Nagato Escaping From His Destiny (2)
The link to my new story, with a villain MC, is in the comments and on this story's main page! However, in the future, it would be also added to my author's profile page!
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Subsequently, Nagato consented to Neji's proposal of aiding him with the integration of Senju cells, inside of his body, in exchange for the latter's future support regarding the Otsutsuki clan matter. And therefore the process immediately commenced in the room without any delay. Neji's surgical proficiency and accuracy had grown with each procedure he performed on Tenten, Kiyomi, and Karin, in the past, enabling him to perform this procedure in under one hour. Konan and Kiyomi stood by in silence as Neji employed his micro-scale chakra injection scalpel, utilizing his shape transformation technique, to gradually and proportionally incorporate the Hashirama's cells into Nagato's cellular structure. Neji executed the procedure with remarkable swiftness and expertise.
Furthermore, Neji ensured that the procedure was performed in a meticulously sterile environment. His cellular material, and other necessary pieces of labware, were previously stored in specialized containers, which were previously housed within a scroll crafted by Karin using fuinjutsu techniques.
Meanwhile, Konan's eyes became increasingly teary as she observed Nagato's once haggard and ashen countenance gradually recover its former radiance, transitioning from gray to a healthy rosy hue. Nagato's hair also began to shimmer with vibrant hues reminiscent of his own Uzumaki clan.
During the procedure, Nagato's eyes remained agape in amazement as he perceived a gradual improvement in his physical condition - his body became robust, pain-free, and more resilient. It was almost like a miraculous transformation. The enhancement was even more pronounced than when he was in his prime. He was incredulous that such a transformation had occurred and gazed at Neji in wonder as he brought the procedure to a close. He felt rejuvenated and confident as if he could once again walk and move with greater speed than he ever had before. The lingering injury in his legs, which had plagued him for years, had vanished, giving him a newfound sense of mobility.
With Neji's work completed, Nagato was overcome with the desire to rise to his feet. Konan attempted to prevent him, but he forcibly shattered the wooden and metallic chair that restrained his lower body and stood on his own. This sudden movement was accompanied by a mystical sensation of lightness and breathlessness. Nagato felt as though his body had undergone a thorough purification and his heart raced with excitement. He experienced an eerie feeling of breaking free from the chains of destiny that had been holding him back, as he shattered the chair that had provided support. This was a moment of epiphany, where he felt like he had uncovered a concealed truth about the world and overcome his fate. He felt like it was time to use his real body.
Nagato was filled with both mental and physical vigor. The clouds of depression and negativity that had previously weighed upon him seemed to have dissipated, leaving him feeling light and refreshed. He felt reinvigorated with a sense of purpose and motivation He similarly felt restored to a state of confidence and power. He believed that the time had come to shed the shackles of his past and emerge as a new liberator and symbol of hope to the world. No longer would he remain hidden in the shadows, but instead would present himself with high confidence and determination.
"Nagato!", As she witnessed Nagato standing on his feet once again, Konan was overcome with emotion and tears streamed down her face. She threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly, and felt the extent of his newfound strength and power. Only Nagato was inside her mind at this time. And despite first being taken aback by her sudden display of affection, Nagato also inwardly realized that it was finally time for him to assume a greater sense of responsibility towards her too.
Kiyomi and Neji looked at that unexpected scene silently while Neji glanced toward Nagato's eyes for a little bit while thinking to himself, 'His soul power is off the charts, it seems that this Rinnegan finally accepted him as its master and he entered the late Six Paths level of power like me, Obito and Toneri, especially if he awakened the Wood Release as well, at this time, as Karin did. Yes, how could Rinnegan be that weak, it was just that his body was too weak before... Now, he has a combined bloodline of Senju and Uzumaki, with Rinnegan, so he is a force to be reckoned with...', Neji smiled and immediately asked out of curiosity, "Have you awakened the Wood Release too?",
Konan suddenly separated herself from Nagato in an awkward way after hearing Neji's question, while Nagato turned and silently gazed at Neji. Both of them looked at him extremely gratefully and like he was their savior even though in their mind Neji probably revitalized Nagato in that magical way because he needed his help later with those supposed aliens and they had a common enemy.
"Neji Hyuga, you have truly given me a new lease on life and a chance to fulfill my goals. I will not cross your path in the future and I pledge to work with you to defeat those extraterrestrials and maintain world peace just like my original goal was in the first place. I now understand the true meaning of power, and I am no longer the broken and suffering character I previously was an hour ago. I now truly can see the summit of power of this world, and how ignorant I was, thanks to you...", With that newfound confidence, Nagato floated into the sky, effortlessly destroying the roof of the room they were in. He gazed at the world around him, finally realizing the extent of the power that one could possess in this world, "As for the Wood Release...", Nagato's words resounded with the sound of endlessly pouring rain. Nagato's hidden wrath for 'Madara' burst out with that.
And right away, numerous towering trees burst forth from the metallic terrain and then enveloped the entire control tower. Some stunned citizens below, who passed by, watched in disbelief while Konan's jaw also dropped in amazement. But Neji, understanding Nagato's motives, simply smiled, recognizing that this open and immediate display was intended to quickly lure Obito's notice and provoke a challenge. So, Neji simply said while grinning a little about the surprise that awaited Obito now, "I congratulate you for awakening this ability as well, and on your new life in general. I hope you defeat that person now right away! I will be going on now then. See you when that time comes!", Neji finished his speech and then gestured toward Kiyomi a little and then they promptly left the scene under Konan's grateful and Nagato's bloodthirsty eyes preparing to fight his enemy.
***
As they made their way home, Kiyomi's curiosity got the better of her, "Neji," she queried, "I noticed that you seem to have a high degree of respect for the head of the Akatsuki. Is there something secretive about him? The way you spoke to him, your assistance to that purple-haired woman...", It all appeared peculiar to Kiyomi, who knew Neji pretty intimately and was aware of his usual style. There must've been some kind of a deeper reason in her opinion, not just the Otsutsuki clan thing.
"I simply admire his vision of attaining peace," Neji replied with a small smile. "There's nothing more to it. Isn't it the ideal solution for this kind of world, Kiyomi?", He was of the same line of thinking as him. In his opinion, Naruto and Jiraiya's way of attaining peace was the kindergarten-level ideology.
Neji was truthful in his support for Nagato's pragmatic method of utilizing force to attain peace, even prior to his death and subsequent rebirth in this cruel and dark real world. The speech he delivered to Naruto, in the original, during the Pain invasion, was legendary, but it is unfortunate that Nagato was ultimately defeated by Naruto's stupid 'Talk no Jutsu' shortly after like many other good characters. It was those kinds of moments that always took out a little from the series for him.
"Yes, I agree, but isn't it the only way? I mean, he really did think of a few interesting details in it. By the way, I never expected Akatsuki's final goal was peace. No, it is probably his own hidden goal...", Kiyomi commented, 'I it the only way for you, but not for that fairy-tail-living, naive and childish blond idiot and his sensei...', Neji mused inside after hearing Kiyomi's response and then adding himself, "There are all kinds of people in this world, not everyone is driven by only his own selfish motives like me...", Obito and Nagato were strong and driven shinobi of that type, while him and Orochimaru, for example, were of a different type. Toneri was somewhat in the mix, but he was crazy in Neji's mind either way. However, all of them had a really strong motivation and purpose in life that allowed them to get strong. There are also people like Naruto who had stupid motivations.
Naruto's response to the pursuit of peace was by exemplifying virtuous behavior and countering animosity wherever he encountered it. He was steadfast in his belief in Jiraiya's ideology that individuals will eventually comprehend each other on a deeper level and coexist in peace. But Neji perceived this as a very foolish and simplistic notion that was unworthy of any real consideration.
The idea of peace being achieved through kindness and understanding was unfeasible even in Neji's previous life's ordinary world, which was still plagued by endless wars. Not to mention this world, with its thousands of years of bloody history. This was a world of supernatural powers made possible through chakra, people drunk on said powers, a world where resentment and suffering had accumulated over centuries, a world where villages acted solely in their own self-interest for years.
The only means of achieving peace, in Neji's opinion, was through the exercise of strength and authority. Be it personal power or the power of a nation, as demonstrated in Danzo's dream of Konoha's domination of the world, or Nagato's aspiration to become the supreme being and the arbitrator of all things. In truth, if it were not for Nagato's influence, Neji may have considered pursuing a similar plan as a way to repay any divine entity responsible for his existence in this mystical realm. He still didn't find any other possible explanation for his strange transmigration.
As for the original series, Naruto didn't achieve peace between the great five nations through his "power of love" or "friendship", at that time. Not, it was simply because of pure strength, hence fear that Konoha instilled in the people for those nations with him and Sasuke there. After all, Konoha, with him and Sasuke in it was astronomically stronger than all of their village combined and more. After defeating Kaguya, Naruto and Sasuke became like Demigod figures in that new kind of world.
'To succeed in this world, you must generally have a totally opposing type of personality to that idiot Naruto...', Neji suddenly randomly mused in a new direction during their rush back toward their home island, 'To succeed here you need desire, determination, knowledge, ability to work both hard and smart, discipline, however, most people neglect the knowledge and working smart part...', After all, sometimes Neji really thought that Naruto truly had an IQ below eighty while watching it.
It was also why he thought that Orochimaru would go far after getting all of that knowledge from him with his highly intelligent mindset. In his previous, devious and smart people like Orochimaru also got far. In his opinion, in addition, you also must be truly amoral to get to the highest level here. Just look at the Otsutsuki clan, the highest lifeforms and strongest beings known to him now. They plundered countless planets of their energy and killed countless people with their God Trees to get more chakra and acquire new evolutionary steps. They know the best, not idiots like Naruto.