These days, what kind of enemy required such a massive force?
You'd need a team like this to surround a Kage from another village, or maybe a powerful jinchuriki.
No… could it be… they were hunting Orochimaru?
However, by the time Jiraiya arrived, the battle to capture Pain, led by the Third Hokage and the Fourth Kazekage, had already begun.
Hiruzen tossed aside his Kage hat and ceremonial robes, revealing the sturdy battle armor underneath. His voice, once kind and gentle, now carried the full force of his fighting spirit.
"For a person of your status to come to Konoha…" Hiruzen said, crouching like a monkey ready to pounce, his eyes locked on his opponent's gas mask. "As the host, it was truly an oversight for me not to greet you personally."
"..."
Pain tilted his head up slightly. He didn't deny it; he clearly knew they had his information. His voice remained as calm and unshaken as ever.
"It seems… you all know. And this is a trap set for me."
"That's right," Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, replied, a small smile evident in his voice.
He was clearly pleased with the agreement he'd reached with Hiruzen to hunt the Akatsuki's leader, and perhaps also that his guess about Pain's identity had been correct.
"There's no secret in the world that can be hidden forever," Rasa said smugly, his eyes fixed on Pain's mask. "No matter how mysterious your identity is, no matter how many secrets you have, as long as you exist in this world, you will eventually be exposed."
"..."
Pain silently regarded the two Kage. The truth was, being exposed was inevitable. But he hadn't expected it to happen now. Even if he wanted to retreat with Konan and his true body, Nagato, it would be difficult. Konoha and the Sand Village had him cornered.
So… a fight was unavoidable.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Seeing Pain's hands begin to move, Hiruzen quickly formed his own seals and unleashed a torrent of fierce flames.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Rasa's hand seals were just as fast. He spat out a powerful gust of wind, fanning the flames and pushing them toward Pain.
In an instant, the battle ignited. Two Kage-level ninjas had unleashed a storm of fire and wind.
"What's happening?"
The other ninjas on the scene paled in shock. What was going on?
How had two village Kage teamed up to fight a single ninja from the Rain Village?
Before they could fully process it, they watched as the combined wind and fire jutsu vanished the moment it reached its target. The Rain ninja had simply raised a hand and instantly erased both techniques.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. In that moment, he felt a familiar sensation.
"Old man…" Jiraiya looked at Pain's mask and immediately asked for information. "What's going on? Who is this guy?"
"Catch him first!" Hiruzen shouted.
He was well aware of the threat the Akatsuki posed. A leader who could command so many S-rank rogue ninja was bound to be extremely dangerous. The fact that he had neutralized two Kage-level jutsu without a scratch proved how tough he was.
Besides, they needed information, which meant capturing him alive was the priority.
Hiruzen kept his eyes fixed on Pain's mask, his gaze growing sharper. "I just heard from the Kazekage—the leader of the Akatsuki has infiltrated Konoha."
Jiraiya's expression turned grim.
He didn't waste a second overthinking it, he knew they had to take Pain down, and quickly. If this truly was the Akatsuki's leader, then many secrets about Konoha's own S-rank rogue ninjas might finally be revealed.
"Heh…" Rasa watched Hiruzen and Jiraiya prepare to fight side-by-side and let out a quiet chuckle. "Interesting…"
Even more interesting, Tsunade quickly noticed what was happening.
Crash!
With a single punch, Tsunade shattered the arena floor like an eggshell. She sent the One-Tail flying, poked the unconscious Gaara awake with a tap, and then sprinted to reinforce Hiruzen's group.
"What's up?"
The moment she landed, Tsunade found her place in the formation but immediately felt something wasn't right. She glanced at their positions, then at Rasa, her brow furrowing in mild discontent.
Wait… why is the Kazekage standing in Orochimaru's spot?
Then again, that was just what you'd expect from the Kazekage of the Sand Village. He had found the most advantageous battle position almost instantly.
Honestly, his combat instincts were sharp.
Looking closely, all four of them possessed Kage-level power. Their formation showed impressive tactical synergy; no one was hindering anyone else's attack. Moreover, a formation like this meant their opponent couldn't escape even if one person slipped up.
Unfortunately, it only lasted for a moment. Deva Path Pain slipped out of their encirclement.
"Shinra Tensei."
Deva Path Pain looked at the four Kage charging at him and suddenly raised his hand. A strange, repulsive force surged outward. In a flash, it struck all four of them.
Hiruzen and the others spat blood as they were thrown back, but the real shock was the technique itself. That feeling… Jiraiya recognized it instantly.
"This is… the Rinnegan!"
Jiraiya's mind flashed back to his battle with Emiya Shirou, how he had been completely overwhelmed. He glanced at Emiya, who was standing nearby, and a very strange feeling washed over him.
Another pair of Rinnegan?
How did he keep running into them?
His deceased student Nagato, the ancient medical ninja Emiya Shirou, and now this man—Jiraiya realized he had now seen three pairs of Rinnegan.
The eyes of the Sage of Six Paths… why did he keep encountering them?
But Jiraiya couldn't dwell on it. He knew he had to attack during the cooldown period of Shinra Tensei.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
As someone who had fought a Rinnegan user before, Jiraiya knew a little about its weaknesses. While still in mid-air, he quickly formed hand seals and spat a torrent of flames at Pain.
No… wait… another mistake! he thought in a panic. I shouldn't use ninjutsu!
It has no effect on a Rinnegan user! They can absorb it as chakra!
However, strangely, Pain didn't try to absorb the jutsu. Even Pain hadn't expected Jiraiya to counterattack so instantly after being blasted by Shinra Tensei.
The technique had at least a five-second cooldown, and he hadn't anticipated Jiraiya's response to be so fast. He only managed a hasty dodge and was caught off guard, a part of his body singed by the flames.
The fire burned away Pain's mask.
"A quick counter…"
Pain could only toss the burning mask to the ground. He realized he could no longer hide his face. He lifted his eyes toward Jiraiya, a note of genuine praise in his voice for the ferocious counterattack.
"As expected of… Jiraiya-sensei."