"Nagato!"
Jiraiya's expression changed, knowing the immense power of Uchiha Madara. He quickly grabbed Nagato's arm and shielded him behind himself.
"Elder Madara..."
"Nagato is too young and doesn't understand the ideals held by adults."
"The pain he's experienced since childhood has made him lose his composure upon seeing you. Please, for the sake of..."
Uchiha Madara didn't even shift his gaze from Nagato. He reached out and gently pushed Jiraiya aside with a hand on his shoulder.
"Get out of the way!"
"I told Orochimaru earlier that I would give this child a satisfactory explanation."
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya quickly turned to cast an inquiring look at Orochimaru. Orochimaru nodded, signaling him not to interfere for now.
"Nagato."
"You've asked me so many 'why's'..."
After pushing Jiraiya, who stood in his way, aside, Uchiha Madara's line of sight with Nagato was unobstructed.
Madara's Mangekyo Sharingan met Nagato's Rinnegan, which originally belonged to him.
"Before I answer your questions, can you tell me what your true desire is?"
Nagato, who had only been confronting his enemy with pure rage, was suddenly stunned by Uchiha Madara's calm expression and question.
My true... desire?
His enemy was right in front of him, yet he couldn't figure out what he truly wanted?
Kill him? Or, with Lord Orochimaru present, act like an immature child, throw a tantrum, and demand some benefits?
Nagato asked himself silently.
"Can't think of it?"
Madara chuckled and took a step forward, bringing his chest almost flush against Nagato's face.
"Then let me choose for you!"
As Uchiha Madara spoke, he tore open the front of his clothing, revealing his chest with the face of Hashirama Senju.
"Here..."
Madara reached back into his ninja pouch, pulled out a kunai, and forced it into Nagato's hand. He then pointed to the center of Hashirama's forehead on his chest.
"Below the center of Hashirama's forehead is my heart!"
"Take the kunai and stab it in!"
The ripple-like eyes suddenly constricted, and Nagato looked at Uchiha Madara with disbelief.
"You..."
"Aren't you afraid I'll actually kill you?"
Ever since he learned that Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu's Moon Eye Plan now involved Lord Orochimaru, Nagato's heart had been in turmoil.
He yearned for revenge; killing Uchiha Madara would be satisfying.
Not only would he keep the Rinnegan, but he would also quench his hatred.
However, reason told him he couldn't!
His heart also longed for peace.
He was afraid, afraid that his selfishness would jeopardize Lord Orochimaru's plan to bring true, lasting peace to the ninja world.
Such a situation, for Nagato, who had always yearned for peace, would be worse than death.
Uchiha Madara saw the hesitation in Nagato's eyes, a smile curving his lips as if mocking Nagato's weakness in his heart.
"Is that so..."
"Another fool, just like Hashirama!"
With that, Uchiha Madara suddenly grabbed Nagato's hand holding the kunai and forcefully thrust it into his own chest.
"Thwack!"
The sound of the blade piercing flesh reached everyone present clearly.
Nagato, holding the kunai, was stunned. Jiraiya, who had been watching with concern, was also stunned.
Even White Zetsu, who was usually boisterous, and Black Zetsu, who had become silent since Orochimaru's arrival, were stunned.
"Nagato, I have made the decision for you."
"While I did not personally kill your parents, Black Zetsu was acting under my orders at the time."
"Coupled with the suffering you endured in your youth..."
"I, Uchiha Madara, give you one life as compensation. Are you satisfied?"
Having been stabbed directly in the heart with a kunai, Uchiha Madara seemed to feel no pain, still wearing a defiant smile.
Nagato's heart panicked, and he subconsciously released the kunai, stepping back two paces, looking at Orochimaru in bewilderment.
"This..."
"Lord Orochimaru, I..."
Orochimaru shook his head and sighed inwardly.
"Still too young!"
"Or perhaps it's because Nagato's heart isn't dark enough yet! After stabbing Uchiha Madara, he truly let go of his past hatred."
"This child... it's truly difficult for him..."
Thinking this, Orochimaru stepped forward and pushed aside Uchiha Madara, who was still smirking despite being stabbed, just as Uchiha Madara had pushed Jiraiya aside earlier.
"Heh!"
Madara sneered and casually pulled the kunai from his heart, tossing it to the ground.
As the kunai was removed, the black tendrils of the Gelel Yu secret art writhed within Uchiha Madara's chest cavity, quickly expelling the damaged heart from his back.
"Clang!"
"Crunch!"
The sound of the kunai hitting the ground and the sound of a yellow mask with an earth-attribute heart shattering merged into one.
Thus, Kakuzu's only proof of existence in the world completely vanished with the shattering of his original earth-attribute heart.
Uchiha Madara, as if unaffected, re-buttoned his clothes and, ignoring the strange glances of those around him, stood behind Orochimaru with an indifferent expression.
Orochimaru shook his head speechlessly and reached out to stroke Nagato's head.
"Nagato..."
"Lord Orochimaru..."
Nagato hadn't recovered from the shock of witnessing Uchiha Madara's miraculous actions when he heard Orochimaru's call and subconsciously responded.
"Your heart tells me you have let go of your past hatred for Uchiha Madara, haven't you?"
Hearing Lord Orochimaru's question, Nagato was silent for a moment, then slowly lowered his head and softly hummed an affirmative.
"Yes..."
"I don't know how he managed to survive being stabbed through the heart, but..."
"For the peace that Lord Orochimaru promised, I... am willing to let go of my hatred!"
Orochimaru sighed inwardly and slowly moved his hand from Nagato's head to his eye sockets.
"Since that is the case..."
"You no longer have a reason to bear the mission I imposed on you earlier."
"Even though the blood of the Uzumaki clan flows through you, these eyes that do not belong to you are still too much of a burden on your body."
"Return them to Madara. From now on, you, Konan, and Yahiko will continue to train to maintain peace in the ninja world..."
"On the behalf of my friendship with Jiraiya, I promise you, Uchiha Madara will walk the path of protecting the ninja world after retrieving the Rinnegan, just as you did before."
"Do you believe me?"
The purple ripples vibrated slightly, and Nagato gazed at Orochimaru's earnest face for a long time before finally nodding forcefully.
"I believe!"
"Lord Orochimaru, as long as true peace in the ninja world can be achieved, let alone eyes that never belonged to me, even if I can never see again, even if I have to give my life..."
"I will spare no effort!"