Sasuke leapt high into the air, hurling the Chidori Stream: Lightning Spear with immense force.
From atop a high tower, Konan watched, her expression filled with disbelief. She didn't expect that such a high-density Chakra technique like Chidori can be thrown.
She couldn't fathom how Sasuke had achieved such control. Lightning Attribute Chakra, in essence, was akin to the natural force of lightning: volatile and difficult to manage.
While it could be stabilized through continuous Chakra supply when wielded in hand, throwing it would sever the supply and risk instability.
This instability would typically lead to an indiscriminate explosion upon release, possibly harming the user before even reaching the target.
But contrary to Konan's expectations, no explosion occurred. Instead, the lightning spear remained stable, streaking toward all the remaining Pain with lethal precision.
"Impossible!"
Konan scrutinized the technique closely, noting that the chaotic energy within the spear wasn't as random as it seemed. At its core, the lightning currents formed a tightly coiled, spiral-like structure of Chakra, stabilizing the spear's form.
Whoosh!
The Pains, recognizing the danger from the lightning spear, chose not to meet the attack head-on. With the Preta Path already incapacitated and unable to absorb the Ninjutsu, evasion was their only option.
They scattered backward, but the spear's speed was extraordinary. It targeted the Animal Path, who had just showed his summoning abilities.
If Animal Path is not dealt with immediately, when the battle starts, he will most likely send out summoned beasts to attack continuously. If this continues, it will be extremely disadvantageous to Sasuke.
So Sasuke's plan was clear: eliminate the summoner to prevent a flood of enemy reinforcements.
Bang!
As the spear closed in, the Human Path, an orange-haired man with a sharp, handsome face, acted swiftly. Grabbing the Animal Path, he hurled him away, saving him from the attack.
Immediately afterwards, he also prepared to jump back to dodge.
But at this moment, the lightning spear had arrived.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his lips curling into a satisfied smirk.
'How could this happen? He actually...'
Before Konan could finish her thought, the spear struck the ground in front of the Human Path and expanded rapidly, transforming into a wide lightning field.
It was as Konan had predicted earlier: once the Lightning Spear was thrown, its supply of stabilizing Chakra would diminish, leading to an inevitable explosion. But Sasuke had accounted for this, precisely calculating the spear's flight and destabilization.
By pre-infusing the spear with just enough Chakra for its journey, he ensured it would detonate upon contact, creating a thunderous field of electricity.
The resulting lightning field enveloped the Human Path entirely, and the sound of a thousand chirping birds echoed through the battlefield. The lightning seared through the Human Path's body, rendering it a charred, lifeless husk.
"Summoning Technique!"
Meanwhile, the Animal Path had regained his footing after being thrown to safety. Without hesitation, he performed another Summoning Technique.
A dense cloud of smoke filled the battlefield, obscuring the remaining Pains' figures.
At the same time, from within the smoke emerged a massive, grotesque blue bird, its eerie screech tearing through the air as it charged toward Sasuke.
Sasuke jumped to avoid the monstrous bird's initial strike. As he ascended, the dissipating smoke revealed the smoldering remains of the Human Path, its body utterly destroyed by the lightning field.
"That's two down!"
Sasuke declared proudly.
First, he had taken out the Preta Path. Now, the Human Path had fallen to his lightning field. Right now, only four of Pains remained.
"Quack!"
The giant blue bird let out another shrill cry, launching itself from the ground with its gaping maw aimed at the descending Sasuke.
Simultaneously, the Animal Path leapt high into the air, wielding a black chakra rod as he prepared to strike from above.
With attacks converging from both above and below, Sasuke found himself trapped mid-air, caught in a precarious situation where his momentum was spent, and his next move remained uncertain.
'Am I being underestimated?'
Sasuke snorted coldly. Thinking such petty tricks could defeat him was nothing short of absurd.
As Sasuke accelerated downward, seemingly about to fall prey to the massive bird's attack, he swiftly unsheathed his Kusanagi Sword, aiming it directly at the creature's open maw.
'Don't you want to eat me?'
'Let's see who dies first!'
The giant blue bird hesitated, clearly unwilling to take the risk. It snapped its mouth shut and angled its sharp beak toward Sasuke's blade to parry the attack.
'This is exactly what I was waiting for!'
Sasuke grinned triumphantly as his Kusanagi Sword made contact with the bird's beak. Using the recoil from the clash, he propelled himself upward, soaring higher into the air.
Now reinvigorated and in control, Sasuke had turned the tables entirely. The Animal Path, who had just moments ago held the advantage, found himself vulnerable as Sasuke streaked toward him like a bolt of lightning.
Unwilling to confront him head-on, the Animal Path raised a black chakra rod defensively, blocking Sasuke's strike before flipping away to the ground below.
Sasuke landed shortly after, his face twitching slightly but he chooses not to pursue.
From a distance, Deva Path analyzed the situation with the Rinnegan's incredible perception, "It appears that your earlier burst of Taijutsu has taken a toll on you. Your physical functions are starting to falter."
Sasuke was panting heavily, choosing not to respond.
Indeed, as Deva Path had surmised, the toll of opening the Gate of Opening was significant. Sasuke's stamina was nearly drained.
Instead of wasting energy arguing, he took the moment to steady himself, recovering as much strength as he could.
'Can I really defeat all six of these enemies alone?'
Sasuke sighed in his mind, 'However, even if I can't take them all out, I need to at least eliminate half. So far, I've taken down the long-haired man and the fat one. If I can finish this guy off, it'll be enough.'
Fixing his gaze on the Animal Path, Sasuke resolved to focus all his efforts on him. This was a battle of revenge, and while he had the help of the black-robed figure, Sasuke was determined to contribute significantly.
While he was not as strong as the black-robed figure, Sasuke still didn't want to admit defeat. Since he had decided to become the black-robed man's future husband, he had to demonstrate his own strength and resolve.
"Chidori!"
Suppressing the strain on his body, Sasuke reopened the Gate of Opening. His speed surged as he became a streak of lightning, dashing toward the Animal Path with blinding speed.
History repeated itself. Even when he saw Sasuke's attack, the Animal Path simply couldn't react in time.
The Chidori struck him square in the abdomen. An explosion of electricity enveloped his body, the combined force of Sasuke's speed and Lightning Attriube Chakra proving utterly devastating.
The result was immediate. In an instant, the Animal Path was reduced to a charred, lifeless husk that collapsed to the ground.
As the female beast fell, Sasuke only heard a loud 'bang' behind him.
The giant blue bird, now uncontrolled without its summoner, vanished in a puff of smoke as it returned to its realm.
Sasuke exhaled deeply, relief evident in his expression, 'Three down. That's half of them. At least I'm not completely disgraced now.'
"Huff, huff…"
But his victory had come at a steep cost. His breathing was ragged, every inhalation pulling at his strained body and sending sharp jolts of pain through him.
From a distance, Deva Path watched like a detached spectator. Finally, he spoke, his voice chilling and calm, "So, you've reached your limit..."