Faced with the excited Hidden Rain jounin, Yuto gave a light nod and spoke directly: "Take me to see Nagato."
At the mention of Nagato, a trace of grief and guilt appeared on the Rain ninja jounin's face.
Their own leader had been fighting their enemies for quite some time before they had arrived on the scene. For those serving as his guards, it was nothing short of a slap in the face.
"Please follow me, Yuto-sama."
The Hidden Rain jounin bowed his head slightly, then turned and led the way.
Guided by this ninja, Yuto soon arrived at Hidden Rain Village's ninja hospital.
"Click!" A soft sound.
Yuto pushed open the door. A heavy scent of medicine mixed with disinfectant drifted out from the room.
Yuto stepped into the ward and saw Nagato lying on the hospital bed, his face deathly pale, his eyes closed.
"You've come."
Nagato seemed to sense Yuto's presence immediately, his voice faint and flat as he slowly spoke.
Yuto nodded lightly and glanced at the nurses and the ninja specially guarding the ward.
Sensing Yuto's gaze, they naturally realized he clearly had something to discuss with their leader. They quickly bowed deeply and turned to leave.
As for the hidden guards, they too withdrew from the area.
And safety?
With Yuto, one of the strongest in the ninja world, present here, Nagato's safety could be said to be far more secure than if they stationed even more people.
Moreover, if someone could truly break through Yuto, then no matter how many more ninja they sent, they probably wouldn't be able to stop that person either.
"So this is your choice?"
After everyone left, Yuto turned his gaze back to Nagato lying on the hospital bed, his voice calm.
Given Nagato's own strength, and being within Hidden Rain Village to boot, even if he lost, he should never have lost this badly.
"I didn't expect you to be the first one to come."
"It's a shame — I've disappointed you."
Nagato lay quietly on the white hospital bed, his face pale, his crimson hair spread across the white pillow.
Nagato didn't answer his earlier question. That silence itself spoke volumes, and Yuto's face showed a trace of helplessness.
"Don't worry — leave your injuries to me."
Yuto walked toward Nagato's bed. He could sense that Nagato's injuries were extremely severe. The only reason Nagato could still speak was because the Uzumaki clan's vast life force was temporarily sustaining him.
Saving Nagato was no problem for Yuto.
Nagato shook his head gently. Even that simple motion consumed nearly all his remaining strength.
"To think that in the end, I couldn't even keep Uchiha Obito here."
A long while passed before Nagato slowly exhaled, seeming both unwilling and regretful.
Then.
Nagato closed his mouth again, lying still on the hospital bed, his breathing faint.
Yuto's hands paused. A complex expression appeared on his face as he looked at Nagato.
From his former lofty heights, to his fall, to now — on the brink of death — Nagato had undergone the greatest change of all.
Yuto could certainly save Nagato, but if Nagato himself harbored a will to die, then bringing him back would be a different kind of cruelty.
Perhaps from the moment he lost to Uchiha Obito, Nagato was already dead.
He had always been an exceedingly proud man!
Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent all the Rain ninja away from his side, knowing full well that Uchiha Obito and Sasuke were coming.
Deliberately clearing an open field to fight Uchiha Obito and Sasuke alone.
In a way, Nagato was defeated by his own hand. If he had prepared everything in advance, Uchiha Obito absolutely could not have won — he might even have trapped himself here.
But Nagato didn't do that. Because if he had, he wouldn't have been Nagato.
Yuto sighed softly, turned and walked out of the ward. He had a medical worker open a room next to Nagato's ward and temporarily stayed there.
Nagato was still clinging to his last breath. Yuto knew who he was waiting for.
One day passed.
Two days passed.
Not until the third afternoon did a tall, somewhat disheveled figure appear at the gates of Hidden Rain Village.
"Nagato..."
Konan's face showed traces of exhaustion as she looked toward Hidden Rain Village, her feet carrying her straight into the village without pause.
Konan and Yuto had received news of Nagato's condition at nearly the same time. However, Yuto was closer to Hidden Rain Village, so he arrived that very day.
Konan, on the other hand, was at Hidden Mist Second Village. Even rushing without rest along the way, it still took her nearly three days.
At this moment, in Nagato's ward.
Yuto looked with a complex expression at Nagato, lying on the spotless white bed, his breathing nearly imperceptible.
Under normal circumstances, Nagato would have lasted at most one more day. Yuto had originally planned to use Yang Release chakra to extend his life.
Yet Nagato had stubbornly held on until now.
But this was truly his limit!
Just then, a familiar chakra signature suddenly appeared in Yuto's perception.
The next moment, Konan's figure rushed in from outside.
"Nagato!"
Konan's voice carried a slight tremor. Looking at the faintly breathing Nagato, her eyes reddened.
At the sound of Konan's voice, Nagato's already feeble breathing suddenly strengthened, like a final flicker of a dying flame.
"You've come... Konan."
"Hidden Rain... Village's affairs... I'll leave them to you."
A faint smile appeared on Nagato's pale face. The only regret he felt was that, at the very last moment, he couldn't look at Konan one more time.
After these two sentences, Nagato's breathing stopped. His heart ceased beating entirely.
"Nagato..."
Konan opened her mouth. Seeing Nagato already gone, her eyes reddened even more.
Konan didn't cry like an ordinary woman, but her entire being radiated an aura of grief.
"I'm sorry — I wanted to save Nagato..."
Yuto looked at Konan now, his voice carrying a trace of apology.
But before Yuto could finish speaking, Konan gently shook her head.
"I know. This was his own choice."
Konan said earnestly, her voice growing more choked as she spoke.
Especially when she thought that of the companions from their childhood, only she remained — a wave of sorrow surged up from deep within.
The tears she had been holding back finally fell from Konan's glistening eyes.
Seeing Konan so grief-stricken, Yuto slowly walked up to her and reached out, pulling her into his arms.
Konan's body stiffened for a moment, but soon softened again. She didn't struggle, letting Yuto hold her gently.
"If you want to cry, then cry."
"Don't worry — there will be a reckoning!"
Yuto gently patted Konan's shoulder, his voice soft.
Hearing Yuto's words, Konan's suppressed emotions burst forth completely. She buried her face in Yuto's chest and wept.
In the original story, Konan had always appeared extremely strong. It wasn't that she was inherently strong.
It was simply that after Nagato's death, there was no one left in this world for Konan to lean on.
[
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