CHAPTER 95 — Samsara of Heavenly Life
Konan lay still, her chest stained with blood, her eyes closed. Nagato knelt beside her, hands crushed and trembling from the immense strain of his last technique. His body shook with exhaustion, and every breath came with effort.
Diana and Gaius moved closer, watching his every move carefully, Nagato might try to use this moment to escape, as many here were capable of unpredictable techniques.
Nagato bent over Konan, his red-tinged white hair framing his exhausted face. His lips moved softly, murmuring words only she could hear.
"Konan…" he whispered.
Without his hands, Nagato couldn't normally use the technique without extreme effort. But facing death, he no longer cared. His red-tinged hair bleached fully white as his chakra drained with each passing second, and he completed the technique despite the cost.
His voice was weak, almost fading. The immense chakra drain of the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique had left him spent. White energy began to swirl around him and Konan, a gentle, glowing aura that stood in stark contrast to the devastation of the battlefield.
Konan's body twitched slightly as the energy reached her. Her eyes opened slowly, and for a moment, she saw nothing but white light. Then, her vision cleared, and she immediately recognized Nagato. Her heart leapt in realization, and she gasped, her voice trembling:
"Nagato!!"
He looked at her weakly, his voice barely audible but filled with determination:
"Konan… live… live peacefully… follow their wills."
His gaze shifted toward Gaius and Diana, and she followed it. She understood what he meant. He was entrusting her life to them, asking her to survive, to carry on. Diana gave a slight nod, a silent affirmation that they would honor his wishes.
Nagato's voice grew even weaker, almost a whisper.
"Konan… live… you must live… follow our agreement…"
And then he was still. The life had left him, leaving only the quiet echo of his final words. He slumped backward, his head resting lightly on the mud-stained ground. Konan blinked, alive but shaken, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.
Gaius stepped forward, approaching Nagato with purpose. His hands extended toward the Rinnegan implanted in Nagato's eyes, moving as if he intended to take them forcefully. His golden-blue optics glinted through his helm, cold and imposing. Konan, now fully awake, saw the movement and instinctively stepped in front of him, trembling but firm.
"wait..." she said, her voice weak but determined.
Gaius paused, his expression unreadable behind his helmet. He could sense her fear and understanding, the bond between Konan and Nagato.
Diana stepped up beside Konan, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She had grown fond of Konan, admiring how she had sacrificed herself to block Diana's blade for her friend. By intervening, Diana offered comfort and protection otherwise, Gaius might have used harsher measures.
Konan turned to Diana, her voice small:
"Konan… is it?"
Diana gave a gentle nod.
"It's part of our deal. We resurrected you and let you go. And you should never hurt Naruto again."
Konan's gaze dropped to Nagato's lifeless body. She swallowed hard and nodded slowly. She moved aside, letting Gaius crouch beside Nagato. He worked carefully, hands steady despite the solemnity of the moment, and removed the Rinnegan. Every movement was precise.
Gaius held the Rinnegan in his hands, feeling its faint pulse of energy beneath his fingers. He sensed the power within, but he thought little of it beyond bringing it back to his world and presenting it to the Emperor. He had no use for it himself, though the Emperor might.
Thinking about how to contain it, since he had no equipment suitable for storing something like this, an idea came to him. With a thought, he activated the Postal System, a System capable of storing and sending items across universes.
The Rinnegan transformed into white particles and vanished into the system. A private panel appeared before Gaius, visible only to him:
[Pair of Rinnegan] [Send it to? or Cancel]
He scrolled through the list of members but chose to leave the Rinnegan in storage, not sending it to anyone. He intended to retrieve it after returning to his own world.
Diana watched quietly, understanding the importance of his actions. She spoke softly:
"Mission accomplished?"
Gaius opened the mission panel for them both to see:
Mission: Help Naruto Uzumaki avenge Jiraiya
Objective 1: Destroy Nagato's puppets [Completed]
Objective 2: Defeat or kill Nagato [Completed]
Optional: Eliminate any Akatsuki members [4 eliminated]
Gaius confirmed:
"Completed."
Diana had considered pursuing the remaining Akatsuki, they were a threat to Naruto and a danger, but she trusted his judgment and stepped back, letting him finalize the mission.
Above them, the sky shifted as a white bird descended gracefully, carrying Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai. They landed one by one, their presence bringing a sense of relief and safety to the battlefield.
Naruto's eyes first sought Diana and Gaius. Seeing them unharmed, a faint smile appeared on his face. But his gaze soon fell on Nagato's body and Konan, her chest still bearing the marks of the earlier battle. His expression softened, a mix of sadness and understanding. The person who had died was the one who had killed his teacher, his master, his father-like figure, but he held back his grief.
Naruto stepped closer to Konan. He looked at her with a warm, understanding expression and said lightly:
"Are you… pervy sage student too?"
Konan blinked, a mixture of confusion and sadness on her face. She nodded silently, understanding the connection between them. Naruto smiled, trying to hide his grief and put forward a sense of hope:
"Then come with me to Konoha!"
Kakashi hesitated, wanting to say that they couldn't let such a dangerous person stay in Konoha. But when he looked at Naruto, he stayed silent, deciding to leave the judgment to Hokage-sama.
Konan hesitated, shaking her head.
"I… I cannot. I'll live far away," she said quietly.
Naruto tilted his head, his smile unwavering.
"Why? Don't worry. I'll protect you and ask Granny Tsunade to allow you."
Before she could respond, Diana stepped in, her voice firm but kind:
"You shouldn't refuse. There are still dangers, like 'Uchiha Madara' and other Akatsuki members. With the threats out there, it's safest for you to stay in Konoha."
Konan looked at Diana, then down at the ground. After a long pause, she nodded.
"I… understand," she said softly.
Naruto's smile widened, a genuine warmth returning to his face.
"Yeah!" he said, relieved.
Gaius watched them carefully, ensuring the moment was stable and safe. He then stepped forward, removing his helm to reveal black hair and eyes tinged with gold.
"Naruto," he said calmly, "our mission is now done. We should leave."
Naruto's smile softened but remained restrained.
"I see," he replied simply, accepting the truth of their departure.
Diana stepped forward, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder and hugging him briefly.
"Don't worry, Naruto. We can always talk. Remember the Multiversal Chat," she said softly.
Naruto nodded, letting a bright, hopeful smile return.
Gaius accessed the mission rewards. The first appeared clearly:
Warcry of the Emperor – A terrifying vocal ability that channels the sheer authority of the Emperor through the user's voice. When unleashed, it strengthens allies nearby, boosting their reflexes, strength, and resolve, while enemies falter in fear, hesitation, or outright panic. The sheer resonance can rattle bones and shatter morale, making it a weapon as deadly as any blade or gun.
The second reward, earned from the optional task of eliminating the Akatsuki, appeared next:
Auto-Seal Micro-Repair Layer – A system that slowly repairs small cuts, scratches, and dents in the armor over time. It won't fix major damage, but it keeps the armor in good condition during battles, giving the user a small but steady advantage.
While not as powerful as the first reward. since not all Akatsuki members had been eliminated, it was still understandable, and the abilities remained extremely useful. Gaius glanced at Diana, who had also accepted her reward. He was curious about hers but didn't ask..
Above the field, the rain had stopped, leaving only smoke rising from the battle. The sun broke through faintly, casting a soft light on the survivors. Konan, still recovering, stood beside Diana, looking at Naruto. Her face was calm now, resolved.
P.S. The reward I chose wasn't meant to make Gaius more overpowered, he's already incredibly strong.
Update:P.S. Sorry the chapters were skipped earlier. They didn't upload properly and ended up staying in my drafts, probably because of the internet. I've fixed it now. Thanks so much for your patience, and thanks for reading!
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