Chapter 379: Pain Escaped on His Own
"You really are a remarkable guy."
Li Yao looked at Naruto and said, "Even though I still can't believe in the peaceful world you speak of, I'm willing to wait."
"Let me see what kind of future you can bring to the shinobi world."
With that, Li Yao pressed his hands together and performed a summoning jutsu, calling back Yahiko's body.
Konan held Yahiko's corpse in her arms. Li Yao gave Naruto one last look. Seeing that Naruto had no intention of stopping them, he smiled faintly and said to Konan, "Konan, let's go home."
Konan dispelled the giant tree created by her Paper Release. Nagato summoned a giant bird once more, and the two of them, carrying Yahiko, left on the summoned beast.
Naruto watched them the entire time. He neither stopped them nor said a word.
Indeed, hatred wasn't so easily resolved.
Sparing Nagato was already Naruto's greatest concession. Hoping for him to peacefully coexist with Nagato was impossible.
But… if even Naruto felt this way, how could the families of those killed by Nagato—those who had lost their sons or fathers—possibly let go of their hatred?
…
"No, this isn't right!!!"
Li Yao had left, and while destiny had indeed changed drastically as in the original story, it wasn't the same as what had happened in the dream!
At Mount Myoboku, beside a waterfall pond, Gamamaru was frowning tightly while using the Telescope Technique to watch Naruto's meeting with Nagato.
"No, this is wrong!"
"What's wrong…?" asked Gamabunta nearby, smoking his pipe.
Gamamaru ignored Gamabunta and focused on recalling the world he saw in his dreams.
In that world, after Nagato was persuaded, all the people in Konoha who had died in the battle were brought back to life. Though he hadn't seen who did it, the only jutsu capable of resurrection was from the Rinnegan.
As someone who had once trained in sage arts under the Sage of Six Paths, Gamamaru knew well the Rinnegan's abilities.
Only Nagato could have resurrected those who died in Konoha.
But now, even though Nagato had been persuaded and accepted Naruto's vision of peace, why hadn't he revived the dead from this battle?
Gamamaru couldn't make sense of it.
But one thing was certain—the direction of this world had veered drastically.
Peace or destruction?
The future, once again, had become shrouded in uncertainty.
"This won't do, I need to sleep!"
Uneasy, Gamamaru hopped away. He needed to sleep and enter his dream world to see what had really changed in the future.
The prophecy had deviated, and that left Gamamaru feeling extremely insecure.
…
"That's... Pain's summoned beast!"
"Naruto!"
At the base of the mountain, Shikaku and Hiashi were startled when they saw the giant summoned bird flying off from the summit. Pain was leaving—what had happened to Naruto?
Worried, they ignored Naruto's earlier instruction to wait and, together with an ANBU member, rushed up the mountain.
"Naruto!"
At the summit, the three saw Naruto standing there, gazing in the direction the bird had flown. His body bore no wounds, and his chakra was stable.
The three scanned the surroundings and found no signs of a fierce battle.
Approaching Naruto, Hiashi asked in confusion, "What happened here? Where's Pain? Did he escape?"
Naruto replied, "I didn't kill them."
"What?!" The accompanying ANBU member sounded tense, his tone almost accusatory. "Naruto, that's the Pain who did this to the village—how could you just let them go?!"
The ANBU was clearly upset by Naruto's decision. His squad had lost three members to Pain, and even his own family might not have survived.
How could Naruto just let Pain go under such circumstances?
Naruto said, "They won't be enemies of Konoha anymore."
You say they're not enemies and that makes it true?
The ANBU ninja was stunned by Naruto's explanation and couldn't accept it. "So… just like that… you let the ones who killed so many comrades in Konoha go?"
Even if they no longer opposed Konoha, so what?
Pain had killed so many people and devastated the village. Just because they were no longer enemies, should they be forgiven?
The ANBU couldn't understand Naruto's reasoning at all.
Shikaku and Hiashi looked at Naruto with complicated expressions. They, too, didn't fully understand why Naruto had made such a decision.
But out of trust—either in Naruto, or in Jiraiya and Tsunade—and given the village's current condition, they didn't speak out against him.
The enemy was already gone, and none of them had a way to fly. The only one who could fly, Sai, had died earlier in battle. Even if they wanted to give chase, they couldn't.
And even if they did catch up without Naruto's help, what could they do?
Judging by the summoned beast, the person controlling Pain could likely use all six of the Paths of Pain's abilities.
Even if they reached them, they wouldn't stand a chance.
So while they didn't agree with Naruto's decision, they said nothing.
But the ANBU was different. As part of the Hokage's elite covert unit, their duty was to protect the Hokage, protect Konoha, and eliminate any threat to the village.
Pain wasn't just a threat—he was a confirmed and devastating enemy of Konoha.
Their duty and beliefs told them they could never let Pain go.
"Hmph!"
"I won't forgive anyone who hurts my comrades."
Seeing Naruto wasn't going to make a move, the ANBU ninja snorted coldly, turned, and headed in the direction the summoned bird had flown.
Whoosh!
Naruto suddenly blocked his path and said, "Please believe me—Nagato and the others won't be enemies anymore. They're no longer a threat to Konoha. We must not let hatred continue, or more people will just keep dying."
"Move." The ANBU ninja drew his kunai and stared coldly at Naruto. "I don't care about hatred. ANBU's duty is to eliminate all threats to Konoha."
"Please..." Naruto suddenly dropped to his knees and said, "They're not enemies. They were once Jiraiya-sensei's students. Their parents were killed by Konoha ninja. They… they entrusted Jiraiya's dream of peace to me. I believe—"
"Enough!"
The ANBU shouted, eyes sharp. "Naruto, don't forget who you are. You're just a genin. Do you know what it means to obstruct an ANBU mission?"
"Naruto!"
Shikaku quickly came to Naruto's side and helped him up. "Listen—Pain didn't escape because you let him go. He escaped after you defeated him, understand?"
"Huh…" Naruto was stunned. Weren't Nagato and the others let go by him? Why say they escaped?
Hiashi followed up, "That's right, Naruto. Listen to Shikaku. Pain escaped on his own. Don't obstruct the ANBU's duty."
As a genin, even with Naruto's special status, if he were accused of interfering with ANBU operations, it would be seen as betraying the village.
And the difference between Pain escaping after being defeated versus Naruto letting him go was massive—too much for Naruto to bear.
The two were worried. They didn't want Naruto to grow distant from the village because of this.
Konoha couldn't afford to lose Naruto right now.
Shikaku and Hiashi exchanged a look, signaling the ANBU ninja—now wasn't the time to push Naruto into becoming the village's enemy.
The ANBU understood their look. Frowning, he thought it over, then sheathed his kunai and turned away without a word, choosing not to pursue Pain.
Seeing this, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. He thought he had succeeded in convincing them—his lips curled into a faint smile, as if the era of mutual understanding had finally arrived.
(END CHAPTER)
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