Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 404 Konoha Crisis 13

A gentle breeze swept across the ground, raising a cloud of dust before quietly dispersing it. The dust swirled in the air for a moment before settling down, plunging the entire area into an eerie silence. Naruto Uzumaki remained prone on the ground, his eyes fixed ahead, his mind replaying Pain's questions. These questions were like heavy shackles, tightly binding Naruto's thoughts, preventing him from breaking free.

Time ticked by, and Naruto still hadn't found the answer. He felt an increasing emptiness within him, as if he had lost his way. He began to doubt whether he truly understood the world, whether he truly understood what true peace was. This self-doubt plunged him into deep anguish, and his anger towards Pain gradually subsided. At this moment, he was filled with more disappointment and confusion about himself.

Pain turned to look at the bewildered Naruto Uzumaki and began to speak again: "I created Akatsuki to stop this chain reaction of hatred. To stop this hatred, I need the power of the Nine-Tails. Using the power of all the Tailed Beasts, I will create Tailed Beast weapons with power dozens of times greater than that used to destroy this village—power capable of destroying a country in an instant!"

"Tailed Beast Weapon?" Naruto Uzumaki's expression changed drastically as he looked at Pain, his eyes filled with shock and fear. He couldn't imagine how many people would perish if this weapon were used.

Pain remained calm, paying no attention to Naruto's expression, and continued, "To let the world understand true pain, to use the fear of this pain to suppress war, and to lead the world towards stability and peace."

Naruto Uzumaki had snapped out of his daze, looked up at Pain, and said in fear, "But this peace... this is all a lie!"

"Humans aren't that intelligent creatures. They can't create true peace unless they go to this extent. And eventually, this pain will heal after decades. The restraining force will weaken, and people will start wars again. So, I will use the Tailed Beast weapons to make the world experience pain once more. Then, a temporary peace will come again. In this endless chain of hatred, what is more important than pain is the creation of temporary peace. This is my ideal!" Behind the scenes, Nagato, Pain, spoke passionately about his long-held wish, as if they had merged into one.

After regaining his composure, he looked at Naruto Uzumaki lying on the ground again and said, "Although you say my peace is fake and deceptive, there is nothing more fictional than seeking peace of true understanding between people in this cursed world."

At this moment, Naruto's mind was filled with the words Jiraiya had spoken to him years ago—those words about ideals and beliefs still seemed to echo in his ears. He firmly believed that one day, people would truly understand each other, and that wonderful era would eventually arrive.

He remembered what Jiraiya had once said: "I have always firmly believed that one day, people will be able to understand each other." These words were etched into Naruto's heart like a brand, becoming his unwavering belief. And when he saw Jiraiya entrust the answer to him, his radiant and carefree smile made him realize that this was the goal his teacher had pursued throughout his life, and it was also the direction he himself would strive for.

Naruto knew this path was fraught with hardship and challenges, but he was fearless. He knew that only through pain and suffering could he truly achieve his great ideal. He was willing to use his power to change the world, so that everyone could feel love and warmth.

At that moment, Naruto felt a powerful surge of strength welling up inside him. He resolved to carry on Jiraiya's legacy and continue forward, for that bright future, for everyone.

Naruto suddenly raised his head, looked at Pain with a determined gaze, and shouted, "Jiraiya-sensei firmly believes that the era of true mutual understanding among humans will eventually arrive. He is different from you!"

Pain's face turned serious, and his tone became extremely hostile as he said, "You're all talk and no action. What can you do if you haven't even gotten the answer? All you can do is hand over the Nine-Tails' power to me! I've already said it, your death will be linked to peace!"

After speaking, a black rod appeared in his hand, which he drove into Naruto's joints, binding him completely and giving him no chance. At the same time, Nagato's chakra was continuously injected into Naruto's body along with the black rod, interfering with Naruto's control of his chakra and preventing him from resisting.

He then added, "I avoided your vital points; your wounds are all shallow. This way, you won't be able to act on your own!"

At this moment, Naruto Uzumaki's body was pierced by a black iron pipe, and blood flowed continuously from the wound, soaking the ground beneath him. He felt excruciating pain, as if his entire body was being torn apart. At the same time, he discovered that he could not gather chakra, which meant he had lost the ability to fight and could only be at the mercy of his enemy.

His eyes dimmed, the fighting spirit and hope that had once filled them gradually fading. He began to question his own beliefs, wondering if his persistence was nothing more than a naive obsession. Perhaps his death could truly bring temporary peace to the world, and perhaps Payne's methods were the right path for the world.

However, just then, a voice rang in his ears: "Cheer up, kid! No matter what they say, you can't believe it." Naruto looked up at the source of the voice. It was the Toad Sage. She had recovered from her husband's death and, seeing Naruto lose his fighting spirit and surrender, she loudly reminded him to regain his fighting spirit.

Shima the toad didn't stop speaking; instead, he raised his voice, saying, "You are the child of prophecy, the savior of this world. That brat Jiraiya and his father both firmly believe this, which is why they risked their lives. So you absolutely cannot lose. If you die here, I will never forgive you!"

Pain was immediately annoyed. He raised his palm and aimed at Shima the toad, unleashing a burst of chakra that instantly sent the toad's small body flying. He said impatiently, "Annoying, damn toad!" and turned his gaze back to Naruto Uzumaki.

At this moment, Naruto Uzumaki, seeing the Shima toad struggling as it was knocked away, couldn't help but shout angrily, "You bastard!"

However, Pain completely ignored him and simply said calmly, "It's about time to take you away!" His eyes were filled with indifference. Capturing the Nine-Tails had caused him some trouble, but he had ultimately achieved his goal.

Naruto's gaze was also fixed on Pain, and he recalled Jiraiya's words: he believed that understanding and trust between people could change the world. Although Jiraiya had passed away, his words remained deeply imprinted in Naruto's heart.

Naruto raised his head, looking at Pain, his fighting spirit rekindled in his eyes. He knew he couldn't give up so easily; even against a powerful enemy, he had to persevere. Only in this way could he truly realize his beliefs and bring true peace to the world.

Naruto's chakra was running rampant, completely out of control, and was being utterly disrupted by Nagato's chakra, causing him a great deal of trouble. But at this moment, he had regained his fighting spirit and was no longer passively coping, but actively seeking ways to get out of the predicament.

The ninjas of Konoha didn't stop their efforts despite Tsunade's protection. They knew that their most important task now wasn't to rush onto the battlefield and cause trouble for Naruto, but to quickly find the person hiding in the shadows manipulating the Six Paths of Pain. Only in this way could they fundamentally solve the problem and truly help Naruto, who was fighting on the battlefield. Therefore, they began a tense but organized investigation, leaving no possible clue or sign unchecked.

For the Konoha ninja, who were intimately familiar with their surroundings, finding the mastermind behind the Six Paths of Pain was not difficult. Leveraging their years of knowledge of the village's terrain and environment, they quickly pinpointed an area where the enemy might be hiding. This area was located on the edge of the village, near the forest, with complex terrain that offered ample cover. Next, the Konoha ninja split into groups and stealthily infiltrated the area, conducting a thorough search. Each group had a clear role: some scouted the terrain for clues, while others focused on searching for possible hiding places, leaving no corner unchecked. Throughout this process, the Konoha ninja remained highly vigilant, daring not to make a sound to avoid alerting the enemy. They communicated with eye contact and hand gestures, cooperating seamlessly to ensure the operation's success. Meanwhile, other Konoha ninja established a perimeter perimeter to prevent the enemy from escaping. After a period of intense searching, the Konoha ninja finally found some clues.

This battle was not only Naruto's personal struggle, but also a united effort and struggle of the Konoha ninja. They had to successfully stop the Akatsuki from inflicting this damage on Konoha. At the same time, they avenged their fallen comrades and upheld the dignity of Konoha.

In a hidden base within Konoha Village, Shimura Danzo stood in the darkness, dozens of ninjas kneeling before him. Judging from the chakra fluctuations emanating from these ninjas, they were all elite Konoha ninjas, the weakest possessing the strength of an elite Chunin. However, they showed no intention of going out to deal with the enemy's invasion of Konoha.

At this moment, Shimura Danzo's eyes were cold and indifferent, showing no concern for the crisis facing the village. On the contrary, he believed that this crisis was the best opportunity for him to obtain the position of Hokage.