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[Yu-Gi-Oh!: Undefeated/Ultra-Meta!]
In a back alley, Shino's face was pitch-dark.
Moments ago, his dominant swarm had been endlessly suppressing Konan, and he was about to secure the win—when Konan was reverse-summoned away.
That put him in a foul mood.
Shibi patted his head with a laugh. "Don't make that face, Shino. Your strength has already caught up to mine—you should be proud~."
Shino still bristled. "I was about to defeat her!"
"Heh, don't rush it. She's probably still around—maybe where your friend is. You're worried about Natsuki too, right? Then hurry. You can track him, can't you?"
"Yes. I left a mesu-mushi (female tracker bug) on Natsuki long ago. I know where he is."
With that, Shino sprinted in the direction the female bug indicated. He wasn't the strongest yet, but he could at least pin down one Akatsuki member. Hopefully, he could help once he got there.
—
On the main battlefield, Natsuki, Sasuke, and Kakashi stood off against the Six Paths of Pain + Konan + two giant summons. The tension tightened another notch.
Konan asked urgently, "Pain, what's going on? Have you found the Jinchūriki (Tailed Beast Host)?"
Tendō (Deva Path) shook his head. "The Jinchūriki hasn't been found yet. But the opponent is formidable—we must go all out."
Konan's expression hardened at that. Her gaze toward the trio grew heavier, tinged with caution. She hadn't expected even Pain to be unable to crush the enemy—and to need reinforcements.
It seemed this invasion of Konoha was not going smoothly at all.
They hadn't even seen a hair of the Jinchūriki yet.
Kakashi whispered, "Where's Jiraiya-sama? Still no sign?"
Jiraiya hadn't appeared because he was searching for Nagato. The Six Paths of Pain were controlled remotely by Nagato; even so, the range couldn't be too far—he had to be nearby. Rather than slug it out with Pain, Jiraiya preferred to find Nagato, show him the truth, and wake him up. He knew telling Pain directly wouldn't work; even with the truth, Pain wouldn't listen. So he'd go for the source: if Nagato wouldn't listen, subdue him first and the Paths would fall with him.
A clean strike at the root—if it worked.
But judging from the situation, Jiraiya hadn't found him yet.
Natsuki and Sasuke both shook their heads. They wouldn't pin their hopes on Jiraiya. Better to beat Pain themselves—then the village would be safe.
"Mokuton: Mokurō no Jutsu (Wood Release: Wood Cage Technique)!"
Natsuki moved first. Trees burst from the ground, heaving the Bunretsu Inu (Multiplying Hound) into the air as a lattice rapidly wove into a wooden cage, trapping the hound completely. It gnawed madly, but it wouldn't be breaking free anytime soon.
One less headache.
Seeing that, Sasuke bit his thumb and formed seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"
Bang! A purple serpent resembling Manda coiled into being and immediately wrapped the chameleon—Manda II had arrived.
Good. With the summons handled, it was time to fight.
Natsuki drove the Senju Kannon (Thousand-Armed Kannon) into a furious barrage, while the Stone Golem also freed its hands to join the pounding.
The Six Paths and Konan scrambled to evade. Sasuke swept with Susanoo, and Kakashi pressed in for openings, leaving Pain and Konan on the back foot.
"Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push)!"
Boom—Stone Golem's fist and the Kannon's strikes were blasted away.
Natsuki flashed behind Deva with Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique); light gathered into Amatsukumo no Tsurugi (Heaven-Cloud Sword), and he hewed down hard.
In the next instant, Shuradō (Asura Path) body-checked Deva clear and took the slash instead—bisected on the spot. Deva's cooldown ended at that precise moment, and he fired Shinra Tensei again—but Natsuki had already flickered away with Hiraishin.
"What speed—Hiraishin?!" Konan scowled, clearly not having expected Natsuki to move that fast.
Jigokudō (Hell Path) prepared to summon the Jigoku no Ō (King of Hell) again to rebuild Asura, but before he could move, he suddenly drifted up—weightless.
The other Paths froze—this sensation was very familiar.
"Die."
With that single word, a crushing Shinra-level repulsion slammed Hell Path into the ground, leaving a deep crater. He didn't get back up; the King of Hell never even appeared.
There would be no more repairs for the Six Paths.
Konan stared, shocked. "Pain! That technique just now—"
Deva shook his head. "Impossible. I alone wield the Rinnegan (Samsara Eye). Only I command Banshō Ten'in (Universal Pull) and Shinra Tensei. Whose power is that?!"
His eyes lifted, locking onto Neji drifting down through the air.
Those azure pupils glowed—the power felt related to his own, but it was not the Rinnegan.
"Who are you? Why do you possess power similar to mine?" Deva's tone wasn't steady.
"You mean that last attack?" Neji descended, graceful and calm. "What I awakened is the Tenseigan (Reincarnated Eye). Like your Rinnegan, it's a Sennin (Sage) eye. It's not surprising our powers overlap."
Tenseigan? Wasn't Neji a Byakugan user?
The Six Paths and Konan weren't the only ones puzzled—the onlookers were buzzing even more.
Hiashi arrived with several Branch members and, overcome with emotion, announced, "Neji's Byakugan has evolved into the Tenseigan—he is the Hyuga's sole Tennin (Heavenly Ninja)! His power is no less than any Rinnegan!"
So that's it—the Byakugan could evolve!
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
Natsuki and Sasuke didn't react—they'd already learned the truth about the Sage eyes. Kakashi, however, was quietly impressed; Neji had advanced far without a sound. No wonder Natsuki had kept Neji around when discussing the truth.
"You two okay?" Neji asked.
"We're fine. And now you can show your strength openly," Natsuki said, genuinely pleased. "Landing the first big blow, too—the Hell Path's King of Hell could constantly repair the others. Taking him out makes the rest much easier."
Neji nodded. "In that case, let's split them up. I'll take Tendō (Deva Path)—our abilities are similar."
Sasuke opened his mouth—he'd been about to call dibs—but Neji had a point: mirrored abilities made for a cleaner matchup. Fine. Then he'd just take two.
He moved first. A thrust of Chidori Eisō (Chidori Sharp Spear) carved a line between Chikushōdō (Animal Path) and Ningendō (Human Path), and Sasuke engaged both at once.
Natsuki sent the Stone Golem and the Senju Kannon to pin Gakidō (Preta Path) and Konan.
Neji stepped forward to face Deva—a battle of Sage eyes.
As for Kakashi, he'd watch the flanks—for now. He swept his gaze around, searching for someone—and there, in the shadows, he spotted a spiral-mask man peeping from a corner.
Raiton Shunshin (Lightning-Style Body Flicker)—in a flash, Kakashi was on him, driving him out with a thrust of Chidori (One Thousand Birds).
(End of Chapter)
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