Konohagakure.
Inside the Hokage's Office.
Hizashi returned swiftly to make his report. The intelligence he brought was that the Uchiha clan was unwilling to sell their properties, only to lease them.
The Third Hokage took a drag from his pipe. "Did Fugaku have anything else to say?"
Hizashi, adhering to the principle of 'the more you say, the more you err,' simply shook his head.
"Then who has the Uchiha clan assigned to handle these matters?" The number of shops was considerable, and the affair was rather complex.
Hizashi replied, "Fugaku did not appoint anyone. He asked me to take charge of it."
The Third Hokage paused for a moment before nodding. "I see. I understand."
Seeing that the Hokage had no further instructions, Hizashi bowed and took his leave, leaving the Third Hokage alone in his office. Hiruzen took an agitated puff from his pipe, annoyed. He hadn't expected the Hyuga clan to escape the Uchiha's censure. In this matter, he had been the mastermind, Danzo the hand pushing from behind the scenes, and the Hyuga family the executors.
He never imagined the Uchiha would seem to care so little about it. Or was it that Fugaku and Hizashi's private relationship was simply too strong? The Third had sent Hizashi to handle this matter precisely to gauge the situation. If the Uchiha and Hyuga's relationship had fractured, he could have taken the opportunity to pull the Hyuga to his side. Instead, the Uchiha had not pursued the past issue at all and had even entrusted Hizashi with managing these properties.
The Third tapped his pipe anxiously. The Uchiha had become a massive potential threat, yet he had not found a way to deal with them. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire had already begun promoting a new restaurant project; it was unclear how that would develop.
Knock, knock, knock...
Just as the Third Hokage was lost in thought, a knock came from the door.
"Come in."
The person who entered was an Anbu from the communications division, typically responsible for delivering important confidential letters or orders. "Lord Hokage, an urgent message from Lord Jiraiya!"
The Anbu presented a scroll containing the urgent dispatch and then withdrew. Jiraiya rarely sent urgent messages. The Third Hokage's heart tightened as he quickly unrolled the scroll to read it. Upon finishing, a rare smile appeared on his face. He pondered for a moment, then picked up his brush and wrote several letters.
...
Inside the Kamui dimension.
Obito walked steadily along a stone platform. He had yet to fully uncover all the secrets hidden within his dimension, but he knew that certain areas of the Kamui dimension corresponded to specific locations in the real world. This allowed him to traverse vast distances in an instant.
A short while later, he appeared at the border of the Land of Fire. Just as he emerged from his spatial void, Zetsu rose from the ground.
"How did you lose control of the Land of Water?" Zetsu asked, puzzled. Using his Mayfly Technique, Zetsu could merge his body with the earth and plants, allowing for rapid movement. While using this technique, all traces of his chakra signature were completely erased, making him the perfect scout. Obito had left Zetsu in Konoha after heading to the Land of Water, hoping he might gather some intelligence. He was meant to coordinate with Danzo upon his return to gain even more information. He had not expected Obito's plan to go awry, resulting in the loss of control over the Land of Water.
Obito's voice was heavy. "I had found someone perfectly suited for our organization, but Uchiha Kawasaki suddenly appeared and ruined my plan. The Fourth Mizukage I was controlling was no match for him."
Zetsu was slightly taken aback. "Even the jinchuriki, Yagura Karatachi, couldn't defeat him in his Tailed Beast form?"
Obito snorted coldly. "It was more than that. He outplayed me completely."
"Is that Uchiha Kawasaki really so powerful?" Zetsu found it hard to believe. Ever since Kawasaki had joined the Uchiha leadership, several of Obito's operations had failed. His attempt to recruit Itachi had been a failure, and now his plan for the Land of Water was in ruins. He had also lost a significant source of funding for no clear reason. It looked like his dealings with Danzo would have to be put on hold.
Obito's expression was grim. "He is not to be underestimated. His Mangekyo abilities are a perfect counter to mine." Obito had already suffered two major defeats at Kawasaki's hands. Both times, he had only escaped death by using Izanagi, and the stock of Sharingan left behind by Madara was now nearly depleted. His face was a mask of cold fury. These two failures hadn't just cost him control of the Land of Water; more importantly, a great deal of his own intelligence had been compromised, and he could no longer convincingly impersonate Uchiha Madara. Most alarmingly, Kawasaki somehow knew he was the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails attack.
Obito then revealed Kawasaki's Mangekyo Sharingan abilities to Zetsu.
"Amaterasu..." Black Zetsu was aware of it; an Uchiha in the past had possessed the Mangekyo ability of Amaterasu. But he had no memory of the other dōjutsu, one that could consume other spatial dimensions. A thousand thoughts raced through Zetsu's mind. Obito's Kamui had been directly countered. This was extremely detrimental to their future plans.
Worse, besides Uchiha Kawasaki, there were also Itachi and Fugaku, both of whom possessed the Mangekyo. Itachi's abilities were also a strong counter to Obito. Shisui was another potential problem, very likely a Mangekyo user as well. With so many powerful Mangekyo wielders in the Uchiha clan, Obito's strength seemed insufficient.
This would not do. Obito was a pawn that had to remain in play.
Zetsu spoke in a meaningful tone. "Even with Hashirama's cells, the power of a single Mangekyo Sharingan is still somewhat lacking."
Obito understood Zetsu's meaning, but the thought of Kakashi made him fall silent for a moment. "I just don't want to have any more ties to the past," he said, though his words rang hollow.
Zetsu let out a sharp, grating laugh. "With the way things are now, if you don't make a decision, the Moon's Eye Plan will never be completed. You'll never see your beloved Rin again..."
"Silence! Don't you dare say her name!" Obito erupted in anger, his face twisting into a狰狞 snarl.
Zetsu wisely shut his mouth, knowing some things were best left unsaid.
Silence fell between them. Obito gradually regained his composure. "Let's head to the Uchiha territory first. I need to replenish my supply of Sharingan."
Wasn't Konoha far from the Uchiha territory? Oh, it was quite a few kilometers away. Zetsu didn't bother to point out Obito's flimsy excuse.
Obito activated his Kamui, and both he and Zetsu vanished from the spot.
...
Above the border of the Land of Rice Paddies.
Kawasaki was leisurely floating on a platform of sand when a pleasant female voice called out from behind him.
"Mr. Kawasaki, please wait."
Kawasaki turned his head. Riding the air currents generated by two massive paper wings, Konan descended rapidly. Kawasaki stood up on his sand platform and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you the one to meet me? I thought Nagato was coming himself."
Konan's expression shifted slightly. She didn't know how much Kawasaki knew about Nagato's condition, so she altered her response. "When we went to the Sound Village to find you, Itachi told me you had just left, so I hurried to catch up."
Realization dawned on Kawasaki. Nagato's mobility was limited; he had forgotten that. It seemed they had simply missed each other. Konan glanced at the sand platform beneath Kawasaki's feet with a curious expression but said nothing.
"Alright, I get it," Kawasaki said casually. "Where is Nagato now?"
"Please follow me, Mr. Kawasaki." Konan beat her wings and flew off in one direction. It wasn't long, however, before she realized Kawasaki had been left far behind. She quickly flew back to find him cruising along at a snail's pace.
Kawasaki grinned. "Sorry, this thing of mine isn't as fast as you."
Konan was at a loss for words. The sand technique was indeed from the Sand Village and certainly wasn't known for its speed. Frustrated but unable to rush him, she had no choice but to accompany Kawasaki at his slow pace.
...
Along the border of the Land of Rice Paddies.
Even at a slow pace, flying through the sky was free of ground obstacles. About an hour later, they spotted the Deva Path standing on a treetop in the distance. Kawasaki and Konan drew closer. After landing, Kawasaki dismissed his sand platform and walked toward the Deva Path.
"Uchiha Kawasaki. It took quite some effort to find you," Pain said, his tone even and unhurried, brimming with confidence.
"That's not the attitude one takes when asking for a favor," Kawasaki replied, looking somewhat bored. In recent years, Nagato had grown increasingly arrogant due to his Rinnegan, viewing himself as a god.
Sure enough, the classic line followed. "How dare you show disrespect to a god!" Pain's words were a mixture of self-assurance and haughtiness. But Kawasaki wasn't buying it.
He cleaned out his ear. "I know this is your Deva Path. Go ahead and call out the other five."
Pain's brow furrowed, a feeling that all his secrets were being exposed washing over him. Konan couldn't help but ask in shock, "How much do you know?"
Pain waved his hand dismissively.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A series of figures landed, and the Six Paths of Pain were assembled.
"It doesn't matter how many secrets you know. I can find out everything."
Kawasaki cracked his neck. "First, I'm going to turn you back into a normal person. Then we can have a proper chat."
The atmosphere instantly grew heavy. Pain had never been able to get a read on Kawasaki. Other than knowing he possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, he knew nothing else. To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, he decided to strike first.
Suddenly, a powerful suction force erupted from the air, pulling Kawasaki directly toward Pain.
Universal Pull!
The other Paths leaped aside. The Animal Path began performing a summoning jutsu. The Asura Path's arms morphed into weaponry. The Human Path and Preta Path moved to intercept him mid-air. The Naraka Path retreated further back, preparing to observe.
As Kawasaki was pulled forward by the Universal Pull, his expression remained unchanged. He had expected to fight Pain and was well-prepared. In a group battle, you take out the healer first. One look at Pain's formation told Kawasaki that their plan was to use the Preta Path to drain his chakra, after which the Human Path would read his memories.
As he flew through the air, Kawasaki adjusted his posture. His left hand blocked the Human Path's grasp, while his right, covered in the markings of the Four Symbols Seal, pressed directly against the Preta Path's hand. The sealing formula spread from the Preta Path's hand across its entire body, instantly neutralizing its ability to absorb chakra.
Kawasaki delivered a swift kick to the Preta Path's chest. Then, with his left hand blocking, he drew the Kusanagi Sword with his right. He had originally planned to give this sword to Sasuke, but he had found it quite useful himself.
CLANG!
With a piercing screech of metal, the Human Path's hands were severed. This entire sequence was executed flawlessly in mid-air, as if rehearsed countless times. Through long hours of training in his dreamscape, Kawasaki was no longer the novice he once was. He swung the Kusanagi Sword in a wide arc. Nagato hadn't expected him to move so quickly. The Preta Path was sealed, and the Human Path was disarmed.
Kawasaki lunged forward, sword first.
Shinra Tensei!
As the wave of repulsive force washed over him, Kawasaki instantly recognized it as the Almighty Push and hastily activated his Susanoo. Even with his anticipation, the Susanoo had barely manifested when the force slammed into it. Kawasaki felt as if he'd been hit by a freight train, and he and his Susanoo were sent flying backward.
While hurtling through the air, Kawasaki dispelled his Susanoo, straightened his body, and quickly formed hand seals.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!
At the same time, the runes of the Four Symbols Seal crawled across the blade of his Kusanagi Sword. He was performing two actions at once. A massive fireball shot toward Pain. Pain leaped to the side, and the fireball grazed past him. But as the fireball flew by, the Kusanagi Sword shot out from within it, its blade covered in a sealing formula. It plunged straight into the face of the Naraka Path, which fell backward without a sound.
Nagato immediately lost his connection to the Naraka Path. Pain's expression hardened. This Kawasaki... he knew the Naraka Path's ability!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three massive summoning creatures appeared on the battlefield, while the Asura Path's missiles were already waiting at Kawasaki's projected landing spot. The sky lit up.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Asura Path's missiles detonated with thunderous explosions. From within the thick smoke, a skeletal Susanoo emerged, protecting Kawasaki completely. He quickly dispelled the Susanoo and threw several shuriken straight at the Deva Path.
Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Flames erupted from his mouth, instantly engulfing the shuriken. The burning projectiles scattered like celestial flowers, flying toward the Deva Path.
The Deva Path raised a hand.
Shinra Tensei!
A repulsive force sent all the shuriken flying away.
Just as Kawasaki was about to throw a kunai, a giant, multi-headed dog charged from the side, its jaws snapping at him. Kawasaki abandoned the idea of stabbing the dog with a kunai; the creature seemed to be capable of splitting. He raised his left hand. "Contract Seal: Release!" His palm, covered in a sealing formula, pressed against the dog's head.
Poof. The summoned beast vanished instantly.
A shrill cry echoed as a giant bird, a Yatagarasu, descended with intense wind pressure, its sharp beak like a drill aimed straight for Kawasaki. The moment it made contact—
Susanoo!
BANG!
The Susanoo manifested as a colossal skeleton, blocking the giant bird's attack. The Susanoo threw a punch, smashing the bird into the ground.
The Animal Path formed hand seals again. Another summoning! A giant centipede crawled forth. The "King of Summoning" certainly lived up to his name.
The Asura Path fired a second volley of missiles, which exploded against the Susanoo's ribcage. Inside, Kawasaki was unharmed and began forming new hand seals. The Asura Path's energy cannon was now pressed right against the Susanoo's frame, gathering power.
Kawasaki opened his mouth and yelled his technique!
Water Style: Water Severing Wave!
A blade-like jet of water shot out, slicing the Asura Path's arm and the nearby Animal Path's body clean in two. The Animal Path collapsed without a sound. The giant centipede, still charging, vanished into a puff of smoke.
Just as Kawasaki was about to finish off the nearby Asura Path, a powerful repulsive force struck him again!
Another Almighty Push!
But this time, Kawasaki decided to face it head-on.
With a tremendous roar, the Susanoo instantly transformed from a skeleton into a being of flesh and armor. The surging repulsive force crashed against the Susanoo like a wave against an unbreakable mountain. The Susanoo threw a mighty punch, and the Asura Path was completely obliterated, shattering into a pile of fragments.
Kawasaki dispelled his Susanoo and landed on his feet. On the battlefield, only the disarmed Human Path, the sealed Naraka Path, and the Deva Path remained.
Pain's expression was unreadable. With a clap of his hands, the Human Path collapsed, along with the sealed Naraka Path. When Nagato controlled only a single Path, his power was more focused and his chakra stronger, amplifying the might of his jutsu. Even with only the Deva Path left, he was still confident.
Kawasaki chuckled. "Getting serious now?"
Seeing Kawasaki and Nagato squared off, Konan couldn't help but intervene. "Stop! Don't fight anymore! This is a meaningless battle." When she had brought Kawasaki here, she had imagined many scenarios, but she had never anticipated that he would be so powerful as to effortlessly dispose of five of Nagato's Six Paths. If they continued to fight, regardless of the outcome, Nagato's lifespan would be drastically shortened.
Kawasaki shrugged nonchalantly. "Nagato, if you're willing to talk properly, I have no intention of fighting you either."
It was a clear demonstration that the strong held the right to speak. If Kawasaki hadn't been powerful enough, he would have likely been captured and had his memories extracted by now.
Pain's expression softened slightly, and his body relaxed. He had thought dealing with Kawasaki would be simple, after which he could examine his memories. He never expected Kawasaki to be so formidable. From the very start of the fight, Pain had sensed that Kawasaki's knowledge of his abilities was nearly perfect. Otherwise, he would not have eliminated the Naraka Path first.
Pain frowned slightly. "How do you know all this?"
"What I know is far beyond your imagination. The Rinnegan you're so proud of is nothing more than a tool in my eyes." Kawasaki was stating a fact, but his words ignited a fire of rage in Pain's heart. He had received these eyes as a gift from the heavens, a tool with which he believed he could bring peace to the world.
Noticing Pain's visible anger, Kawasaki added more fuel to the fire. "You treat the Rinnegan as a divine gift every day, but have you ever considered that its appearance in your body might have been a conspiracy from the very beginning?"