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Minato Namikaze looked straight into Naruto's eyes."I don't know the answer either."
Naruto's voice shook, frustration spilling out."What? If even Pervy Sage and the Fourth Hokage don't know, how could I possibly know?!"
"You're all asking too much of me!"
"My head's not that sharp, and I'm not some amazing ninja!"
"And besides, I…"
Before he could finish, Minato gently placed his hand on Naruto's head, his face full of warmth."You'll find that answer. I know you will."
"I believe in you."
Naruto froze, caught by the certainty in his father's eyes."Really? You think I can… actually find it?"
Minato smiled."A parent always believes in their child, no matter what. That's what it means to be a father."
"…Looks like my time's almost up."
"My chakra's fading away."
Naruto's expression turned desperate."What? Wait—don't go yet!"
"I repaired the seal one last time."
A deep, black hole on Naruto's body slowly closed up, transforming back into the mark of the seal.
"This is the last time I can help you. But Konoha can still be rebuilt. I'm counting on you, Naruto."
And with that, Minato's figure dissolved into nothingness.
Naruto's eyes hardened with resolve."…Thank you, Dad."
Pain stared at the rampaging Nine-Tails."To break free from Chibaku Tensei… what unbelievable power."
"If that's the case, then I'll just have to create an even greater one—"
Boom!
But in the blink of an eye, the Nine-Tails vanished without a trace.
Pain's brows furrowed."The Nine-Tails… disappeared?"
His gaze shifted—and there was Naruto, standing tall atop the floating stone sphere, already in Sage Mode.
Sweat trickled down Pain's temple."So… the confusion's gone? What just happened? Did he… actually gain control of the Nine-Tails?"
Far away, Nagato coughed up more blood, his body trembling.
"Nagato!" Konan cried out in alarm, rushing to his side.
He was pale and drenched in cold sweat, his condition worsening by the second. The Chibaku Tensei began to crumble as the stones lost their grip, rumbling apart.
The ground quaked as the massive boulders rained down.
Naruto leapt down from one slab to the next, finally landing before Pain.
"Because of the Nine-Tails, my chakra went haywire," Naruto muttered, crouched on a chunk of rock. "And my last shadow clone holding Sage chakra has already dispersed."
"All I've got left is the bit still inside me."
With a thunderous crash, the rocks fell away, leaving Naruto face-to-face with Pain.
Pain studied him, unharmed and unbroken."You're a troublesome one."
"I only wanted to test the Nine-Tails' power… and even Chibaku Tensei couldn't contain it."
From inside Naruto's jacket, a slug crawled out."I really thought I was done for…"
Naruto quickly surveyed the area."That direction… that's where the village is."
The slug's soft voice carried a note of warning."And over there—the battlefield torn apart by your Nine-Tails form."
Naruto's chest tightened as he remembered Hinata falling."Wait… did I… did I kill Hinata? Did I kill everyone in the village?"
Panic flared. He reached out with Sage chakra, searching desperately.
Then his breath caught."That chakra—Hinata's alive. She's still alive!"
The slug reassured him."It was frightening, but your rampage didn't kill anyone from the village."
Naruto let out a shaky breath, tears springing to his eyes."…Really? Thank goodness. Thank goodness!"
Elsewhere, Hinata had already been carried to safety by Guy's team.
Wiping his tears away, Naruto stood and faced Pain with renewed determination."It's about time we settle this."
Pain's voice was cold, but steady."So… do you understand pain now?"
"Without experiencing the same suffering, you can never truly understand others. And even if you do understand… it doesn't mean you can forgive. That is the truth of this world."
Meanwhile, in another world…
One Punch Man universe
Saitama scratched his shiny head."Man, there sure are a lot of strong guys in other worlds. That Fourth Hokage guy was dead, right? And yet he could still show up like that, just as a chakra form."
A crooked smile tugged at his lips."Not that I'd lose any sleep over it."
One Piece universe
Somewhere in the New World, aboard the Whitebeard Pirates' ship…
"The Nine-Tails, huh? What a terrifying power," Whitebeard rumbled.
Flower Sword Vista muttered,"I wonder if Pops' quake-quake fruit could suppress something like that."
"This world of ninjas… it's strange. Everyone's like a Devil Fruit user, with all sorts of bizarre techniques."
The entire crew sat stunned, trying to wrap their heads around it.
Back in the ruins of Konoha—
The slug whispered,"Just like chasing Sasuke was pointless back then…"
Naruto cut in, his voice firm."Then take me to the real one. I'll say what I need to directly to him."
Pain's expression flickered."Oh? So you noticed the true body's location?"
"Heh… Jiraiya, you, and now Konoha. You're more capable than I thought."
"But I've already said everything that needed to be said. Nothing you say now will change a thing."
"Then at least let me try," Naruto shot back."…Sage Mode!"
Pain's eyes narrowed."That troublesome Rasenshuriken—you can only throw two of them at most, right? And once you do, Sage Mode will run out."
He began walking toward Naruto, gripping a black chakra rod."If either one misses, it's over for you. I won't leave you a second opening."
"If you fail, I'll beat you half to death and drag you away."
Naruto dropped into a fighting stance."Then I'll just find the real one myself!"
"But what if you can't?" the slug fretted.
"I've got an idea."
Pain lunged, thrusting his rod forward. Naruto backpedaled fast, then caught the black rod in his left hand.
With a surge of Sage chakra, he yanked hard—Pain's arm throbbed painfully and he had to let go.
Naruto's counterkick sent him flying into a boulder, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.
Naruto stabbed the stolen rod into his own arm, closing his eyes to trace the chakra flow with Sage energy.
Instantly, Nagato stiffened."This brat… he's using Sage Mode to track me through the chakra in the rods!"
"…He found me!"
Pain staggered back to his feet, seething."Damn you!"
Naruto ripped the rod out of his arm and tossed it aside."Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Two clones appeared. Naruto gathered power in his palm, the air whirling into a massive Rasenshuriken.
"Alright—let's go!"
The two clones flung their weapons, vanishing with the original from Pain's sight.
"So the first one comes now?" Pain braced himself, every sense on edge.
A Rasenshuriken screamed through the air, blindingly fast.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Repulsive force exploded outward, shredding the Rasenshuriken into a cloud of white motes.
But even as the light faded—another Rasenshuriken came hurtling toward him.
Pain's eyes widened."What?! A shadow shuriken feint?!"
"The interval is five seconds. That's enough!"
"..."
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