Just as Konan was left speechless and Nagato prepared to attack...
Shinji suddenly left Naruto behind, turned, and walked away.
"I brought him to you. Once you've settled who wins, I'll be back."
After delivering those meaningful words, Shinji immediately vanished.
Konan and Nagato both froze.
Then they turned their eyes to the somewhat nervous Naruto.
What kind of scheme was this?
Throwing a meat bun to a dog?
Pah, pah, pah!
At that moment, Nagato still had no idea what awaited him.
The Child of Destiny activated his invincible talk-no-jutsu mode. Ora, ora, ora, ora, ora...
"I don't understand why you did that."
After Shinji returned, Sasuke asked with a slight frown.
Shinji smiled faintly. Without an omniscient perspective, of course Sasuke wouldn't understand his reasons.
"Doesn't he annoy you? Why are you worried about him?"
"Who's worried about him?! I just..."
Shinji waved a hand, cutting off the bristling Sasuke. "Relax. Everything I said earlier was true. I didn't lie to him. I'm just curious whether a miracle will happen again."
With his words forced back down his throat, Sasuke felt his chest ache.
"What miracle?"
"Do you think Naruto can beat him as he is now?"
Sasuke thought for a moment, then looked around at the utterly destroyed village and shook his head.
That was absolutely impossible!
"That's the miracle I'm waiting for. Under utterly impossible circumstances, what could Naruto do to make him give up his own life to revive the enemies he just killed?"
"Give up his own life?"
"Of course. You didn't think a Forbidden Technique that resurrects the dead on such a massive scale came without a price, did you?"
Sasuke was stunned. "Then isn't Naruto done for? How could he possibly pull that off?"
"Why else would I call it a miracle?