Back during the final stages of the Third Great Ninja War, Jiraiya had received some devastating intel:
Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan—his three beloved disciples—were dead.
His intelligence network was vast and rarely wrong.
Could it be… that the six individuals standing before him now were all dead people?
Looking at their pale, bloodless faces, Jiraiya became increasingly convinced of this idea.
He didn't know exactly how they had been resurrected, but it most likely had something to do with the Rinnegan.
That was the most logical conclusion. After all, the Rinnegan was said to be the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths. For six pairs to suddenly appear—it couldn't just be a coincidence.
With this in mind, Jiraiya let out a low growl, "You say you're a god? Don't be ridiculous!"
The Deva Path replied, "I don't need your approval to define what I am, Jiraiya-sensei…"
"Sensei?" Jiraiya froze momentarily before exclaiming,
"You called me 'sensei,' so you must be Nagato! I've already guessed that these people are dead!"
"Heh… as expected of my teacher. You've figured it out so quickly..."
"Nagato, how did Yahiko die? Why did you stray down this path and join Akatsuki? What happened after I left? Tell me everything!"
"Nothing happened, just battles. Too many people around me died. Their pain helped me grow. Naive and foolish children become adults only after they've experienced pain. In this tragic world… that's the reason Akatsuki came to be."
"Nagato, have you forgotten what I told you before? No matter what happens, never lose hope in this world! Mutual understanding between people will come someday!"
"Hmph..." The Deva Path shook his head. "What we say and think is shaped by our experiences."
"Those born into a comfortable and peaceful world believe the world is sweet and deny the existence of suffering."
"Those born into chaos and desolation see only fragmentation and darkness before them. Some things cannot be changed with empty words alone. That's reality—the bloody, undeniable reality."
"Sensei, you're still just a mortal. You understand nothing. I have grown beyond human limits through endless pain and have become a being above humanity."
Jiraiya shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting, Nagato!"
The Deva Path replied calmly, "If you don't understand me, there's nothing I can do. As a human, you cannot see these things clearly. I, as a god, can. Moreover… it is precisely because I became a god that I've become aware of truths hidden from mortals. Simply put… it's humanity's evolution."
Jiraiya frowned deeply, disappointment written across his face. He sighed helplessly, "So this is how distorted your thoughts have become…"
The Deva Path slowly closed his eyes. "Distorted? My thoughts are simply to put an end to this hopeless and tedious world, to bring it to its conclusion."
"There's not nearly as much despair as you think! Nagato, open your eyes and look closely—this world is still full of love and hope!"
"I know. But that love and hope have nothing to do with me..."
"Sigh..." Realizing his words were futile, Jiraiya shifted the subject and asked in a low voice, "If you want to end the world, why are you collecting the Tailed Beasts?"
The Deva Path paused briefly before replying coldly,
"Since you're about to die, I'll tell you.
"I intend to use the sealed Tailed Beasts to create a new forbidden jutsu—a weapon of ultimate destruction capable of annihilating any nation in an instant."