However, just as Kakashi and the others found themselves in mortal danger, the Six Paths of Pain suddenly stopped.
Every one of them froze at the exact same moment, as though someone had pressed pause.
Smoke still curled from the Asura Path's cannon. The Animal Path's hands remained locked in a seal. The Preta Path's mouth hung open. The Human Path stood with one hand extended. The Naraka Path's eyes were closed.
High above them, the Deva Path stood overlooking the battered shinobi below, its Rinnegan cold and indifferent.
Then, one after another, the Six Paths toppled to the ground.
"What just happened?"
Darui's voice sounded unsteady.
Yugito leaped down from the ruins and landed beside the nearest Path. She crouched and examined the body.
There were no signs of life.
Even the chakra fluctuations that had previously controlled it were gone.
"Something happened to the true body."
Kakashi raised his head and looked toward the tallest tower in the distance.
Rumble…
A deep, prolonged roar came from that direction, like thunder rolling somewhere far away.
It was not Lightning Release.
It was not an explosion either.
It was something heavier, something far more earth-shaking.
It sounded like a mountain collapsing.
"Did someone find the true body?"
Akatsuchi's voice was as dry and rough as though his mouth were full of sand.
Even he did not believe it.
They had spent the entire night searching for Pain's true body without finding a single trace.
The controller hiding behind the scenes.
The man who possessed the Rinnegan.
Could someone really have found him that easily?
Everyone exchanged uncertain looks.
The elite forces of Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure had gathered here, only to be driven into the ground by the Six Paths of Pain throughout the entire night.
They had suffered devastating casualties and been reduced to a pitiful state.
Just as Guy was preparing to open the Seventh Gate, Yugito was about to undergo a full tailed-beast transformation, and Kakashi was ready to use the last of his chakra in one final, desperate attack, the puppets had inexplicably collapsed.
"It was the Kazekage!"
Someone shouted those words.
Everyone turned toward the towering structure.
The Kazekage had disappeared shortly after entering Amegakure.
He had not traveled with anyone else, appeared on any battlefield, or participated in a single fight.
Instead, he had taken his own team and mysteriously slipped deeper into the village.
Everyone had assumed that he was avoiding battle.
They had all cursed him as a coward in their hearts.
But now, the Six Paths of Pain had fallen, and a tremendous roar had come from the tower.
Who else could it have been?
"Let's go see."
Yugito was the first to charge forward.
Darui tried to stop her, but failed. With no other choice, he led the Kumogakure shinobi after her.
Kakashi hesitated briefly before following with the Konoha forces.
Akatsuchi was the last to leave.
He looked at the bodies of the Six Paths of Pain sprawled across the ground.
Something about this felt wrong, but he could not put his finger on what it was.
Shaking his head, he led the Iwagakure shinobi after the others.
…
The rain fell harder.
The tower's shadow blanketed the entire area.
Its metal exterior was covered in rust, and water poured from its roof, gathering into muddy streams across the ground.
Teizawa stood in the open space before the tower.
His dark golden robe remained perfectly still in the rain. An invisible force repelled every drop that approached him, as though a transparent barrier surrounded his entire body.
Not a single drop touched him.
Mei stood a short distance behind him.
She was soaked through, her blue dress clinging tightly to her body and outlining her breathtaking curves.
She breathed heavily.
Clearing out Amegakure's hidden sentries along the way had consumed a considerable amount of chakra, leaving her visibly exhausted.
She had ordered the Kirigakure shinobi to remain outside and secure the perimeter.
That had been Teizawa's decision.
According to him, whoever they were about to face was no ordinary shinobi.
Bringing more people inside would only cause unnecessary casualties. It was better to have them guard the perimeter and prevent anyone from escaping.
The tower's entrance stood wide open.
The interior beyond it was pitch-black, making it impossible to see anything.
Two figures emerged from the darkness.
Konan walked in front.
Her blue hair fluttered in the wind, and the folded paper flower in her hair trembled gently.
Her deep orange eyes stared coldly at Teizawa.
Her black cloak patterned with red clouds was disheveled, and one corner had been scorched, clear evidence that she had recently fought someone.
When Teizawa and Mei first reached the tower, Konan had appeared once again to stop them.
After a brief battle, she had been defeated.
She retreated into the tower.
Then…
To force Nagato out, Teizawa had simply blown up the tower.
Literally.
The resulting blast left Nagato with no choice but to release his control over the Six Paths of Pain.
Nagato followed behind Konan.
He sat within an enormous mechanical apparatus, his emaciated body nearly fused with its maze of complex tubes.
Orange hair hung over his face, concealing most of his features.
His Rinnegan glowed with a cold, eerie light in the gloom.
His face was so pale it was nearly translucent. His lips were cracked, his cheeks sunken, and his physical condition was clearly dire.
Yet the light in his eyes was terrifyingly intense.
"You two certainly made yourselves difficult to find."
Teizawa sighed.
Nagato looked down at him, his Rinnegan completely devoid of emotion.
"You should not have come here."
"I'm already here." Teizawa spread his hands. "I can't exactly go home empty-handed, can I?"
"You believe finding me means you can defeat me?"
Nagato's voice was quiet.
"There's only one way to find out."
Teizawa rolled his wrist, making the joints crack.
Nagato stared at him for a long moment.
Then a cold smile appeared on his face.
"Interesting."
"The interesting part hasn't even started yet."
Teizawa raised his hand.
Countless streams of black Iron Sand poured from his sleeve, condensing into a dense array of slender needles in front of him.
They filled the air, blotting out everything in sight.
Konan stepped forward and placed herself between Nagato and Teizawa.
"Nagato… your body…"
"Stand down."
Nagato did not raise his voice, yet his words carried unquestionable authority.
Konan gritted her teeth.
In the end, she stepped aside.
However, her deep orange eyes remained fixed on Teizawa, never relaxing for so much as a second.
"Show me…"
Nagato pressed his palms together, the light within his Rinnegan growing brighter.
"Show me what you're truly capable of."
The corner of Teizawa's mouth curved upward.
The Iron Sand needles shot toward Nagato like a torrential downpour.
Konan's body scattered into countless sheets of paper, forming a barrier before Nagato.
The Iron Sand needles pierced through the paper, only to be stopped by the densely packed explosive tags hidden among the sheets.
"Almighty Push!"
An invisible repulsive force erupted from Nagato's body and hurled the Iron Sand needles away.
Teizawa did not dodge.
He allowed the force to strike him head-on.
His body swayed slightly, but he did not retreat a single step.
Iron Sand spread beneath his feet and firmly anchored them to the ground, leaving him completely immovable.
"Not a bad defense."
Teizawa smiled.
Nagato frowned slightly.
Almighty Push had a five-second cooldown.
That was its fatal weakness.
Teizawa knew it.
He even knew precisely how long those five seconds lasted.
He silently counted down.
Five, four, three…
The Iron Sand needles shot forward again.
Two, one…
Nagato unleashed another Almighty Push.
The cycle continued, with neither side able to overcome the other.
Teizawa was in no hurry.
He was waiting.
Waiting for Nagato's chakra to run dry.
Waiting for Nagato's body to give out.
Nagato was in no hurry either.
Or rather, he had no choice but to continue.
High above them, Obito stood hidden within the tower's shadows.
His exposed Sharingan watched the battle below.
He was waiting for Teizawa and Nagato to wear each other down so he could make his move.
Within the darkness, five White Zetsu clones poked their heads out of the ground.
They lined up shoulder to shoulder, packed tightly together.
Each wore the kind of smile that sent a chill down one's spine.
(End of Chapter)
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