"I've decided to teach you ninjutsu!"
A few days later, after Yahiko and Nagato had recovered, Jiraiya announced this to them.
Hearing this, Yahiko's face lit up with joy. "Really?"
"Yep!"
Jiraiya nodded firmly and explained his reasoning.
"Just like before, you never know when your lives might be in danger, so I'll teach you how to protect yourselves with ninjutsu!"
"That's amazing!"
Yahiko jumped up in excitement, but Nagato didn't share the same enthusiasm, his expression subdued.
At this moment, Yahiko suddenly turned to Nagato, grinning as he extended a hand toward him.
"Thanks for saving me last time, Nagato. I was wrong to call you a coward. Next time something happens, it'll be my turn to protect you!"
"Th-thank you, Yahiko!" Nagato muttered, bowing his head.
Konan, standing nearby, giggled. "Hmm? But compared to Yahiko, Nagato seems stronger!"
"Ugh..."
Yahiko's face twitched with embarrassment as he clenched his fists, trying to defend himself.
"Just wait—after some training, I'll get stronger! Konan, you talk too much!"
"I think Konan's right."
Shigeo Aburame, who had been sitting quietly, adjusted his sunglasses with a light push of his middle finger.
"Even in a village full of talent like Konoha, Nagato and Konan would be considered prodigies. Yahiko, on the other hand..."
At this point, he pointed a finger at Yahiko.
"You'd be the class underachiever. Don't bother trying to surpass geniuses. Just hide and shout, 'Nagato, Konan, save me!' whenever you're in danger."
"Pfft!"
Konan was the first to burst into laughter at Shigeo's words, and even Nagato couldn't suppress a few chuckles.
Seeing Yahiko's face turn red with frustration, Jiraiya quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation.
"Alright, Shigeo, stop teasing Yahiko. It's time to start our training. First up—chakra control!"
"Yes, Sensei!" Yahiko and Konan responded in unison.
---
Night fell swiftly.
After a day of training and dinner, Yahiko and Konan quickly drifted into dreamland. Shigeo, however, remained wide awake, having napped most of the day and skipped their training.
Suddenly, he heard a faint sound nearby. Cracking open an eye, he spotted Nagato slipping out of bed and heading outside.
Soon, the sound of soft sobbing reached Shigeo's ears, barely distinguishable over the rain.
Raising an eyebrow, Shigeo got up, threw on a jacket, and followed.
Outside, he found Nagato sitting at the doorway, quietly crying.
At that moment, it was hard to reconcile this vulnerable boy with the cold, emotionless Pain from the original storyline.
"If only this kid could stay this innocent forever," Shigeo thought to himself, then walked over to sit beside Nagato, placing an arm around his shoulder.
"Nagato, what's wrong? Tell me what's bothering you. I'm really worried about you."
"Shigeo..."
Nagato felt a wave of warmth from Shigeo's concern. Wiping his tears, he began to speak.
"When Yahiko got hurt, I was so angry... my mind went blank, and I lost control. When I came to, the enemy was already down..."
As he recounted this, his voice began to tremble, and tears welled up again.
"After that, I felt terrified—because of my hatred, I lost myself and... I... ended them. I must have been wrong. There had to be a better way..."
"No, Nagato, you weren't wrong."
Shigeo interrupted firmly, seeing how distressed Nagato was becoming.
He looked out at the rain with a hint of melancholy in his voice.
"There isn't always a better way. In times of chaos, we're powerless. You fight, or you flee. If you hadn't acted that way, Yahiko might not be with us anymore."
Turning back, he smiled and gave Nagato a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"You did great, Nagato. You saved Yahiko. You protected your friend!"
"Shigeo..." Nagato stared at him in awe, eventually managing only a quiet, "Thank you."
Shigeo grinned. "Haha, no need to thank me!"
Just then, a soft laugh echoed from behind them.
"Well, well, Shigeo. You're getting better at comforting people. Finally acting like an elder brother—good job!"
"Uh..."
Looking up, Shigeo saw Jiraiya standing there, and quickly greeted him. "Sensei!"
"Hmm."
Jiraiya nodded and walked over to sit beside Nagato, resting a hand gently on his shoulder.
"Shigeo's right. Yahiko was saved because of you. You did the right thing. No one will blame you for it."
His tone then shifted, becoming more reflective.
"When people are hurt, they grow hatred. When they hurt others, they invite hatred and guilt. But it's because we know pain that we learn to treat others with kindness. That's what it means to be human."
Nagato didn't fully understand and asked, "What... does that mean?"
"It means you've grown," Jiraiya replied with a smile.
"Grown? What does that mean?" Nagato asked, puzzled.
"It means you can tell right from wrong for yourself now," Jiraiya explained patiently.
Nagato buried his head in his knees and spoke softly.
"When Konan and I were starving and crying, Yahiko helped us—even stealing food for us. I just want to protect the two of them, no matter how much it hurts."
After sharing his thoughts, he turned to Jiraiya.
"Sensei... what do you think about?"
Jiraiya answered without hesitation.
"This world is full of war and hatred. I want to change that. I'm searching for the answer to true peace."
After hearing Jiraiya's response, Nagato turned to Shigeo.
"What about you, Shigeo? What do you think about?"
"I think about how to survive."
Shigeo shrugged.
"I'm not the hero of this world. I can't change it. I just want to live—and make sure the people I care about live, too. That way, when peace finally comes, I won't be alone."
"Do you really think peace will come?" Nagato asked doubtfully.
"It will."
Shigeo nodded with conviction.
"Maybe we'll be old and gray when it happens, but I believe true peace will come someday!"
Nagato was moved by Shigeo's unwavering belief.
Just as he was about to say something, Shigeo suddenly pulled out a pair of scissors from who-knows-where and smiled mischievously.
"Hey, Nagato. Your hair's getting a bit long—it's blocking your view. Let your big brother give you a stylish new haircut. Don't move, alright?"
"..."
(End of Chapter)