Naruto sensed Nagato's death intent radiating from the ground below, but his smile only widened.
He thinks I'm going to kill her. How little faith you have in me, Senior Brother.
The descending palm looked devastating from every angle. A hand large enough to blot out the sky, fingers the size of tree trunks, coming down with the weight of a collapsing mountain. To any observer, it appeared designed to reduce Konan to paste against the stones.
The reality was considerably different.
Naruto had learned precise control over the years. The palm carried momentum, yes, but the actual force behind it? Just enough to deliver a very specific lesson about attacking people who were trying to shake hands.
She wasted so many explosive tags, Naruto thought with mild disapproval. Do you know how expensive those are? And I was just being friendly!
Konan watched death descend. No time to dodge, nowhere to run. Her eyes found Nagato's position on the ground, registered his despair, his certainty that she was about to die.
So this is how it ends.
Strangely, she felt no fear. Only a bitter resignation. At least I won't die alone. Naruto won't let Nagato live after this. We'll all be together again soon... Yahiko, Nagato, and me.
The thought brought a sad smile to her lips.
Her body dissolved into paper, thousands of individual sheets separating. Not to escape, just to face death with some dignity. If she was going to be crushed, at least she could try to scatter rather than splatter.
The palm connected.
SLAP.
The sound echoed across the wasteland, palm meeting paper with a sharp crack.
Then it withdrew.
No crushing pressure. No pulverizing force. Just... contact.
Nagato watched from the ground, eyes going dead and lifeless. The sound of impact, the immediate withdrawal of Naruto's hand, all of it painted a clear picture in his exhausted mind.
She's gone. Konan is gone. First Yahiko, now Konan. Everyone I care about, everyone I try to protect... they all leave.
He stopped struggling to rise, body going limp against the rubble.
But Konan knew differently.
The instant Naruto's palm made contact, she felt it. Not force, not pressure, but... vibration. High-frequency oscillation transmitted through every paper sheet simultaneously, rippling through her entire distributed form.
It felt like being struck by lightning made of static electricity. Every nerve fired at once. Her muscles seized, convulsed, spasmed beyond her control. The sensation was overwhelming, invasive, humiliating.
Her paper form fluttered downward, completely unable to maintain cohesion. Worse, she could feel moisture dripping from several sheets—the vibration had disrupted everything, including her body's autonomic functions.
The moment her feet touched the ground, she collapsed into a cross-legged sitting position, face flushing crimson from her hairline to her collar.
Oh god. Oh god. Did that really just... in front of Nagato and Naruto...
She wanted to die. Genuinely, truly wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
"Konan!" Nagato's voice cracked with relief and joy. His dead eyes blazed back to life, hope flooding his features. "You're alive!"
Konan didn't respond immediately. Couldn't. All her concentration focused on regaining control over her rebellious body, on not moving in ways that would reveal exactly how badly she'd lost that control.
Just stay still. Don't stand. Don't shift. Just... breathe and pretend everything is fine.
When she didn't answer, Nagato turned his attention to Naruto, gratitude written across his gaunt features. "Thank you, Naruto. Thank you for showing mercy."
"No problem, Senior Brother Nagato." Naruto's voice carried genuine warmth. "We're all on the same side now. You surrendered on behalf of the Akatsuki organization, which makes Sister Konan family too. Of course I held back."
Held back, Konan thought, mortified fury warring with embarrassment. The vibration attack had been "holding back." She couldn't even imagine what a serious strike would have done.
But more importantly... "Nagato surrendered?"
That explained why she was still breathing. Why Naruto hadn't simply crushed her.
Naruto deactivated the Indestructible Body Form, shrinking back to normal size with a rush of displaced air. He set Deva Path's body down carefully beside Nagato's wheelchair, almost reverently.
"Brother Nagato, I need to apologize." Naruto scratched his cheek, looking genuinely sheepish. "I kind of... obliterated the other Paths. Like, completely. There's not much left to resurrect."
Obliterated. Nagato processed the word with numb acceptance. Of course he did. I'm lucky Tendo Pain survived at all.
"But this one," Naruto continued, gesturing to Yahiko's preserved corpse, "I knew it was made from Brother Yahiko's body. So I was careful not to damage him too badly."
Nagato's breath caught. He knew. Of course he knew. What doesn't this boy know about us?
The realization should have been frightening. Instead, it brought a strange sense of relief. Losing to an opponent who knew everything, who'd planned for every contingency... that wasn't shameful. That was inevitable.
If you can't fight it, enjoy it, Nagato thought with dark humor. Isn't that what they say?
"Thank you, Naruto," he said quietly, reaching out to touch Tendo Pain's still form. His chakra flowed through the black receivers, re-establishing the connection. Yahiko's body stirred, rising unsteadily to stand beside the wheelchair.
The corpse looked terrible—cracked ribs, fractured limbs, the orange hair matted with dirt and blood. But it was intact. Repairable.
Naruto watched the resurrection with open curiosity. "Hey, Brother Nagato, since you have the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique, why haven't you used it to bring Yahiko back for real?"
The question landed like a kunai between Nagato's ribs.
"I know the technique kills the user," Naruto continued, "but based on everything I've seen, you'd sacrifice yourself in a heartbeat to bring Brother Yahiko back. So why haven't you?"
He even knows about the resurrection technique. Nagato shook his head slowly. "You truly are terrifying, Naruto. What secrets don't you know?"
"Not many," Naruto admitted cheerfully. "I can even use it myself, actually."
"You can..." Nagato stopped, realizing he shouldn't be surprised anymore. "Of course you can."
He collected his thoughts, choosing his words carefully. "To answer your question... the resurrection technique would work, yes. But it's unnecessary."
"How so?"
"Because my dream—world peace—includes Yahiko's resurrection." Nagato's voice gained strength, conviction bleeding through despite his defeat. "When true peace is achieved, when the Infinite Tsukuyomi creates a world without conflict, Yahiko will return naturally. Everyone who died in the wars will come back. It was his dream too, you see. So I've been working toward a future where he can live again."
Oh, Nagato. Naruto's expression turned pitying. You still don't know. You still believe in the lie.
He decided not to reveal the truth yet. Better to let Black Zetsu handle that particular betrayal. When Nagato learned how thoroughly he'd been manipulated, how his entire dream was a fabrication designed to resurrect Kaguya...
Then Sasuke and I can work on fixing the resurrection technique's drawbacks. Bring Yahiko back properly, without the death price.
"That's unfortunate," Naruto said aloud, injecting sympathy into his voice. "Your dream won't come true, Senior Brother."
"I know." Nagato's shoulders slumped. "You've made that very clear."
Then something flickered in his eyes—a desperate, fragile hope. He looked up at Naruto with sudden intensity.
"Naruto... do you want world peace?"
"No," Naruto said simply. "I just like making friends."
"Wait, listen!" Nagato leaned forward, animated despite his exhaustion. "World peace is the greatest achievement imaginable! Even Senju Hashirama, the God of Shinobi, couldn't accomplish it. If you completed this feat, the entire shinobi world would sing your praises for generations!"
His words came faster, more desperate. "With your strength—power beyond anything I've ever seen—if you don't build toward world peace, it's a waste! A criminal waste of potential!"
Naruto studied him quietly. "Then tell me, Brother Nagato. How would you achieve this peace? What would it look like?"
Nagato's face lit up. He's considering it. There's hope!
"First, we control all conflicts," he explained eagerly. "Monopolize war itself so no one can wage it without our permission. Second, we capture all nine tailed beasts and resurrect the Ten-Tails. Third, we use its massive chakra to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi on the moon—"
"Which reflects across the entire shinobi world," Naruto interrupted, voice flat. "Trapping everyone in an eternal genjutsu where there's no war, no pain, no failure. Just artificial happiness in a dream while their real bodies wither away. Is that about right?"
Nagato froze. "How... how do you..."
"Know your entire plan?" Naruto's smile turned cold. "I told you—there's not much I don't know."
"Then..." Hope rekindled in Nagato's eyes. "Then you understand! You see the vision! Will you work with me to create this peaceful world?"
"No."
The single word hit like a hammer.
"What I want," Naruto continued calmly, "is to make friends. Many, many friends. Real ones, not people trapped in dreams."
"WHY?!" Nagato's composure shattered completely. His eyes went bloodshot, voice rising to a hoarse shout. "WORLD PEACE! True, lasting peace! Countless people have died trying to achieve it, and you—you who could actually do it—you don't want to?!"
"Brother Nagato." Naruto's tone dropped to ice. "You're losing your composure. Remember your position. You're a defeated enemy who surrendered."
The words were a bucket of cold water over Nagato's head. He slumped back, the fight draining from his body.
"Yes," he whispered. "I'm a loser. I have no right to force you to do anything."
He laughed, bitter and broken. "Go make your friends, Naruto. Waste your incredible strength on something so... small. I won't stop you."
The disappointment in his voice was crushing.
"Nagato!" Konan's voice cut through the tension. She'd finally regained enough control to speak, though she remained firmly seated. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Konan." Nagato's attention shifted to her, concern replacing his earlier despair. "Come here. The ground is cold. You shouldn't sit there."
Konan's face flushed crimson. "I'm... I'm fine where I am."
If I stand up, he'll see. He'll know what happened. I can't...
She desperately needed to change the subject. "Did you really surrender?"
Nagato sighed deeply. "Winner and loser, Konan. What choice did we have? Stay and fight like Hanzo did?"
The name hung heavy between them. They'd lost Yahiko fighting Hanzo. Nagato refused to lose Konan the same way.
Understanding dawned in Konan's eyes, followed by sad acceptance.
"Anyway!" Naruto interjected, tone brightening artificially. "Since we're all family now, let's shake hands properly, Brother Nagato. Sister Konan interrupted us before, but now we can do it right."
He extended his hand again.
Konan's mind flashed back to the earlier scene—Naruto reaching toward Nagato, her attacking in panic, the misunderstanding that had led to her current humiliation.
Oh. Oh no. That's what he was doing. Just shaking hands.
She'd attacked him for trying to be friendly.
Mortification levels somehow increased beyond what she'd thought possible.
But at least the misunderstanding gave her an out. "Naruto!" she called, still not standing. "Since we're all on the same side now, you should go check on your people. They're still fighting Kakuzu. If you don't stop them soon..."
The implication was clear. Kakuzu might not survive much longer.
Naruto's eyes widened. "Oh! Right! Come on, Brother Nagato. Let's go save him before Sensei Jiraiya and the others finish him off completely."
"Go ahead," Konan said quickly. "I'll... I'll clean up here. See if I can find Hidan's body parts and put him back together."
Nagato nodded, using Tendo Pain to help him move since his legs couldn't support him. The two of them headed off in the direction where chakra signatures still fluctuated—proof that Kakuzu was somehow still alive under the six-on-one assault.
The moment they were out of sight, Konan shot to her feet. Her hands flew through seals, creating fresh clothing from paper and wrapping them around her body in place of the... compromised garments.
Clean. Dry. Dignified.
She took a shaky breath and looked around at the ruins.
The Akatsuki headquarters was gone. Every building reduced to rubble. The organization she'd helped build, the dream she'd fought for, all of it scattered to the winds in one catastrophic battle.
We're finished. Truly finished.
But Nagato had chosen survival over pride, had surrendered to keep her alive. How could she argue with that choice when it came from such love?
With a heavy sigh, she began searching the rubble for the other core members.
Ten minutes later, she had her answers.
Deidara—dead. She found him buried under collapsed stone, body broken beyond recognition. Whether Naruto or Nagato's technique had killed him was unclear. Either way, the blonde bomber wouldn't be creating art anymore.
Sasori—missing. His puppet core was gone, probably taken by Naruto. Without it, the human puppet master was effectively erased from existence.
Hidan—dead. Truly, finally dead. She found his head among the ruins, but the cells and neurons inside had been obliterated by high-frequency vibration. His immortality meant nothing against that level of cellular destruction.
The entire Akatsuki organization, reduced to three survivors: herself, Nagato, and possibly Kakuzu.
Everything else was gone.
Konan turned toward where Nagato had gone, resolving to support whatever decision he made going forward. They'd lost everything. All they had left was each other.
Nagato followed Naruto through the devastated landscape, using his chakra sensing to track the ongoing battle. The signatures were faint but present—Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Kakashi, Sasuke, Black Zetsu, Nine-Tails, all surrounding a weakening Kakuzu.
Then, three miles out, the signatures changed.
Kakuzu's chakra flickered... and vanished.
No. Nagato's heart sank. Please don't tell me...
They covered the last distance in seconds, arriving to find Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Kakashi, Sasuke, Black Zetsu, and Nine-Tails standing in a neat line. All of them were looking at Naruto and Nagato with varying expressions of curiosity.
On the ground between them lay Kakuzu's corpse.
All five hearts destroyed. Body mangled beyond recognition. Eyes staring sightlessly at the sky.
Dead.
"Naruto." Jiraiya was the first to speak, eyeing Nagato warily. "What's the situation here?"
"Good news, Sensei Jiraiya!" Naruto's cheerful tone seemed wildly inappropriate given the corpse. "I talked to Senior Brother Nagato and we came to an understanding. He's disbanded the Akatsuki organization and joined my farm. We're all family now!"
Relief flooded Jiraiya's features. He'd been dreading the alternative—having to watch Naruto kill his former student.
"That's... that's wonderful," he said sincerely.
"Yeah! And since Akatsuki joined us, that means Kakuzu is—" Naruto stopped mid-sentence, eyes falling on the corpse. "Oh."
Silence.