Chapter 72: Meeting and Strong Medicine
"This is Nagato, the controller of the Six Paths of Pain."
Konan briefly introduced Nagato to Su Xiao, without revealing any classified information.
"Oh? So this is the real leader?"
"In a sense, yes. I'll explain the specifics later. Do you have a way to save Nagato?"
As Konan spoke, Nagato slowly awoke. Seeing Su Xiao in the room, he was momentarily stunned, then seemed to realize something.
"Bai Ye, you've come. Seeing me in such a sorry state, are you disappointed?"
Nagato let out a long sigh.
"Quite the opposite. I don't need to know your secrets. You only need to promise me one thing, and afterward, I'll do my best to treat your injuries."
"What is it?"
"Destroy Konoha."
Nagato looked slightly surprised, then a smile spread across his face.
"Even if I weren't injured, after Itachi died, my first move would have been to go to Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails. Along the way, I'd destroy that seemingly peaceful ninja village that builds its happiness on the suffering of others. Let them also experience pain—the pain of losing loved ones, the pain of being displaced."
"Then I definitely can't let you die. Leader, your name is Nagato?"
"Cough, cough, cough."
Nagato suddenly started dry coughing, seeming on the verge of losing consciousness again.
Su Xiao quickly stepped forward to check Nagato's aura. It was very weak, like that of an elderly person at the end of their life.
"Lay him flat."
Su Xiao tried to detach Nagato from the control console, but Nagato was firmly fixed to it.
Konan stepped forward and skillfully released Nagato from the console.
"Nagato, you can't lie flat..."
Nagato's back was covered in black metal spikes, densely packed, dozens of them. This was a lingering issue from a forbidden technique Nagato had used in his youth.
"Is there an operating room here?"
"Yes, but..."
Konan looked worried. Without needing to think, she knew that saving Nagato would require extreme measures.
"Take him to the operating room. Now."
Su Xiao's tone was firm. He wasn't even sure if he could save Nagato; he was just treating a dead horse as a live one. He didn't want to fail the mission—the penalty of -8 to all attributes was too severe.
Konan helped Nagato into the best-equipped operating room in the Rain Ninja Village. Su Xiao took out paper and pen and wrote down a list of materials.
"Find these specific materials. You must find them."
"That might be difficult..."
"You have ten hours. If you can't, I won't be able to save Nagato's life."
"Understood."
Konan quickly left. Su Xiao reluctantly took out a bottle of potion—it was Potion No. 1.
He diluted Potion No. 1 and poured it into a large glass bottle, then took a thin catheter to administer an IV drip to Nagato.
The potion slowly merged into Nagato's bloodstream. Nagato's pale face regained some color, and he woke up shortly after.
"It seems you've saved me once."
Nagato had been on the verge of suffocation just moments ago.
"I'm not sure if I can save you yet. I'll do my best. Don't forget about Konoha."
"As long as I live, I will definitely go to Konoha. For the sake of some who have passed, I must go."
Su Xiao tapped the metal rods on Nagato's back.
"Can these be removed?"
"Impossible. They are signal receivers, connected to my abilities."
"Do all these rods need to be there at once?"
"No, three would be enough. But these rods are embedded in my organs and spine; they can't be taken out."
"So, as long as three rods' worth remain on you, any location is fine? These things are seriously hindering the surgery now."
"Yes, but removing them recklessly would kill me."
"Understood. If Konan can find those materials, I have a thirty percent chance of saving your life."
Nagato stopped talking and began to close his eyes and rest. He hadn't slept for days. Unconsciousness was different from sleep—Nagato hadn't dared to sleep before; if he relaxed, he might die.
After Nagato fell asleep, Su Xiao examined the rotting area on his chest. Something was moving inside.
"Parasites? No, more like some kind of insect specifically bred to destroy bodily functions."
Su Xiao guessed this must be the work of a contractor; Jiraiya didn't have such a vicious ability.
Konan didn't make Su Xiao wait ten hours. Four hours later, she returned with blood on her clothes, a bandage wrapped around her pale neck.
"Will these do?"
Konan was very weak, and as she spoke, the bandage on her neck was stained red.
Su Xiao checked the properties of the materials and nodded after a long while.
"They'll work."
Su Xiao carried the materials into the operating room. Konan let out a sigh of relief.
"If you can still manage, be my assistant."
"Alright."
Konan also entered the operating room. Before entering, she left a few paper slips at the door as a warning.
Inside the operating room.
Su Xiao took out several items from his storage space and walked to a wooden table, where he arranged a large number of test tubes, beakers, and other equipment.
He crushed, peeled, and processed the plants and materials Konan had brought. An hour later, dozens of solutions were laid out before him.
He mixed various ingredients, during which he also extracted and purified Karin's blood. After a moment's hesitation, he took out a diluted solution of Hashirama Cells.
Pouring the dozens of solutions into a thick test tube one by one, Su Xiao held the tube with one hand as his mana value rapidly depleted, stabilizing the changes inside the tube.
Gurgle~
A stream of bubbles rose from the test tube. Su Xiao felt the quantity wasn't enough, so he directly added a single drop of the original Hashirama Cells.
"Nagato is of the Uzumaki clan and has been implanted with the Rinnegan. He can probably withstand this. Hopefully."
Su Xiao had created the strongest recovery potion he had ever seen, but it was extremely dangerous.
[Unnamed Potion]
Origin: Naruto World
Quality: Dark Purple
Type: Recovery Item (Semi-Finished), Material.
Effect: When used, restores 130–190 health points per second and rapidly heals physical injuries. Effect and duration depend on the amount consumed or injected.
Note: This potion is a semi-finished product with extremely high risk. There is a 20% chance of treeification, a 15% chance of Uzumaki bloodline backlash, a 17% chance of Hashirama Cell backlash, and a 10% chance of instant death.
Rating: 260
Description: This must have been made by a mad alchemist. Stay far away from him—you might become his next experiment!
...
Su Xiao held the thick test tube, which contained about 700 milliliters of potion—a considerable amount. If Nagato didn't have the Uzumaki clan's physique and the Rinnegan, injecting this would kill him within ten seconds.
"Put this into an IV bottle."
Su Xiao handed the test tube to Konan. She didn't know what it was, but she could only comply.
Su Xiao took out a syringe, flicked it to push the bubbles to the top, and expelled them.
He aimed at the spine in Nagato's lower back and injected. Nagato's brow furrowed.
After a while, Su Xiao patted Nagato's arm.
"Can you feel that?"
"Yes."
Su Xiao picked up a scalpel and made a shallow cut on Nagato's arm.
"What do you feel?"
"Something cut me. Did you give me an anesthetic?"
"Of course, but the dose isn't enough yet."
Su Xiao continued injecting anesthetic into Nagato's body. Nagato's eyes narrowed, as if he was about to fall asleep.
Konan put the strong medicine into the IV bottle and prepared the IV tube. Su Xiao took the needle, inserted it into Nagato's vein, and secured it with tape. As the strong medicine entered Nagato's body, the wound on his arm healed instantly.
"Alright, let's begin. Nagato is already asleep, so he won't mind if we're a bit rough."
Su Xiao put on disposable rubber gloves, flexed his fingers, and a smile appeared on his face.
Grabbing one of the metal rods on Nagato's back, he pulled it out directly—simple and brutal.
Pfft! Blood splattered, landing right on Konan's face.
Konan's mouth opened and closed, but she could only watch.
Konan's chest was not small—conservatively a D-cup—but she was by no means a bimbo. She knew clearly that Nagato didn't have long to live. Rather than waiting for death, it was better to take a gamble.