One Of Us (Akatsuki Fan-fiction)

Chapter 53

   "The name of the hero in this novel... his name is..." Naruto trailed off and slowly raised his hand. He pointed at himself with his thumb. "His name's Naruto! Listen, my name is a precious heirloom that has been handed down to me by my master.  There's no way that I'm just gonna give up and dishonor my master's gift! I will become Hokage, and I will bring peace to the Hidden Rain, I will! I'm asking you to believe in me."

   Everyone fell silent, possibly thinking over Naruto's words. 

   "Why should I?" Nagato asked. "How can you stand there and tell me you will never change your mind? Do you really think you will never stray from the ideal no matter how much pain befalls you? You think you will always believe in yourself? Can you guarantee it? How can you possibly have that much faith... that life won't change you?!"

   Naruto looked down. "I felt pain too, you're not the only one." Naruto's eyes clouded over and you knew he was remembering all the times he felt pain. He placed a hand over his stomach. "There's still pain... buried deep down inside of me. And there's no telling what kind of pain I may face down the road. But, if I stop believing just because things get difficult, if the hero in this book were to change who he is, then... if would become a whole different story. It sure wouldn't be the story our master left behind. And it wouldn't be about Naruto!" Naruto looked up at Nagato. "The thing is, I can't write books like our master did. And so, any sequel has to come from the life I live. That's why no matter how much pain my own path brings, I'll keep walking. Because that's... who Naruto is!"

   Nagato's eye widened and he slowly closed it. "If the hero ever changes, it would be a different story. We are sibling students, sharing the same sensei, we ought to be able to understand each other. When I said that too earlier, I meant it as a joke..." he paused a moment. "You really are a curious fellow. You remind me of myself when I was younger."

   "Nagato," Konan murmured. 

   "I wasn't able to continue believing in Jiraiya's ideals," Nagato continued. "Nor could I keep believing in myself. But, you give me a vision of a different future that shows a different path than the one I've walked."

   Naruto's eyes widened as Nagato pulled his arms out of the machine. 

   "Leader?" your eyes widened and your bottom lip began to quiver as you looked up at him. 

   "I think I'll believe in you after all... Naruto Uzumaki," Nagato stated and made a hand sign. Everyone else's eyes widened. "I'll use Gedo art of Rinne Rebirth."

   "No Nagato! You can't!" Konan shouted.

   "If you do then—"

   "No you two," Nagato interrupted. "It's alright. All I'm going to do is make a little choice. Even though I've all but given up hope."

   "What is it?" Naruto asked. "What jutsu is he using?"

   You turned back to Naruto. "Rinne Rebirth... he's going to use it to bring the people of the Hidden Leaf back."

   "Nagato's visual prowess itself is the jutsu that presides over life and death," Konan continued. "He is the seventh pain."

   Nagato's eyes widened. 

   "G...gedo..." Nagato choked out. You could sense his chakra being focused. If he uses that jutsu for this many people... he'll die. You frowned. I won't let it happen! You jumped onto the machine and placed your hands on Nagato's back. You closed your eyes and focused your chakra. It was being drained as Nagato kept up with the jutsu.

   "Aiko! Get down from there!" Konan shouted.

   "No!" you shouted back. I won't let him die. You felt it, you were able to see it. The Rinne Rebirth. All the souls in the nether world, all the people that had been lost in the assault on the Hidden Leaf, all those the Paths of Pain had killed... they were all rapidly disappearing from the nether world and entering the world of the living. This feeling... the feeling of so many souls being returned at the same time, it was overwhelming.