Chapter 351: What If Nagato Doesn't Revive the People of Konoha
The sun rose and set.
Another night passed, a new day began, and then another night passed again.
During the day, Tsunade worked tirelessly; at night, someone else worked tirelessly with Tsunade.
In the blink of an eye, another day went by.
Kakashi, who received the news that his house had been broken into, reacted like someone suddenly told that their parents were about to check their browser history—he rushed back at an unprecedented speed.
He had originally planned to return to Konoha in three days, but he made it back three days early.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
When Kakashi saw his treasured Icha Icha Paradise and photo collections strewn all over the intel room, all the strength left his body. He collapsed, completely socially dead.
"Kakashi-sensei! Hurry and take out Jiraiya-sensei's latest Icha Icha Paradise!"
Naruto couldn't care less about Kakashi's social death. Focused entirely on deciphering the code Jiraiya had left behind to avenge his master, Naruto immediately began rummaging through Kakashi's belongings.
Kakashi looked utterly exhausted and let Naruto do as he pleased.
Very soon, Naruto fished out Jiraiya's last volume of Icha Icha Paradise from Kakashi's bag. Sure enough, the word "evening" from the code was written on the cover.
"This must be the one!"
Shikamaru took the book from Naruto, and the group quickly began matching the code to the page numbers, looking for the corresponding words.
"Genuine—Yuzu —Intent—No—Chair!"
"What does it mean?"
Naruto and Shikamaru blurted out in unison, staring at each other.
Apparently, they had cracked Jiraiya's code, but its meaning—what Jiraiya was trying to convey—remained a mystery to them.
"You remember every single word on every page of your own book, and you still couldn't just say—'Not the real body'? What a lunatic!"
In the interdimensional space, Li Yao, wrapped in a time-space barrier, watched the group decode Jiraiya's message and couldn't help but complain.
Li Yao could understand that Jiraiya created a code only Naruto could decipher.
After all, Jiraiya wanted the people of Konoha to recognize Naruto's importance and for Naruto to become the savior hero of the village.
But the layers of encryption and secrecy… What if they hadn't cracked it by the time Pain attacked the village?
Not knowing Pain wasn't using his real body would mean tremendous losses for Konoha.
In fact, in the original story, Konoha suffered devastating losses. That Almighty Push alone killed at least half the population.
If it weren't for Naruto's ultimate persuasion that led Nagato to resurrect everyone who had died…
Would the village still see Naruto as a hero after letting Nagato go?
Jiraiya was just indulging in sentimentality, ignoring reality.
The more Li Yao thought about it, the angrier he got.
"Even though you're already dead, that's fine. I'll bring you back with Edo Tensei and show you personally what happens when Nagato doesn't revive the fallen of Konoha—whether Naruto can still be considered a hero."
Li Yao turned back. He no longer planned to kill Kakashi right away. Instead, he redirected his shadow clone, who was supposed to meet Obito, to Amegakure.
Jiraiya's body was at the bottom of Genkai Lake. Ordinary people couldn't reach it, but Li Yao could. The water pressure posed no threat to someone with the power of the Mass Technique.
When Nagato attacks, Li Yao will make sure he doesn't use Rinne Rebirth. He wants to see it: after Naruto lets the man who killed countless villagers and shinobi go, will Konoha still call him a hero?
Letting go of hatred is a noble virtue.
Li Yao admired that Naruto could do it.
But being able to let go of hatred yourself is one thing; forcing others to do the same is not noble—it's coercion.
Just like a saint.
People don't actually hate saints. What they hate is saints forcing everyone else to be saints too.
That's what's truly disgusting.
In his past life, Li Yao started losing affection for Naruto as a protagonist from the episode where Naruto talked Nagato into surrendering.
Naruto's reasoning for letting go of hatred always made Li Yao, a man from Nanjing, deeply uncomfortable.
It was as if those responsible for the Nanking Massacre were using Naruto's words to say: "Yes, we killed many people. But now we should look to the future, stop the cycle of killing, and pursue true peace."
Bullshit!!
A blood debt must be paid in blood—otherwise, there's no need for the death penalty.
Of course, if Naruto had consistently behaved like this and truly been a saint, that would be one thing. But the problem is, Naruto only lets go of hatred selectively.
He can forgive Nagato, Jiraiya's fellow student.
But when it comes to Mukade, an outsider to the village and not even someone he personally hates—it's just a mission—Naruto still wanted to kill him. There was no intention to "let go of hatred."
So yeah.
Being a saint isn't disgusting. Being a hypocritical saint is what's disgusting.
This time, Li Yao was going to see it through.
He didn't believe that if Hinata were killed by Nagato for Naruto's sake, and Naruto let Nagato go, then went to convince Hiashi, Hinata's father, to forgive Nagato to prevent further killings…
That Hiashi would still smile and accept Naruto as the hero who saved Konoha.
If he did, Li Yao would gladly transform into Nagato and wipe out the entire Hyuga Clan—leaving only Hiashi—to see if he still found Naruto's ideals noble.
Li Yao didn't believe the surviving members of Konoha's clans, who lost sons and grandsons, would understand Naruto for letting the enemy go.
He wanted to see what path Naruto and Konoha would take if Nagato didn't bring anyone back to life.
And how Jiraiya would feel watching that scene unfold, thinking back on his precious little code.
…
"What is it?"
In the Hokage's office, the elder toad Fukasaku, who had come from Mount Myoboku to decode the message, looked at the furious Naruto and said plainly, "Even Jiraiya couldn't defeat him. Are you confident you can?"
Just moments ago, Naruto had vowed to avenge Jiraiya. Hearing this, he froze completely.
Having trained under Jiraiya for two and a half years, Naruto knew how powerful his teacher was.
Even when the Nine Tails went out of control inside him, Jiraiya could suppress it and seal the chakra back inside.
Even Naruto's proud Rasengan—Jiraiya could use it better and more powerfully.
And if Jiraiya couldn't win, even after entering Sage Mode, then what confidence did Naruto have?
Fukasaku's words hit the mark, leaving Naruto speechless.
In the end, Shikamaru and the others were left to decode the intelligence.
Naruto followed Fukasaku to Mount Myoboku to train in Sage Jutsu.
Although Jiraiya had lost, Sage Jutsu remained the key to defeating Pain.
Without Sage Jutsu, even if they deciphered Jiraiya's code and knew Pain's weakness, it would be useless.
When the gap in strength is too large, a weakness is no longer a weakness.
It's like a Genin knowing a Jonin's weakness is Genjutsu—it still wouldn't help him win.
Because the Jonin's Genjutsu "weakness" only applies to someone of equal rank.
To a Genin, Genjutsu isn't a weakness at all.
So, Naruto had to learn Sage Jutsu if he wanted to defeat Pain.
Knowing what he had to do, Naruto began intense training in Sage Jutsu at Mount Myoboku, while the others continued deciphering the intel on Pain and prepared for the day he would attack.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997