Chapter 53

                                    

                                          
   
Naruto frowned and looked up at Nagato. 
   "Since that day, countless other comrades have fought and died in battle. So many others, one by one, they kept dying. The peace-obsessed citizens of your Land of Fire... they paid a small commission to the Hidden Leaf, adding to their warfare. And the citizens of the Land of Fire, knowing full well the real truth, still falsely proclaimed peace! But the peace that you large nations enjoy, exists only because of the sacrifices forced onto the smaller nations. For you all like to call peace..."
   You looked down and stared at nothing as Nagato continued to talk to Naruto. You were absorbed in your own thoughts. All six of the Paths of Pain were created out of corpses... then that means one of them must be Yahiko. 
   "All that Jiraiya said about peace... is nothing more than wishful thinking! I've told you my story just as you asked," Nagato said. You looked at Naruto. What will he answer? Will he even have a solution? Or will he have nothing in mind? "Now let's hear your response."
   Naruto closed his eyes and pulled something out of his pocket. Your eyes remained trained on the object in his hand and widened once you realized what it was. A book, one you had read before. Nagato also seemed surprised. Naruto stared at the book for a moment. 
   "You may be right," Naruto began. "Truth is, I think the same way you do."
   "I see," Nagato replied. 
   "But even if I understand you now..." Naruto's fingers tightened on the book and he closed his eyes. "That doesn't change... how I feel. There's no way that I can forgive you... I still hate you."
   "Then you want to settle things with me?" Nagato questioned.
   "I do," Naruto answered. Nagato, Konan, and your eyes widened. "But Pervy Sage believed in me, and wanted me to continue his quest. And for those reasons... I choose to believe in him and follow what he taught me," Naruto opened his eyes and stared right at Nagato. "So that's it, that's my answer. That's why... I'm not gonna kill you guys."
   "After everything that's happened you still believe in Jiraiya sensei's teachings?" Nagato concluded. "Very well then, you've given your answer. And you expect us to wait until you somehow quickly transform this world into a peaceful place?" Naruto looked down. "No! Never! How can I believe in Jiraiya's words after all that's happened?! There will never be such a thing as true peace! Not so long as we're forced to live in this accursed world! Peace is impossible! Impossible!"
   Naruto remained silent for a few seconds and then looked up at Nagato. "Well then, I'm gonna break that curse someday. If there's truly such a thing as peace in this world, then somehow, I'll find it! I'll never stop looking."
   Your eyes widened and Nagato's jaw dropped open slightly. Those words... 
   "You..." Nagato began. Konan turned toward him. "But that's..."
   "Nagato, what's the matter?" Konan asked. 
   "Those words... it can't be," Nagat murmured.
   "That's right, you know them," Naruto told him. He looked at the book as he continued to speak, "All of those words, are taken right out of this book. The very first novel that Pervy Sage ever wrote. He was seriously trying to change the world with this message. And on the back of it, he wrote about a student who helped provide him with inspiration," he reached up with his free hand and opened to the back of the book. "It was you, Nagato."
   "But..." Nagato trailed off. Then it clicked. That's where you had seen the old man in the Hidden Rain. He was the one on the back of the book. You turned your head slightly to look at Nagato. He was silent as he seemed to recall a distant memory. Nagato's eye widened.