Pain (Part One)

The roar of the crowd was like a tide, pounding against Nagato's heart again and again.

This small world of Amegakure, into which he had entrusted all his dreams, sent its final plea to him—their god—at this most critical moment.

They wanted to live.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

A strange sound came from Nagato's mouth. His expression was odd, and it was impossible to tell whether he was laughing or crying.

He raised his head and gazed at the firmament through those empty eye sockets.

In the sky, an utterly terrifying aura was rapidly approaching the earth.

"Hey, Konan, have you ever regretted it?" he asked the woman beside him softly.

Konan shook her head and said in a low voice, "No matter what decision you and Yahiko make, I will support you."

"I only want... to be with you two!"

Nagato smiled and said ruefully, "You're still just like you were back then—not the least bit decisive!"

As he spoke, he raised both hands, moved his fingers, and solemnly formed one hand seal after another.

Feeling the chakra within him surging rapidly at such close range, Konan asked anxiously, "What are you going to do, Nagato?"

"Do you really have to ask? Of course I'm going to do what Pain should do!" Nagato replied without turning his head.

Having proclaimed himself Amegakure's savior, he had a responsibility to save all of Amegakure's innocent civilians.

"Are you crazy? You can't possibly stop such a huge meteor!" Konan cried out.

At first, the meteor had been high enough that its edges could still be seen. But as it descended lower and lower, it nearly covered the entire sky, stretching beyond the range of sight.

It was practically as if the sky itself had collapsed!

Even with Nagato's Rinnegan still intact, he