Naruto remains silent after learning of Nagato's painful past. Nagato claims true peace cannot exist in this cursed world, dismissing Jiraiya's ideal as nothing more than wishful thinking.

The Leaf Village is left in ruins in the wake of Pain's assault on the village. While cleaning through the remains of Ninja Academy, Iruka finds an old pillar and recognizes it as a memoir from Naruto's early years at the academy.