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***
"Who is this guy?"
The massive Chōza Akimichi was the first to react.
He turned and saw Tendō Pain, wrapped in an Akatsuki cloak, now suspended in the air, face level with him.
Chōza recognized him instantly by his attire and the black rods on his face.
"He's the sixth Pain!?"
Horrified, Chōza swung his massive fist, striking Tendō.
Tendō lowered his eyes, surveying the complex battle below.
The five Pains were each pinned down and surrounded by ninja from different villages.
He slowly raised his arms, and an invisible force suddenly erupted from his body.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A powerful repulsive force emanated from Tendō, the first to be affected being Chōza, the attacker.
His fist paused, then a tremendous force unleashed upon his entire massive frame.
"Bang!"
Chōza, a mountain-sized figure, was flung back.
With a thud, his Multi-Size Technique was forcibly dispelled, returning him to normal size.
Simultaneously, not too far from Tendō, the enormous summoned beasts summoned by Pain's Animal Path were also flung back.
The repulsive force continued to spread, first affecting Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka, who were directly beneath Tendō Pain.
They were thrown back without resistance.
Meanwhile, Dodai, Kitsuchi, and Baki, not far away, reacted, immediately abandoning their opponents and retreating backwards.
Even so, few could escape the speed of the repulsive force.
Only Kitsuchi of Iwagakure formed hand seals.
"Earth Release: Multiple Earth-Style Walls!"
Five thick earthen walls rose in front of him.
Even so, the repulsive force continued to shatter them rapidly.
Everyone in the area, including the five Pains, was blown away.
Tendō Pain watched the scene with indifference, his gaze already locked on Animal Path Pain.
"Buzz!"
Black rods pulsed from his palm, pulling Animal Path's form free from the repulsive force.
Immediately, in the sky directly in front of Animal Path, a mass of white origami condensed into the form of Konan.
A pair of enormous origami wings adorned her back, giving her an angelic appearance.
"Take Animal Path back first. I'll hold her here for a while," Tendō Pain said to Konan.
He looked behind the shattered multi-layered earthen wall and saw the only figure not to have been blown away by Shinra Tensei.
"Interesting."
Behind the multi-layered earthen wall, Kitsuchi's feet unexpectedly transformed into rock, then connected to the ground.
His arms also transformed into rock, expanding several times, blocking the way in front of him, forcibly withstanding the final portion of the repulsive force.
While the five thick earth walls helped Kitsuchi absorb most of the repulsive force, it was still the first time in years that Pain had encountered someone capable of withstanding the Shinra Tensei with Earth Release ninjutsu.
Konan, following Tendō's instructions, left with the Animal Path Pain.
Kitsuchi released his arms, folded over the shattered rock before him, and raised his eyes, gazing gravely at Tendō.
"What a terrifying power!"
The strongest ninja Kitsuchi had ever seen was the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, of Iwagakure.
However, the pressure exerted by Tendō Pain before him was even greater.
This was natural, as Tendō's original form had already concentrated all its chakra on him when he appeared.
With a sigh, Kitsuchi formed hand seals and pressed his hands hard against the ground.
Tendō Pain's jutsu shattered Shikaku, Dodai, Baki, and the others, while the ground within a ten-meter radius beneath Tendō was shattered, completely obliterating everything.
Therefore, even if Kitsuchi used powerful Earth Release ninjutsu to alter the terrain, he would have no problem doing so.
"Earth Release: Golem Technique!"
The ground beneath Tendō Pain shook violently, and two hemispherical rock golems, several meters in diameter, rose rapidly from the ground.
Kitsuchi, below him, suddenly clasped his hands together, and the hemispherical golems pressed towards Tendō.
"How slow!"
Tendō, unconcerned with the massive golems flanking him, glanced briefly in another direction toward Kirigakure.
Then, he raised his arms again, and with him as the center, the air immediately vibrated with visible tremors.
"Shinra Tensei!"
"Boom!"
Under the immense repulsive force, Kitsuchi's jutsu began to shake violently, and cracks quickly appeared on the two massive golems.
In the cube-shaped Water Release space, Sasori and Mei Terumi engaged in a fierce battle, with neither side victorious.
Suddenly, a massive shadow enveloped the outer wall of the Water Release space.
A massive mass of rocks surged from the outer side of the water wall.
Earth Release techniques counter Water Release techniques, and the mass of these rocks was greater than the water forming the water wall.
With a loud bang, the water wall was crushed by the dense rock mass.
The explosion of one water wall threw the entire Water Release space off balance, rendering its containment useless.
The thick, boiling acid mist within the Water Release space, freed from its restraints, spread outward.
"Who?"
Mei Terumi looked toward the damaged water wall.
Standing there was Kakuzu.
"With such a powerful Water Release technique, your heart is highly collectible."
Kakuzu muttered, a smile playing on his face as he met Mei Terumi's cold gaze.
Kakuzu said no more.
He simply broke through Mei Terumi's water wall and then turned to leave.
But Kakuzu's arrival had already made Sasori understand Pain's intentions.
He then withdrew the puppets that had been hovering around Mei Terumi.
All ten puppets were sealed back into the scroll.
After sheathing the scroll, Sasori took out an Akatsuki robe and casually donned it.
After he withdrew all his attacks, Mei Terumi was still forming hand seals.
Sasori immediately looked at Mei Terumi and said calmly, "Stop! The attack on Kirigakure is just a commission from someone in Akatsuki."
"Are you sure you want to continue fighting me?"
Upon hearing this, Mei Terumi's eyes trembled and her movements paused.
"Boom!"
At this moment, a loud noise echoed throughout Kirigakure.
Mei Terumi looked in that direction.
Two huge hemispherical golems trembled violently.
Whoosh!
When Mei Terumi regained her senses, Sasori had already disappeared in front of her.
"Damn it!"
Mei Terumi gritted her teeth, but chose not to chase after him.
With her strength, dealing with Sasori alone was already her limit.
Adding another core member of Akatsuki, Mei Terumi was certainly no match.
So, even though Mei Terumi was unwilling to let these guys who had harmed Kirigakure leave, their departure was a good thing for Kirigakure now.
Mei Terumi opened her mouth and exhaled gently, changing the concentration of the boiling acid mist that was spreading outward.
...
Swish!
After diluting the Boil Release acid mist to a level that would no longer harm others, Mei Terumi immediately set off and rushed toward the nearest undamaged house.
At the door of the house, there were two corpses, one large and one small.
The larger corpse seemed to be a young mother who had died tragically.
She held her young child tightly in her arms until her death.
However, a weapon still pierced her heart directly from behind, piercing the child in her arms as well.
Seeing this scene, Mei Terumi could not help but slowly clench her palms.
She jumped up and landed on the roof.
The fog in the air of Kirigakure was very heavy at night, so Mei Terumi's vision was very limited when standing on the roof.
She could only see the specific scene not far away and the outlines of the damaged houses in various parts of the village.
But the constant scent of blood in the air made her realize how many people had died in Kirigakure during the attack.
Mei Terumi's beautiful brow furrowed, but she had no time for regret.
Pausing briefly on the rooftop, she immediately swooped down toward the village's largest battlefield, where representatives from various nations, including Kitsuchi, were standing.
As she reached the edge of the battlefield, the massive rock golems trembled and shattered.
Mei Terumi spotted a figure suspended in the air amidst the falling shattered rock.
She formed hand seals, gathering powerful chakra.
Directly below Tendō Pain, Kitsuchi, whose Earth Release golems had been forcibly broken, groaned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Shikaku Nara and the others, who had been flung away by Shinra Tensei, crawled out from the messy pile, their eyes fixed on Tendō.
"How could such a person exist in this world!?"
Inoichi Yamanaka could sense the terrifying chakra within Tendō Pain.
The force he had used to break Kitsuchi's jutsu was far from his full strength.
He didn't know how to describe the despairingly powerful chakra.
If anything, the only way to describe it was the tailed beasts, the ones humans called chakra monsters.
Facing these powerful warriors from various nations, Tendō remained impassive.
He naturally noticed Mei Terumi preparing a ninjutsu beside him, but he made no move to stop her.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, Tendō Pain, suspended in the air, vanished before everyone's eyes.
With him, vanished the other four Paths of Pain, now standing close to the ninja from various nations.
"Reverse Summoning Jutsu?"
Baki of Sunagakure exclaimed in surprise.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Vanished along with them were the giant summoned beasts that Tendō had just sent flying.
Everyone's eyes trembled, but they had long known that Pain was a puppet controlled by someone, so their reverse summoning wasn't surprising.
Mei Terumi was stunned by the sudden disappearance of her enemies before her, then moved away from her current position and landed in front of Kitsuchi.
At this moment, Shikaku and the others were also gathering toward the same location.
"Thank you all for your help," Mei Terumi nodded to the crowd.
If Shikaku, Kitsuchi, Dodai, and Baki hadn't intervened to stop these massive summoned beasts and the Paths of Pain, countless more casualties would have occurred in Kirigakure.
But the look she gave everyone before her was no longer as kind as before.
Most of those present knew the reason. Kirigakure had been attacked on the very night of the Joint Chūnin Exams, with even Akatsuki members being hired.
Someone must have leaked information about the exams.
Kitsuchi, Dodai, and Baki exchanged glances before their gazes focused on Shikaku, the Konohagakure ninja.
Shikaku, having proposed this exam plan, was undoubtedly the most likely suspect.
Shikaku had anticipated this reaction.
He looked at Mei Terumi calmly and said, "Everything must be clarified, but now is not the time."
Mei Terumi frowned.
Indeed, the battle within Kirigakure wasn't over yet.
"Kirigakure doesn't have anyone to supervise us right now, but the ninja from the Five Great Nations present will keep one another in check," Shikaku said.
"So, you should go and quell the fighting in the village first."
"Under these circumstances, even a second of delay could cost lives," he added.
Mei Terumi pondered, then hurriedly turned and rushed back into Kirigakure.
"Shikaku, what's going on?"
Inoichi and Chōza rushed over, even though they didn't know the details of the Joint Chūnin Exams.
"It's okay. How are your injuries?"
Shikaku looked at Chōza.
Chōza shook his head and said, "Nothing serious."
The Kaguya clan mobilized all their might to attack Kirigakure.
However, the disparity in strength between the two sides was significant. By the time Mei Terumi arrived, most of the Kaguya clan members in the village had been wiped out.
The only real challengers were the Kaguya clan members and the two strong men who had initially engaged Itachi outside Kirigakure.
All three had awakened their Shikotsumyaku, though incomplete.
Mei Terumi joined the fray and quickly subdued them.
Meanwhile, the remaining Kaguya still fought desperately, their eyes brimming with madness.
However, seeing their situation hopeless, one of the Kaguya switched their focus from the Kirigakure ninja to the nearby civilians.
A terrified civilian girl, twelve or thirteen, hid behind a damaged house, but was still spotted by the Kaguya.
The Kaguya, weapon in hand, lunged at the girl.
Overwhelmed with fear, she cowered in place, trying to flee, but the strength was gone.
Terror filled the girl's widened eyes. Behind the Kaguya, a ninja from Kirigakure followed.
However, the Kirigakure ninja's sole goal was to kill the Kaguya in front of him.
He didn't care about the girl's life or death, believing that killing her would expose a greater vulnerability.
For most Kirigakure ninja, completing their mission was paramount.
The life and death of a single civilian was of little concern.
"Swish!"
Just as the Kaguya clan member darted in front of the girl, raising his blood-stained weapon, ready to strike, a stream of beige liquid descended from the side, coating him.
"Sizzle!"
The liquid corroded his body at a visible speed.
Mei Terumi also appeared before the Kirigakure ninja, her eyebrows raised as she glared at him.
However, Mei Terumi understood the Kirigakure ninja's actions and couldn't blame him.
It was the Kirigakure ninja system that had long been in place.
Having lost his target, the Kirigakure ninja paused.
He stood still, bowing slightly to Mei Terumi.
"Go away," Mei Terumi sighed, turning to look at the girl huddled in the corner.
Her expression softened, and she whispered with concern, "Don't worry, everything's fine."
But when the girl saw Mei Terumi, dressed in her Kirigakure ninja attire, her expression didn't relax at all.
Terror still clung to the girl's eyes, and she fearfully repeated, "Please, don't kill me."
"Don't kill me."
Seeing the fear and sorrow in the girl's eyes, Mei Terumi felt her emotions etched in her, and her eyes suddenly welled with sorrow.
"Why?"
"What was all this about?"
Fighting to the death against the enemy when the village was attacked was the Kirigakure ninja's duty.
However, when the enemy arrived, the Kirigakure ninja showed little concern for the lives of the villagers, simply killing the enemy in sight.
Was this right or wrong?
In the eyes of the Kirigakure villagers, the outsiders who had caused the slaughter were demons, but what were they, the Kirigakure ninja, to do?
"If being a ninja in Kirigakure is just about completing the missions assigned by the village leaders, but you can't even protect the lives of civilians, then in the end, there will only be ninja left in the village and the country. What's the point?"
Mei Terumi couldn't understand why the Fourth Mizukage had single-handedly turned the village into what it is today.
If this is what a Mizukage is, then she would rather overthrow the Mizukage herself!
....
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