At this moment, among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Fuguki Suikazan, Kuriarare Kushimaru, Munashi Jinpachi, and Jinin Akebino had all been dealt with.
The only ones left were Shadow Twelve fighting against Pakura, Kurosuki Raiga against Yahiko, and... Juzo Biwa, who was facing off against Tobi.
Leaving aside for now the fact that Tobi was simply toying with Juzo Biwa, over on Pakura and Shadow Twelve's side, since their fight had started later, Shadow Twelve, looking quite battered, barely dodged a round of scorching fire release bombardments from Pakura and was just about to counterattack, when Nagato's Shinra Tensei resounded from the distance. He couldn't help but turn his head toward the sound and saw that terrifying destructive force, it was like the wrath of nature itself.
For a moment, he smiled bitterly, then turned back toward Pakura, who was already forming another cluster of scorching fireballs in her hands, ready to launch a second round of bombardment.
He said, "Didn't think there'd be such a terrifying existence in Akatsuki. No wonder, after you defected from Kirigakure, you chose to join them."
Seeing that, Pakura didn't immediately attack. Instead, she said, "I didn't join Akatsuki because of Nagato's power, but because he understands mutual understanding and mutual respect. People like you probably can't grasp that."
Shadow Twelve said, "I heard Akatsuki went to Sunagakure not long ago and created a huge crater around the village. At first, we all thought it was done by Madara. Given his power, it wouldn't be surprising."
"But now it seems, it must've been that man you call Nagato who did it... Don't you hate him for it? That technique must've killed countless civilians. Weren't you still concerned about Sunagakure? Shouldn't you be seeking revenge against him?"
Pakura laughed, "What, still trying to sow discord even now? That's so very like you."
"Unfortunately, Akatsuki isn't Sunagakure. There's no room for petty scheming here. Your little trick was doomed to fail."
Shadow Twelve shrugged. Taking advantage of this brief pause in battle, his instincts as a shinobi who came from an intelligence background kicked in, he began collecting information from his surroundings.
Then he saw his comrades falling one after another, taken down by the enemy.
Clearly, from the very start, things were supposed to go the other way around.
He finally realized things were turning extremely unfavorable. They might all perish here.
And worse yet, the Akatsuki members were simply too strong. If they went toward the Mizukage next, the Mizukage would be in real danger.
Thinking of this, his gaze hardened. Perhaps he couldn't stop what was about to happen, but he could at least do his best.
In an instant, a firm and powerful aura erupted from him. Along with it came the sword gripped tightly in his hands, Hiramekarei.
Seeing this, Pakura's expression also turned serious, "You're getting serious now? Or... are you ready to go all out?"
"When your Kirigakure attacked Sunagakure, did you ever think a day like this would come?"
Shadow Twelve said nothing. His eyes locked tightly onto Pakura, until in his vision, there was only her figure left.
He said, "Hiramekarei, release!"
Immediately, his entire form surged forward with unstoppable momentum, rushing straight at Pakura.
Sensing that she was completely locked onto, Pakura hurled out the fireballs condensed in her hands one by one.
However, this time, Shadow Twelve didn't dodge. Instead, he swung his blade down.
Pakura's fireballs were actually sliced apart in a single strike.
And Shadow Twelve's speed didn't slow, his power didn't waver. He charged onward, blade raised toward Pakura.
This slash carried everything Shadow Twelve had.
At that moment, Pakura also felt the immense pressure. In her hands, another massive fireball began forming as she murmured softly, "If you want to end this battle with one strike, then I'll do the same."
"Let's see who wins in the end."
However, right then, Nagato, who had already defeated Fuguki Suikazan and had been quietly observing, suddenly moved to a nearby position. He raised his hand toward Shadow Twelve once more.
"Bansho Ten'in!"
The unstoppable momentum Shadow Twelve had built vanished instantly under the overwhelming gravitational pull.
There was nothing he could do. Determination was one thing, but it meant nothing before a "stat monster."
Completely unable to resist, Shadow Twelve was dragged straight toward Nagato.
A moment later, his neck slammed right into Nagato's hand, where Nagato caught him firmly.
He tried to resist, tried to struggle—
But then, he felt it. His body tightening, his life force and soul energy being continuously drained away.
He grew weaker and weaker...
And then, he died.
Nagato tossed Shadow Twelve's corpse aside. When he turned his head, his eyes met Pakura's slightly reproachful gaze.
Pakura flickered to Nagato's side, raised her hand, and lightly knocked him on the head.
"Why didn't you let me handle it myself? I could've finished him on my own!"
Nagato replied honestly, "It was dangerous. If that blade had hit you, you would've been seriously injured."
Pakura showed a helpless expression, "I don't need your protection. Besides, you can't protect me forever."
Nagato said, "No. I can protect you for a lifetime."
Pakura's face turned a little red, but she turned away with a pout, "I'm not talking to you anymore."
Nagato looked completely dumbfounded, 'Did I just make her mad again somehow?'
He hurriedly followed after her, clumsily trying to comfort her.
On the battlefield, aside from Tobi and Juzo Biwa, only Kurosuki Raiga and Yahiko remained fighting.
Among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Kurosuki Raiga was the only one who had gained a slight upper hand in his battle.
He swung his blades continuously, summoning lightning to attack Yahiko, forcing Yahiko to defend passively.
Yet, as he saw his comrades fall one after another, Kurosuki Raiga's lips twisted into a bitter smile.
Even though he held the advantage, it wasn't significant, and once those Akatsuki monsters were done with the others and joined in against him, would he still have a way out?
While still tangling with Yahiko on the surface, in truth, Kurosuki Raiga was already thinking about how to escape.
He waited for an opening, swung his sword to release another bolt of lightning, and when Yahiko neutralized it with a water release technique, Raiga's body suddenly crackled with lightning. Then, without a second thought, he turned and bolted toward the distance.
But how could the Akatsuki members possibly let him run?
At once, Sasori, Kakuzu, and the newly arrived Konan all attacked together.
Especially Konan, seeing Raiga beating up her beloved earlier, she felt a surge of anger. She waved her hand, unleashing hundreds of thousands of explosive tags.
Although Raiga's speed was fast, Konan's explosive tags weren't slow either.
After all, in another timeline, those same tags were fast enough that even Obito's single Sharingan Kamui couldn't react in time.
Thus, forced by Kakuzu's fire release and Sasori's high-pressure water jets, Raiga had no choice but to change his movement path.
But in that brief hesitation, the explosive tags had already caught up to him.
Konan didn't hesitate at all and detonated them.
BOOM!
In the dark night, another massive explosion erupted, like a giant mushroom cloud.