Author Note

Hello everyone and welcome to another chapter of Cursed Eyes.

The time came for a long awaited conversation…between a sensei and two of his former students. Wonder how it will turn out now that Jiraiya himself is there, instead of just in memory when two students of the same master conversed. Expect a lot of ups and downs, in this drama rollercoaster…oh and I had placed some of Naruto's soundtracks along the chapter…it's quite an amazing experience to play the song, while reading it. It makes me cry every time I hear Naruto's soundtrack, so I trust it will be to everyone's liking.

Of course, the chapter shall have other follow-ups, but I shall reveal them along the way.

Now that that's out of the way, here is the chapter.

Cursed Eyes

Chapter 35 – The Needed Hero

Beta: Scheffinator

Jiraiya stood in front of Nagato and Konan.

The sensei struggled to remember the enjoyable times when he was dressed in a toad costume, while lecturing the tree Ame orphans who by the way were also wearing little toad costumes. Back then, three pairs of eyes looked at him with as much innocence as eagerness to learn as much as they could from the perverted Sannin. Right now, though, Nagato's eyes had nothing but pain and anger in them that Jiraiya was already accustomed to seeing. Konan, for her part, looked at him with apathy and it pained him to witness it. He was struggling to understand which was worse, right now.

"Tell me sensei…" Nagato was looking at him with fury at this point and Jiraiya wondered if the old Yahiko was still there anymore. The one who the Elder Toad said would be the child of prophecy. "What do you think when you look at us?"

Naruto and Itsuko, from the back, could feel the spike in chakra despite their enemy being quite drained at this point.

Jiraiya, for his part, looked at Konan for a while and then at Nagato.

"Failure is the word I would choose, Nagato…first and foremost" Nagato narrowed his eyes, in even more anger than before. Even Konan displayed some emotion at that.

"Oh, so…" Jiraiya, however, didn't allow him to lash out.

"Failure in myself for thinking that I could have left you three to take care of yourselves, in such a dangerous environment." Nagato frowned at that.

"You abandoned us…sensei, saying that you have taught us how to defend ourselves…but it wasn't enough…it wasn't enough…You don't get to come here right now and after everything that's happened and say that…too much has happened since you left us. Since you left us to fend for ourselves!" Jiraiya knew that a major gap of information was needed for him to grasp beforehand. He had tried to keep tabs on them for a while, but information in Amegakure was almost impossible to acquire because of Hanzo's machinations. Hence why before he could at least have a human conversation with his two students, he needed to understand what happened, after he was gone.

"I understand that you two carry enough resentment towards me for leaving you three alone…however, I wish to know…"

"You don't have that right, Jiraiya-sensei…" The pervert felt the ice in Konan's veins as she spoke without showing any expression whatsoever.

"Konan…" The woman in question turned to her partner in crime.

"Nagato, I don't understand why we're having this conversation, it's pointless." The Rinnegan user considered her opinion for a while.

"Truth be told, I'm curious to hear his position after we tell him…he believes he's failed us…so it's only natural to explain just how much, don't you think?" The pervert's face was clearly condemning Nagato's poor choice of words, considering what happened. Despite them being his former students, it's not like what they did afterward was justified, especially to his home village.

"Considering how many of Konoha's citizens you two had killed today just to get to Naruto here, telling me what happened is the least you can do for the meantime."

"You of all people should know just how I feel about Konoha, sensei. Like I said before to the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, I don't care if Konoha falls to the ground today."

Jiraiya nodded, knowingly. It was indeed a tragedy what happened to Nagato's parents.

"I know that your parents were killed by Konoha shinobi, Nagato." Naruto and Itsuko gasped at that, as Jiraiya continued. "But I still want to believe that the damage you two did today as well as everything bad Akatsuki has done so far wasn't only because of the tragedy that happened to your parents." The golden edge in the Rinnegan has become even more pronounced now. His parent's death happened to be the first major pain in his life. Naruto, for his part, now understood why Pein had said to him when they fought that he wouldn't mind if Konoha fell today.

"To this day, I carry that pain in my heart, sensei…it was because of a war that Konoha started that my parents were killed…still, I don't have to tell you something you already know."

Jiraiya nodded, so Nagato explained about the creation of Akatsuki.

"Three years after you left us, we established Akatsuki. With Yahiko as our leader, we began to take action…just like you instructed us to find…peace. Soon, others joined our cause as Akatsuki had quickly gained fame. Everyone had approved our methods of seeking peace without the use of force. But the world was at war as you well know, sensei…Suna, Konoha and Iwa were at war with each other, using Rain Country as the center for their own interests. While their homes were untouched, ours was transformed into a war zone and no one lost any sleep over it."

Jiraiya understood that, it was how he came to know the three Orphans when he was with Tsunade and Orochimaru.

However, to Naruto it was a completely new world to grasp.

"Soon, our organization's fame grew to enough proportions that the village's higher up couldn't ignore us any longer." Jiraiya narrowed his eyes to the fact that…Hanzo the Salamander had somehow contributed to Akatsuki as it is today. "At the time, he approached us with the idea of using our organization as an axis to negotiate peace between the three nations current in war." The pervert was surprised to hear that, but he knew enough about the Salamander that the man rarely had anyone's best interest but himself. That being said, Jiraiya had enough experience to see a betrayal waiting to happen.

"As you may as well have figured out, it was then the beginning of all of our misfortunes. Naïve children we were, back then."

Konan looked saddened and towards the ground, this being the first time the woman had displayed emotion.

"What happened?" The Sannin asked, already dreading the answer that would come.

"Yahiko was killed." To that, Jiraiya took a long breath, fully understanding the pain laced in those words. "It was all a trap from the very beginning, laid by Hanzo. At the time, he suspected that we would undermine his authority and take over Amegakure. One day, we went to meet him once more for the arrangements. When we arrived, however, we found out that Hanzo had teamed up with Konoha's ANBU Black Ops…with a man named Danzo. In exchange for Hanzo helping Danzo usurp the position of Hokage, Danzo would help him get rid of us." Jiraiya, at that, exhaled in shame, wondering just how much damage the old Warhawk ended up committing.

"Danzo…!" Nagato and Konan felt the anger in Jiraiya's tone at the mention of their nemesis. Naruto perked up at the mention of the one responsible for Itachi and Shisui's demise and later on, Sasuke…and himself…or rather who he used to be.

"I don't know if it will alleviate your pain or not…." Everyone turned to Naruto, when he continued. "But, Danzo is no longer amongst the living…I took care of that, after what he did to Itachi as well as many other atrocities he committed in the past."

Nagato was privy to that piece of information from Zetsu.

"It doesn't…Yahiko is still dead and that won't bring him back, Jinchuuriki." Naruto really wasn't counting on participating much in this conversation, but being called like that the entire time was really getting on his nerves.

"What happened to Yahiko, Nagato?" The Akatsuki leader then turned to Jiraiya, forgetting about Naruto's existence.

"Hanzo had managed to capture Konan and used her as bait…he wanted Yahiko dead, so he threatened to kill her if I didn't kill Yahiko. Back then, I froze…all I ever wanted…the answer in my mind was clear, sensei. All it mattered to me in this entire world was to protect Konan and Yahiko. But…I couldn't move…Yahiko's mind was clear the entire time as he urged me to kill him, so that I and Konan lived to fight another day." Jiraiya knew how strong Yahiko's will was. Truly, it was a leader's decision to care more about the others than himself.

"All I was able to do was to grab the kunai Hanzo threw for me to use…Yahiko then threw himself at the kunai in my hand. Once more, I couldn't do anything to stop it. Yahiko's death was my second pain."

Jiraiya was finding it hard to blame them at this point, considering just how much Konoha tempered with Nagato's life.

"After that, I took over the organization as its leader…and since then, countless comrades fought and died…one by one…" Nagato then closed his eyes as he remembered everyone of his comrades. "One after another…they continued to die. The peace-added citizens of the Land of Fire…the small commissions they pay to the Hidden Leaf becomes nothing but war funds…Konoha preaching for peace is nothing but a joke…a lie…you all step over the smaller nation's sacrifice. To us, your peace means nothing but violence. Just by living, people hurt others without even realizing it. So long as humanity exists, hate will also exist. As such, true peace cannot exist in this world, sensei. I remember you saying long ago that you wished to find an answer to peace…but in our minds, that's only wishful thinking."

The pervert had nothing much to say after hearing what happened to them after he left.

Being his age, Jiraiya had heard and seen enough to know that others had bled just as much as Nagato and Konan had in their lives.

Still, that didn't diminish their pain…it made Jiraiya wonder if anyone who suffered like that decided to do something about it….what the consequences would be for the world.

"I did say that and quite frankly, I am still searching for that answer, Nagato. I'm truly sorry about what happened to Yahiko." Nagato narrowed his eyes at that.

"I have told you our story, sensei. You said back then that I was perhaps the second coming of the Rikudou Sennin and that I would be the one to bring peace to this world. What we do…is the only way for this world to find peace…true peace. Only by knowing pain, can humanity truly coexist with one another." The Sannin would have crossed his arms in thought if he still had both arms. So he instead settled to place his only hand beneath his chin in a thinking pose.

The matter at hand was extremely sensitive right now.

The final piece of the puzzle that was Akatsuki now came. Before Danzo, all that the organization did was get in the way of Hanzo's machinations to prolong the war as much as he could. After Danzo's, Akatsuki began to collect the Bijuu and come up with the ridiculous notion that using the gathered Bijuu's power as a deterrent for war would be equal to peace.

Still, Jiraiya was at a loss as to how to proceed right now…how to make Nagato believe once more…he remembered when Nagato once said to him that in order to break the hatred curse, the method wasn't as important as the power to believe. He needed to instill in his old student that feeling once more, but he wondered if it was too late for that…

"You know…" Jiraiya then turned as Naruto started talking after getting up with Itsuko's help. "I remember asking you back in our fight if you even bothered knowing about us…the Jinchuuriki as you still seem to refer to me as…and, since you had shared your story, I feel it's only right If I shared mine as well. After hearing your story, I feel like we have many things in common, as hard as that is to believe." Nagato and Konan observed the Sharingan user for a while, not saying anything. Naruto appreciated Itsuko's help getting up, but he was feeling much better now and his chakra was already replenished thanks to the fox's help.

Who's to say that these two were simply stalling, before the fight emerged all over again.

"It would be a wasted endeavor on our part to know about the personal lives of the Jinchuuriki we captured…after all, what's important to us is the beast within you."

Naruto looked at Konan and merely lifted an eyebrow at the words of indifference.

And he considered Itachi stoic.

"I may be young to you and born in a village that wasn't located in the midst of a war zone…but that doesn't mean I don't know hell when it's presented before me…" Naruto's Sharingan eyes bored into Nagato and Konan as he continued. "I am an orphan just like you two. Actually, the notion of being a child to his parents is an alien feeling to me, considering that my parents were dead the day I was born." Naruto had even placed some chakra into his eyes to capture both of them in a slight Genjutsu just like Itachi did to him…so Nagato and Konan were transported into Naruto's little hell.

"As a young boy, I didn't yet know that I housed the very demon that killed thousands in Konoha…hence why I didn't know why people treated me that way…some would look at me with disdain…others sometimes chose to lash out at me for reasons I didn't know. The orphanage I stayed at until the Sandaime got me an apartment didn't enjoy having me around. I struggled for food sometimes, because of it. It was actually one of the reasons I ended up getting the Sharingan." Konan and Nagato saw a small child wandering around the trash cans close to a Japanese style mansion, before a shinobi, from the looks of it, appeared and unleashed a fireball straight at Naruto's face.

"It was Itachi's attack who made me go blind at the time and the Sandaime had decided to give me Itachi's brother Sasuke's eyes."

Itsuko felt for her boyfriend's sad tone and placed her hand on his shoulder, comfortably.

(OST Soundtrack: Despair)

"At the time, Itachi had just committed the act of killing his entire clan and used the Ultimate Sharingan Genjutsu on Sasuke to make him relieve the memory of the blood and carnage of the Uchiha massacre. That memory was transferred to me! For the better part of my younger years to the time I became a Chuunin, every time I closed my eyes, the same memory would haunt me in my sleep. If that wasn't enough, the Sharingan is one powerful tool to possess while in a fight, but one unfortunate side effect is that once it lays eyes on something terrible, it becomes engraved in the user's memory for life. As I grew up, some of the shinobi in Konoha attempted to attack me…and the memory of those events are still etched in my brain…the memory of the sneers, the criticism, the judgment…every little detail of the villagers behavior towards me…the Sharingan recorded it. I still relieve it all, sometimes, when I sleep."

Nagato and Konan admitted to not knowing much about their own subordinate Itachi's life, as they were able to witness everything that happened back then.

Jiraiya, meanwhile, listened to Naruto explaining his story.

The kid has always been more of an introvert ever since he received Uchiha Sasuke's eyes. And Naruto spoke with such pain in his voice that it surprised Jiraiya…

It surprised him more to see Nagato and Konan not sneering or dismissing Naruto's story as they did in the beginning.

Naruto's facial expression then shifted from downright misery to a peaceful smile.

(OST Soundtrack: Samidare)

"Of course, the Sharingan also allows for happy memories to go on record…the experiences I had with my surrogate brother and sister….with Kakashi-niisan and Kasumi-neechan…the day I met with my Genin team…with Asuma-sensei…my training schedule with Tora-taichou…" Naruto then smiled as he turned to Itsuko, who smiled back at him…that was perhaps the best image he wanted to record with the Accursed Dojutsu. "and then meeting my girlfriend. We, together, take care of the orphans here in Konoha, so as to ease the burden for them all". Naruto, then, paused as he seemed to be getting Itsuko's permission for something. "She happens to be born in Amegakure as well…just like you two were. She came here to Konoha after her parents were killed."

Konan and Nagato looked at the woman ANBU next to the Jinchuuriki in surprise and Jiriaya began to figure out Naruto's intention by telling them his story.

To share a bond with them…make them see him less as a demon jailer and more as an individual who had suffered as well in life.

"Hmmm and to believe that if any of you faced her, you could have killed her…a fellow compatriot of Ame."

Nagato looked to Konan who looked back at him and both nodded in understanding.

There was something unique to a citizen of Amegakure…to all citizens of Amegakure and they could see it…this woman, whoever she is, they could see it in her.

"Indeed, I have come to see in your eyes the amount of pain you have suffered as well…" Nagato had closed his eyes when he said that and then when he opened it, he ended up concluding something that Naruto had already expected. "All the more reason to validate the dogma that people shall understand each other through pain. It's Akatsuki's goal to reach the utopia of ultimate peace through mutual understanding amongst the population. And for that to happen…for that to truly happen, capturing the tailed beasts is paramount!" The machine from which Nagato was hooked on opened a contraption door at the base as a metal stick charged straight at Naruto, much to Itsuko and Jiraiya's surprise. The metal stick slammed on the Jinchuuriki and made him skid a few meters back, with a noise that made it appear to have pierced his chest.

However, Nagato looked in surprise to see that the Jinchuuriki had managed to catch the metal stick with his bare hands.

"Yeah, I had to give it to the bastard fox…he was right this whole time…"

Naruto's eyes morphed into the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan as he pierced Pein's metal stick on his stomach, surging the fox's chakra…one tail's worth of it was enough.

Nagato's body started to thrash as he received the malevolent aura of the fox's corrupted chakra, added by the pain and suffering.

"You wish to have the fox's chakra, so here is a small sample of it for your delight!"

Naruto's tampered voice sent chills to everyone as Konan attempted to aid her friend and comrade, who was thrashing around in his throne of sorts.

"Nagato…!" Konan was finding it hard to believe that Naruto was battling Pein's control for such a short distance.

Itsuko, for her part, approached Naruto who had discarded the metal stick on the ground and eased the fox's influence.

Jiraiya managed to breathe easier this time, since Naruto had eased the flow of the fox's chakra…hmmm…to believe that the kid has battled against such malevolent chakra cursing through his veins like this…it was truly remarkable, indeed. He then looked at the visibly exhausted Nagato, practically drained after his last stunt while still trying to capture Naruto for his goal. Still, looking at Nagato's red hair, made Jiraiya remember the time where the kid Nagato would stare at the ground just like that, while crying and wishing for things to get better…he also remembered the time when a taller Nagato, now dressed as a shinobi, walk inside their shared house when Jiraiya was having a meal.

At the time, Jiraiya was still struggling for ideas for his next novel and it was Nagato back then who helped him come up with it.

Jiraiya remembered Nagato's words said back then as the kid was observing the rain outside.

'…About what you said to me about the hatred in this world…I've been thinking about it…Peace…I don't know how to achieve peace yet…but, someday I shall break that curse…If there is such a thing as peace, I'll seize it! There's something more important than the method…it's the power to believe in it'

Then it hit Jiraiya…

The final piece of the puzzle…one that he was sure that his student…the splendid young man he had the privilege of tutoring back then…he was still in there.

"Seems to me, Nagato, that you had given up…" Konan and Nagato turned to see their sensei, who was smiling with his eyes closed. "I remember hearing straight from the horse's mouth that this would never happen, but it seems to me…that you had truly given up." Konan was looking at her sensei, before looking back at Nagato.

"Giving up….you say." Nagato's painful voice made Konan wonder, before Jiraiya then went for the final move, confident that his student had read it…

"Yeah, the Nagato I know would never consider that option of giving up…the Nagato I know would search endlessly for a way to peace, a true way to peace without the bloodshed…without the violence. Just like the hero of the book…" Nagato's eyes widened at that. The book…the book that Jiraiya-sensei had written and left in their cabinet after he had left back to Konoha. The hero that managed to protect the village from assassins by never giving up on the mission of finding true peace…of finding a way to break the curse of the shinobi world.

Nagato's eyes trembled as he remembered Jiraiya-sensei standing together with him in the rain a long time ago and explaining to him the theory of the Rinnegan sage.

(OST Soundtrack: Jiraiya's Death Theme)

'…Maybe you are the reincarnation of that Monk…I have a feeling that those eyes of yours have been entrusted with the monk's hopes. A certain sage gave me the prophecy that one of my students will bring about a great change in the Ninja World. And I will guide that revolutionary…' Jiraiya then approached the child Nagato with a smile on his face as he continued. 'I happen to believe you are that person…' Jiraiya placed a hand on Nagato's head and opened up a huge smile with his eyes closed. A huge smile that Nagato happened to mirror, overwhelmed by the knowledge that the man he looked up to had faith in him.

'You are the savior of this World'.

'I know you can do it.'

Back in the current timeline, Nagato was reliving those words, when Jiraiya announced one more line for the finale as he then turned to Naruto.

"Right now, it could be an amazing coincidence…or just one of those acts of god that happens once upon a lifetime...but come to think about it, I trust you remember the name of the protagonist of that book, right Nagato." The Akatsuki leader then lifted his head up in even more surprise, as he also looked at Naruto.

The memories that flooded Nagato's brain slowly but surely replaced the sad ones, replacing the times when he would just cry his heart out, wondering why everything happened to him…he remembered when Yahiko had caught a huge fish so that the four could share a meal together. How Jiraiya-sensei had taught them how to defend themselves, as well as teaching them about other subjects…the long talks they had together and even the moments of joy when Yahiko was alive and seeing the smile on Konan's face every time she and Yahiko interacted. Nagato then pondered on the time when Jiraiya-sensei faced him in Amegakure.

'…Rather than rule the world through pain, I wish you had moved past your pain and harnessed your power to bring about peace in a positive way…'

"Jira….iya-sensei…" Konan looked surprised when tears started falling from Nagato's Rinnegan eyes. "I…we both passed through so much…it was hard to keep on believing in your words…"

Konan could feel the pain in her best friend's voice. Jiraiya smiled upon seeing Nagato begin to open up to him, even if a little bit.

"I had stopped believing in you…stopped believing in your words…but truth be told, I also stopped believing in myself…" Nagato, then, turned towards Naruto. "However, even if I were to believe that such a world is possible…if I were to believe that humanity could walk a different future than the one I had sought…how can I know that humanity will eventually meet understanding? How? I look at his eyes and I see the same pain, the same drive I had just wanting to be crushed…life will inevitably stir him away from such a path…" Naruto opted not to answer anything at this point, since the question was directed towards Jiraiya, instead.

However, Pein having murdered innocents in his name aside and probably ruining whatever bridge he had with the villagers as a whole, Naruto understood where Nagato came from. Jiraiya smirked at Nagato's pondering as both looked at Naruto. Nagato had already drawn parallels with the village's resident Jinchuuriki and Jiraiya realized that perhaps Nagato was entrusting the future on to Naruto, even without saying that.

The pervert couldn't know, for sure, that Naruto wouldn't change…he could say that he was the embodiment of Minato's and Kushina's wills…but that would be before he received the Sharingan…that isn't to say, however, that the unwavering spirit of the Yondaime Hokage and a gigantic heart of the Red Hot Blooded Habanero weren't inside him anymore and that was what he was counting on, moving forward. Right now, he didn't have easy words to say to his once wayward student. However, he had faith that Nagato, the real Nagato, was staring back at him now.

"At the end of the day, Nagato, what remains is the ultimate power to believe that breaking the curse is possible."

The tears were now gone from Nagato's face as he nodded at Jiraiya's words.

"True enough…then I shall gather enough strength to start believing in your words, sensei…"

Konan looked at her friend, wondering what he was going to do now, when Nagato yanked both hands from the machine he was linked with.

She realized what would happen, once Nagato made the ram sign.

Gedo Rinne Tensei no Jutsu (Outer Path Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique)

"Nagato, don't…." Naruto, Jiraiya and Itsuko were alarmed as soon as they sensed Nagato surging chakra, but Konan's tone perhaps painted them a different picture.

"It's okay…Konan. As of right now, I am making a new decision. A decision I had once given up on!"

Nagato's hands were trembling as he used every once of chakra he had, using his own life force as juice for his last technique.

"Konan, what is he doing?" Jiraiya turned to his other student, alarmed and for good reason.

"Those who possess the Rinnegan are able to manipulate the Jutsu of all six Paths…and are said to exist outside the realm of life and death. Nagato's ocular power is the Jutsu that controls life and death." Jiraiya felt conflicted at first and thought about stopping his student from this specific path…for as he knew that would happen next…Naruto did as well, as his Sharingan could see Nagato's chakra levels diminishing fast. In the end, this was what Nagato had chosen to at least make amends with Jiraiya…and himself, actually.

In Konoha, a gigantic creature emerged from the middle and released all of the souls of those who perished from Pein's attack and Tsunade was witnessing it all with a stunned facial expression.

Back in the tree hideout, Nagato's once red hair now became deep white as he finished his technique.

"Nagato…" Jiraiya asked.

"I was still in time…haha…to revive those I've killed since arriving in the Leaf Village. It's the least I could do for them, sensei."

It was quite excruciating for a sensei to see the sacrifice of a student, but Jiraiya would be doing a disservice against his efforts, otherwise.

"I understand…at least I had the pleasure of seeing the real you finally, my student."

Nagato was in deep pain and out of breath, but he could at least show a relieved smile on his face one final time, with the knowledge that he had found redemption.

Nagato then looked at Naruto as Rinnegan met with Eternal Mangenkyou Sharigan, probably for the last time.

"...War inflicts death, injury and pain on both sides, remember that! The death of someone dear is hard to accept…we convince ourselves there's no way they could die. It especially can't be helped with your generation, since you don't know what war is like. You may try to find meaning in death, but there is only pain. An unbearable hatred and a pain that never heals. You may be facing that in time…however, it's important that you don't lose sight of the bigger goal in the end…Jinchuuriki…no….Uzumaki Naruto…" It was actually the first time Nagato had said his real name…"It seems my work ends here…whether or not you or Jiraiya-sensei manages to achieve peace, the only thing I can do is have faith in the possibility…someday."

Those were Nagato's last words as his eyes lost its residual spark. A sober Konan released the tree papers, allowing the sunlight to illuminate Nagato's true redemption.

===Afterward===

As soon as the paper tree dissolved, Naruto, Jiraiya and Itsuko left with Konan in tow, carrying Nagato's dead corpse after he had exhausted his entire chakra capacity, bringing those he killed back to life. Naruto and Itsuko hung back as the ANBU girlfriend took care of her boyfriend's most extensive wounds, while Jiraiya accompanied Konan further away from the village outskirts, to also take Yahiko's corpse.

Truth be told, Jiraiya was glad about the outcome in the end.

Of course, he wouldn't want Nagato to lose his life in the process, but in the end, he had made amends for his actions, same as Konan.

The paper user was silent and in Jiraiya's mind, contemplative of her future, now that both her loved ones are dead.

"So, are you going back to Akatsuki? I could persuade Tsunade…to keep you here in Konoha." Jiraiya was looking at her back for a while and it worried him to leave her alone.

"I am leaving Akatsuki, sensei, but my life is in Amegakure. Nagato deserves a resting place next to Yahiko. Plus, staying here would be the equivalent of being imprisoned." Jiraiya couldn't give her false hope…however, he knew what would happen.

"True, but at the very least, you would be protected, Konan." The woman waved his concern off.

"My life means nothing more at this point, sensei. Akatsuki began in order to represent Yahiko's dream…with his death because of Hanzo, Nagato inherited that dream. Their dream is now passed on to you, Jiraiya-sensei and Ame shall be with you."

The perverted Sannin truly wished for another to whom he could pass this mission to.

"Hmmm, truth be told, I may be too old to pursue that, Konan. Perhaps, there is someone else better suited for the job." Jiraiya turned to look at Naruto and smiled upon seeing the tenderness of care between him and Itsuko.

Konan looked at Naruto as well and also at Itsuko, after learning about her also sharing plenty of history with herself, Nagato and Yahiko.

"If you have faith in him to succeed Nagato, then I shall as well." Konan then turned to walk away with Nagato and Yahiko's body.

"I know that you plan on fighting him, Konan." The woman stopped walking and turned to Jiraiya. "The one with the orange mask and Sharingan eye." Konan's eyes were stone cold and she wasn't even surprised that they knew about him. Konan had no way of knowing what would come of her fight against him, also…at this point in her life, with Nagato also gone, her life has left all meaning. Whether or not she came out alive from her next fight, it's irrelevant in the end. Without Yahiko and Nagato with her, her role in life became non-existent…so…

"I bid you goodbye, sensei." Jiraiya frowned knowing what that meant, but simply let her walk away to do her own bidding.

Even if today was out of proportion, Akatsuki was still out there, capturing the other Jinchuuriki.

Their job was far from done at the moment.

He then walked back to check on Naruto and Itsuko, however Jiraiya failed to see a certain snake Sannin camouflaging in the midst of trees, with a sadistic smirk on his face.

The snake Sannin had observed it all and truly felt something shift within him. Above the desire to fully understand every aspect of the shinobi arts possible, there was always something he craved…to see the wheels in motion…to see chaos and destruction…cause and consequence…retaliation. It was the life he grew up knowing, it was the life he envisioned as being a shinobi's world…with peace the world does not grow, in his mind…in peace, people do not reach their full potential…they become stagnant. The fight between the almighty Rinnegan against the resourceful Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan had truly made his snake skin tingle.

So much so that he wanted to see more of it. His eyes settled for perhaps the ultimate body just a few miles and completely up for grabs if he wanted to.

Uzumaki Naruto…

Just the genes alone would already meant a magnificent specimen…a clan that rivaled the Senju and the Uchiha in terms of overall chakra prowess, not to mention the chakra capacity that already surpassed most…add that with the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, the strongest Bijuu in his gut and the exquisite use of Fire and Earth Ninjutsu, not to mention the strange, but truly welcomed, Magma release bloodline. At this point, Orochimaru couldn't consider a single weakness to exploit, which was precisely why he couldn't move to capture Naruto, even if he appeared exhausted right now.

Not to worry, however…the wheels are in motion right now and it would get only more exciting from here on out.

As such, with that notion, Orochimaru had just slipped back inside the tree he had crawled out of, slowly, while savoring the situation fully.

===Throughout the Elemental Nations===

While things in Konoha had become hectic, the same couldn't be said from Sunagakure and Kumogakure.

Tobi was seen in the middle of the desert, carrying the unconscious Gaara on his shoulder, just as Zetsu emerged behind him.

"I had expected more of a fight from him."

"As did I…" Tobi's voice, this time, lacked the usual playfulness one would expect. "However, it seems I was not the best adversary for his sand to stand against." Whatever powerful attack Gaara would send at Tobi, the elusive Akatsuki agent would just pass through it and advance. Eventually, Gaara's chakra vanished, allowing Tobi to capture the Jinchuuriki without breaking much of a sweat. It helped that the Jinchuuriki wasn't much liked in his village, since this way Tobi didn't have to deal with any more nuisances.

"Do you have news of the others? Kisame? Pain and Konan?"

"Kisame was successful in capturing the Hachibi Jinchuuriki and has already taken him towards the hideout." Tobi smirked from within his mask. "Pain, however, lost his fight against the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki."

"Excuse me…" To be frank, he was more worried about Kisame, not Nagato. This complicated things, since now Akatsuki has two less members to extract the beast from the Jinchuuriki.

"Yes, it seems the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki is dead set on killing us one by one." Tobi, however, just snorted.

"So, Nagato had failed me in the end…what about Konan?" Zetsu nodded as he secured Gaara's corpse from Tobi's shoulder.

"She went back to Amegakure…taking Nagato's corpse with her."

"Well, then, I guess I shall make a quick stop there, then." A sudden air vortex erupted, before Tobi wasn't in the desert anymore. Zetsu went back underground with Gaara's body.

===In Konoha===

Not knowing that he was perhaps the last Jinchuuriki still alive, one Uzumaki Naruto walked alongside Jiraiya at a casual pace towards the village.

Itsuko had kissed him and hugged him for a while, before saying that she needed to report back to the Hokage and the ANBU HQ about what happened. In the end, it came as a relief for them that everyone who was killed by Pein's attack were revived. However, the damage done to the village's overall structure was still there in the end and as such, it's not like they could erase the event from existence. Naruto remembered the look on Kiba's face as well as many other of his peers.

It was painfully obvious at least for him that Naruto wouldn't receive any praises from defeating the enemy.

Jiraiya, however, had kept his hopes up, knowing that the village would finally give Naruto the respect he deserved as hero of the village. As soon as they came out of the forest and stopped by a clearing where once was a nice place in the village, the two saw a huge crowd gathered there, waiting to know about what happened When Naruto and Jiraiya appeared, the crowd stopped talking and everyone focused on Naruto.

Jiraiya was already expecting cheers to follow…however, he frowned once everyone in sight kept looking at Naruto with the same level of disdain as if he was the fox in human clothing.

The perverted sensei was truly stunned at the treatment received by the Yondaime's son, especially after what happened.

Naruto, for his part, kept up his stoic look and simply placed one step in front of the other, walking away from Jiraiya. The Uchiha Uzumaki merely allowed his brain some small reprieve and deactivated his Sharingan. As he looked around, though, Naruto was able to pinpoint from the crowd, those that mattered to him…

Kakashi, Kasumi, Choji, Asuma, Kurenai, Ino, Shikamaru, Genma, Kotetsu, Izumo and a few others as well…Tora and Itsuko were on top of a nearby building and both waved at him, earning a nod of happiness from him.

They were enough for him, in the end. Konoha would forever be his home and he had made a pledge to always protect the village, no matter if the villagers hated him or not.

Jiraiya had already left the premise in order to meet up with Tsunade and report…however, he allowed himself one last look at Naruto's face as he observed Minato's son shouldering everything by himself…this only showed that the village's hatred still runs deep, first with the fox that now resides in his stomach and last for the organization who sought to destroy the village, for the sole purpose of capturing him.

Perhaps, Naruto isn't the hero the village wants, but in Jiraiya's book, Naruto sure is the hero the village needs, especially now as dark times looms ahead.

Author Note

Ok, that's it for now.

To everyone who caught the reference in the end, yes, I got the inspiration for the Dark Knight's Movie. In my view, that's what Naruto is in this story…a complete contrast to canon. A needed hero, not a wanted one; someone who shoulders the village's hatred. Someone whose respect won't ever be enough to grant the position of Hokage, but someone who shall serve and protect the village from the shadows. Someone like I would envision Uchiha Itachi to be, had he lived. Sasuke had then taken upon that role in the Boruto series.

Next chapter shall be a little filler mission before the follow-up after Kirabi and Gaara's capture with Naruto now being the last Jinchuuriki alive.

Lastly, I have recently created a P-atreon account for those who wish to follow my stories more personally, sending suggestions and occasional polls to help me.

Also, for those who wish to make a pledge there, it would be greatly appreciated.

P-atreon Account: Anime-Enthusiast

Next update: Nidaime no Sairin