Chapter 376: Not the Protagonist, Yet Better Than the Protagonist
After seeing his enemy sealed by Yasushi, Nagato's body immediately couldn't hold on. He swayed twice in place before collapsing on the spot.
His Sage Body originally possessed extremely strong recovery capabilities, but his four limbs had been shattered, then torn far worse during his struggle.
Currently his bones were dislocated, muscle fibers extensively ruptured. Under the residual Yin-Yang force interference from the black receivers, he couldn't heal anytime soon.
Yasushi canceled the complete Susanoo and descended to ground level. Looking left and right, seeing both jinchūriki still unconscious from severe injuries, he ignored them. Gripping the Amber Purifying Pot, he walked toward Nagato.
At this moment, Nagato no longer possessed his previous aloof appearance. After his "divine" confidence shattered, human emotions suppressed for years finally flowed freely.
He lay collapsed on the ground, face ashen as death.
Those eyes that once viewed life and death coldly while overlooking all living things—the Rinnegan—now stared vacantly at the gray sky obscured by smoke and dust, having lost all luster.
Silent, surging tears continuously rolled down his cheeks stained with blood and dust, flowing into the hair around his ears, dripping into scorched earth.
What those tears washed away was bewilderment after belief collapsed, despair after power was absolutely crushed, heartache over Konan's uncertain fate, the emptiness of years of persistence and sacrifice ultimately becoming bubbles, and even more—as a "person," after stripping away all disguises and burdens—the most primal fragility and sorrow.
"Yo, Nagato, we meet again."
Yasushi waved at Nagato with a grin, setting the Amber Purifying Pot on the ground before sitting on it.
Nagato woodenly turned his head to glance at him, then turned back, staring blankly at the sky while crying—saying nothing.
Yasushi acted as though he'd seen nothing, continuing to joke:
"I heard your tailed beasts are almost fully collected.
"After becoming the Ten-Tails jinchūriki, you'll truly become a 'god.'
"Then shinobi world peace will descend as you wish. You should be happy—so why the crying face?"
"God? Peace?"
Words that once mattered immensely to Nagato now sounded entirely sarcastic—like an adult hearing their own cringe-worthy middle school quotes.
Nagato turned his head to the other side, not wanting to face Yasushi's spectator expression. His voice grew extremely low and dejected.
"What kind of god am I?
"I couldn't even save my last companion.
"So what if I become a 'Ten-Tails jinchūriki'?
"My strength fundamentally can't overwhelm the endless stream of powerful individuals in the shinobi world. My so-called dream of bringing peace to the shinobi world can ultimately only remain a dream."
Is his heart shattered?
This won't do—my subsequent grand plans really need your power!
Yasushi scratched his head in distress, persuading:
"That's not how you should think. Maybe after becoming the Ten-Tails jinchūriki, you'll undergo qualitative transformation!
"Listen, 'Rinnegan' plus 'Ten-Tails jinchūriki'—that directly enters Six Paths level. Intimidating the Great Villages presents zero problems.
"Don't think power people like Jigen are all over the streets.
"He's an alien!"
Yasushi selectively explained Isshiki's circumstances, wanting to reactivate Nagato's confidence. But after hearing his words, Nagato froze for a long while before woodenly turning his head back, staring at him:
"Yasushi, you have the ability to prophesy the future. Tell me—will more aliens come to the shinobi world in the future?"
"Uh..." Yasushi's words immediately stalled. "These aliens... definitely more will come gradually in the future.
"But it's fine. They're basically delivery boys bringing treasures to our door. We just need to devour them completely."
"Delivery boys?"
Nagato smiled bitterly, not continuing to press. Instead, he asked in return:
"Did my ideals come true?
"Did shinobi world peace descend?
"Did small nations like Rain Village become prosperous?"
"The shinobi world peace question..." Yasushi tilted his head thinking, then spoke bluntly: "According to the previous 'prophecy,' you died long ago under the savior's talk-no-jutsu.
"But under current circumstances, I've already defeated the shinobi alliance. Later I'll destroy all nations and establish one unified new country.
"If you're willing then, you can become this new nation's first leader."
"Unify the shinobi world?" Nagato stared blankly at Yasushi's face. After a long while, he nodded thoughtfully:
"Is this your chosen method for shinobi world peace?
"It sounds more thorough than mine.
"If all nations disappear, everyone becomes citizens of one country, then all conflicts will inevitably weaken. Problems can be resolved through negotiation rather than through war like now."
Looking at Nagato's naive expression, Yasushi scratched his head. Ultimately he didn't voice the truth about doing this randomly out of boredom. Instead, he nodded heavily.
"Correct!
"This is my solution for shinobi world peace!
"Come, Nagato, join us. Let's build a new nation together.
"Everything for the shinobi world!
"Everything for peace!"
Yasushi extended his hand of friendship toward Nagato, his face even wearing Minato's signature smile.
In this instant, Yasushi felt his words and actions possessed great protagonist flair—clearly following the standard "savior" template from hot-blooded manga.
But without protagonist aura's protection, Nagato proved exceptionally unsympathetic.
He looked deeply at Yasushi once, slowly shaking his head:
"The new shinobi world order was your idea. The shinobi alliance was defeated by you. I contributed nothing to this. Your nation doesn't need my existence.
"Now Yahiko is dead. Konan is dead too. I'm already tired and don't want to continue.
"I'll find some secluded place to live in seclusion, never again involving myself in the shinobi world's conflicts.
"As for the 'Ten-Tails jinchūriki,' I'll give it to you. Hopefully it can help your new shinobi world order..."
"She's not dead! Not dead!" Yasushi quickly interrupted Nagato's words, explaining: "That space from earlier was Isshiki's Daikokuten—a space-time ninjutsu. People are just sealed inside, not dead yet!
"Later we'll release her and naturally everything will be fine."
"Konan's not dead?"
Nagato immediately sat up, emotionally grabbing Yasushi's shoulders and shaking forcefully:
"What you're saying is true?
"Konan was really just sealed?"
"Of course it's true."
Yasushi simply explained Isshiki's dojutsu abilities again before concluding:
"I happen to need some intelligence about the Ōtsutsuki clan from Isshiki. Might as well make a deal with him—rescue Konan along the way."
"Thank you so much!"
Nagato emotionally prostrated on the ground, speaking with genuine sincerity:
"As long as you can rescue Konan, I'm willing to dissolve the Akatsuki organization and bring Rain Country entirely under your command, becoming part of the new shinobi world order."
"That would be excellent!"
Yasushi listened with beaming joy, helping Nagato up. Using dojutsu, he healed all Nagato's injuries before stopping his desire to negotiate with Isshiki immediately.
"Before that, we still need to prepare first, then we can 'persuade' this arrogant Ōtsutsuki."
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