Chapter 11- Understand Pain.

"Speech."

'Thoughts.'

"Past Speech."

"Echoing Speech/Echoing Thoughts'

I have waited long for this day, my friends, and finally I can say tall and proud that I welcome you to the eleventh chapter of ANPAL. I know, I know, it has been a long time since I last updated my story, and I hope that I did not irritate or depressed anyone by doing so. If I could write how sorry I am on this very page, it would probably be longer than this entire chapter. (Wow...that was way more funny in my head).

Now, I hope this chapter is enough to compensate you all for my amazing, intolerable setback. However, I have emerged into summer vacation a few days ago, and I hope to pick up the pace and start gifting you with further chapters to fill in the gap which I created.

I just want to say that I was never thinking about neglecting this story.

Hope you have fun reading!

And so, the time throughout the clearing was completely frozen in time, Pain's eyes completely widened at his sudden realization. He could feel himself about to charge forwards, about to tear apart the pathetic blonde Kyuubi-boy standing infront of him with great desire for death and revenge…

And at the same time…every single fragment of his subconscious was screaming for help, begging for his body to stop. However, Pain was far too deep inside his own hatred and anger, in a tight, cold embrace with the same shell of cruelty and mercilessness which caused him to hurt his own Angel.

He could see the shocked and disbelieved expression of those behind Naruto, of Kiba, Sai, and Shino. He could see Kakashi and Yamato slowly bleeding next to a dying Sakura, both of them looking at him with weak, nearly begging eyes. His Rinnegan drifted off to the Hyuga girl, Hinata, who was looking at Naruto with complete horror, unable to believe what he has become.

At that point Pain truly realized what he was doing, at that point he could finally see how deep he was inside his own darkness…

All that Nagato could do at that said moment was to close his eyes and beg his Angel for retribution, for another chance, seeing that he was about to do the inevitable, about to charge in. He began thinking about the outcomes, about everything that would happen if he lands his final technique.

Naruto and the rest of the Eight Man squad will perish…Konohagakure will engage in war against him…Konan will be hurt…he will be enraged…Konohagakure will be burned down…he will once again become a monster…

He will once again break his promise to his Angel.

There was no way in the world that the universe will let that sin happen.

Pain perked up, the entire clearing once again slowly turning into a pure-white void. He was standing in the middle of it…well, as much as he could define "middle", his expression shocked, disbelieved. The void was endless…it was muted, he could see beyond the fragments of existence but was blind at the same time. 'Where…where am I?' He thought, his desperate expression looking all over for Konan and Jiraiya. He didn't know what was happening, but it seems as if he regained control of his body.

And so, the Rinnegan wielder wandered aimlessly through the void, without any cause. The only thing that kept him going on was the desire to find Konan in all of this white background. "Konan, my Angel! Jiraiya-sensei!"

Time passed…there was no answer. Pain could still hear his voice echoing through his clouded mind, hear the voices of Konan and Jiraiya whispering in his head.

Before he was able to make a second, echoing step, Pain's eyes widened completely as a too-familiar figure collided with his form, sending him a step backwards. The thud echoed through the void as the feminine identity wrapped her arms around his pierced body, her head buried in his chest.

It took the Rinnegan wielder a few seconds to digest the sight infront of him, his jaw slowly dropping. His mind wasn't clear, he didn't knew what was going on, but nevertheless, his Rinnegan would never mistake the loving blue color of Konan's hair for another.

The too-familiar scent of Konan's hair brushed through Pain's nose, her shoulders trembling as the faint sounds of sobbed tore his ears apart. He could feel her delicate, soft arms wrapped around his waist, and her heart beating against his in loud bumps which filled in the muted scenery of the void.

"K-Konan?!"

And with his shocked, devastated question echoing through the void, the background slowly regained color, and before Pain knew it, he was being tightly hugged by Konan in the middle of the clearing. His eyes widened completely, seeing that his Chibaku Tensei spheres were still formed in his hands, roaring out countless of white electricity surges all over the clearing.

His expression horrified, seeing the thunders traveling all over Konan's body and from her body to other parts of the clearing. Konan's muscles tensed with each surge, feeling as if her body is steaming up. However, with the great pain slowly came a soothing caress sent out by the bright green lines which were bended throughout her body.

Even though Pain was fully aware of what was happening, he could still here nothing aside from his Angel…his mind completely clouded, focused only on her. He was trying to think that his Rinnegan was deluding him- it's impossible, Konan is supposed to be unconscious, at the other side of the clearing being healed by Jiraiya.

He was just thinking things…he should just resume charging in and-

Pain perked up once again, feeling a tap on his shoulder. His eyes slowly widened, feeling the palm of the figure behind him penetrating into his mentality, into his soul. His Rinnegan glanced backwards, shocked, confused, unable to think correctly. That touch was so alien…so horrifying…a physical contact interacting with mental features is not something Pain could comprehend, even with his inhuman abilities.

That was when Pain's expression was locked in with an unknown, yet very nostalgic identity. The hand on his shoulder was engulfed in a white glow, and its wrist was connected to a forelimb which was hidden out by a long, black sleeve. From the sleeves was a single, long chain of metal tomoe, similar to his, extended and wrapped around the figures forelimb, wrist, and hand.

Pain didn't even notice that time again stopped by, and was pretty much frustrated by it occurring too many times recently.

His comical, justified frustration slowly sank, however. He was now frozen in his tracks, his eyes deeply examining the one standing behind him.

A Rinnegan stared deeply into a Rinnegan, the glowing figure bearing the face of Nagato, the original Nagato, so similar yet so…different. The expression of the Nagato behind him was serious, calm, filled with resolve. His Rinnegan eyes were holding out the secrets of existence in them, and were the most powerful eyes he had ever seen- much stronger than his.

Pain's eyes slowly withered and trembled, the current Nagato's expression hardening, his eyes narrowing slightly. His red hair was covering his right Rinnegan, but however, one eye was enough to make even Pain feel as if he wants to drop to his knees.

The body of the Nagato behind him was rejuvenated, healthy, fit. It was as if he's an entirely different entity, his frail figure and weak features replaced with powerful, serious ones. Nagato was wearing an Akatsuki cloak, but its design was different, one that didn't fit the current pattern of Akatsuki's red clouds.

However, the foreign patterns of the cloak were the least of Pain's concerns when he finally realized what was happening.

"You can't be…no…" Pain muttered, his voice confused, shocked. That Nagato's grasp was extended way beyond a human's or a physical identity's reach. Something was wrong…

"Who…are you?"

"Nagato…" Nagato slowly spoke, his voice echoing as far as Pain's ears could hear. His voice…his voice was firm, deep, way different than his original voice. It seemed to be filled with so much power, with so much strength.

His tone was filled with…a promise.

The promise he made to Konan.

His voice was heard not only by Pain's ears, he could fill his tone echoing inside his being, as if he was making his mind tremble. That one behind him couldn't have been Nagato- even in Pain's standards that figure was unbelievable.

"I vouch in Kami's name…if you dare harm a single hair from my Angel's head…" Nagato continued, his voice echoing through the clearing as his grab on Pain's shoulder tightened. Pain could feel his connection being jammed for some reason, as if the identity next to him was causing disturbances with the natural flow of chakra. He could easily identify disturbances or other setbacks in the connection between him and Nagato. This one, however, felt different, foreign, mental.

He could feel his own soul, the real Nagato's soul, being pulled out and grasped by the imposter Nagato's hand through the connection between them. The Rinnegan wielder's body froze, his expression hardening and horrifying in the same time.

"Nagato, please, stop!"

Pain perked up, the strange Nagato's voice slowly fading away to make room for Konan's begging scream, which chimed through his ears. His focus returned back to the clearing, still shocked from that strange encounter.

His mind slowly cleared up, realizing what was happening now.

Pain's hands trembled slightly, a few tears standing in the corner of his eyes at his Angel's voice. Her tone was a wail, a sob which followed by that too-familiar feeling of Konan's warmth spreading through his body.

Konan then raised her head from his chest, burying her chin in the valley between his chest-muscles, her tear-filled amber eyes locked with his shocked Rinnegan. Her pupils slowly scanned through his expression, throwing aside the amazing amount of shock which was scattered across it, sinking into the deep-red color of the dried blood marks down his chin.

She knew…Konan immediately knew that her Nagato pushed himself over his limits, went far enough to hurt and bring pain upon himself. That sole fact was enough to bring out a side more horrifying than her sadness and her despair, a side which Nagato feared even more.

Her begging, devastated snarl slowly turned into an angered one, tears flowing down her cheeks as the surges of white electricity continued tearing through her body. However, there was no pain now…every single bolt just spread out warmth and soothed down her body, her Heavenly Health Seal glowing just as strong as Pain's seal. She could see how little consciousness was left in Pain's eyes, she could see her Nagato was about to collapse at the other side of the connection, she knew how injured and weak he probably was.

"Look at yourself!" Konan raged, her scolded tone widening Pain's eyes even further, causing his body to tense in shock and fear. He felt as if he was shrinking down, his heart slowly beating faster. He wanted it…he wanted to be scolded by his Angel. He felt ever so grateful, his mind relieved and his body begging for her to drag him out into the right path with her words.

"Nagato…you're hurt…again! You're…exhausted…again!" Konan sobbed loudly, her eyes hardening and softening at the same time. Pain was taken aback by her outburst- she had never shown such enraged features when he experienced chakra exhaustions or hurt himself in the past."Why?! Why don't you listen to me every single time I tell you not to push yourself over your own limits?! Why don't you listen to me…even once?! You always charge and fight without thinking of your own health! You don't even care what will happen to you! In the end…I'm the one who needs to worry for your body! I'm the one who sees you bleeding and coughing every single time! And you don't even care about yourself! You don't even care if I tell you not to do it again! Do you…like making me worry for your own health?! Do you like to…see me cry like this?!"

Konan was trying to hold it all in, knowing what her last words triggered inside her Nagato. She could see his apologetic, shattered expression beneath his shock, beneath his confusion. He was gazing at her with shocked eyes, with his jaw dropped in disbelief. "Nagato…" She muttered weakly, her voice trembling from the tears she was holding back. She could no longer feel the surges of energy from Pain's Chibaku Tensei spheres, she didn't even care about the vicious winds colliding with both of her and Pain's bodies. She wanted to do the least she will ever be able to do to repay for Nagato- to do what she was destined to do- to save him.

"All I want is for you to be safe…all I want if for you not to hurt yourself over and over again, Nagato, please tell me- am I…asking for too much? Is it too much for me to ask you?"

Pain's eyes widened to full extent as Konan buried her face in his chest, her words suddenly echoing through his mind. He could feel tremors rising throughout his body, stirring up a boiling sensation inside him. In a second, a brutal, swift shockwave tore through the clearing, causing everyone in it to lose their balance.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in disbelief as he almost tripped over his own feet, seeing how Shino, Sai, Kiba and Hinata fell down. Naruto was still standing firmly, snarling at both Pain and Konan, his Rasengan charging up in his palm. 'Konan…you did it!' Jiraiya thought when, as he expected, the lines of Pain's Heavenly Protection Seal deepened up their bright red and white shade.

Pain's jaw opened slightly as a soothing wave of rippling, transparent red chakra slid out of his body, taking a spherical formation in such a way that it surrounded his form. He could feel the quakes in his mind settling down, replaced with a warm, caressing feeling which caused the red-white sphere around him to expand.

The transparent dome of Pain's chakra sent warm breezes of energy caressing through the grass as it continued forward and enlarged, leaving inside it many red and white chakra sparkles.

Naruto's expression didn't flatter at the sight of the expanding sphere, unlike the rest of the Eight Man Squad. No matter how powerful Pain's attack is, he will tear through it and destroy the Leader of the Akatsuki, followed up by the rest of his organization. The fogged blonde embraced himself for impact, shattering his Rasengan so he could put both of his palms against the floor and clutch for whatever he can, the Kyuubi's claws rooting themselves into the ground to support his stance as the red and white color swallowed his eyes.

The wave collided against Naruto's body, slowly caressing through it as the enraged blonde just slid through, as if the sphere was just plain air which sent warm sensations rippling through his body. Naruto's eyes widened as his Kyuubi chakra cloak melt away with the ripples of the sphere and disappeared, leaving behind the original, shocked expression of the blonde.

His sapphire eyes gazed at Pain with complete shock, seeing that his Chibaku Tensei spheres were shattered into thin air, cancelling the vicious winds which tore through the clearing up until that point. The wave continued from Naruto to the others, causing them to react the same as Naruto did by embracing themselves for impact, only to widen their eyes as well.

The transparent dome of chakra grew massive in size, slowly expending until it covered the entire clearing and a very large portion of the forest as well. It was only then when the sphere slowly dimmed out, leaving many sparkles of chakra in Konohagakure's skies.

The Heavenly Protection Seal's lines, which were bended all over Pain's forelimbs, arms, and also throughout his body, began retreating towards their respective circles with enormous speed, slowly allowing the Rinnegan wielder's body to relax as the circles in his palms returned to their regular, black color.

A few tears dripped down Pain's cheeks, his gratitude and love to his Angel breaking down his sheer resistance. He didn't want to expose his deepest emotions infront of those Konohagakure scums. But…his Angel was right infront of him, unharmed, hugging him tightly, crying, seeking for his comfort…no, he couldn't do it, he couldn't let those Konohagakure bastards savor the moment in which he cried helplessly…he couldn't-

"Nagato…"

The amount of tears dripping down his cheeks slowly multiplied against his will, hearing his Angel sob his name once again, causing both of his arms to tightly wrap themselves around her body, pulling her against him. Pain's expression slowly turned into a devastated snarl, his willpower beaten by his emotions as his tears landed on Konan's blue hair.

"Pain doesn't smile! Pain doesn't cry! Pain doesn't laugh! Pain doesn't love! You think that Nagato is "inferior" to you because he had emotions?! Because he had a heart?!"

Pain dwelled on his Angel's words, his fingers clutching her upper back, his shoulders trembling like the rest of his body as he was slowly letting his emotions pour, now glad and proud with every single tear he shed, feeling powerful, feeling alive.

"That Nagato was superior to you in ways you will never be able to even imagine!"

'You're right, my Angel…thank you…'

"Nagato…" Konan sobbed weakly, her voice now bearing a small hint of relief and happiness, feeling comforted by Pain's hug beyond comprehension. She could feel his tears against her hair and scalp, soothing down the turmoil of anger inside her, knowing how much impacts her words can have on her Nagato. She was so happy and grateful to feel his tears…even if they came under such circumstances.

"Nagato, please...I'm begging you…give them a second chance..." Konan sobbed, her voice trembling. She felt her body slowly going numb and dizzy for some reason, feeling as if she's losing her balance even though her eyes were closed. Her consciousness was being viciously grasped by her being, knowing that she has a role that she must fulfill, a purpose she must follow, to stand up for her title which was gifted to her by her Nagato- to be his Angel. "Nagato…they couldn't rise above their hatred towards us…and just like it did to you, that hatred manipulated them…they didn't care if you changed or not…they only seek a way to justify their pointless desire for revenge. You're better than that, my Nagato…don't let your hatred for those who murdered your parents and took Yahiko away control you…that hatred is inferior to you. Please, Nagato, don't hurt them…don't let your anger about what they did to me take you away…Nagato…I'm fine…I'm…not hurt…anymore…so you…don't have…a…reason to…"

Pain's eyes slowly opened, feeling Konan's hands parting from his back, her weakened arms slowly sliding downwards. Her legs failed her, causing Pain to instantly support her body with his hug. His eyes slowly turned panicked and frantic as he lowered his arms, resting his Angel's upper body against them while kneeling on the grass with her, his back turned to Naruto.

His shattered, devastated Rinnegan snarled at the sight of the unconscious Konan, seeing that her amber eyes were no longer revealed to him. "My Angel…" Pain sobbed, seeing Konan's expression still bearing agony and sadness, his mind instantly going into frenzy without a further thought. "KONA-"

Pain suddenly perked up, his jaw dropping as soft breeze brewed through the clearing. Everything went in slow motion, the Rinnegan wielder knowing that behind him was an enraged Naruto, charging at him with a fully prepared Rasengan, the Kyuubi's chakra engulfing his body.

It didn't take long for the Rinnegan wielder to realize that he had exhausted his body beyond the limits once again, and it didn't take long for him to bend forwards and attempt to shield his Angel's body with his own either.

The sound in the clearing was once again muted down, Pain instantly glancing over his shoulder to prepare himself for the attack. His eyes widened once again in disbelief and surprise, this time at the sight of his sensei's ankle smashed against the enraged blonde's face.

The blonde's body was frozen in tracks, seconds before Jiraiya's vicious midair roundhouse kick sent him tearing through the clearing's atmosphere with great speed. The Eight Man Squad's eyes widened in shock as Naruto passed between them, colliding with the wooden ruins viciously, sending a shockwave through the area followed by a large wood dust.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled, looking at the dust cloud with shocked, concerned eyes. Her hands were still above Sakura's body, surrounded with a faint, green glow. She turned her head to look at Jiraiya, who was firmly standing at the center of the clearing, with a shocked Pain and an unconscious Konan behind him. Pain's expression was filled with gratitude and relief towards his Sensei, and so was Hinata's expression. 'Jiraiya-sama…thank you…'

Hinata's eyes then widened completely as the wood dust cloud erupted into every direction, sending soft winds through the clearing and allowing Naruto's figure to come into view.

The blonde stood there, his head lowered, adverting Jiraiya's vicious glare. His hands were trembling, and the Kyuubi's chakra already retreated back into the depths of his body. "Pervy-Sage…" Naruto muttered, his voice serious, cold, weak. The silence in the clearing could be cut with a knife, no one saying a word to interrupt that tense, fragile quiet. Naruto could only recall everything he and Jiraiya passed through, from the time they met to their adventures- three years they had spent together as a master and student, he looked to Jiraiya as if he was his own father. Then-

"Why, Pervy-Sage? You bastard…you traitor…wh-"

"That is enough, NARUTO!" Jiraiya snapped loudly, his silent roar echoing through the clearing and tearing through Naruto's and Pain's ears. Jiraiya's cold glare slowly morphed into a protective, angered snarl, showing much more emotions than before. Naruto's head perked up, his blue eyes widening as they were locked up with his sensei's outrageous ones. "There was enough pointless bloodshed in this clearing from your reckless behavior! You see that I'm going to such great lengths to protect Pain and Konan yet you can't afford to ask questions before attacking like a beast! I'm disappointed of you, Naruto!"

A soft breeze brew through the clearing, widening Naruto's eyes and dropping his jaw as every single emotion aside from complete shock and surprise was banished from his expression. Pain's eyes softened slightly behind Jiraiya, turning his slightly saddened expression back to Konan, dwelling on her unconscious features. 'Jiraiya-Sensei…' He thought, closing his eyes before pulling the unconscious Angel into a hug.

"You are Pain's brother disciple! And just like him, you are like a son to me! I have endured all this violence and chaos up until now, but I will not sit idle as you try to hurt one another!" Jiraiya raged, his expression showing even more anger than before as he took a firm fighting stance, spreading his legs, his feet brushing the grass silently. The Right Man Squad tensed up at the sight, except from Naruto, who just stood there, astonished. "This battle has already ended, Pain decided to spare all of you even after what you've done. You had the chance of apologizing and putting an end to this bloodshed! However, if you still insist on spilling your blood with Pain's on this place…"

Jiraiya stopped his shocking words to bite both of his pointing fingers, causing blood to leak down from their tips. He raised his hands up to swiftly brush a liner line on each of his cheeks with his blood, connecting the lines to his original marks growing down from his eyes to his jaw.

The Toad Sage then clapped both of his hands before assuming another stance, one that caused Kakashi's eyes to widen in pure disbelief- Jiraiya's legendary, toad-like battle stance, which was only assumed when he's really about to battle with full force.

Naruto didn't have time to react as an amazing burst of chakra tore apart the clearing, Jiraiya's body sending gusts of energy all over the wrecked field. All except Naruto and Pain defended themselves from the gusts, Pain instead protecting Konan and Naruto continuing to stand, amazed.

"Then…you will have to get through me." Jiraiya deadpanned coldly, his glare almost able to rival Pain's. His expression flashed nostalgic for a minute as he recalled his final training with Nagato, Konan and Yahiko- the first time he took this stance infront of his family. "I won't let you hurt one another…even if I have to beat the hatred out of you, Naruto."

"Don't…fuck with me…" Naruto replied coldly, his voice trembling with anger and disbelief, his fingernails digging into his palms as he clenched his fists further. His emotionless expression slowly grew into a snarl, the feral features of the Kyuubi again noticeable in his expression. "After what…that bastard did to the Shinobi world…after what that bastard did to Konohagakure…to Sasuke…to Sakura…to us…to me…after what he did to everyone…don't you dare…DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT I'M A BROTHER OF THAT FUCKING MURDERER!"

Naruto's snarl deepened, his fangs and teeth growing feral as well as the Kyuubi's chakra again hovered out of his body, spreading through the clearing and causing the Eight Man Squad to tense up. Jiraiya's eyes narrowed dangerously, though his glare now turned into more of an empathic frown. "After what you did to us to protect those murderers behind you…" Naruto growled, his voice feral as a beast, his body trembling even more. "Don't you dare…DON'T YOU EVEN FUCKING DARE CALLING ME YOUR STUDENT!"

The Kyuubi's armor intensified tenfold, the transparent, blood-colored chakra slowly deepening out until Naruto's figure was barely visible. Behind him, a fourth tail began manifesting from bubbles, crawling outside as if it was a hatching snake.

Naruto's eyes turned completely red as he released a vicious, brutal roar which tore through the clearing. The pure voice of the Kyuubi sent brutal gusts of wind charging all over, nearly knocking away the Eight Man Squad behind him and causing Jiraiya to cross his arms infront of his face in disbelief.

Pain's eyes widened in surprise and horror as he removed his body from on top of Konan's, looking over his shoulder at Naruto's new, horrifying form. The blonde stood erect, his snarl glowing through the Kyuubi's armor, his form sending dark-red gusts of chakra around the clearing, bending the trees which weren't destroyed by Pain's outrage.

The gusts impacted with the Rinnegan wielder's body, causing him to bend forwards, protecting his Angel once again. Pain closed his eyes, and within seconds he began to notice how the massive, dark winds died down, allowing him to bend backwards.

He looked over his shoulder, his trivial Rinnegan shockingly inspecting Naruto's Four-tailed form, which just stood there, quiet. His white, bright eyes were round from disbelief, his jaw slightly dropped as it seemed to be out of focus.

And in an instant, the armor of the Kyuubi was shattered as if it was a glass layer covering up Naruto, revealing the blonde's unconscious, shocked eyes. The thick shards of red chakra were suddenly vaporized into thin air as Naruto dropped to his knees, causing the Eight Man Squad and Jiraiya to widen their eyes further.

Naruto could feel himself sinking down into an endless ocean abyss, everything around him quiet. Transparent bubbles floated all over the water, reflecting his emotionless, exhausted expression. The blonde felt his eyesight blurring out, and before he knew it, he bended forwards.

Naruto's upper body emerged from the shallow waters of a darkened, pipe-filled hallway. He coughed up repeatedly, feeling the sick feeling of the Kyuubi's hatred seeping through him, repelling him to stand up weakly.

'Where are you?' Naruto thought, his lifeless, emotionless eyes gazing at the floor as he limped down the hallway, his body swaying from side to side. It seemed as if he was about to fall down and wither any second now, but his right hand clutched the nearby wall for support. 'Please…I need you…help me…help me kill that bastard…'

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Naruto's eyes completely widened in disbelief as the Kyuubi's scream echoed through the hallway, his feral voice bearing such bold features of fear and horror. His body immediately pumped up with adrenaline, causing Naruto to start dashing down the hallway, his steps mingling with the splashing sound of the water.

He looked around every turn, every passage which was leading to a different room and a different hallway from the main one, noting how the Kyuubi was nowhere to be found. "Oi! Who's in here?!" He could hear his mouth screaming, noting that his subconscious wasn't so private and secret. Sasuke once managed to penetrate his mind with his Sharingan, however, never before had he heard such terrifying screams coming from his inner-beast.

His eyes squinted down, a huge burst of light shimmering from far down the hallway, sending lights through the dark. The more he ran towards it, the more his eyes became blinded with the pure white color, until his figure was swallowed down by the eternal warmth.

Naruto opened his eyes once again, his energy suddenly overflowing through his veins as he looked around him, finding himself in a gigantic, square chamber. It was the chamber in which the Kyuubi was trapped in by the Fourth Hokage, never to be released again.

For some reason, however, the blonde felt it was the first time he had ever seen this room. His eyes scoured through it as he walked forwards, only to stop dead in his tracks and widen his sapphire irises in horror and shock.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Naruto's jaw dropped at the sight of a submissive Kyuubi, deep behind the barred gate in which he was imprisoned his figure sitting on the floor of the chasm. His massive, feral hands were stretched behind him, repelling his upper body upwards. His tails were just floating across the ripples of the water.

The Kyuubi's eternally-darkened expression was now one of terror, his red, slit eyes widened in complete disbelief, his snarl nearly begging for mercy. The Kyuubi dragged himself backwards, massive splashes of water creating waves all over the room, followed by small ripples and splashing sounds of footsteps.

Naruto perked up, his eyes moving downwards to spot a shadowy figure standing at the other side of the barred gate. The back of the figure was turned to Naruto, and the blonde could only make out the outlines of its cloak, which resembled the outlines of the Akatsuki cloak.

A vicious snarl suddenly spread across Naruto's face, his glare staring at the back of the figure's head. "Pain! You bastard!" He roared, interrupting the figure's footsteps and causing the Kyuubi's shocked eyes to divert to him, widening slightly further. The Kyuubi's expression suddenly trembled, as if he was anticipating some sort of torture.

"Pain…I see…" The figure spoke, its voice sending vicious tremors through the room, echoing through Naruto's ears and causing the Kyuubi to suddenly scream in agony and roll over, sending even more tremors through the chamber.

Naruto closed his eyes and slammed his palms against his ears, snarling at the Kyuubi's roar as he tripped over his feet and lost his balance. His body fell down against the water of the room, sending soft splashes around it as the blonde instantly attempted to stand up.

He could feel the figure's voice caressing through his mind, sending soothing chills through his systems and his subconscious. There was one thing sure- it's voice was so different, so incomprehensible, so vicious.

It could've never been Pain.

"Who…are you?"

The blonde felt a bit disappointed at the differences between his voice and the figure's, however, it was at the least of his concerns at this point.

The figure's shoulders relaxed, some sort of relief in its features as its body slightly rotated towards Naruto so the side of its shadowy face was facing him. Naruto could make out the figure's shoulder-length, smooth hair, noting how it covered its right eye.

"Very well…I shall tell you…" The figure spoke, its voice influencing the room as it did before, triggering another roar from the Kyuubi and causing Naruto to lose his balance yet again. This time, the blonde could feel the figure's voice gripping at his soul, soothing it down and making his body light.

His eyesight blurred out as his body splashed against the water, his unconscious eyes able to spot the figure gazing at him, its left eye suddenly bringing such vicious light that it blinded his eyesight completely.

"I am…"

Naruto's unconscious eyes were locked with Pain's shocked Rinnegan, squinting slightly before he closed his jaw, feeling the world spinning around him. He could make out Jiraiya's figure, shockingly gazing at him as his body hit the grass with a loud thud.

The sound of the clearing, however, was muted to Naruto, the only voice heard in his mind echoing through his being, soothing his body down to numbness, turning off the lights of his consciousness.

"A human...like you..."

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled in horror, her widened, disbelieved eyes watching her unconscious crush. Her Byakugan could see red-white energy, matching Pain's, slowly spreading through his body. However, unlike the previous time she noticed the Heavenly Protection Seal's chakra inside her comrades' bodies, this time the chakra was doing no physical damage whatsoever.

"Naruto…" Jiraiya muttered sadly, closing his eyes as he lowered his head. He then looked over his shoulder at Pain, seeing his horrified expression glued to his face. For Naruto's transformation to trigger such an expression from the Rinnegan wielder...will only mean he saw something that truly shocked him.

Jiraiya frowned, knowing that it wasn't this easy to catch his top disciple off guard with something as this. He was about to dwell further on what Pain might've seen that caused Naruto to collapse like that and the Kyuubi to retreat, but he didn't get the chance.

In a second, many medical-nins bearing the traditional robes of Konohagakure's hospital emerged into the clearing, each of them bearing a shocked, panicking expression. Leading them was Shizune, who's face horrified the moment she saw the condition of the clearing and its inhabitants. "Treat the fatal ones first!" She screamed, looking at a rather large group of the medical division who started running towards Pain and Konan without hesitation. The group stopped and turned around, their eyes locked with Shizune's.

"But what about Ko-"

"Don't you dare touching her!" Tsunade's voice erupted through the clearing together with her, the vicious snarl occupying her face already analyzing the event in the clearing. She began dashing towards the shocked Pain and Jiraiya, her expression devastated and panicked. "I'll do it! Go and treat the others!"

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" The group yelled promptly, seconds before they turned around and began running towards the Eight Man Squad, whose members were already receiving treatment. They knew that a wound such as Konan's was so fragile and horrible that even the most experienced of medical-nins would not know how to approach it if they ever manage to overcome the shock of getting to treat such a thing.

Shizune looked at Tsunade with serious, determined eyes, watching her running towards Pain and Konan, crouching once she reached them. Her brown irises met with hers, causing the Hokage to nod firmly.

At her response, Shizune's serious face nodded before she turned around and ran towards the Eight Man Squad as well. Once she reached them, Shizune began giving commands to left and right, shocked at everything that has been done to her comrades.

"We need an operation!" One of the medical-nins yelled in terror, kneeling next to the dying, unconscious Sakura and inspecting the various wounds and traumas she received from Pain's wrath. Two other medical-nins instantly joined him, bringing a long cloth connected to two, wooden poles and stretching it firmly.

Two other medical-nins were thinking out a way to load Sakura onto the cloth without causing any more damage. Eventually they managed to find the right technique, holding out her feet and her under-arms as they swiftly loaded her on.

There was another medical-nin, who was constantly healing and numbing down Sakura's body as the four began running towards the outskirts of the clearing, but not before receiving the approval of Shizune.

A mild scream interrupted the group's actions, causing their faces to turn towards one of the medical-nins, who was right next to the unconscious Naruto, snarling. He clutched his left palm with his right one, both of them trembling as they were briefly caressed by soft, red-white bolts. "What happened!?" The medical-nin who was right next to the injured one asked in surprise. The injured medical-nin opened his eyes, only to cause the others' to widen in shock.

His eyeballs were glowing viciously in red and white, matching the color of the bolts which transported into his body a few seconds ago. "It's nothing…" He answered calmly, the glow of his eyes instantly disappearing as if it was never there. Every feature which could be evidence to the medical-nin's trauma vanished as if it was never there, causing the others to resume the procedure without asking any questions.

"Don't touch him, please!" Hinata suddenly begged, her pleading Byakugan fading away as her eyes returned to normal. She slowly stood up, causing the medical-nins surrounding her to step backwards and join the ones who were treating Kakashi and Yamato.

The Hyuga slowly walked to the blonde, gazing at the medical-nins around him with a serious glare. "H-He's fine, I'll keep an eye on him. You need to go and help the others, please." She claimed, causing the shocked trio to look over to Shizune.

The Hokage's assistant nodded, and without hesitation, the three medical-nins stood up and ran towards Kakashi and Yamato, who were losing their consciousness amidst the many other medical-nins. Their wounds weren't as much as severe, actually they were nothing compared to the foreign chakra essence which was slowly vaporizing their systems.

The entire medical division knew about the fatal and horrible impacts of Pain's and Konan's heavenly chakras on others' bodies, knew that only the Rinnegan wielder and his Angel were capable of storing such chakras inside their bodies thanks to their Heavenly Seals.

It was a good thing that the Heavenly Protection Seal and Heavenly Health Seal's chakras were researched by the cipher and research division to the slightest bit in order to understand how to nullify their effects.

Unfortunately…they found none, but the prolonged study which was conducted right after Konan's operation concluded that there is a possibility to decrease the damage done by streaming large amounts of healing chakra through the subject's systems.

And so, all Kakashi and Yamato had to do was to endure the searing, vaporizing pain as the medical-nins began treating their wounds and healing them without stopping for a second.

Hinata just kneeled next to Naruto, sadly gazing at his unconscious expression, still unable to forget the horrible sight of his four-tailed form, still feeling the hatred that the gusts of chakra sent from it brought with them.

She activated her Byakugan once again, countless veins appeared around her eyes as she glared deeply at Naruto. There was red-white chakra all over his systems, rippling around like a soft stream of air, filling every empty space in the blonde's body.

Hinata's eyes narrowed a few seconds later, seeing that suddenly the red-white chakra began concentrating towards the center of Naruto's body, swirling around slowly, molding into a certain pattern that-

The Byakugan widened completely in disbelief, a gasp escaping from Hinata's terrified mouth as her body jerked backwards, putting both of her hands on her cleavage. Her pupils trembled, gazing deeply into a red-white Rinnegan pattern, feeling her body frozen in her tracks. 'What is that?' She thought, feeling as if her very essence was locked with a superior version of Pain's Rinnegan.

Her Byakugan unwillingly faded away, but not before the Hyuga managed to get a glimpse of the nine, red-white tomoe which were scattered around the three inner rings of the Rinnegan. She could then feel her chakra fading away, causing her horrified expression to deepen. She had never before felt as she did at that moment, such cold and terrorizing feeling, as if someone was grasping straight at her mind, tearing it from every single positive emotion she had.

She couldn't help herself and turned her eyes away from Naruto, her white irises drifting off to lock themselves with Pain's figure, who was desperately grasping his unconscious Angel's body, unwilling to hand her over to Tsunade. The Hokage was sitting in a seiza position right next to him, with Jiraiya sitting vertically to the two.

"Pain, don't be reckless!" Tsunade prompted angrily, her hands hovering above Konan's right arm, which was directed to her. She was about to grasp on her cloak, only for her arm to be violently covered by Pain's. "Damn it, PAI-"

"I told you my Angel is fine…" Pain deadpanned, his cold voice widening Tsunade's eyes and causing her comical anger to dissipate completely. She glanced upwards to meet his protective, hating glare, a faint intention to kill floating through his icy Rinnegan. "Try to touch her one more time…"

"Pain…" Tsunade muttered shockingly, her voice concerned as she withdrew her hands back to their reserved place on her hips. She couldn't admit that she was afraid to approach Konan again, not wanting to provoke the Rinnegan wielder's anger further. "What happened?"

Jiraiya's expression saddened, gazing deeply into Pain's glare. It was the same glare that he directed towards Sakura, with the same intention and same emotions. He could realize how betrayed and hurt Pain felt at what was done to Konan by the same village that saved her.

"Speaking nonsense about your change, telling us that we will be safe here, regretting the past, hoping to come to an agreement…I should've known that it was all nonsense…that you haven't changed at all…" Pain spoke, his voice filled with mockery and disgust. His hug tightened around his Angel, bringing her closer to his body. Tsunade's expression tensed up with confusion and shock, pieces of the puzzle slowly coming in together. "Even a promise of Konohagakure's Fifth Hokage turns to a disgraceful lie once spoken from your lips. To think that I was so happy and grateful I walked blindly in the guidance of your promise."

"That's not true, Pain! I don't know what happened here but-"

"Then look around- this peaceful place, my peaceful Angel, look at what you have done to them." Pain interrupted, causing Tsunade to further inspect the clearing they were in, only now actually taking to note how ruined and bloody it was. "Even after I gave you and your pathetic trash of a village my trust, you are still blinded in your own hatred, driven by desire for vengeance of things which are a part of the past, so weak and inferior that you cannot control such emotions. I should have no right to speak like that, as I was blinded by hatred as well. But if only my Angel wouldn't have opened my eyes, oh, how I would love to mete justice on your village just as those Konoha Shinobi did to her infront of me…"

Tsunade's eyes perked slightly in confusion and disbelief, glancing briefly at the Eight Man Squad, which was now receiving treatment by the medical division and Shizune. "What are you talking about?!" She exclaimed in shock, refusing to digest her assumption of what might've happened in the clearing.

She knew that Naruto and the rest of the Eight Man Squad were already on a mission to discover Itachi's location by the time Jiraiya returned, so the word of her orders regarding Pain and Konan never reached their ears. But she never thought that the two would actually come to contact with the Eight Man Squad while waiting for Jiraiya to arrive, as the odds of this event happening were facing zero.

"Don't pretend to be ignorant, Tsunade!" Pain snapped, his glare intensifying. Jiraiya's expression hardened, knowing that Pain is holding too much of a grudge to release in such a short period of time. "'We have changed, we are no longer the village we used to be'. Your disgraceful Jinchuuriki and his friends proved how useless your words are."

Pain's words were filled with disappointment and disgust, making Tsunade's heart fall down and her expression freeze. She turned her eyes to the Eight Man Squad, seeing how Hinata was eying their conversation with concern, sitting next to an unconscious Naruto. Kakashi and Yamato were already getting treatment by the medical-nins, their condition improving enough for them to return to consciousness.

Kiba, Shino and Sai were eying Pain and herself as well, their expressions filled with grudge and anger, and by "their" Tsunade actually referred to Kiba.

He was displaying enough anger and hatred for the three of them.

Tsunade knew that at this point the eyes of the Eight Man Squad were directed to them, and so she didn't bother and make any assumptions that will only make the relations between them and Pain worse, even though she knew that Pain didn't care the least.

"Pain, it was a misunderstanding! You see, Naruto and the others were positioned on a mission outside the village by the time Jiraiya departed to Amegakure." She attempted to explain, her determined expression dying down when she saw Pain's facial features were not fit for a person who actually wanted to listen. "My orders didn't reach them!"

"That changes NOTHING!!" Pain raged, enough for the whole clearing to hear, perking up the members of the Eight Man Squad and causing Tsunade to back off in surprise. Jiraiya wanted to interrupt Pain's anger, but realized that there are things which must be said.

He knew that if he tries to stop the Rinnegan wielder now, his hatred towards Konoha will never cease.

Despite the slight surprise on Pain's expression at Tsunade's claim, there were not enough reasons to justify what Naruto and the others have done to his Konan. His expression saddened as he looked downwards at Konan, who's unconscious form was softly holding his wrists.

The picture of Konan's sleeping smile carved itself into Pain's mind once again, only causing more remorse and grudge to flood out of his heart. He will never forgive them. "My Angel was resting so peacefully…I was so happy…then they attacked us from behind! They caused me to hurt Konan in order to avoid their attack! That pathetic Jinchuuriki and that trash of a Kunoichi- they started making their claims, they started to threaten us! They claimed they were going to hurt us if I didn't tell them Uchiha's Itachi location!" Pain yelled angrily, causing Tsunade's and Hinata's eyes to widen. Hinata's was shocked at the way and perspective in which Pain explained the events, only sympathizing with him more as a result. Jiraiya's expression softened, seeing that Pain's words were no longer filled with the same disgust and grudge they once bore, but rather more of remorse and sorrow. "I told them I wished for this confrontation to be resolved peacefully, and offered them a chance to return to their village. I even told Uzumaki Naruto I wasn't asking for his death anymore! I told them I had changed! That my Angel and I will stay out of their sights if they stay out of ours! But they didn't listen…"

Pain's eyes squinted, few tears slightly dwelling in the corner of his eyes, barely visible to the environment until his Rinnegan locked with Konan's face once again. "When they found out about our inability to battle they engaged us deliberately…forced us to battle against our wills…" He muttered, Tsunade's shocked features deep in his words, unable to believe that such an act came from her own village. She now realized how much Pain's trust was damaged…not to mention about the true damage done to him and Konan. "They didn't care if I changed…they wanted revenge…They didn't care I wished no harm…they wanted revenge…"

At this point, Pain couldn't hold it anymore as he shot a vicious snarl at the Eight Man Squad, seeing that every medical-nin was frozen in tracks, listening to their conversations as well. Hinata's tears vanished as she perked in fear at the Rinnegan wielder's expression.

"THEY DIDN'T CARE MY ANGEL WAS INNOCENT AND WOUNDED…THEY WANTED REVENGE! THEY DIDN'T CARE THAT I SCREAMED AT HER TO RUN…THEY WANTED REVENGE! THEY DIDN'T EVEN CARE WHEN I ACTUALLY MANAGED TO CONVINCE HER TO FLEE AND LEAVE ME BEHIND…THEY WANTED REVENGE!" He roared, his enraged Rinnegan eyes then locking deeply into Hinata's, causing her to visibly tremble. Tsunade's body froze at Pain's description of the event, utterly shocked. Her eyes turned to Hinata as well, seeking anything in her features that would justify or protest against Pain's claims.

She was even more shocked when she found none.

Pain took small, paced breaths, trying to calm himself down, his Angel's critism still embed in his values. "And I deserved every bit of that revenge..." He continued, his entire behavior changing drastically as he looked at Konan once again, Jiraiya's saddened expression locked with the back of his head. Pain's claim shocked Hinata and the others, only to make them horrified at his next words, which came out with his shoulders shaking. "But they didn't care…they wanted revenge. And so my innocent, injured Angel, who bore no ill intentions and never brought any harm became the means of achieving that revenge, became the one to pay for my mistakes…again."

"Nagato…" Jiraiya muttered sadly, gazing deeply at Konan's expression, which was being slowly caressed by Pain's tears. He rested his hand against Pain's shoulder, only for the Rinnegan wielder to stretch his arms forwards, his head still lowered. Jiraiya's sad smile moved his hands to softly take Konan from the devastated Rinnegan wielder so he could be allowed to slowly stand up.

His height towered over the kneeling Tsunade, who was now, at Jiraiya's approval, began slowly opening Konan's cloak, which was already unbuttoned. Her hands trembled and her eyes horrified when at the sight of Konan's exposed, healed wound.

It didn't take her long to figure out why the bandages were removed, or why Pain and Konan's Heavenly Seals have been activated.

"You couldn't find it in your heart to spare her, you couldn't find it in your heart to let her go…" Pain spoke, his voice now filled with resolve, anger, and sense of righteous justice. Hinata perked, seeing that his words were directed to her, his expression serious, angered. It caused her to freeze in fear, thinking that he's actually directing the blame to her. "You knew we were unable to fight, you knew we didn't wish to fight…"

"I seek to resolve this situation peacefully."

"You knew my Angel was so wounded she could barely step, you knew she was posing no threat, you heard my scream, the words which I spoke not for her, but for you to hear…"

"GO, KONAN!"

"You saw her back turned to you when you charged…you even saw my only means were to let her escape…"

"Please, my Angel, NOW!"

"And yet you, the only Konohagakure scum who can even start comprehending the value of my Angel's existence to me…just didn't care…"

"KONAAAAAN!"

"You didn't care…you didn't care for her to suffer, you didn't care for her to scream, you didn't care for her to cry…" Pain muttered, his eyes suddenly widening in anger as he lowered his Rinnegan, relieving Hinata's stress, only to refill it with surprise and horror when her eyes were lowered along with Pain's. The pictures of Konan's pain throughout the events of the clearing tore apart his mind, his eyes locking themselves if Naruto's blue irises.

"You didn't find it in your heart to tell your pathetic trash of a comrade to punish me instead…even when I secretly pleaded to that heart I thought you possessed. And after all of that…when Konan is dying here on this grass…you have the courage to step forwards and claim that I am a monster…UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

Tears began dwelling up in Naruto's eyes, even though he's expression was blank, emotionless, his pupils directed at the grass his head was resting on. His body trembled, Pain's words tearing through his ears still, their strength slightly comparable to the voice of the figure that penetrated his subconscious.

The atmosphere in the clearing tensed up when Pain began slowly stepping towards Naruto, slowly widening Hinata's eyes. Jiraiya's expression turned surprised and disappointed, seeing that Pain still couldn't shake off all his anger.

The medical-nins and the rest of the Eight Man Squad tensed up, Kiba's snarl deepening while Sai and Shino were just looking at Pain with shock and sadness. "You wanted to mete out justice and revenge on me, to justify your pathetic hatred. Even after I claimed I meant no harm, even after I claimed I was just fighting you to reward my Angel with the precious time she needed to get to safety…but I alone wasn't enough for you- you wanted to hurt the one most dear to me." Pain muttered angrily, disappointed, disgusted. His voice bearing the same tone it bore when he talked to Tsunade, the same voice which only burrowed down into Naruto's purified heart. Pain was getting closer and closer to the blonde, who just remained at the ground, doing nothing to defend himself from Pain's anger, only the tears softly dwelling up in his eyes. "Your sick desires were satisfied by watching her bleed, by hearing her screams, as if your revenge was directed to her…and even after all the pain you caused her…"

Pain was getting too close, his hating glare not parting from Naruto's eyes, forcing the trembling Hinata to stand up, her body moving on its own, shaken to the bone as she spread her arms to the sides. Her eyes met Pain's, her pupils widening when she saw he wasn't stopping the slightest bit.

"Hinata…move away."

Hinata perked up, gasping as her body complied in reaction to the sobbing Naruto's weak words, moving on its own, stepping to the side. Naruto's voice wasn't afraid, the blonde didn't waver nor did he defend himself.

All Hinata could do was watch as Pain bended forwards, clutching Naruto by the collar of his grey robe. Naruto's eyes didn't move to look at Pain's, his body didn't protest as the Rinnegan wielder slowly lifted him up from his collar, his right hand clenching around it.

Naruto's feet were above ground at this point, as if Pain was displaying him for the entire clearing to see and witness his mistakes, his regret, his sorrow. "Even after all the pain you caused her…so quickly…so easily…Konan found it in her heart to spare scum like you! To spare abominations like you!" Pain raged, snarling at Naruto with unforgiving, merciful Rinnegan eyes. His glare was locked with his begging, apologizing expression, only causing his hands to clench further and turn into fists, tears dwelling up in his eyes as well. 'Just…just…'

"JUST LIKE SHE SPARED ME!"

A sift breeze brew through the clearing, fluttering Pain's and Naruto's figures, Pain's determined, enraged snarl facing Naruto's devastated, pleading tears. The images of Konan's smile began flashing through Pain's mind repeatedly, causing his shoulders to shake as he closed his eyes shut.

"And because of that I…I…" He muttered, his voice shaking from anger as Konan's face again flashed through his mind. The Rinnegan wielder raised his left hand, his Heavenly Protection Seal activating with full force as he clenched it into a vicious and unforgiving fist, widening the eyes in the clearing, except from Naruto's, who was willing to accept his judgment.

Pain froze in his tracks, his body trembling, feeling restrained. He could see the reflection of Konan's spirit in his mind, holding his biceps with both of her hands, smiling, tears standing in her eyes. Pain's snarl only deepened, tears of gratitude and amazement rolling down his cheeks.

"I can't hurt you anymore!" He raged angrily and proudly at the same time, pride and anger which knew no bounds- pride of his Angel's warm heart and loving eyes, those eyes which gifted him the title of a human even after all he had done to her when he was blinded, and anger, endless pity and disappointment at his disgraceful, monstrous behavior, the fact that he couldn't realize up until now why Konan forgave Naruto and the others.

Jiraiya brought a proud, admiring smile as Pain swung his right arm to the side, tossing Naruto into the grass, shocking every single shinobi in the clearing. Even Naruto's eyes widened as his body hit the grass, unable to accept the real outcome of Pain's anger, which was so different than the one he prepared himself to face.

The blonde could only fold his upper body forwards, his shocked eyes gazing at Pain's Heavenly Protect Seal, which slowly retreated its lines back into its circles in Pain's palms, retaining his pitch-black color. Pain looked away, his eyes locked with his Angel's expression, his own turning sorrowful and filled with regret.

"Your pathetic Konohagakure took away my beloved family, destroyed my village, annihilated my country…" Pain muttered sadly, only shocking Naruto's face further at his words. "Your monstrous comrades kept hurting me for as long as I can remember…but my pain itself wasn't enough for you…you had to hurt my Angel as well…an innocent soul who brought no harm upon you…and after what you have brought upon us…she lets you live."

Pain's expression softened, recalling Konan's words as his body relaxed, eying Jiraiya's grateful smile. He looked at Naruto, his expression disgusted, mocking the blonde's disgraceful behavior towards his Angel. "I cannot step down to your disgraceful level…Uzumaki Naruto…hence from the moment my Angel spared your existence…I can neither hurt you nor your comrades for bringing pain upon her…" He continued, only deepening the regret in Naruto's heart. At this point, Hinata could see the mental scold Pain was giving the blonde, how Naruto just wanted to disappear at that point, but was instead held off by his desire to pay for his mistakes. "You were about to form another pair of chains in the cycle of endless hatred which will only lead to unnecessary bloodshed…but I will not allow it."

Pain's expression began filling up with resolve as he softly gazed at Naruto. "Konan…she is superior to you in ways you can't imagine. Know this, Jinchuuriki- she is my light, a light which I must follow in my darkest hours, because I am but a man, no better than you." He explained, gluing Naruto to the ground with his scold and his mock. But even the blonde knew that the Rinnegan wielder was only speaking facts. "That is why…for as long as I live my only desire will be to repay and reward her for sparing me…and if sparing your pitiful lives and see me rise above my hatred is what makes Konan happy…then her words are my biddings."

Pain's expression then relaxed, his gaze hardening with his resolve, with the power of his Angel's words, staring deeply down into Naruto's shocked, admiring eyes.

'Because…my name is Nagato.'

Hinata's expression saddened, the deep shock finally relaxing as she gazed at the devastated Naruto, tears standing at her eyes. 'Naruto-kun…' She thought, clasping her hands in her cleavage once again. The medical division long since stopped their treatment to listen to Pain's words, more because at this point Kakashi and Yamato were already stabilized.

"I shall do as my Angel requested, Uzumaki Naruto. I will not let the same hatred that controlled you and your teammate…that trash…control me as well." Pain continued, his voice coming to a conclusion as he turned his back to Naruto and headed towards the unconscious Konan. "Even though I cannot forgive your village for everything that you have done to me and Konan, I can surely rise above my feelings in order to make her happy. I am willing to open a new page…even after the previous ones were stained with so much blood."

Naruto could only blankly gaze at the Rinnegan wielder as he carelessly crouched, causing Tsunade to remove her hands from Konan's unharmed, scarred abdomen. He warmly slid his hands underneath her upper back and her knees, softly smiling as he rose, carrying her in his arms, his Rinnegan locked with her unconscious smile.

"What…happened?"

Pain perked up, Naruto's despaired and emotionless voice reaching his ears. He moved his gaze to the blonde, who was now standing at all-four, weakly trying to stand up, trembling. "What did my…village do to you?" He asked weakly, his voice shocked. Both of Tsunade and Jiraiya saddened, recalling the time they met Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko. Jiraiya could even further dwell on Yahiko's death, which was caused primarily by Konoha.

The Rinnegan wielder's eyes narrowed in a frown, recalling the same moments Jiraiya did, causing his head to get slightly lower. "Someone like you will not understand my pain…" He muttered coldly, gazing at Naruto with a serious expression, the sound in the clearing muting down. Pain then glanced at Konan, seeing her peaceful, unconscious expression, bringing more warmth to his heart. "Only she can understand me…"

"Then…let me understand you too!" Naruto urged weakly, taking a step forwards, the emotions returning to his expression. He was slowly overcoming the shock and horror which were imbued to him by Pain's words with the help of his immense desire to hear his story, to hear what brought the Rinnegan wielder to such a firm, powered resolve. "I want to hear it!"

Pain chuckled at the blonde's naïve, ignorant claim, his amused expression soon turning into an emotionless frown, his Rinnegan widened in anger and hatred. "There is no point in telling you of the pain and devastation your inhuman wars brought upon me, as you are too naïve to contemplate on it. How would you know the pain of losing everything you had when you have never understood its value? How would you know the feeling of starvation and death when you are living in such a paradise built from the blood of many? How can you know the feeling of war…when you have been living in peace all this time?" Pain continuously asked, turning Naruto's expression more and more shocked with every question. Naruto stood dead in his tracks at Pain's harsh, cruel questions, disbelieved with their content. "You cannot even begin to comprehend what I have already experienced. You still have what I have lost and I have what you will never achieve. Even if I told you, you would've only been fumbling in the dark, seeking a word or a meaning which can define what you heard…but finding none. Hatred…it pales in comparison to war. Love…it pales in comparison to my Angel. Konan is the only one who can understand me…and the only one who ever will. The rest are dead…taken away by your endless desire for bloodshed. Even my Angel…what a price she paid to understand my pain…what a price she paid to get me out of it…the pain that she had gone through because of me is something that none of you will ever feel. The likes of you…who had never seen war…who had never seen death…who dared to hurt my Angel…don't you dare claim that you can understand me like she can."

Naruto was just standing there, the entire clearing going silent as another breeze passed through. The blonde was disbelieved at Pain's claims of 'war' and 'death', which still echoed through his ears. "W-War?!" Naruto exclaimed shockingly, taking a surprised stance. Pain's eyes slowly widened as he managed to get a glimpse of the sharp change in both Kakashi's and Tsunade's expressions. "What are you talking about?!"

Now it was Pain's turn to look at Naruto with disbelief, his jaw slightly dropped. Kakashi and Tsunade looked away in denial and despair. Pain could then see Kakashi's eyes returning to meet his, the Copy Ninja's expression almost pleading for pain not to tell. "The Three Great Shinobi World Wars! The wars created by your nations' continuous desire for blood and honor! The wars which brought so much death upon the Shinobi World!" Pain answered, his expression slightly shocked. "How can you possibly claim that you do not know about the Three Great Shinobi World Wars?! Weren't you taught about them by your village?! How Konohagakure's tension with Sunagakure first began? How Iwagakure attempted to destroy Konohagakure's political system from the inside?"

A rather long silence passed through the clearing, Naruto's frozen expression causing Pain's Rinnegan to slowly harden. "I see…" He muttered under his breath, catching a glimpse of Kakashi's and Tsunade's expressions. It was enough for him to realize that perhaps there is a reason for that misunderstanding more than he believed. "Your village was cruel enough to withdraw such horrific events from its history. Very well…I shall be the one to tell you…"

Naruto perked up in surprise, his expression gaining full focus as he embraced himself for Pain's words. He tried to comprehend and think why the Rinnegan wielder would agree to comply, but decided against it. "This Shinobi World…had gone through three, continental wars throughout the history…" Pain started, causing Naruto's expression to sadden and his jaw to drop slightly. The rest of the young generation also seemed to be listening. Pain didn't really mind that by now Kakashi and Tsunade were looking away, knowing that it will be of no use to hide it any further. "The First Great Shinobi World War…the Second Great Shinobi World War…and the Third Great Shinobi World War…I have experienced two of those horrific massacres…the Second Great Shinobi World War was carved against my flesh by your village, who declared the war itself. The Third Great Shinobi World War soon followed, purging me and my Angel back into the cruel reality we have gone through our entire lives. Peace was just an illusion back then, a young orphan's dream to put an end to all this bloodshed. You, the third generation, have never experienced any of these wars. You are still pure, naïve, unlike us. Your generation rose up from the ashes of our own, and your fake peace was slowly brought to view after all the blood was cleaned. Worse yet…it was your village who brought so much pain upon the world, yet it was one of the few who attempted to let the blood of your parents and your grandparents fade away as well…pathetic. That is why If I told you of my pain- you would not understand, you would not comprehend, you would not feel what my Angel and I have both felt over our souls- to have all that you love taken away from you and be left with nothing aside from each another."

A small breeze brew through the clearing, caressing the ruins of the battlefield, whispering into Naruto's shocked ears. Pain stood silent, his eyes locked with the blonde's, not saying a single word. For a second there, a microscopic amount of shock could be seen on Pain's expression before he turned around, his back facing the Eight Man Squad, his eyes now locked with Jiraiya.

"Sensei…let us go…please." Pain requested as he began walking towards Jiraiya slowly, glancing down at Konan, who was still resting peacefully on the grass. His smile was warm as he crouched and softly picked her in his arms, resting her head on his right bicep, snuggling her closer to his body. Her arms were crossed numbly on top of her abdomen, a soft, sleeping expression etched to her head.

Jiraiya smiled, the sight of seeing his two, beloved students together, alive, warming up his heart. He, too, had plans for the three of them, plans he will need to realize in the near future. With that resolve, the Toad Sage nodded, chuckling slightly. "We must take Konan back to rest…and I believe you need some time to rest as well. You two have been through much." He muttered as Pain bypassed him, their steps uniting as they walked next to each other. "I do have a place in mind where you will be able to rest safely. Follow me."

Pain smiled a smile of gratitude, looking at Jiraiya with thankful eyes. "Thank you, Sensei." He thanked, causing Jiraiya's warm smile to grow bigger, knowing that he is the one who should thank them, for allowing him to have a second chance in raising them, in taking them under his wings.

Pain suddenly stopped and perked up, causing Naruto's head, which was lowered slightly, to jerk upwards and lock its eyes with the back of Pain's head. The clearing was silent except for the occasional commands that the medical-nin gave to each other, a few of them deciding that it would be better to resume treatment on the injured Kakashi, Sakura and Yamato instead of listening to Pain's speeches. "Oh. One last thing, Uzumaki Naruto…" He said, his voice different, being sharp as a knife, deadpanning, threatening, tensing the atmosphere in the clearing. "Let me give you a warning. I have decided to spare you and your friends…letting us open a completely blank, new page. But…next time you, your friends, or anyone from this cursed, damned village so much as dares to think about touching Konan…"

Before Naruto knew it, Pain swiftly swung his head over his shoulder looked over his shoulder, his powerful Rinnegan locking itself with his sapphire irises as it widened.

And a second later, a savage, powerful typhoon, or rather an aerial decompressed push with brute force shattered apart the woods behind Naruto and the other Konohagakure Shinobi, tearing apart everything in its path as it continued further, farther, leaving a trail of havoc in the form of gigantic dirt and wood clouds.

After a few minutes, the clouds dispersed over the Fire Country's skies, revealing an enormous, long trail of cratered ground and shattered terrain- tree ruins, broken rocks, the entire scenery to the direction of Pain's eyesight completely annihilated.

Naruto was standing there, frozen in his tracks like the rest of Konoha's forces, his eyes completely widened with shock and utter terror, locked with Pain's merciless, murderous ones.

"I will show no mercy." Pain deadpanned emotionlessly, his voice filled with the intentions to kill, slaughter, his face bearing great hatred and desire for justice, pure justice and revenge. Wishing to charge at them and tear them apart. "Your friends, your family, your village, everyone you love- if they dare to touch Konan I will bring pain upon them all. If I see the slightest threat to my Angel's safety, to my Angel's smile, I will crush, erase, and burn this threat to the ground, be it a single shinobi or an entire army of Shinobi. I suggest you remember that."

Pain then glanced to Naruto's right, his eyes locking themselves with the unconscious, dying Sakura, who was now urgently treated by the medical-nin, who were trying to figure out a way to stabilize her condition together with Shizune. "And as my Angel requested- I will spare that filthy, hideous creature over there…" He muttered, his voice angered and disgusted, recalling all that she had done to Konan. Nevertheless, his heart was filled with happiness, knowing that Konan is, after all of this, still safe and peaceful. "But I will not tolerate her for the slightest bit. If she ever dares to even show her face around my Angel, to even make the slightest eye contact with my Angel…I shall finish what I started in this very place."

Pain then returned expression back to the woods he and Jiraiya were heading towards, but not before lowering it back to gaze at Konan's peaceful smile. "Farewell, Uzumaki Naruto." He announced emotionlessly as he continued walking, not bothering to look back or stop. Jiraiya, on the other hand, slightly turned his upper body towards the clearing amidst the silence that Pain created, his expression matching his apprentice's, only that it was directed to Tsunade instead. Upon locking her eyes with his, Tsunade instantly saddened and looked away, avoiding his glare.

Seeing that there was no point in lingering and that his message was probably delivered to Tsunade successfully by her reaction, Jiraiya turned back to the woods and walked out of the clearing with a steady pace, wanting to catch up to Pain.

When he did so, the two were already out of sight.

Naruto still stood there, his head lowered as Pain's sentences ran through his mind. He contemplated on what would happen if they were to battle Pain again, and this time, they will both be well aware of Pain's new powers.

Quietly, the blonde turned around, looking at Kakashi and Yamato, who were already being evacuated by the medical division despite their protests. They were shortly after taken away from the clearing by the rest of the medical division, who began dashing with haste together with Shizune. "Their condition is lethal, but nothing we can't take care of!" Shizune immediately noted to the medical division, knowingly returning the memories about the operation to save Konan's life to their minds. Shizune turned to look at Tsunade while they were running towards what was left of the forest, her expression turning worried as she saw her gazing at the ground, her eyes saddened, worried, and afraid. She knew who could cause such a side of Tsunade to float up.

Tsunade perked up from her thoughts, widening her eyes for a second as her train of comprehension and concern came to a surprising stop at the sound of the medical division footsteps, and as they left towards the direction of Konoha, which was towering proudly over the side of the forest which remained safe from Pain's outburst, she hardened her expression. "Shizune. I will catch up to you and the other surgeons in a few moments."

Shizune looked back at Tsunade before nodding, as the medical division completely disappeared into the woods. "You heard her, move up!" Shizune said to the medical-nin when Tsunade and the remains of the Eight Man Squad were already out of sight. Without saying a word, the medical division proceeded towards the Konohagakure, engulfed by the remains of the forest around that area as they headed towards their village.

Back in the clearing, Tsunade's expression turned cold, unforgiving, catching the depressed, shattered Naruto's eyes. "I guess that there's no point saying anything about the mission you received." She said angrily, her face unwavering as Naruto again lowered his head. Kiba, Shino, Sai, Akamaru and Hinata were all quiet, knowing exactly what Tsunade was referring to. "Return to the village and stay there. When I'm done treating Kakashi, Sakura and Yamato come and see me at my office…we will…discuss this further."

Her tone more angered and spiteful with every passing word, and having none more to say, Tsunade blurred out in the direction of the village just like the medical division, leaving Naruto and the remains of the Eight Man Squad to stand in the clearing and comprehend on what happened.

...and so ends another chapter of ANPAL, I hope you guys enjoyed it. This chapter marks the end of the second major plotline in the story, the battle between Pain and the Eight Man Squad and the Akatsuki couple's introduction to Konohagakure and their new life.

So far I cannot reveal anything aside from that the next chapter (or maybe the two next chapters) won't be filled with so much actions, like soft "break" chapters.

Anyways, I hope that I will not be absent again like I was, and I want to wish you all happy Easter Christmas.

I hope we both arrive in time to "Chapter 12- Beginnings."