The Land of Rain.
Nagato and Obito returned to Amegakure in a sorry state.
"Obito, those Hashirama cells you mentioned-will transplanting them really give me a healthy body again?"
"Yes."
Obito put his old tiger-striped mask back on.
He looked earnestly at Nagato.
"The Mangekyō Sharingan inevitably leads its user toward blindness. The more you use its dōjutsu, the faster your eyes go blind.
I've used Kamui for over a decade, and the only reason I haven't gone blind yet is the Hashirama cells."
"Transplanting Hashirama cells won't just repair your body, which you've ravaged by overusing the Rinnegan and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. It will restore your health and vitality, and might even make you stronger...
More importantly, it will let you use the Rinnegan's power without restraint, without worrying about your body collapsing or suffering a backlash."
"Right now... it's your only possible path to catching up with that monster, or even surpassing him."
Obito's words were like a key, unlocking the last door of hesitation in Nagato's heart.
He closed his eyes, and Naruto's figure flashed through his mind again-the way he had casually dismantled every attack, the arrogance of not even deigning to fight "seriously"...
And Yahiko's shattered body, the despair in Konan's eyes as she fell under Tsukuyomi...
This couldn't go on!
His eyes snapped open, a ruthless resolve flashing through his Rinnegan.
"Give me the transplant."
Nagato's voice was still hoarse, but unusually firm.
Without a healthy body, everything was just empty talk!
How could he fight when he could barely stand?
How could he take revenge?
In the end, Nagato decided to exchange a Hashirama cell transplant for a healthy body. Otherwise, he would never defeat Naruto in his lifetime.
Naruto was already this powerful before reaching the period of