"Mr. Itachi, this mission went unusually smoothly. I really don't get how someone with Sasori's level of strength got taken out. I didn't expect Kirigakure to have fallen this far—I didn't see a single real powerhouse." Kisame, shouldering Samehada and planting a foot on the unconscious Three-Tails, spoke.
Though the Three-Tails was strong, the Sharingan—especially the Mangekyō—was a tailed beast's nemesis.
Not long after the fight began, Itachi had already subdued the Three-Tails.
"Let's get out of here. Something feels off. This mission went a little too smoothly." Unlike the seemingly carefree Kisame, Itachi hadn't felt at ease for a moment since arriving in the Land of Water.
"Isn't a smooth mission a good thing, Mr. Itachi? You're overthinking it this time. Too bad we probably won't see any of my old acquaintances from the village." Kisame waved him off. This was Kirigakure, the village he'd lived in.
Even Kisame didn't sense anything wrong. How could Itachi, who'd visited far less, know this country and village better than him?
All the same, out of an inexplicable trust in Itachi, Kisame agreed, and they left at once.
In fact, the two encountered nothing amiss until they exited the Land of Water.
The instant Kisame and Itachi left the Land of Water, the Chimera Ants sensed their movement.
No surprise—the Land of Water was the Chimera Ants' domain now. No way they'd miss unfamiliar auras entering their turf.
And the Three-Tails had long since been confirmed captured by Meruem, so the only reason Itachi and Kisame could leave with it so smoothly was that it was all part of Meruem's plan.
"My King, those two have left our territory." Pitou, sprawled on the bed, reported to a Meruem no more than twelve inches tall.
"Got it." Though only a foot tall, the clone tried his best to look stern.
Unfortunately, no matter what expression he wore, there wasn't a shred of gravitas about him.
Those big eyes brimmed with curiosity. Such a tiny King—so cute, nya…
She stuck out her tongue without thinking, leaning in to lick Meruem.
"Pitou! Stop! That tickles—if the true body finds out, he'll be jealous!" The clone wriggled free and scolded her again.
"Nyah~!"
"So this is Konoha. It does look very peaceful—but it's a false peace, built on others' pain." Outside Konoha in the Land of Fire, eight figures stood. Six of them were studded with punk-like black rods. Among them, the Deva Path Pain spoke.
"Konan, we'll stay here. Leave the rest to them." Nagato, gaunt and frail, said. His legs were crippled; he could hardly move on his own. Konan had come to tend to him.
"Understood." As she spoke, a great tree sprang from the ground—on closer look, it was made entirely of paper.
"Now let the world taste pain." After Konan and Nagato withdrew, Deva Path Pain, chūnibyō to the hilt, spoke again.
A vast barrier encircled Konoha; any intruder tripping it would be sensed instantly.
The other great villages had similar barriers.
But powerful infiltrators tended to have specialized techniques. To date, such barriers had never stopped anyone above elite jōnin level.
"Damn! Intruders!"
The Six Paths of Pain entered Konoha with ease. The Animal Path immediately began summoning a menagerie of giant beasts from who knew where.
There was a massive centipede, a giant rhino, an enormous bird, even multi-headed giant hounds.
Among Konoha's Kage-level, Jiraiya had been killed by Meruem at Mount Myoboku, the Third had fallen long ago, even his Edo Tensei form had been absorbed by Meruem, Danzō had been slain by Musashi, and Root torn out by the roots.
Konoha's remaining Kage-class were down to Tsunade, Musashi, Sasuke, and Naruto.
And none of the four would ever let Nagato take Naruto.
A clash between the Six Paths and Konoha was inevitable.
"Damn it! Who are these people? How are they this strong?" Each of the Six Paths of Pain was an extremely powerful Kage-level fighter.
Deva Path Pain's Almighty Push and Universal Pull were nightmares for ninjutsu and taijutsu specialists alike.
There was also the Asura Path's powerful taijutsu, and the Preta Path's so-called absorption of all energy.
Aside from a handful of elite jōnin, no one in Konoha could stand against them.
Even Kakashi, Konoha's top-tier elite, could barely hold his own. Just one Six Paths team had plunged the whole village into crisis—proof Konoha had grown dangerously weak.
"Summoning Technique!" As Hokage, Tsunade took the lead; opponents of this level couldn't be overcome by numbers.
"Chief, the village is under attack by unknown enemies. Multiple sectors have been breached. Enemy numbers… only… six." The Uchiha compound, on Konoha's edge, billed as the Police Force, was in fact marginalized.
Which happened to put it beyond the Six Paths' immediate assault.
"Chief, what do we do? Do we deploy?" The Uchiha elites were shocked to hear there were only six enemies, and their fighting blood stirred.
"You're too weak. This level of battle isn't for you. But go to the surrounding districts and rescue the civilians. Spread a positive image of the Uchiha. Remember: do not get involved in the central fight. You can't match those guys. You'd die for nothing. The fight there will be handled by me, Naruto, and Sasuke. Heh. If we resolve this cleanly, and Tsunade has a small accident, we can smoothly take the reins of Konoha. That was Danzō's plan. Too bad… Danzō… you're dead." Uchiha Musashi gave his orders.
In a very short time, he had become a voice at Konoha's top table. This was the perfect moment to boost his standing; Musashi wouldn't miss it.
The Akimichi's Multi-Size Technique, the Hyuga's Gentle Fist—Konoha's clans large and small moved to support.
Unfortunately, the Hokage faction's strongest—Might Guy and his team—had not returned.
Otherwise, even if he fell short of the Six Paths overall, Guy was no joke. Once he went crazy and staked his life, the best the Six Paths could hope for was mutual ruin.
"Hmph, a bunch of troublesome pests. Konoha shinobi swarm like ants. It's useless. I am a god. Lady Tsunade, don't get cocky." Deva Path Pain addressed Tsunade.
Then he lifted off the ground.
"This chakra—I've never felt anything like it! What is he trying to do?"
"Let the world know pain! Super Almighty Push!" A world-shattering repulsion crushed all buildings around Konoha. Under the Super Almighty Push, the structures were paper-thin. In an instant, a ring-shaped void yawned at Konoha's center.
Since its founding by the First Hokage, Konoha had never suffered such damage. In fact, aside from Kirigakure, now under the Chimera Ants' control, none of the Five Great Villages had endured a blow like this. Even Sunagakure had only been bombed by Deidara, with some buildings destroyed.
"Good… perfect timing. Naruto, Sasuke. Our turn." Staring up at the arrogant Pain, Musashi drew the demon blade on his back.
"Summoning Technique!" Countless giant serpents burst into the ruins of Konoha.
Though they'd lost Mount Myoboku's summons, don't forget—Musashi held Ryuchi Cave's summoning scroll.
Even if he didn't use it himself, nothing stopped him from handing it to Sasuke and Naruto.
"Let's make it a contest, Naruto. See which of us drops his target first." Sasuke opened his Mangekyō Sharingan and proposed.
"Deal, Sasuke. It's been a while. But the winner will be me—because I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" Golden chakra wrapped Naruto in an instant. On top of Nine-Tails Mode, he opened Sage Mode as well.
At full blast, Naruto and Sasuke's strength far exceeded an ordinary Kage's.
"Heh. Then those guys are yours. I'll take out the mastermind." Seeing the two go all-out, Musashi spoke. Against the Six Paths, Naruto and Sasuke in their current states were more than enough.
As for Nagato and Konan—let me handle them.
Madara, tell me—if I destroy your Rinnegan here, won't things get even more interesting? I'd love to see your face when you're Edo Tensei'd with no Rinnegan for Rinne Rebirth.
That would be… amusing.
With his power, Musashi quickly located Konan and Nagato hiding not far from Konoha.
"Found them. Konan and Nagato. But before that—let Naruto and Sasuke have their fun. You don't run into opponents like this every day."
(End of Chapter)
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