Chapter 181 – Pain's Six Paths vs. Susanoo's Complete Form
"I saw that bird flying out of the city—could it be trying to flee?"
"Doesn't look like it. The direction it's headed is where Hokage-sama is."
"Then it's fine. Let's keep moving."
The Konoha shinobi chatted casually among themselves. None of them seemed tense or worried.
In their eyes, their Hokage's power had already surpassed that of the entire ninja world.
There was nothing—and no one—that could defeat the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Fugaku.
Certainly not some oversized bird that wasn't even as big as the Eight-Tails.
"Clan Head, there are people riding that bird," one Hyūga branch jōnin suddenly reported after activating his Byakugan. "Six chakra signatures, strong ones."
Hyūga Hiashi glanced upward, calm and unshaken. "It doesn't matter. Move on."
Meanwhile, outside the capital, the massive green-feathered bird cut through the clouds, its movement immediately detected by Konoha scouts.
"Hokage-sama, movement above—there!"
Fugaku raised his head, his expression calm but eyes sharp. A vast green silhouette descended through the clouds.
When he saw its grotesque form, Fugaku froze for a moment, his mind racing.
That shape… that strange, twisted creature…
"Ah. So it's that bird."
Recognition flashed across his eyes. This was the Animal Path's summon—Pain's flying bird. The same one that had once battled Jiraiya.
Its design was unforgettable: legs on its back, eyes like black pearls, and a shape so deformed it almost defied anatomy.
"It's as ugly as I remember," Fugaku muttered. But the humor faded quickly from his tone.
If this creature was here, then Nagato had to be close.
After all, the black chakra receivers that transmitted his will had a limited range—Nagato couldn't control anything too far away.
A cold smile crept onto Fugaku's face. "Interesting. So my actions have already shifted the original flow of events."
Red chakra surged around him, thick as blood.
In the next instant, a blinding light burst forth as Susanoo's Complete Body erupted into existence—its immense frame shaking the air itself.
A spectral warrior of godlike size rose from the earth, cloaked in crimson energy, holding the Yata Mirror in one hand and the Totsuka Blade in the other.
This was no ordinary Susanoo. It was the full manifestation of the Uchiha bloodline's divine might.
"Spread out," Fugaku ordered, his voice resonating like thunder. "All of you—fall back immediately."
The Konoha shinobi obeyed without hesitation. None dared question their Hokage.
To them, Uchiha Fugaku wasn't just a leader—he was a god.
As the shinobi retreated, the monstrous green bird descended, bringing with it six figures—the Six Paths of Pain.
Through their shared vision, Nagato finally saw Fugaku's Susanoo up close.
Even through the eyes of Pain, the sight was awe-inspiring—a giant towering like a mountain, its crimson armor glimmering beneath the sun.
Nagato smirked faintly. "Size alone doesn't equal power. Let's see what that armor can really take."
He made a seal. The Asura Path stepped forward, its arm splitting open to reveal a rack of built-in rockets.
A mechanical hum filled the air.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A volley of missiles streaked through the sky, exploding violently against Susanoo's face.
Flames and smoke engulfed the area—but Fugaku didn't even flinch.
When the smoke cleared, not a single scratch marked Susanoo's armor.
Nagato's smile thinned. "No damage?"
He quickly switched tactics. The Asura Path's bald head split open into six sections, revealing a glowing cannon muzzle within. Blue energy crackled to life as the laser charged.
With a sharp buzz, a concentrated beam fired straight at Susanoo's head.
The beam struck the crimson giant—
—and stopped.
It was as though an invisible wall had absorbed it completely. Not even the faintest scorch mark remained.
Nagato's eyes narrowed.
"Even the laser cannon couldn't break through? Impressive."
He cut the connection. The Asura Path's head resealed, a thin trail of smoke rising from its metallic seams.
"So even direct attacks won't work," he murmured. "In that case…"
His gaze shifted to the orange-haired figure among the Six—Tendō Pain, the one forged from Yahiko's body.
Tendō stepped forward, his cold eyes locking onto the giant before him.
Among the Six Paths, only Tendō possessed the destructive power Nagato needed.
The Human, Preta, and Naraka Paths were purely auxiliary.
The Animal Path's summons were laughably small compared to Susanoo's colossal frame.
Against a foe this massive, there was only one logical choice—
Planetary Devastation.
Nagato's hand hovered above Tendō's seal rods, channeling power. "Let's see how your so-called 'god of war' handles this."
But before he could act, Fugaku moved.
He had waited deliberately, wanting to observe how much of Pain's power could truly threaten his Susanoo. The answer: none of it.
His eyes narrowed as he saw Tendō raising his hand—the signature motion of Shinra Tensei and Chibaku Tensei alike.
"Oh, no you don't."
Fugaku's voice rumbled through the sky as Susanoo raised its blade.
The Totsuka-no-Tsurugi gleamed with ethereal fire.
With a single, sweeping motion, the giant slashed upward from below the bird.
The strike tore through the air, a blade of energy so vast it split clouds apart.
If it landed, it would slice the Animal Path's bird clean in two—and everything riding on it would share the same fate.
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