You are Nagato Uzumaki

Nagato's brow twitched slightly.

"You know about Hashirama's cells?"

"I don't just know about Hashirama's cells."

Ren's gaze settled on what lay within Nagato's body.

"Madara Uchiha's cells are in you too."

Nagato fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"Obito made it very clear when he came to me."

"With my original strength, I couldn't defeat you."

His voice remained calm, without any emotional shift at admitting his disadvantage.

"The Six Paths of Pain can defeat ordinary Kage-level opponents, and use the Rinnegan's abilities to hold off the strongest fighters. But against you, the power of six puppets was simply too scattered."

"I couldn't control the Rinnegan in person, nor could I truly concentrate the Six Paths power in my own body."

"So Obito gave me Hashirama's cells."

Nagato lifted one foot and set it down in the muddy water.

"They repaired my legs first."

"In the early stages of the transplant, my body readily accepted Hashirama's cells. My legs went from having no sensation at all to feeling pain, and then to supporting my body as I stood. It took very little time."

In the distance, the surviving scouts heard his words, and undisguised shock spread across their faces.

"What did he just say?"

"That leader, Pain, who used to sit in a wheelchair—he really recovered the use of his legs?"

"Hashirama's cells can make a cripple walk again?"

A Konoha ninja stared at Nagato, his voice tight.

"This is already beyond what ordinary Medical Ninjutsu can accomplish."

Inside the crater, Nagato continued:

"But the changes Hashirama's cells brought weren't limited to healing."

"They activated my Rinnegan."

Ren's gaze sharpened slightly.

"The Rinnegan never belonged to you."

"Correct."

Nagato did not deny it.

"Those eyes came from Madara Uchiha."

"In the past, I could barely keep them