If you don't want to unify the ninja world, why are you crying about the ninja village system?

The Hidden Rain Village in the Empire, a place that was once shrouded in haze and rarely saw the sun, now seemed to Nagato like a pure land kissed by the gods.

He slowly sat up from the hospital bed. His eyes, which seemed a little tired due to illness and the passage of time, now sparkled with curiosity and desire for the unknown world.

The sunlight shines through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, like golden silk, gently draped over his shoulders, warm and soft, as if it were nature's most gentle comfort.

Nagato narrowed his eyes slightly, letting the long-lost warmth penetrate into every inch of his skin and every cell, as if to sweep away the haze that had accumulated in his heart for many years.

"Am I...still alive?"

A hint of doubt arose in his heart, mixed with incredible surprise.

He looked around, the simple and warm ward, the peaceful and vibrant scene outside the window, everything seemed so real and so within reach.

"Is this... heaven?" Nagato thought to himself, an unprecedented emotion surging in his chest.

He realized that he might be standing at a brand new starting point, a peaceful world that he had always dreamed of but seemed out of reach.

He walked out of the ward quietly, every step he took was so cautious, for fear of breaking this rare tranquility.

The outside world is even more beautiful than he had imagined: in the fields, golden ears of wheat sway in the wind, telling of the joy of the harvest; in the sky, birds spread their wings and fly high, whispering or singing, free and carefree; in the distance, the children's laughter is as clear as silver bells, they chase and play, with the purest smiles on their faces.

All of this seemed so strange and yet so familiar to Nagato. These were the scenes he had imagined in his dreams countless times, and now they were actually unfolding before his eyes.

Nagato strolled on this vibrant land, and every step he took brought him a long-lost sense of ease and relief.

He stopped, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. The air was a mixture of the fragrance of earth and flowers and plants, so fresh and intoxicating.

He felt the pulse of the earth beneath his feet, which was the power of life and the source of hope.

He heard the laughter and joy coming from the wind, which was people's love for life and their longing for the future.

"Is this... a truly peaceful world?"

Nagato stood on this peaceful and tranquil land, his heart filled with emotion and questions.

His deep and slightly sad eyes were unconsciously filled with tears at this moment.

This time, the tears did not come from the endless pain or deep despair that had been experienced before, but from the deep emotion of the hard-won peace.

At this moment, a little girl came to Nagato, with twin ponytails and sparkling eyes, and looked up at him curiously.

"Big brother, why are you crying?" the little girl asked in a baby voice.

Nagato squatted down, looked at the little girl tenderly, and said softly: "Because I am very happy to see such a beautiful world."

The little girl laughed and stretched out her little hand to hand Nagato a wild flower.

"Big brother, these flowers are for you. I hope you can be happy every day."

Nagato took the flower and gently sniffed its delicate fragrance.

At this moment, he became more determined to protect this peace.

He stood up and looked into the distance.

He decided that his hands, which once manipulated the Rinnegan to bring destruction, would now become the force to protect this peaceful land.

The little girl smiled as she saw that Nagato had recovered.

"Sister, let me ask you, where is this place?"

Nagato felt a little heavy and complicated in his heart.

Here...can he see Yahiko?

This place is so beautiful, it can’t be hell, right?

If there really is hell and heaven...

I am so sinful that I should go to hell...

"Brother, this is the Hidden Rain Village."

The girl looked at the man in front of her with confusion.

Is he a wandering poet or a tourist from afar?

"Is this... the Hidden Rain Village?"

Nagato's pupils contracted and his face was filled with shock.

Hidden Rain Village...

Hidden Rain Village?

Have I traveled through time?

He saw his own face through the clear water.

There have been great changes since before death.

The Rinnegan was gone, replaced by a pair of pitch-black pupils.

In addition, his hair also turned from white to red.

The biggest change is his skin, which is no longer skin and bones, but plump and full.

Now he really looks like a person who grew up in a gentle environment and grew up normally!

only...

"Where's my Rinnegan?"

Nagato looked into the distance, comparing what he saw with the former Rain Hidden Village.

Steampunk-style buildings are interspersed with modern technological buildings and cities.

There seems to be a change, but not a big one.

In the distance, the largest mountain range that blocked the Hidden Rain Village was torn apart from the inside out by a canyon that stretched to the sky and the earth.

Whether it is the warm breeze and sunshine or the clouds, rain and fog, they all come in and out from here.

Nagato closed his eyes and began to imagine the possibility of all this.

"It seems... if I had used the power of the entire Hidden Rain Village, would I have been able to change this environment?"

"Do not..."

"The surrounding villages would never allow this!"

Nagato's eyes were sharp.

"Little sister, when did this canyon come into existence?"

The little girl became anxious when she heard her friend calling her from afar.

"This was created by the Emperor. Brother, I won't chat with you anymore. My friend is looking for me!"

The little girl stumbled and ran away, but after running a few steps, she turned back and stared at Nagato with her eyes fixed.

"Brother, we have a deal! From now on, we will not cry in the empire, we must be happy!"

The girl walked away again. Nagato watched her running with a group of children, chasing each other, dragonflies approaching, and the unique laughter of children reached his ears. His eyes suddenly became wet again.

"In a world like this...don't cry, just be happy?"

"and many more!"

"The Emperor? In the Empire?!"

Nagato's pupils shrank.

What did the little girl just say?

I seem to have overlooked it!

This is... the Empire?

不 ...

It's impossible!

Such a beautiful world could never be the world that tried to invade itself before dying.

Xiaonan is still in their hands!!

Here the Empire...

It should be the empire of this world...

But I still can't tell whether this is heaven or hell.

Forget it, you won’t get anything out of asking a little girl.

Or just wander around and see for yourself...