The Empire's Rain Village, once shrouded in gloom and rarely blessed by sunlight, now looked to Nagato like a Pure Land kissed by the gods.
He slowly sat up in his hospital bed. His eyes, worn down by illness and the passage of time, now sparkled with curiosity and longing for the unknown world.
Sunlight streamed through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows like golden silk, draping lightly over his shoulders. It was warm and gentle, as if nature itself were offering him its tenderest comfort.
Nagato narrowed his eyes slightly, allowing this long-lost warmth to seep into every inch of his skin and every cell in his body, as though it could sweep away all the gloom that had accumulated in his heart over the years.
"Am I... still alive?"
A trace of doubt welled up in his heart, mingled with an incredible, almost unbelievable joy.
He looked around. The simple yet cozy hospital room and the peaceful, vibrant scenery outside the window all seemed so real, so within reach.
Is this... heaven? Nagato wondered silently, a never-before-felt emotion surging through his chest.
He realized that he might be standing at an entirely new starting point—a peaceful world he had dreamed of, yet once believed was beyond his reach.
He quietly stepped out of the hospital room, each step cautious, as if afraid to shatter this rare tranquility.
The world outside was even more beautiful than he had imagined.
In the fields, golden wheat swayed in the breeze, telling of the joy of a rich harvest. In the sky, birds spread their wings and soared, sometimes whispering, sometimes singing their hearts out, free and carefree. In the distance, children's laughter rang out like silver bells as they chased and played, their faces filled with the purest smiles.
All of this was