Was Nagato's Childhood Really That Miserable?

[Nagato Uzumaki: "Naruto, what do you think?"]

[Naruto Uzumaki: "I want to bring peace to the Shinobi World and put an end to all this..."]

[Zabuza Momochi: "That's too difficult. You're still too weak in the video..."]

The video continued.

"You think a few nice words are enough to be forgiven? People's feelings aren't that simple." Nagato hesitated.

"You're right about that."

"What Jiraiya-sensei talked about might have been nothing more than impractical ideals.

Reality is different. You said you'd defeat me and bring peace to the Shinobi World, didn't you?" Nagato stared at Naruto.

Just then,

The Nine-Tails' Chakra slowly faded from Naruto's body. He stood up and looked at Nagato.

"Even if those were just empty words, you're no god. Faced with this reality, can you really believe Jiraiya-sensei's last words?" Nagato's tone was complicated.

"Ever since I learned you were Jiraiya-sensei's student, there's been something I've wanted to ask you." Naruto cut Nagato off.

"What do you want to ask?"

"You were all Jiraiya-sensei's students once. How did you end up like this?"

[Konan: "Naruto, I see Yahiko in you..."]

[Nagato Uzumaki: "Yeah, you're just like Yahiko..."]

[Hagoromo Otsutsuki: "That boy Naruto might really be able to bring peace to the Shinobi World!"]

[Hamura Otsutsuki: "Brother, are you really that certain?"]

[Hagoromo Otsutsuki: "Yes. I see something different in his character..."]

[Toad Sage: "A great calamity will befall the Shinobi World in the future. The Child of Prophecy's son will bring about change..."]

[Jiraiya: "Huh? The prophecy changed again?!"]

[Momoshiki Otsutsuki: "Hahaha, I see. I knew it... Boy, listen carefully. Those eyes will someday take everything you hold dear!"]

[Ōnoki: "What the hell? Why is everyone talking in riddles?"]

[Mizukage Mei Terumi: "Talking in riddles is no fun..."]

The video continued.

"You're not like the usual Akatsuki members who take pleasure in killing.

I know that much, but I know too little about you. So I want to hear what you have to say before I find my answer..."

Naruto looked at Nagato and Konan, his eyes filled with complicated emotions.

"All right, then I'll tell you about all the pain we've been through..." Nagato nodded.

Then Nagato began to tell him about his childhood.

Naruto listened quietly, falling silent.

At that moment,

He gained a new understanding of ninja:

Ninja didn't just have a noble side, protecting others.

They could also be selfish and greedy...

Nagato's parents had been killed by ninja from Konoha.

Back then,

The young Nagato could only watch helplessly.

It was then that he awakened the Rinnegan.

With the power of the Rinnegan, Nagato quickly killed the two Konoha Ninja.

When he came to his senses again, he found his parents' cold bodies...

"My parents died in a war started by Konoha. I've never forgotten the pain I felt then. It's followed me like a shadow to this day..."

Nagato's eyes were full of memories.

"That pain turned into hatred and gave rise to my power!

I was the one who killed those two ninja!"

The scene changed.

As a child, Nagato wore a raincoat as he laid his parents to rest in graves.

With little food left, Nagato had no choice but to put on his raincoat and go out looking for something to eat.

"This is the last of it, isn't it..."

Nagato looked at the bread in his arms and took a bite.

As he walked, his strength gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

He was extremely weak from going without food for so long.

The days passed, and he didn't know how much time had gone by.

Nagato knocked on someone's door.

"Sorry, could you give me something to eat...?" Nagato asked weakly.

"I've..."

"Click."

The door opened.

"I haven't had anything to eat for a long time."

"Sorry, I don't have anything to give you... Times are hard, and I can barely look after myself." The middle-aged man spoke weakly.

"Sorry, try asking somewhere else..."

Nagato watched the door close, swallowing the words on the tip of his tongue.

He was so hungry. He hadn't eaten anything all day...

That had been the last house.

Nagato dragged his weak, unsteady body slowly into the distance, letting the rain beat down on him.

Nagato came to a house and saw bread on the table through the window.

He swallowed and looked up at the sky.

Although he was too hungry to walk,

He still held to his principles and didn't steal anyone else's food...

[Jiraiya: "That boy Nagato was too kind..."]

[Hanzo of the Salamander: "That's the economic condition of a weak country. How are we supposed to survive if we don't fight and take what we can?"]

[Hashirama Senju: "Why did it turn out like this...?"]

In the Pure Land,

Hashirama watched the video, his heart full of self-reproach.

Back then,

He had distributed the Tailed Beasts among the great villages.

He had also provided supplies and resources to all the weaker countries,

Wanting only to keep children away from the battlefield and spare them the pain of hunger.

Yet,

What he hadn't expected

Was that things would become like this after his death...

"Brother, don't be too sad. Isn't there still hope now?

At least, we have to believe in that boy Naruto..."

Tobirama sighed softly and patted Hashirama on the shoulder to comfort him.

"Yeah, Tobirama, you're right..." Tears streamed down Hashirama's face as he nodded, choking back sobs.

[Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hozuki: "The First Hokage was far too naive..."]

[Konan: "I didn't expect to see Nagato's childhood memories again..."]

[Akimichi Chōchō: "Is this what happened back then? War is so cruel..."]

The video continued.

Nagato dragged his frail body forward, but after only a few steps, he fell headfirst onto the hillside.

The rain continued to pour.

I can't go on. Am I going to die here...?

A short while later,

A fair, soft hand reached out, tightly clutching a piece of bread.

Nagato froze at the sight.

"Eat this..." Konan held an umbrella, her eyes full of tenderness.

"...Can I really have it?" Nagato swallowed and asked hesitantly.

Inside a cave,

Nagato broke the bread in half.

He fed one half to his puppy and ate the other half himself.

Seeing this, Konan couldn't help laughing softly.

The scene changed.

In the dim cave, flickering candlelight cast a warm glow.

"Konan, who's that guy?" Yahiko looked at Konan with a hint of jealousy.

"Sorry, but he looked like he was about to starve to death..." Konan held her hands behind her back, looking a little awkward.

"You even brought a dog back, honestly... What's your name?" Yahiko got up from the bed and slowly walked toward Nagato.

"Little One..."

"That's a weird name..."

"No, that's the dog's name," Nagato said weakly.

"That was when I met Yahiko and Konan, who's here with me now.

We were all orphans of war, determined to stay strong and survive.

And so, I became their companion..." Nagato's narration played over the scene.

[Tenten: "This is just too cruel to watch..."]

[Sakura Haruno: "Exactly. Those three were just kids (ó﹏ò｡)"]

[Kakashi Hatake: "...Sakura, you're not much older than they were, are you?"]

(Personally, I think Nagato's memories are pretty interesting. Are you okay with them?)

(This book moves at a fairly fast pace, so please try not to skip ahead...)

(By the way, does anyone want to be the operations officer?)