Konan soon laid out, in detail, how she and Nagato had been ambushed by Obito, how the Rinnegan was taken from them, how she managed to escape, and how Nagato finally lost his life.
Jiraiya listened, and his eyes couldn't help but turn wet again.
He felt it was so unworthy for his student.
From childhood to death, it had been a life of sorrow. He had hardly known a single day of peace, used by others again and again, and even in death left with regrets.
Konan choked up. "Jiraiya-sensei, at the end Nagato awoke to the truth and told me to make up for the sins we committed. I've come to you now because I want to take part in the fight against Obito!"
"This…"
Jiraiya hesitated.
He didn't want to see his students hurt again. Letting Konan onto the battlefield would be extremely dangerous. He didn't want to agree.
But Konan said, "I know you worry about my safety, Jiraiya-sensei. But some things have to be done, or I'll carry regret forever. How could I face Yahiko and Nagato then? Sensei, please let me fight!"
Jiraiya opened his mouth, then finally sighed. "Sigh… every one of you gives me such headaches. What am I supposed to do with you?"
Konan understood and rose to give a deep bow. "Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei!"
Jiraiya shook his head helplessly.
He wanted to stop Konan, but even if he blocked her, she would sneak off to fight anyway. Rather than restrain her and drive her to take risks, it was better to let her join openly.
Naruto and Fū spoke up too. "Ero-sennin/Jiraiya-ojisan, we want to fight as well!"
Jiraiya rapped both kids lightly on the head. "I don't get to decide for you two. We need to see Tsunade first, or I'll get scolded!"
Naruto and Fū shrank their necks at the thought of Tsunade getting mad.
What could they say—when Tsunade got violent, it was really scary. One punch could take half your life.
Seeing the two brats behave, Jiraiya finally relaxed a bit. "We'll depart for Kumogakure tomorrow. The war is about to begin. Better to get there early."
"Um, Jiraiya-sama?"
The ANBU from earlier was still present. "Since you're escorting jinchūriki, I suggest you don't leave the village yet. Please wait a bit longer."
Jiraiya frowned. "Wait for what? Precisely because we're with jinchūriki, we need to rendezvous with Tsunade quickly. If the enemy discovers Naruto and Fū are here, isn't that extremely dangerous?"
The ANBU curled his lips. "Please let me finish. Right now, for escorting critical personnel or supplies, we usually contact Tsunade-sama's side. She'll dispatch Natsuki-sama to use Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique) to take everyone directly. Safe and efficient—much better than traveling on the road."
Eh? You can do that?
Wouldn't that make Natsuki a transportation hub?
Thinking it through, that really was faster and safer. Hiraishin truly was convenience itself!
Jiraiya said, "Then hurry and send word to Tsunade!"
The ANBU barely resisted rolling his eyes. "A messenger hawk was sent already—the moment you returned."
ANBU are ANBU for a reason. They're efficient, they know what is urgent, and when to report it for the best result.
If they waited for Jiraiya to bring it up, it might be eight hundred years later, when the soup's already cold.
"Alright, get to it."
After dismissing the ANBU, Jiraiya began asking what the three children had experienced after he left back then.
Perhaps because she had finally found family she could pour her heart out to, Konan could no longer hide her fragile side and began to speak, beans spilling one after another, about the trio's past.
From Yahiko forming Akatsuki and striving for a beautiful peace, to Akatsuki being betrayed by Hanzō the Salamander, Yahiko's tragic death, and Nagato's crippling. Nagato performed Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique) to bring forth Gedō Mazō (Demonic Statue of the Outer Path) and spent half a life being drained by it. Later, Akatsuki's ideals shifted; as the organization grew, it began capturing the Bijū (Tailed Beasts). Then came the failed invasion of Konoha, and Obito's theft of the Rinnegan.
Jiraiya listened quietly, feeling with his heart the hardships of his three students over the years.
He had missed the chance to be with them, to protect them. Now he could only empathize this way. Perhaps he could never truly feel their pain—but his heartache was real.
Naruto and Fū listened as well.
They might not have liked Akatsuki at first, but after understanding what Konan's trio had endured and how Akatsuki's ideology changed, they forgave Nagato and Konan.
Both of them were kind to a fault, almost saintly, unable to bear others' suffering.
With Naruto's personality—the kind who could even forgive Obito—forgiving Nagato and Konan was no big deal.
All the more since this isn't like the original story. Jiraiya wasn't killed by his students, so Naruto held no hatred toward Konan or Nagato. Forgiveness came even faster.
"Konan, you've suffered all these years. It's on me, your teacher, for not protecting you…" Jiraiya's voice turned muffled.
"No, this isn't your fault."
Konan shook her head. "Jiraiya-sensei had his own duties. You couldn't watch over us forever. If anyone is to blame, it's the world itself. Those were the Shinobi World War years; countless people died. It's not unusual that we ran into such tragedies. It was the Rinnegan… that changed us."
Rinnegan… Right!
Jiraiya remembered something, glanced at Naruto and Fū, hesitated, then took out a large scroll.
With the Fourth Shinobi World War underway, there was no longer any need to keep secrets. Sharing might be better—so the two brats wouldn't act recklessly out of ignorance.
"Jiraiya-sensei, are these…?"
"Yes. This is the truth of the world I wanted to show you before. Take a look now."
Spreading the large scroll open, Jiraiya let Konan, Naruto, and Fū read from the beginning. As they read, their expressions shifted from confusion to shock. By the end, they were all stunned—because they had never imagined it would be like this.
Tears slipped from Konan's eyes again. "So Nagato's eyes were given by Madara? He only wanted Nagato's vast chakra to 'raise' them? And then… we were used by Obito and Black Zetsu all along? The so-called plan to collect the Tailed Beasts was for… Mugen Tsukuyomi (Infinite Moon-Reading)?"
It was hard to accept—but facts were facts.
Naruto and Fū were dumbfounded. "So… that's how it is?"
They were so shocked they could barely speak.
Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "That's right. I already had the Ōgama Sennin (Great Toad Sage) verify it. This truth is real. So from here on, Naruto, Fū—you must not be captured. If you are, the shinobi world may be finished. Understand?"
The two didn't dare be careless and promised at once. "Understood! We will not be captured!"
Konan looked at the two with a thoughtful expression.
If she wanted to make amends, there were many ways. But what she could do right now was to risk her life protecting these two jinchūriki.
(End of Chapter)
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