"What is it?"
"How could Ero-Sennin's students turn out the way you did?" Naruto replied, a disappointed kind of anger in his voice. "I understand that you're not like the Akatsuki members who kill out of sheer enjoyment. But I don't know a thing about you guys. That's why I want to hear your stories, then come up with an answer."
"Very Well..."
With the end of Nagato's story Naruto felt as if his very soul had been injured.
"I have told you my story. Now let me hear your answer."
For the briefest of moments Naruto closed his eyes and then pulled out a small book.
"You may be right. I also think the same way."
"I see..." Nagato coaxed him to say more as he looked at the book in the boy's hand, recognizing it slightly but unsure where from.
"I get where you're coming from now. But I still... can't forgive you. I still hate you."
Nagato allowed himself the slightest of nods as he asked simply, "Then you want to settle this?"
"But..." Konan and Nagato both seemed to feel a change as both their hearts skipped a beat. "Ero-Sennin believed in me and left me his quest. So I'm gonna believe in Ero-Sennin's belief. That's my answer. So... I won't kill you guys."
"You'll believe in what Jiraiya-Sensei believed?" Nagato questioned. "I see, so that's your answer. And do you expect us to wait until you make this world a peaceful place? "
Naruto's head dropped slightly, still staring at the book.
"Don't play with me!" Nagato's voice rang out in the small room making even Konan jump. "It's far too late for me to believe Jiraiya's words! There's no such thing as true peace! As long as we live in this cursed world peace is impossible!"
"Then..." Naruto reciprocated, "Then... I'll break that curse. If there is such a thing as peace, I'll seize it! I'll never give up!"
Nagato stalled, his mind all but blank for the thought, Those were my words.
"You..." Nagato started, "That's... "
"Nagato? What's wrong?" Konan queried.
"Those... words..."
"That's right. They're taken straight from this book." Naruto explained, "The first novel written by Sensei. Ero-Sennin was seriously trying to change the world with this. At the end of this book, he wrote about a student who helped provide him with inspiration. It was you, Nagato."
"No..." Nagato's Rinnegan eyes twitched involuntarily. He played a scene in his head.
It was sunny except in the places shaded by the trees. The enemy ninja was calling out to him.
"Why don't you give up?" The ninja smirked. "This game of tag is getting boring."
Young Nagato was breathing heavily. Opening his hand he looked down at the two smoke bombs he had. All he had. He threw them at the enemy from his hiding place. In the smoke there was a skirmish. Kunai clashing. When the smoke cleared Nagato was on his knees. The enemy ninja towering over him, tanto in hand.
"Give it up."
"Can I say something?" Nagato got up onto one knee.
Just as he was about to stand the other ninja tackled him, holding him up against the tree's massive trunk.
"I don't care to listen!" His tanto had gone straight through the red-heads chest. "Die already!"
"Give up..." Nagato's bunshin disappeared. "On me giving up!" With a silent chop to the back of his head the enemy shinobi was dispatched by Nagato.
Nagato couldn't bear to dwell on it any more as he thought of the hero's name... the name Jiraiya had chosen...Naruto.
"My name is... Naruto!" With that Nagato believed his words. His own words. He believed... in Naruto.
Nagato performed some complicated hand seals, including some Naruto had never seen before. This troubled Konan.
"No Nagato... Please, not that Jutsu..."
"Konan, it is the only way...for peace..." He turns to Naruto. "Will you lend me your strength?"
Naruto nods and places his hands on Nagato's. "Even if it kills me"
Nagato shook his head. "It may just do that, but we need the kyuubi's strength."
"Just do it...friend." Naruto summoned all his available chakra.
"GedÅ: Rinne Tensei Jikan no Jutsu"
Naruto found himself in the dark sewers that held the kyuubi.
You would do this for them? For those people who...
Talking back to the Kyuubi was one thing, but interrupting him. "Be quiet, this isn't your choice to make it's mine. I don't care if not everyone acknowledges me, the most important people have and that's fine by me."
Years watching the boy had made the Kyuubi think. And he had plenty of time to think. Shukaku would have called him soft.
You know we will die?
"If that's what it takes..."
Your will won't be passed on, your idea for peace...
The thought lingered in the air for what seemed like an eternity. Already Naruto was slipping away. The Kyuubi would die next. With much effort the Kyuubi put his strength into a jutsu.
I cannot save you boy...I am sorry...In a way I grew to...Put up with you...
With a smirk, it was over.