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Ever since Yahiko's death, Nagato awakened and could use the Rinnegan's Six Paths abilities. His surge in power, coupled with inner emptiness, made him arrogant.
Madness might be a more fitting term.
"Is that so?"
A distant, ethereal voice approached, making Sakumo smile while Deva Path Pain tensed and Orochimaru's eyes gleamed.
Kyomu had arrived.
A sudden flash of dark blade light illuminated Kakuzu's green eyes.
Staring in disbelief at the blade tip piercing through his chest, Kakuzu mechanically turned his head to face Kyomu's eyes.
"So… fast…"
With a swift kick, Kyomu booted Kakuzu in the back, smoothly withdrawing Yoei and giving it a flourish.
Tap.
With a soft sound, Yoei slid back into its dark scabbard.
Lifting his head, Kyomu met Deva Path Pain's gaze and suddenly smiled.
"The one you wanted to protect, I've claimed his life."
With a single hand, he shot a concentrated bolt of lightning downward, piercing Kakuzu's body and compacting the Earth Grudge Fear threads within him.
Shadows flickered behind him, led by a young Shisui, followed by the four elite Uchiha ninja from earlier.
A container was brought out—an artifact from the original Taki Village, used to store Earth Grudge Fear, with sealing properties.
Inheriting part of Taki Village's legacy meant reclaiming the lost Earth Grudge Fear.
Kakuzu had been made by Earth Grudge Fear, not the other way around.
Earth Grudge Fear couldn't be replicated, but there could be countless Kakuzus.
"Pain, what do you say?" Kyomu stepped closer to Deva Path. "Fight or negotiate?"
"You are arrogant."
"Heh, I've always been this way," Kyomu said, pressing a blade to Deva Path's shoulder. "But since you harmed my teacher, negotiations are off the table."
Deva Path's cold Rinnegan glared at Kyomu, fists clenched, as a surge of violent chakra erupted from his eyes.
Shinra Tensei!
Whoosh!
A violent repulsion force roared out, creating an invisible shockwave targeting Aragami Kyomu, spreading furiously in all directions.
The circular shockwave raised dust clouds, rolling forward. The other five paths and Orochimaru swiftly dodged, but Aragami Kyomu stood unmoved, like an immovable pillar, and even those behind him, like Shisui, were unaffected.
Flap, flap.
Kyomu's clothes fluttered in the wind, the Dragon Shadow Robe's embroidered white dragon appearing to come alive, swaying hypnotically.
"Quite the breeze." Kyomu's playful tone carried. "But that's all it is. Can't you make it more intense?"
"If…"
As those words left his mouth, Kyomu moved.
Purple lightning crackled around him, his well-groomed black hair spiked upwards, with gusts swirling at his feet, lifting his body to eye-level with Deva Path.
At thirteen, Kyomu was still short, but that didn't stop him from using a headbutt.
Thunk!
With a swift motion, he headbutted Deva Path. The impact created white ripples that spread out in waves.
Crack.
Deva Path was sent flying like a cannonball, breaking the sound barrier and creating a sonic boom trail, reaching a hundred meters in an instant.
Wind roared in his ears as Deva Path struggled to keep his eyes open, his face contorting under the pressure, his Rinnegan bulging.
"...Now, this level of attack lets me take you seriously."
Despite the rapid sequence, Kyomu's speech didn't pause intentionally; his actions were just too fast.
By the time he finished speaking, Deva Path had already been headbutted, sent flying, and crashed a kilometer away in a cloud of dust.
Stepping on the air, causing ripples, Kyomu appeared a thousand meters away, looking down at the half-buried Deva Path.
"Is this what a god looks like, headfirst in the ground?"
"Aragami Kyomu!" Nagato roared from afar, eyes wide with rage. "You've completely angered me!"
Clap.
Nagato's angry shout was followed by a loud clap, his chakra surging wildly. Through his chakra transmission device, it was quickly relayed to the Six Paths of Pain.
Swish!
The remaining five paths moved in unison. Though slower than Kyomu, they quickly followed.
"Time to collect some interest."
Kyomu whispered, his purple lightning flickering as he flashed to Hell Path's side.
Clang!
Yoei unsheathed, the blade flashing.
Splat.
Hell Path was unharmed, but a transparent summoned beast lost its head, collapsing.
It was the chameleon that had twice ambushed Sakumo.
"A beast like you, daring to have 'dragon' in its name?"
Kyomu sneered, moving swiftly again, Yoei creating a pure physical slash, devoid of chakra.
Gakido tried to block.
But how?
Shurado: Mechanized Armor!
Shurado's body transformed into a full mechanical form, forming a thick metal shield, barely blocking Kyomu's attack.
It could block the blade, but not the force behind it.
Boom!
Shurado's body was flung like a leaf in a storm, battered by the sheer force, crashing into the ground and carving a long trench, embedding into a distant hillside.
Turning back, Kyomu locked eyes with the recovering Deva Path.
Bansho Ten'in!
Flap, flap.
Clothes flapping, Kyomu stood unmoved in mid-air, a red blade slash flying towards Deva Path.
Gakido: Sealing Absorption Jutsu!
"Heh." Kyomu sneered.
In the next instant, Gakido was split in half. If not for Deva Path's timely defense, the red slash would have cleaved him too.
"My Crimson Moon Slash hasn't been seen for a while." Kyomu mused. "Why do people think it's a Scorch Release attack?"
With a flick of his wrist, Yoei met Ningendo's attack.
Clang!
No sparks flew. Yoei's durability and the indestructible property left only a faint mark on Ningendo's black rod.
With a simple parry and flick, Ningendo's rod was disarmed and flew away.
With a side kick, Kyomu's foot struck Ningendo's chest, sending him flying before he could react.
Boom!
The air boomed again.
No need to look; Kyomu's kick sent Ningendo flying a kilometer, his body severely damaged.
Without pause, Kyomu spun Yoei, the black rod swirling in the wind.
Looking up, Yata-no-Karasu began dropping eggs, attempting a carpet bomb on Kyomu.
Drawing the blade, Kyomu spun and kicked.
Whiz.
The spinning black rod hit the egg, shooting up and striking Yata-no-Karasu's head.
Bang.
The impact blew half of Yata-no-Karasu's head away, the black rod continuing skyward until it vanished.
From soaring to crashing in moments.
Yata-no-Karasu's crash was swift, with no struggle or extra movements.
But Hell Path launched a sneak attack as well.
Without turning, Kyomu blocked with Yoei behind his back, pushing forward with his left hand.
Crack.
The space ahead twisted, absorbing the incoming chakra cannon, leaving Kyomu unharmed.
Simultaneously, ripples appeared behind him, and Shurado's chakra cannon emerged.
Shinra Tensei!
Boom! The chakra cannon shattered, its explosion engulfing Kyomu.
Hell Path retreated to Deva Path, quickly summoning the giant King of Hell gate, swallowing the damaged Gakido, chewing and spitting out a restored Gakido.
Whiz.
Clang!
Deva Path blocked Kyomu's attack on Hell Path, but the force made him kneel, creating a crater.
Such a grand gesture was well within Kyomu's tolerance.
Boom, boom.
The two Hellhounds charged in.
Unfazed, Kyomu teleported to one of their heads.
With a stomp, an invisible force pinned the Hellhound to the ground.
Descending, he struck with a single palm.
Sealing Jutsu: Five Elements Seal!
The black seal spread rapidly over the Hellhound's head, enveloping its body.
Boom.
The Hellhound vanished, unsummoned by Animal Path.
With all three giant summons dealt with, the battle turned into a one-on-six.
But fear?
Teleporting to Deva Path's side, Kyomu swung Yoei.
Slash.
In an instant, Deva Path's left arm was severed. Teleporting again, the blade pierced Animal Path, tearing her body apart.
Clang, clang, clang.
Kyomu flickered among the Six Paths, his solo onslaught overwhelming them.
"Ryukage-sama's battle is a sight to behold."
"Considering the six opponents' strength, this might be a more ordinary performance for him."
"Ordinary?" Shisui looked at the elite Uchiha ninja beside him. "Uncle, saying that isn't quite appropriate, is it?"
"I meant, considering the strength of those six individuals." The elite Uchiha ninja scratched his head awkwardly. "And I wasn't referring to Ryukage-sama, but rather to those six men with the Rinnegan."
"They're just puppets."
Sakumo interjected, quickly making arrangements. "There must be someone controlling them from behind. We need to find him."
While the Sharingan doesn't have the Byakugan's insight, it can still see chakra flows clearly.
"So…" Sakumo took out a segment of the black rod. "Remember the chakra signature on this. Follow the traces in the air and find him!"
Sakumo was right. The three-tomoe Sharingan and higher can see different chakra flows within a specific range, making it a viable detection method, albeit weaker than the Byakugan.
"Yes!" The four elite Uchiha ninjas nodded, preparing to move.
"Did you forget about me?"
Orochimaru's lazy voice drifted over, a coffin with the word 'First' written on it rising behind him.
"Orochimaru, I don't want to fight you," Sakumo said, staring directly at him. "For the sake of old times, and because you haven't attacked Dragon Nin, don't force me."
"Sakumo, you're still the same." Orochimaru grinned. "Though I appreciate it, I must intervene. After all, I am now part of Akatsuki. As a core member, I must contribute when our leader is being beaten."
Sakumo sighed, understanding Orochimaru's point. But calling the Akatsuki leader 'the leader getting beaten'—was that wise?
Not that Orochimaru cared; he always pursued his own desires. Others' opinions mattered only if he chose to respect them, otherwise, they couldn't do anything about it.
They couldn't kill him.
"Wait for Ryukage-sama." Sakumo rescinded his previous order. "Just keep an eye on Orochimaru."
"Ha-ha, it's not just me," Orochimaru laughed, glancing back. "Akatsuki's Lady is also coming."
As he spoke, a tall, burly man approached from a distance, accompanied by two white puppets—lost relics from the Sand Village's Chikamatsu Collection.
"Sakumo!"
The voice from within Sasori was muffled and deep, matching his appearance.
However, the hatred in his tone couldn't be masked by Sasori's sturdy body.
"It seems he harbors great enmity towards me."
"A grudge for killing his parents is understandable," Orochimaru said playfully, glancing at Sasori. "But I think it's better for families to be together."
"Shut up! Or I'll kill you!"
Orochimaru turned to Sakumo, spreading his hands to show he could do no more.
Sakumo discreetly nodded, gleaning critical information about the Lady of Akatsuki from Orochimaru's words.
The Sand Village's puppet masters indeed brought back memories.
However, during their brief exchange, the Six Paths of Pain were reduced to Deva Path, still relatively intact.
"Let your true controller face me!"
Standing on Deva Path's chest, Kyomu pressed a hand to his knee, leaning down to stare into his Rinnegan.
(End of Chapter)