Hyuga Shinichi's black rods had pierced through several of Nagato's vital points. The overwhelming pain and the encroaching sense of weakness made Nagato realize that his life was likely at its end.
Minato's curse marks spread rapidly across his body, pinning him firmly in place. Under the influence of Shinichi's chakra, Black Zetsu had also lost control over Nagato's body, rendered unable to use White Zetsu cells to repair the damage.
Although Nagato had regained his consciousness, he had no intention of healing himself; he refused to remain a pawn for anyone else. Allowing his life force to drain away, he prepared to leave his final words.
Only at the moment of death can one truly see the person they have become.
Though he had been unwilling to admit it, Nagato knew clearly that he had lived within a cycle of hatred for years. Yahiko's death had dealt him a blow so devastating it completely altered the trajectory of his life.
Thinking of Yahiko and the expectations of Jiraiya-sensei, Nagato let out a bitter smile, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.
A short distance away, Minato Namikaze had prepared the sealing technique. He approached Nagato's side but did not rush to act, standing silently to listen to the man's final confession.
"In the end... I was too weak. Unable to face the cruel reality, I led the Akatsuki down a different path."
"If I had stayed true to myself... perhaps..."
Blood welled up in his throat, cutting his words short.
Black Zetsu, seeing that Nagato was offering no resistance and was simply waiting for the end, shrieked in rage. He tried to peel himself away from Nagato's body, desperate to avoid being sealed alongside him.
However, Shinichi's black rods had skewered both of them together, pinning Zetsu to Nagato's frame. No matter how much he struggled, he could not break free.
At this point, Zetsu finally realized what these rods truly were. Looking into Shinichi's Byakugan, his terror grew, and his struggles became more violent.
But Shinichi continued to transmit chakra through the rods, suppressing Zetsu and keeping him fused to the dying Nagato.
"Bastard, let me go!"
"Do you have any idea who I am? Hyuga brat, I am your ancestor! YOUR ANCESTOR!!!"
"Let me leave! Let me go!"
Ignoring Black Zetsu's frantic screams, Minato and Shinichi kept their focus entirely on Nagato.
Ancestor?
Shinichi had no intention of humoring a creature that didn't know its own place. Black Zetsu was merely a localized manifestation created by Kaguya for her escape—he was a completely different "organism" compared to Hagoromo or Hamura Otsutsuki.
If Black Zetsu actually possessed power similar to those two brothers, he wouldn't have spent centuries hiding in the shadows, manipulating generations of Indra's reincarnations to achieve his goals.
And the tragedy was that for all those centuries, he had never once truly succeeded. For someone who claimed to be Kaguya's third son, he wasn't even worthy of the name Otsutsuki.
Nagato's breathing grew faint. Toward the end, his only lingering concerns were Konan and the Land of Rain.
Konan was his closest friend, and the Land of Rain... though it was the site of all his pain, it was the land that had raised him. His warmest memories of his parents and his few happy times with his comrades were all tied to this earth.
"I beg of you..."
Nagato could no longer protect them himself. He entrusted everything to Minato, his fellow student.
"I promise you, I will take good care of Konan and work to bring peace to the Land of Rain!"
"As long as I live, I will not break this promise to you!" Minato vowed solemnly.
Hearing Minato's soft but resolute words, Nagato finally nodded. A faint smile appeared on his face as his pupils dilated and his breath ceased.
Ultimately, he left this world carrying a spark of hope. The hatred had not been erased, but it would not be passed down.
Sensing that Nagato's life force had vanished, Minato Namikaze did not hesitate. Though Nagato was gone, the incident was not yet closed. Black Zetsu was still alive.
Seeing that Zetsu was still energetic despite being skewered by the rods, Minato realized conventional methods wouldn't work. Furthermore, the Rinnegan had to be disposed of properly, or it would surely bring more calamity to the world.
Minato intended to use a sealing jutsu to lock away both the eyes and Black Zetsu forever. He would have Mount Myoboku guard the seal to ensure nothing went wrong.
He tossed a scroll into the air above Nagato. Complex runic formulas flowed from the scroll like liquid ink, rapidly enveloping the bodies of Nagato and Zetsu.
As the seal commenced, Konan finally arrived. Seeing the lifeless Nagato, the strong-willed woman finally broke down, kneeling on the water as tears flowed uncontrollably.
An ominous feeling had gripped her from the moment Nagato was controlled, and in the end, he had not escaped his fate. However, seeing Black Zetsu screaming under the sealing technique brought her a small measure of cold comfort. At least Nagato had not ended his life as someone else's puppet.
The Four Symbols Seal was powerful. Pressed down by the black rods, Black Zetsu was helpless. Within seconds, the black runes dragged both into the scroll. The "Seal" (封) character appeared boldly in the center.
Minato caught the scroll and tied it with a red cord. He marked it with his Flying Thunder God formula and infused it with chakra, linking it to a summoning trap. If anyone tried to open it, a great toad from Mount Myoboku would be summoned instantly.
This was a double insurance. Even if stored at Mount Myoboku, he feared someone might use special means to steal it.
Konan watched the scroll with hollow eyes. Nagato's departure left a hole in her heart, but she felt no hatred toward Minato or Shinichi. She understood that Minato had done what was necessary.
"I will personally handle Nagato's funeral," Minato comforted her. "The Rinnegan is too dangerous to be left out. Konan, I hope you understand."
Konan opened her mouth to speak, but found no words. Finally, she simply nodded. She had wanted to bury Nagato with Yahiko, but since Yahiko's body was missing, that was currently impossible. Finding Yahiko became her new silent resolve.
Shinichi noticed her hesitation and guessed her thoughts, but since even he wasn't sure where Yahiko's body was at this moment, he made no empty promises, simply noting the task for later.
Minato summoned a communications toad, had it swallow the scroll, and gave it strict instructions on its importance before dismissing it.
"Konan, what are your plans now?" Minato asked. "I promised Nagato I would look after you and the village. If you agree, I will support you as the leader of the Hidden Rain."
"Konoha and the Rain will be true allies. We will provide whatever support you need—weapons, supplies, whatever it takes. But if you just want a quiet life, I will support that too."
Minato was a man of his word. He truly viewed Konan as a junior sister, but as Hokage, he was also considering Konoha's interests. The Land of Rain was a small nation caught between giants; usually, such nations survived by playing both sides. However, that strategy often led to ruin when the giants truly clashed.
The Rain had been a battlefield in the Third War for that very reason. Minato believed the best way for the Rain to survive was to bind itself firmly to one side. He intended to treat the Rain with the same status Konoha once gave to the Whirlpool Village.
"I..." Konan spoke, her voice regaining a bit of strength. "I want to protect our shared treasure in place of Yahiko and Nagato!"
Minato nodded. "If it's you, you will do a great job. Tell me whenever you need help."
Konan nodded silently and began walking toward the village through the rain. The drizzle soon turned into a torrential downpour, with thunder rolling across the black sky. She disappeared into the curtain of water.
Minato sighed, and with a shared nod, he and Shinichi used the Flying Thunder God to depart.
As the ripples from their departure faded, a figure appeared silently on the water. Clad in a black poncho, the man's hood partially obscured a handsome face.
Obito Uchiha.
Obito was in a terrible state. His three-tomoe Sharingan showed deep exhaustion, and beneath his broken mask was scarred skin and a pale, dead eye.
"That fool Black Zetsu actually got sealed with the eyes..."
"The plan is completely ruined. Retrieving those eyes will be incredibly difficult now."
"I'll have to find a way to get the Tailed Beasts. Only with their power can I force Konoha to hand over the Rinnegan."
He let out a low, cold laugh. "Actually, without Black Zetsu watching me, I can move much more freely now."
A vortex swirled in the air, beginning to pull him in.
It turned out that Obito had used Izanagi to rewrite his death from Shinichi's earlier attack. Having lost a massive amount of chakra and his ultimate trump card—his second Sharingan—he hadn't dared to show his face while Minato and Shinichi were present.
He had waited, observing and planning. Now, with Zetsu gone, he saw an opportunity. Perhaps this was his best chance to escape the control of Madara Uchiha's curse seal.
He would no longer be a pawn. He would become the player.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 0 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.