The flesh rotten arm swung with devastating force batting away a dozen or so devils, the unfortunate souls smashed into the walls of the building like flies on a windshield. The devils fire their strongest attacks only for the beast to take the barrage with no qualms only to continue it carnage as it swatted and bullied the devils away.
"What the hell is that thing?" A devil shouted as he ran away from the beast, the creature of destruction raise its large hand bring his flat palm down crushing the fleeing fool.
The Gremory peerage stare in fear at the mayhem the beast wrought with its mere existence. Koneko ignore everything else but kept her eyes on her father noticing with each movement the beast made, the larger the puddle of blood grew that flowed from his mouth. He continue to glare daggers at the devils that stood between his daughter and her freedom from this prison. The beast roar releasing a hazy mist in the form of a dragon, the mythical beast flew from the beast mouth and into the masses of the devils with each pass the dragon made, the more the devils dropped like sacks of potatoes.
Rias covered her mouth as she finally made out a humans shape in the moving mass of mist it expression was of agony as it flown with the beast. The dragon like mist rose into the sky before coming back down creating another swathe of destruction, Riser eyes widen at the beast and took flight barely avoiding the mist, the Phoenix look on in utter terror as his fellow devils souls were taken by the unknown creature that were terrorizing the field. He turn and began flying only for the giant decaying creature fist to chase after him, he look back able to see the man with the strange eyes glaring at him from his down position.
Pein focus hard on the man willing the arm of the Gedo Mezo (Demonic statue of the outer path) to move faster. The shinobi dropped to his knee coughing up blood into his hands. Riser seeing the action smirks only for his eyes to widen as Pein refocus on him and with one final push force the Gedo to grab the man within its hand. The fist slowly came back and the beast let out another nightmare inducing roar as it lower its hand above its mouth dropping the Phoenix inside and slamming its jaw shut.
Koneko pushed from between Rias and Akeno running over to her father who was on his knees, the beast just hovered above him as the man sat quietly surrounded by the mass of dead devils. She kneel in front of him "Dad." She ask in worry. Pein eyes rolled before he focus on her "Shirone, your safe."
Koneko eyes began to tear "it's over dad you don't have to hurt yourself any more their all gone."
The shinobi continue to stare at her "I should have been there for you…God I dropped a building on you."
She faintly notice Rias and the others stopping a few feet away from them barely within listening distance "I've survive though I barely felt it." She try to cheer him.
Pein coughed up more blood staining her cheeks with his crimson life force "I don't care if you're a devil…"
She nods before glancing up at the large creature "Make it go away it's hurting you."
He tried to focus only to grunt as the Black chakra receivers slowly remove themselves from his back returning into the abdomen of the Gedo Mezo, the behemoth slowly sunk back into the earth returning to the realm which it was summon from. Pein fell forward only for Koneko to catch him, the girls arm immediately went to his back only for the girl to let out a silent gasp as she felt the wet sensation of blood on him. She looked at her hands only to shakily fight the urge to scream.
"Issei, Kiba." the two males of the group immediately ran forward lifting the man up.
"Buchou where do we take him?" Pein leaned forward towards his daughter handing her a slip of paper, a similar written copy of the letter he gave to Kuroka.
Koneko read the slip and she look at her father "Alright I know where."
Raynare sat with the woman Kuroka, she eyed the woman discreetly as she talked to Asia about her Sacred Gear the twilight Healing. The woman smile and tease the nun like they went way back yet this was the first day they met. The fallen angel sighed she didn't know Pein had children, well not until now at least when Kuroka first showed up, she first thought the girl was an assassin that manage to find her master hide out but no that wasn't it the girl claimed she was Pein daughter.
She frown at her and was going to run her through with one of her spears only for Asia to walk over and greet the girl warmly affirming the girl words. So she stepped aside and now they were here waiting for him to return with his other daughter. She didn't mind the little safe haven Pein had built for himself it was a large cave that was systematically carve and smoothen from the various earth jutsu he knew. The lamps and electricity run on his enormous chakra reserves and it even had seals that preserved it and kept it hidden apparently you actually had to know where it is in order to get through the Genjutsu hence the paper that he given Kuroka and the words that Asia repeated to her.
She even brought the books he had requested that she steal, they were books on the various Gods from the different religions from Zeus to even Anubis, what he was looking for she didn't know but she knew one thing and that a man like Pein always had a plan.
Kuroka smile at the girl "So you really believe my dad is the god of legends?"
Asia shook her head "I mean he has to be, He's smart, nice and well Raynare, Kala and Miltelt firmly believes so."
Kuroka hummed in thought at her words "But what do you think?" She asks curiously.
Asia open her mouth to speak only for Kuroka to stop her with a smile "Little nun really think about it before you answer and then after careful consideration talk to my dad about it."
The Nekoshou stood up stretching "Hey Raynare I have some affairs to attend to, I'll return sometime later."
The fallen angel narrow her eyes on her before nodding "I'll let Pein-Sama know."
Kuroka nods in thanks before turning the corner and leaving the cave already sure of which tunnels and turns to make to get to the exit.
Raynare follow the girl out but stopped at the entrance needing to get some fresh air, she sighed lightly irritated that she wasn't able to see Pein-Sama yet. She heard the shuffling of feet and prepare herself for battle only for the least expecting sight to jump from behind the grass and trees.
"Pervert?" She questioned baffle at the sight of the boy.
Issei shook his head before turning "Koneko over here!" He shouted
The fallen angel look at the boy, blood soak clothes and watch as the rest of his friends lifted "Pein-Sama!" She hurried over helping Issei lift the unconscious man up.
She felt the blood on the man "Shit what happen?" She questioned no one in particular but instead of waiting around for an answer she carried the man into the cave. Koneko and friends stuck close to the woman as she yelled out someone name "Asia get ready Pein-Sama is injured."
Raynare gently place the man on the floor "ASIA HURRY!" she shouted.
The blonde nun rushed in before gasping at the sight "Pein-Sama!" She rushed over placing her hands on his back. A soft glow appear under her hands as she began healing the wounds. Raynare look at Team Gremory with a frost cover glare "What happened!" She demanded to know.
The long red headed man sighed in peace as he overlook a large village "So you've rebuilt it" Nagato spoke to the man who were currently standing behind him.
The blue eye blonde didn't say anything just stood there examining his distant cousin if they can call each other that before finally speaking up with a deep and more mature tone than before "Yeah took some work but I did it, I finally became Hokage."
Nagato smiles as the man stepped up and stood beside him "Tell me why am I dreaming of Konoha and not Ame?"
Naruto smirks before glancing at him "Who said you were dreaming?"
The God of Ame snapped his head to his right staring wide eye at him "Naruto what are you talking about?"
The blonde grinned not being able to help himself "I used a forbidden jutsu that allows me to talk to the dead funny because after I use it nothing happen so I look at the forbidden scroll that we Hokages are allowed to add to and read from I found another jutsu that allow me to contact anyone of course it took some tweaking on my part. I took up sealing as well just like Jiraiyah sensei and my old man any way I presume you weren't dead found a jutsu to contact you and voila here we are."
Nagato look at his cousin before smirking "That's quite impressive Naruto."
Naruto smiles at that, one does not just get complimented by a great shinobi like Nagato and brush it off no matter your status "Thanks Nagato."
The two men stood in silence as they look at the peaceful village.
"I did it Nagato." The blonde said his voice laden with sorrow "I've finally achieved peace here in the elemental nations just like what you wanted…Just like what Jiraiyah sensei wanted."
Nagato eyes welled up "Naruto…How did you do it?"
The Hokage smiles sadly "I won't lie it took a lot of bloodshed and it's a shaky peace as best but the Kages is trying their best they don't want another Akatsuki."
The red head look to his cousin "I've killed again Naruto…I'm lost in a world I don't belong in. I have two daughters who I didn't see for years because I was imprisoned, there is three different factions my daughter is a member of one and I don't know what to do. I've lost Kanna my love and…" Nagato spoke of everything that happened since his arrival in this dimension, finally truly having someone he can talk to, not crazy dreams but truly someone who will understand the turmoil he was currently going through.
Naruto just sat quietly listening to his cousin and fellow Uzumaki spill his heart out to him.
After the entire explanation Naruto frowns, this was truly an awful punishment instead of getting his eternal peace he was in another world going through the pain of living and still losing loved ones. Naruto look to Nagato "Cousin." Nagato eyes blink in surprise that were currently the first time Naruto ever said it out loud.
"Yes?" Nagato focus on him, his Rinnegan eyes staring into Naruto blue orbs.
"Answer this…Are you Nagato or are you Pein?"
Nagato look at Naruto in surprise "I…I don't know."
Naruto smiles at him "I think I know… I believe you are Nagato student of Jiraiyah Sensei, cousin of Naruto Uzumaki Hokage of the leaf village best friends of Yahiko and Konan, Husband of Kanna and Father of two daughters Kuroka and Shirone. The man that would do anything to protect his family and friends…The days of Pein is over."
Nagato continues to stare at the man before him in surprise "Naruto…"
Naruto grasp Nagato shoulder and look at him with a harden gaze, the eyes of a veteran, the look of a man who had been struck by pain but overcame the destructive pull of it "YOU ARE NOT PEIN!" The man tone was forceful "You are Uzumaki Nagato…Pein is no longer needed. You want to protect your family? You want to achieve peace? You and I both know that it will cause bloodshed." Naruto gripped on him tighten "But don't do it as Pein do it as Nagato!"
The red head dropped to his knees "I can't."
Naruto crouched beside him "Yes you can Nagato. You've done it before only you can break those chains of hatred. Only you can break the first link in that world of hatred you can end the cycle just like I did. You're an Uzumaki so be one dammit. Stop the madness and do what you need to do. Pein wasn't created to take care of a family…He wasn't created to love…He wasn't created to bring about peace." The blonde Hokage shook his head not breaking eye contact for even the slightest of seconds. He needed to get this through to Nagato at all cost right here and right now "Pein was created to bring about fear…He was created to destroy. He was created to instill pain. Pein cannot love this is how I know you aren't Pein, not anymore but Nagato Uzumaki the man who help me bring about my dreams be that man again Nagato. Now who are you?"
Asia entered Pein-Sama room to give him another session of healing, She had to give him several healing sessions due to whatever was happening to the man, instead of a normal healing where his body was simply get better she and the others notice that she wasn't just healing him but some of her energy were also being sapped by the man strangely, so to avoid anything potentially fatal she would heal him until she felt tired and slept for the rest of the day and do it again the very next day. She place her hands above his back and began the very process over again after 30 minutes she realized she wasn't as tired as she was before.
The blonde nun smiles before exiting the man room and lightly closing the door behind her.
The God of Ame eyes shot open and he sat up breathing deeply "AHH." He clamped his jaws shut before shooting up out the bed. He continue to grab his stomach in pain as he struggle to walk over to the bathroom, with increasingly difficulty he open the door. He felt a horrible burning sensation within his eyes and he looked in the mirror only to see a crimson trail of blood slowly creep down the corner of his eyes. He hunched over before puking into the sink. He breathed heavily as the pain began to slowly subside "I am Nagato…Uzumaki."
He looked back in the mirror and Pein stare back at him before fading. His eyes glowed brightly before dimming to its normal dull color. The image of Pein was no longer there now stood a red headed long hair man in his late twenties with dark violet hair, The piercings that he had place within himself was no longer in sight and his body, every single part of him was brimming with power. He thought back to what Jiraiyah said at one point.
"You could be the Second coming of the sage of the six paths."
Nagato continue to stare at the mirror "The Sage of the six paths huh." He stepped away from the mirror and turned on the hot water stepping into the shower letting the steaming hot water cleanse him of grime and sweat that clung to him. "God of Shinobi." He continue to let his sensei words swam through his thoughts, now understanding his place here. The shinobi exited the shower and into his room throwing on a pair of black slacks and a black fishnet shirt. He grab a comb and straighten his hair to the same style he had all them years ago, the man exited his room, his steps inaudible the skill and practices of being a shinobi showing without him actively trying. He enter the living area and stare at the group assemble before him. He actively eye each one as they talk and mingle amongst each other. Raynare sat to the side scowling at the entourage. Asia was happily talking to the boy Issei while Akeno, The long purple hair teen tease the poor boy with her body. Kiba were grinning at the sight in amusement. Miltelt and Kalawarnar sat beside each other quietly eyeing them in annoyance probably not use to their activities and the girl Rias were currently consoling his daughter or at least trying too. His daughter was looking at her tray of sweats without touching one, she sighed before looking up and staring at him in surprise.
"What is it?" Rias ask Koneko drawing everyone attention to the neko who just continue to stare, they eventually followed her line of sight to see a red head man staring at them with the same eyes as Pein.
Nagato smiles softly before letting it slide into a sly smirk "Hey Shirone." He kneels down "Dad is back and here to stay."
Yo here is another chap, I can't lie you guys surprised me with the reviews and encouragement seriously thanks lol it really motivates me.
Nagato Uzumaki is back and with it a lot of changes he's officially accepting the role as Sage of six paths as himself not and not his Pein persona anymore though we all know Pein is a big part of him so how will his character be now?
Also I got this little idea because think about it Jiraiyah himself said Nagato could have been the Sage of six paths reborn and then even Madara considered Nagato as the third path of six sages beneath him of course so it's quite plausible. Now that he fully accepting himself as thus his Rinnegan has fully unlock its true potential. Now with that said, what do you guys think?
One more thing (Mimicking the uncle off Jackie Chan Adventures: Just in case I don't own that either.) Soon The Rise of Pein arc will be coming to a close and now The Era of Nagato will be opening all in this story of course.
BTW do you guys think Nagato should have a romance with anyone? I'm willing to try anything since now a whole lot of doors is opening within the next few chapters.
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