"Nagato?! What's going on?" Ōnoki froze. "Orochimaru isn't dead?"
"Even if the caster dies, as long as the Impure World Reincarnation technique isn't released, those revived by it won't disappear," Minato Namikaze explained.
Jiraiya had already exited Sage Mode. He looked at Nagato with a complicated expression and sighed. "Nagato, you've already lost this war."
"So what? Should I just surrender without resistance?" Nagato spoke softly. "Master Jiraiya, you saw it just now too. The conflicts between villages cannot be reconciled. Even if you win today, what can you change? War will continue, and peace will never come!"
"And that means you want to destroy the Ninja World?" Naruto demanded loudly.
"Only when everyone in the Ninja World has experienced the pain of losing their loved ones will they truly understand the value of peace, and only then can peace truly descend upon the Ninja World!" Nagato's expression was resolute. "Everything I've done was right!!"
Naruto clenched his fists, about to use Talk no Jutsu to brainwash Nagato, when a hand suddenly reached over and blocked him in front of the chest.
"Naruto, you're still as naive as ever."
Uchiha Sasuke's cold, proud voice slowly rang out. "A ninja at this level can be beaten easily. Why waste words on him?"
As he spoke, Uchiha Sasuke tilted his head slightly, revealing those Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. His ocular power flowed forth, transforming into an oppressive force that descended upon Naruto. There was even a trace of condescension in his gaze. "Or are you saying you can't beat him?"
Naruto flew into a rage. "Sasuke, you bastard!!"
"Um, Sasuke, you just got here, so you don't know, but..." Temari pointed at the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path lying nearby and gave a bitter smile. "Orochimaru, the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, was actually defeated