After Kagetsu researched the Rinnegan for some time and reinstalled it in Nagato's eye sockets, Nagato felt a sense of relief.
Whether it was in terms of chakra consumption or the application of some spontaneous ocular techniques, things had improved.
Now, Nagato could finally say he had begun to grasp some of the Rinnegan's powers.
The Rinnegan's power remained immense, but after suffering setbacks and witnessing the earth-shattering battle between Shisui and White Zetsu, Nagato no longer had an inflated sense of invincibility.
He wasn't disappointed in the Rinnegan's power, but neither did he harbor any delusions of supremacy.
Besides, he now understood that the Rinnegan didn't truly belong to him.
"Who exactly are those White Zetsu? Is the one behind them the masked man with the spiral-patterned mask?"
Nagato had always wanted to know who the Rinnegan originally belonged to and what plans or intentions its owner had for him. It couldn't be that the person simply chose him at random to inherit these eyes, right?
"Are you sure you want to know?" Kagetsu didn't intend to reveal everything he remembered, but he also didn't have the patience to play the cryptic messenger.
If Nagato didn't succumb to darkness, he could be a reliable and upright friend.
But once he did, he would become as stubborn and obsessed as a corrupted Uchiha, consumed by his own vengeance and worldview.
Without strong bonds or the protagonist's aura, Kagetsu doubted even Shisui's Kotoamatsukami at full power could change Nagato's mind.
"Of course! If it were just about me, I wouldn't care. Whether the Rinnegan is entrusted to me or taken back later, I can accept it. But what if he harbors ill intentions? What if he targets Konan or Yahiko?
At the very least, I need to understand his purpose, don't I?" Nagato nodded firmly.
The Rinnegan might be the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, but to Nagato, they were not as important as Yahiko and Konan.
He had already demonstrated this when he allowed Kagetsu to study the Rinnegan as a bargaining chip to save Yahiko, proving that the Rinnegan wasn't an absolute priority for him.
"You've heard of the Pure Land, right?" Kagetsu asked softly.
"The resting place of all souls in the Shinobi world," Nagato replied, unsure why Kagetsu was bringing it up.
"Not anymore. Souls now have a different destination."
"Hueco Mundo or Hell—I've heard Shisui mention them before. I remember he said their emergence was related to you."
"It's also related to you!"
Me?
Nagato was momentarily taken aback by Kagetsu's sudden words. He sifted through his memories but could not recall ever being to Hueco Mundo, let alone doing anything connected to it.
"The Rinnegan!"
Kagetsu extended a hand and touched Nagato's eye socket, spreading two fingers to point at the Rinnegan within.
"Its power is unique. It helped me locate the Pure Land and granted me a certain level of access—or rather, these eyes are the ultimate authority over all chakra!"
Ultimate authority?
This was the first time Nagato had heard such an explanation. Given Kagetsu's history and actions, Nagato found his words credible and trusted them deeply until proven otherwise.
Especially regarding the Rinnegan. Even though the Rinnegan resided within him, Nagato wasn't certain he could match Kagetsu in terms of understanding and knowledge about its abilities.
"Or, to put it another way, it's a qualitative difference in chakra."
"I don't really understand."
Nagato felt a bit lost. When it came to learning ninjutsu, the Rinnegan allowed him to achieve feats akin to the Sharingan's copying ability—learning techniques on the fly.
But when it came to theoretical research and intellectual pursuits, he wasn't quite there yet. He lacked the environment to foster such growth.
At the very least, he hadn't yet accumulated the breadth of ninjutsu knowledge stored within Amegakure.
"Chakra with elemental properties can produce corresponding elemental ninjutsu. The fusion of two different chakra natures creates Kekkei Genkai, which possesses greater power and unique characteristics compared to regular ninjutsu.
Beyond Kekkei Genkai, there is Kekkei Tōta, formed by the fusion of three chakra natures."
"What does this have to do with the Rinnegan and what I want to know?"
Nagato glanced weakly at Kagetsu, his voice soft.
"What I want to tell you is that the Rinnegan surpasses even Kekkei Tōta, which involves three chakra nature fusions.
These eyes are a rarity born of chance, and one of their functions is the ability to connect with the Pure Land. They hold a portion of the Pure Land's authority.
Perhaps this explains the Rinnegan's uniqueness. Haven't you ever sensed the connection to the Pure Land through the Rinnegan's ocular powers?"
Kagetsu spoke calmly.
"Feel the Pure Land?" Nagato thought about what he had in his mind, like a skill that naturally unlocked as his body grew. The Rinnegan gradually revealed itself, then was explored and understood, and he realized it indeed involved the human soul.
"King of Hell?" Nagato subconsciously spoke out loud.
This eye technique had only recently appeared in his mind. From what he could sense, this technique had the ability to pull a person's soul out from their body!
In a soul state, as the one who summons the King of Hell, Nagato could ask the pulled-out soul any question and would not be refused an answer.
This technique could be used for interrogation!
Of course, in Nagato's understanding, the so-called King of Hell was a series of eye techniques with many branches and abilities.
But he felt that he still couldn't fully control this technique. Using it might cause irreversible damage to those around him.
"In the legends, it has incredible power! It can even bring the dead back to life! And from my research, it does have this power!" Kagetsu openly stated the answer.
"Bring the dead back to life? Does it really have that power?" Nagato fell silent for a moment.
"The Second Hokage once invented a jutsu to temporarily bring the dead back to the world of the living." Kagetsu gave an example.
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