Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 415 Nagato's Choice

In the dimly lit tree hollow, Naruto looked at the flustered Konan and the composed Nagato, a sense of unease rising within him. He frowned and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? What kind of technique was that? Why are you reacting like that?"

Konan took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but her eyes still revealed deep worry. She slowly said, "Those who possess the Rinnegan can not only fully control the techniques of the six Pains, but legend has it that they can also transcend the world of reincarnation and death. Nagato's eye technique is a technique that controls life and death. The seventh Pain's technique is... the Rinne Rebirth Technique. This is a forbidden technique that can resurrect people, but the price is the life of the caster. And now, Nagato has used this technique to resurrect everyone in Konoha Village."

Naruto's expression instantly turned serious. He stared wide-eyed at Nagato in disbelief. He hadn't expected Nagato to be willing to pay such a huge price to save those who had once been his enemies.

Nagato smiled slightly, seemingly satisfied with his decision. He said softly, "I have already seen a peaceful future, and I believe that as long as people understand each other, true peace can be achieved. Therefore, I am willing to exchange my life for the rebirth of those innocent people, hoping that they can become a force for promoting peace."

Naruto was deeply moved, sensing Nagato's profound kindness and yearning for peace. He knew that although Nagato had once gone astray, he had ultimately chosen the right path.

At that moment, the barrier between Naruto and Nagato seemed to disappear; they understood and respected each other's choices. Naruto secretly resolved to carry on Nagato's legacy and strive for peace.

In the center of the ruins of Konoha Village, a violent tremor suddenly resounded. Immediately afterwards, a shocking sight appeared before everyone's eyes: a gigantic head of Yama, completely invisible to ordinary people, silently emerged. This Yama head was incredibly large, seemingly from another world, and its presence exuded a powerful sense of oppression.

The Yama statue opened its enormous mouth, spewing forth countless dazzling beams of chakra light. These beams of light rapidly spread outwards, as vibrant and colorful as fireworks. As the chakra light surged forth, souls flew out of the Yama statue's mouth, scattering across the ruins of Konoha.

These souls are those of villagers who died during Pain's attack on Konoha. Their souls were sealed in Hell by Pain's magic, but now they have returned to the mortal realm. These souls appear very weak, but their eyes are filled with a longing for life and hope for the future.

As time passed, more and more souls returned to their original bodies. These bodies had been dead for a long time, but with the return of the souls, they gradually regained their vitality. People watched all this in astonishment, their hearts filled with emotion and joy.

However, this was not the end. With the return of the last soul, the center of Konoha Village's ruins changed once more. The Yama statue slowly vanished, leaving behind peace and tranquility. Amidst the ruins of Konoha Village, the survivors rose to their feet, feeling a renewed strength and hope. They knew that although Konoha Village had suffered a devastating blow, as long as there was hope, they would surely rebuild their homes.

The leaders of the three sacred ninja lands—Ryuchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest, and Mount Myōboku—all wore faint, triumphant smiles, making Nagato's sacrifice all the more bizarre. They seemed to have anticipated Nagato's sacrifice and reaped some benefit or satisfaction from it. This situation made one wonder if these sacred lands were truly as holy and righteous as they appeared. Meanwhile, at Mount Myōboku, the Great Toad Sage began to speak the words of the prophesied child. His voice was deep and mysterious, seemingly containing boundless wisdom and power. His eyes shone with an eerie light, revealing an insight that transcended time and space. His words were full of mystery and revelation, moving all who heard them. However, the toads present reacted differently to these words of the prophesied child. Some believed them wholeheartedly, considering them divine guidance; others were skeptical, regarding them merely superstition and legend. In any case, the words of the Great Toad Sage undoubtedly added a layer of mystery to the whole story, and also filled the toads of Mount Myōboku with anticipation and speculation about the future.

In a grove of trees not far from Konoha Village, a figure suddenly stopped, standing atop a tree trunk, carefully sensing the sudden change. This person was none other than Orochimaru, who had rushed from his training grounds to support Konoha. He was no longer far from Konoha Village; at his speed, he would arrive in half an hour at most.

Orochimaru stood on a tree trunk, quietly sensing his surroundings and the atmosphere around him. His gaze was sharp and focused, as if he could see far beyond the trees. Suddenly, he detected an unusual aura, an aura that made his heart tighten. He knew that this aura meant that Konoha Village might be facing a great threat.

Orochimaru suddenly stopped, as if time had frozen, standing silently in place. His eyes became focused and sharp, continuously expanding his soul power, carefully sensing something in the direction of Konoha Village. He had been traveling at breakneck speed, anxiously wanting to support Konoha Village in its time of crisis, but just now, he sensed an extremely powerful and mysterious fluctuation of rules from the direction of Konoha Village. This fluctuation shocked and surprised him like never before, because it seemed to transcend the realm of ordinary ninjutsu and chakra, containing an indescribable power. Orochimaru secretly wondered if this was related to Pain. After all, Pain possessed the Rinnegan, and could control six chakra nature transformations and powerful abilities such as Yin-Yang Release. If this was indeed Pain's doing, then this battle would become extremely difficult. However, Orochimaru was not intimidated by fear. On the contrary, a hint of excitement appeared on his face, and he muttered to himself, "Interesting... It seems I have to speed things up!"

Then, he quickly made a decision and sped towards Konoha Village. His figure moved like a ghost, weaving between tree trunks and disappearing into the forest in the blink of an eye.

During the journey, Orochimaru did not withdraw his perception of soul power. Instead, he focused all his attention on the peculiar fluctuations of rules that made him feel pressured. Since advancing to the Golden Core stage, he had never encountered such powerful rule power, which made him both excited and nervous.

He closed his eyes, focusing entirely on the flow and changes of that power. Each fluctuation was like a lightning bolt striking his heart, giving him a deeper understanding of this power.

As time went on, Orochimaru gradually discovered that this power of rules seemed fundamentally different from the rules he was familiar with. Its power was greater, its level higher, as if it were an existence that transcended his current realm.

He fell into deep thought: "Could this be the legendary advanced rule?" This thought made his heart race, and his eyes gleamed with excitement. If he could comprehend this advanced rule, his strength would be greatly enhanced.

However, faced with such powerful rules, Orochimaru felt unprecedented pressure. He knew that comprehending such advanced rules was no easy task and would require much more effort and time. But he was not afraid of the challenge; on the contrary, he was filled with fighting spirit.

He decided to continue exploring this mysterious land, seeking more clues about this advanced rule. Perhaps, it held the key to breaking through bottlenecks and reaching a higher realm. With this determination, Orochimaru increased his speed.

Just then, the people of Konoha Village were astonished to discover a miraculous change: those ninjas who were presumed to have perished during Pain's invasion, whose bodies remained relatively intact, had all miraculously come back to life! This astonishing sight plunged the entire village into shock and joy.

People gathered together, staring in disbelief at the reappearing figures. They couldn't believe their eyes, yet their hearts were filled with awe at this miraculous power. These companions, relatives, or comrades who had lost their lives had returned to their side, as if time had reversed.

Some people were moved to tears, tightly embracing their reborn relatives and friends; others silently gazed at everything before them, their hearts filled with emotion and relief. At this moment, the entire Hidden Leaf Village was immersed in an atmosphere of joy and emotion, as everyone celebrated this incredible miracle.

Inside the tree hollow, Naruto stared wide-eyed at the scene before him, his heart filled with shock and confusion. Nagato, whose once vibrant red hair was now deathly pale, seemed to have lost all life force. His body grew weaker, and his vitality rapidly dissipated, causing Naruto to feel a surge of unease.

The atmosphere was unusually heavy. Naruto's gaze was fixed on Nagato, as if trying to find answers in his gradually dimming eyes. He recalled all the moments he had spent with Nagato, the battles, training sessions, and everyday life they had shared flooding back. However, Nagato now seemed so unfamiliar, as if he were a completely different person.

Naruto took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil within him. He realized that Nagato's change wasn't a sudden event, but rather the result of a long period of accumulation and influence. Perhaps it was his disappointment and pain with the world that led Nagato down this extreme path. But regardless, Naruto still couldn't accept Nagato's current state.