With the battlefield split, Jiraiya was quickly drawn into his duel with Konan, their clash carrying them farther and farther from the current location until they vanished from sight. The explosions and flurry of paper attacks left only Inoiki standing in the clearing, the weight of the moment settling heavily around him.
His eyes rose toward the rooftops. There, upon a tall building, stood the Deva Path of Pain, his figure imposing against the rain-darkened sky. One by one, the other Paths emerged from the shadows and took their places beside him, forming a silent, menacing line. Their presence alone radiated overwhelming pressure, the infamous power of the Six Paths gathered together.
Inoiki narrowed his gaze, his tone edged with sharp curiosity.
"I don't see another one of your allies here—that masked man, Tobi. Where is he? Surely, you wouldn't keep someone that powerful away from this battle."
The Deva Path's expression did not shift, his voice calm but heavy with authority.
"There is no need for him to face you. Our battle is unfinished, and it will be resolved here. Last time, you barely escaped me alive, scarred and broken."
The reminder was meant as a wound, but Inoiki showed no hint of embarrassment or hesitation. He stepped forward, his voice steady, his presence unwavering.
"True. Back then, I wasn't strong enough to fight you. I was struggling against you. But you know as well as I do—before that battle ended, I pushed my Kekkei Genkai further, mastering it in ways even I hadn't foreseen. That day, I became stronger… and now, I've gone beyond even that. Today, you'll see what I can truly do."
After listening to Inoiki's words, the Deva Path's expression remained unreadable.
"We will see about that," he replied, his voice carrying an almost divine finality.
"Indeed," Inoiki answered calmly.
Without hesitation, he reached into his cloak and unfurled a small scroll. Pressing his palms together in a hand seal, a sudden burst of smoke erupted in front of him. When the smoke cleared, a blade gleamed in his grasp—his signature sword, its hilt engraved with the single kanji for "Friend." It was the same weapon he had shared with all of his companions—save for Sasuke.
The moment the sword settled into his hand, Inoiki vanished in an instant, his form flickering out of sight. He reappeared right beside the Naraka Path, his intent clear from the very start. That was the body he had marked for elimination first—the one capable of restoring all the others. As long as Naraka Path lived, the cycle of resurrection would continue endlessly. Even though Nagato could theoretically channel any jutsu through a single body, Inoiki knew this was the most decisive opening. One less Path meant one less threat to balance against.
His sword swept downward with immense momentum, so sharp and swift that even the falling raindrops seemed to split apart in its arc. The strike carried enough force to obliterate Naraka Path completely. But just as the blade descended, the Naraka Path moved in an unnatural, almost inhuman manner, shifting its body with sudden speed that barely carried it out of the strike's lethal range.
Inoiki's eyes narrowed, momentarily caught off guard by the evasion. He had no time to dwell on it. From the side, the Animal Path was already upon him, thrusting forward with a black receiver rod. The weapon met the edge of Inoiki's sword with a harsh metallic clang, sparks scattering as the two forces collided.
Almost immediately after the Animal Path's strike, the Asura Path sprang into motion. Its mechanical arms shifted and reformed with a metallic grind, morphing into multiple rocket launchers. A volley of rockets ignited with a deafening roar, streaking through the rain as they hurtled toward Inoiki with blinding speed.
But before they could reach him, Inoiki's form flickered once again. With a burst of chakra, he teleported away from the incoming barrage, reappearing at his original position on the ground below. The rockets detonated harmlessly in the air above, their explosions thundering across the rooftops.
Inoiki narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on his sword. Something isn't right.
"I know I avoided the vision of all the Paths before I struck… my attack should have been impossible to anticipate. And yet Naraka Path reacted as though it had seen everything unfold. That shouldn't be possible."
The thought gnawed at him. His strikes, his movement, his teleportation—none should have been detected so easily. And yet, the Paths moved as though guided by foresight. Then, like a spark in the darkness, realization dawned on him. His gaze swept sharply across the rain-soaked battlefield.
It isn't just the Paths themselves.
Nagato's Rinnegan allowed shared vision, but it wasn't limited to those six bodies alone. If the Animal Path had summoned creatures hidden nearby, they too could be serving as Nagato's eyes. Every bird, insect, or beast could be silently relaying his movements, leaving no blind spot at all.
Even with his enhanced vision—so sharp he could make out the delicate flutter of a mosquito's wings—Inoiki found nothing. No birds in the sky, no insects lurking in the shadows, no beasts prowling at the edges of the battlefield. The area was eerily empty, yet the certainty gnawed at him: something unseen was watching.
His eyes narrowed on the assembled Paths of Pain.
"You're using your home ground to its fullest advantage," he said coldly. "No doubt you've summoned that chameleon again, haven't you? Hiding it somewhere close, blending perfectly into the surroundings, completely invisible to the naked eye. That's how Naraka Path reacted so unnaturally—it was never his own perception, but borrowed sight."
Inoiki exhaled slowly, frustration flashing behind his calm exterior.
"If my sensory techniques weren't being suppressed, I would've already rooted it out and cut it down. But with this Five Tiger Rain technique blanketing the area, even my senses are dulled. Clever move. With that creature hidden and feeding you vision, you've made sure there are no blind spots for me to exploit."
His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, the rain sliding down the engraved kanji for Friend. "But nothing stays hidden forever."
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