A few snowflakes drifted slowly through the air, settling like a burial shroud on the ravaged earth—all that remained of the recent battlefield.
The Dead Zone, the center of this silence, slowly but inexorably expanded, devouring the earth centimeter by centimeter.
"Terrifying," her voice was even, but there was a hint of steel in it.
The paper copy of Konan, separated from her, stepped beyond the invisible line. At that moment, the real Konan's face distorted. She felt it with her entire being—an icy pressure, as if in the depths of the ocean. Chakra wasn't simply leaking—it was being torn from her body, swiftly and mercilessly.
"No..."
The clone tried to retreat, but only managed to extend his hand beyond the zone. In the next instant, all the chakra that was his essence was drained. The paper figure froze, then crumbled into a pile of lifeless leaves, caught by the wind and swirling above the dead earth.
"Cough!"
At the top of a distant hill, Konan gasped briefly, pressing her hand to her chest. Her eyes, fixed on the dead zone, were filled with genuine horror.
"Well?" Nagato asked, not looking at her. He already knew the answer.
Konan turned her gaze to Obito and Black Zetsu, then nodded firmly.
"Nagato, they weren't lying. This zone drains chakra, constantly expanding. But not only that—it absorbs any life force. I'm afraid there's nothing living left within its confines," she stated firmly.
Hearing this, Nagato's face turned to stone. So it's true. He fixed Obito and Zetsu with a heavy gaze, full of unspoken accusations. If he remembered correctly, this monster was a direct consequence of "Madara's" idiocy. Not his mindless slaughter, and it wouldn't have happened.
"Impossible," Nagato said, as if convincing himself. "How can mere Mangekyō Sharingans possess power capable of destroying the shinobi world? Even my Rinnegan can't do that. Its power must have a limit. It can't grow forever."
But he wasn't certain. Staring at the dim, dark silhouette in the sky, Nagato knew he had to act. The irony of fate: before conquering the world, it seemed he'd have to save it. Now was not the time for accusations. Since things had gone this far, complaints were futile.
"Nagato, you..."
Obito tensed. He brought Nagato here, counting on his power, counting on him to nip the monster in the bud. If Nagato retreated now, it would be too late. And if the world perished, how would he carry out his plan? How would he create a world with Rin?!
"Shut up, Madara!" Nagato cut him off icily. "If not for your arrogance and the massacre you carried out with Itachi Uchiha, this monster would not exist! I will deal with him. But after that, you will answer for everything."
What a miscalculation. Why did he even have to exterminate his own clan? What benefit was there worth the risk? And now, faced with the consequences, he ran to him, to the future god of this world. The strongest shinobi in history? Just an arrogant fool.
"Fine," Obito paused for a moment, hiding a storm of emotions behind his mask. "It's my fault." When we're done with him, I'll give him a full explanation.
Deep down, he cursed the day he'd given in to Itachi's persuasion. But the past couldn't be undone.
Nagato looked again at the distant figure of Uchiha Yue, rapidly calculating his options.
"He's absorbing chakra and life force. So we need to act quickly and from a distance. Kill him with one crushing blow."
A plan formed instantly. Nagato didn't believe he'd lose to Uchiha Yue. Perhaps, in the distant future, if this monster truly could grow infinitely, he would become invincible. But now? How much time had passed since last night? How much stronger could he become?
The Deva Path. The Asura Path. The Preta Path. The Animal Path...
All Six Paths of Pain had come at his call with one single purpose: to destroy Uchiha Yue.
Meanwhile, high in the sky, in the very heart of the colossal Susanoo, Uchiha Yue... slept.
His eyes were tightly closed. Simply standing there, like a statue, watching the destruction was boring. Why not take a nap? Perhaps the world would already be gone by the time he woke?
Of course, he wasn't just sleeping. His mind, sharpened by his growing power, was working like a supercomputer, allowing him to mentally construct and perfect new jutsu.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Yue opened his eyes. He raised his head, his gaze focused on a single point. He sensed someone else's chakra. Powerful currents invading his boundless domain.
Several figures rushed toward him through the dead zone, clearly intent on killing.
"Oh, and here come the guests. The Six Paths of Pain... So it's you, Nagato?" A lazy smile tugged at Yue's lips. "Decided to hasten your destiny and depart for the afterlife early? Well, that's commendable zeal. I'll help."
His gaze slid over the hilltop, easily finding Nagato and the others there. Then he raised his hand.
Dozens of adamantine chains erupted from Susanoo's avatar, weaving an invisible web around the space around him. Yue himself couldn't move while in storage mode, but that didn't stop him from attacking.
"This power..."
On the hill, Nagato staggered sharply. The connection with the Paths' bodies became a channel, through which...
from which his own chakra was leaking at a terrifying rate.
Pain... his Six Paths were trapped.