Pain's long-held beliefs were not so easily shaken by a few words. But having endured for years after Yahiko was killed by Hanzo, he clearly did not lack intelligence. Kawasaki's statement had to have a deeper meaning.
Kawasaki understood Nagato's reaction. If a few sentences were enough to shatter his faith, Nagato would never have been able to persevere toward his goal for so long.
"Are we done fighting?" Kawasaki asked casually.
Dealing with several of Pain's bodies seemed to have cost him little effort. After all, he knew the abilities of the Six Paths like the back of his hand. Furthermore, he possessed the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and the constitution of the Uzumaki clan, which was far beyond what Nagato's frail, ailing body could ever hope to match.
He had already demonstrated overwhelming strength and possessed complete knowledge of Nagato's secrets. In contrast, while the Deva Path appeared calm on the surface, Nagato's main body had consumed a great deal of chakra, and he still had to maintain the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Using the Rinnegan without it being his own eyes was taxing; with insufficient chakra, he had to pay with his life force to cast jutsu.
Seeing Kawasaki's relaxed demeanor, Pain felt a growing unease. Kawasaki's question made him feel like he was losing face, and the atmosphere instantly froze. At that moment, Konan, who had been observing from the sidelines, quickly stepped forward to mediate.
"Since you anticipated our arrival, Mr. Kawasaki, there's no point in continuing this fight."
Kawasaki nodded in agreement. Obito was a madman bent on world destruction, while Nagato was a warmonger, but their ultimate goals were different. One sought annihilation, the other, salvation. For now, he still needed Obito to advance the plot, and to some extent, Kawasaki agreed with parts of Nagato's philosophy.
Kawasaki glanced at Konan but didn't respond, instead walking over to a pile of sand on the ground.
"My sand cushion!" Kawasaki was on the verge of tears. In the heat of battle with Nagato, he had completely forgotten about it. Naturally, he hadn't maintained the chakra needed to sustain it, and now it had collapsed into a shapeless mound.
I didn't even get to fly today.
Konan stood awkwardly to the side. This Kawasaki fellow was so strange. Couldn't he just make another one?
Kawasaki sighed. Fine, what was lost was lost. He turned to see Konan and Pain still waiting. He pursed his lips. "Let's talk."
After receiving a nod from Konan, Kawasaki ignored Pain. He walked over to the Naraka Path and drew his Kusanagi Sword. Suddenly, Nagato's main body could sense the Naraka Path again. Pain's expression changed; it seemed Kawasaki had been prepared to seal the Naraka Path all along. He didn't know how many trump cards Kawasaki held, but he had no intention of using the Naraka Path's revival ability.
Seeing the Naraka Path remain motionless, Kawasaki asked curiously, "What's wrong? Aren't you going to use it to revive them?"
Pain's face stiffened. Kawasaki knew, just as he'd expected.
Nagato reconnected with the Naraka Path, which rose and performed the revival jutsu. The image of the King of Hell materialized behind it, its massive mouth gaping open. A long, purple tongue with hands shot out, swallowing all the broken bodies nearby. A moment later, fully repaired figures walked out one by one.
Kawasaki clicked his tongue in amazement, watching with great interest. He took a sealing scroll from his person. With a puff of smoke, Kawasaki produced a set of familiar items. A parasol, a table, chairs, a large water pitcher, and cups.
Kawasaki sat down leisurely. Konan and Pain walked over, while the other five Paths stood guard in the surroundings. There were only two chairs and two cups. Since Pain didn't need to eat or rest, he could just stand.
Konan seemed to understand Kawasaki's thoughts and sat down without objection. Pain stood behind her.
Kawasaki poured two glasses of iced tea, took a satisfying sip from his own, and sighed contentedly. The Land of Rice Fields was still sweltering, and the battle had left him thirsty.
Seeing Konan and Yahiko's vessel staring at him, Kawasaki said calmly, "How can we talk if you don't even drink tea?"
Before Pain could speak, Konan had already picked up her cup and drained it.
"Konan?" Pain questioned.
Konan shook her head. "It's fine, Nagato. Mr. Kawasaki treated me to iced tea before."
Kawasaki nodded. "Now this is more like it. So, where should I begin..."
"What do you know of Nagato's abilities, Mr. Kawasaki?"
Kawasaki began counting on his fingers. "The Six Paths have mechanical modification, memory reading, soul extraction, limitless summoning, absorption sealing, chakra devouring, the King of Hell's restoration, the Samsara of Heavenly Life..."
Konan and Pain were visibly shocked. "You know that much?"
Kawasaki shook his head. "There's more. The Deva Path's Universal Pull and Almighty Push. By the way, have you learned Planetary Devastation yet?"
Pain was deeply shaken. He had never used Planetary Devastation in front of anyone; not even Konan knew about it. How could Kawasaki possibly know?
Pain couldn't maintain his composure. "You even know about Planetary Devastation."
Kawasaki chuckled. "I also know your Almighty Push has a five-second cooldown."
Seeing their expressions change drastically, Kawasaki waved his hand dismissively. "The Rinnegan has even more undeveloped abilities, you know."
Hearing this, Pain's shock had yet to fade, but a new spark of curiosity ignited within him. "What else is the Rinnegan capable of?"
Kawasaki rubbed his chin, recalling the incredible techniques Madara had once used. "Hmm, there's one called Tengai Shinsei. It can pull meteors down from the heavens to smash things. There's also Limbo: Border Jail, which lets you create 'shadows' of yourself to block attacks or launch sneak attacks."
Pain frowned in deep thought. His mastery of the Rinnegan was far from what it would become in the future, and he could grasp nothing of what was being described. He couldn't tell if Kawasaki was telling the truth or lying. He could only press on. "How do you know all of this?"
Kawasaki offered another explanation. "The Rinnegan first appeared in our Uchiha clan. As the vice-patriarch, it's only natural that I'm privy to such knowledge."
"Impossible!" Pain retorted without a second thought. The Uchiha clan was one of the most prominent families in the ninja world. If they had a user of the Rinnegan, how could there be no news of it?
Kawasaki grinned. "I know you don't believe me. I'm not in a hurry. I'll just tell you the story from the beginning. There was once a clan known as the Otsutsuki..."
...
Konoha Village.
Uchiha Snack Street.
The entrance gate had been replaced with an electronic system. Everyone had to swipe a card to pass. Ninja Academy students could show their student IDs for a twenty percent discount. Tour buses constantly dropped off and picked up passengers, many of whom were academy students.
Beep... Student ID.
Beep... Student ID.
Naruto and Sasuke entered the food street together. Not far behind them, several plainly dressed Anbu followed discreetly. They had no choice; sneaking into the Uchiha Snack Street was forbidden, and they couldn't exactly wear their standard Anbu uniforms. So, they changed into civilian clothes.
Beep...
A continuous series of beeps allowed people to enter in an orderly fashion. As they passed through the massive archway, a row of neat and tidy restaurants came into view. Newcomers would surely be dazzled by the variety of neon signs. Fortunately, guideposts were placed at regular intervals along the road, pointing the way to different culinary delights.
At this moment, Naruto and Sasuke were waiting in line at a stinky tofu stall. It was one of the most popular snacks available.
Naruto and Sasuke were now eleven, just a year away from graduating from the Ninja Academy. Naruto was still cheerful, but because he carried a secret, he was no longer as reckless with his words as before. His long golden hair fell to his shoulders, already showing a faint resemblance to Minato Namikaze.
Sasuke's face had become more defined. Having never experienced the Uchiha clan massacre, he lacked that heavy aura, carrying only the typical pride of a clan heir.
Naruto had gradually come to realize that he was being watched at all times. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to the presence of the Anbu, even though the members rotated. However, whenever he visited the snack street, the same group always entered with him. Slowly, he began to recognize them.
Naruto had been training exceptionally hard these past few years, wanting to achieve good results before Kawasaki returned. Every day, he would find Sasuke to practice his Clone Jutsu until nightfall. When the clones dispersed and their experiences returned to him, he would always fall into an exhausted sleep. Now, he could skillfully use the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu and the A-rank ninjutsu, Rasengan.
Sasuke had awakened his Sharingan over a year ago, and his abilities had improved by leaps and bounds. Not long ago, he had even learned the A-rank ninjutsu, Chidori. The two of them were already the top two students in their year at the academy, but neither had revealed that they had mastered such high-level jutsu. Even so, they had far surpassed the third and fourth-ranked students. Their only real weakness was a lack of practical combat experience.
Thanks to the unique nature of his Clone Jutsu, Naruto's progress was incredibly fast. He now felt confident that he could beat Sasuke. However, the last time he had won, Sasuke had become like a different person, training himself with a manic intensity, even skipping meals. Naruto was startled by Sasuke's frenzy. In their spars since then, Naruto always secretly held back, a fact Sasuke remained oblivious to.
Just yesterday, in their latest match, Sasuke had once again secured a "narrow victory." Today was a day off, so the two had come to the snack street to relax.
After waiting for a short while, they finally got their desired stinky tofu.
"Sasuke, when do you think Mr. Kawasaki will be back? Nom..." Naruto mumbled as he speared a piece of black, crispy tofu coated in red chili oil and cilantro and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Who knows? Mr. Kawasaki has been gone for years. He promised he'd be back before we graduate."
"We've only got a year left, so it should be soon," Sasuke replied, using his fork to break a piece of tofu apart and dip it into the sauce.
The two walked and ate, the fragrant aroma of the stinky tofu wafting from their hands. Among the Anbu behind them, two who were intrigued by the smell walked closer, while the other two, unable to stand it, hung back. Their guard wasn't particularly high. After all, Naruto had become more sensible over the years, no longer causing trouble at the academy. He didn't run off anymore or stir up trouble. He spent most of his time with Sasuke, which made their surveillance job much easier.
But they didn't know that in a nearby flowerbed, a figure was blending in with the greenery, its eyes locked on them...
...
In the forest at the edge of the Uchiha territory.
Space twisted, and a swirling vortex opened. Obito, wearing his spiral mask, appeared.
"Interesting. Is this the new Uchiha territory?"
Just as Obito stepped out of the portal, he felt a wave of chakra sweep over his body. "A barrier similar to Konoha's?"
Obito was proudly waving at a squad approaching from the front, wondering if there were any three-tomoe users among them. He failed to notice a ninja cat perched on a tree branch far behind him, observing him intently. After mentally cataloging everything from Obito's attire to his mask, the cat immediately leaped from the tree.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Three massive fireworks exploded behind Obito. The bursts bloomed into a fiery red, and with all three igniting at once, the sky looked as if it were covered by a vast crimson cloud.
Obito looked up in surprise. "Are the Uchiha always this vigilant?"
After setting off the fireworks, the ninja cat vanished with a puff of smoke. Obito sensed the fluctuation and whipped his head around. He could feel the residual chakra from a Summoning Jutsu, but the space was already empty.
Wave after wave of chakra swept over Obito's body.
Obito chuckled lightly. "They're really giving me a grand welcome."
Just as Obito was about to retreat into his Kamui dimension, a white light spread out from the Uchiha territory, instantly enveloping the clan's borders. Obito was caught within it.
Obito's expression changed!
A Temporal Seal Barrier!
How did the Uchiha have a Temporal Seal Barrier?!
It was a large-scale sealing formation capable of completely blocking spatial-teleportation techniques. Obito had long studied methods to counter Kamui. The most famous was the Temporal Seal Barrier, but very few people could still use it. Moreover, the barrier had a major weakness: it couldn't be maintained for long.
Obito tried to open his Kamui dimension. The vortex in mid-air twisted twice before dissipating. Dark sealing formulas snaked across the ground from a distance, and Obito completely lost his connection to Kamui. It seemed his opponents were well-prepared. The last intelligence leak had certainly been more damaging than he thought.
Obito's face darkened. He had fallen into a trap again. With such a large area of effect, the barrier probably wouldn't last more than five minutes. While lamenting the Uchiha's immense resources, Obito began to move sideways. As long as he could stall for time, he could escape.
But the barrier's senses continuously swept over his body. No matter where he ran, he would be detected. Obito gave up on running. His expression was grim. Even without Kamui, you can't kill me. Once the Temporal Seal Barrier dissipates, I can leave whenever I want.
...
Konoha Village, within the Uchiha territory.
The advancing Uchiha team of Kenji, Iori, and Daichi saw the signal flare and immediately stopped, reversing course to retreat rapidly. In a secret room within the Uchiha territory, two clan members received the information the moment the signal flare went up. One of them pressed a hand on a device before them.
A white light flared, and a Kagura Suzu floated into the air. The other Uchiha member quickly infused it with chakra, and the white light instantly expanded outward. A continuous series of warning flares shot into the sky, painting the entire Uchiha territory in red.
The territory was not far from the newly developed snack street, and everyone on the street could see the fireworks exploding in the sky. Many didn't understand what it meant, but a sense of unease began to creep into their hearts.
Two elite Uchiha Jonin dropped what they were doing and immediately rushed back to the clan compound. All the Uchiha shop owners' expressions changed, but they were well-trained. If it was the signal for Threat Level Three, clan members without a three-tomoe Sharingan were forbidden from returning to provide support. They could not cause a panic, as that would put ordinary civilians in danger. They simply announced that an enemy had appeared within the clan grounds and that their shops would be closing temporarily, then began to guide the villagers to evacuate in an orderly manner.
The villagers were confused, but the continuous signal flares from the Uchiha territory seemed to indicate that something serious was happening. As citizens of Konoha, they all had a certain level of crisis awareness and began to evacuate the snack street in an orderly fashion.
The moment Sasuke saw the signal flare, he shot to his feet. "Something's happened! Naruto, let's go!" Sasuke immediately started running toward the main village. Fugaku had once told him that if such fireworks appeared over the clan, he was absolutely not to return. If Naruto was with him, he had to get Naruto away. The invader was almost certainly after Naruto. Returning to the clan would only make them easy targets for capture or to be used as hostages. The biggest lesson Sasuke had learned over the years was to never put on a brave face when he was outmatched. He had been taught that lesson many times.
Naruto's heart tightened when the fireworks went up. He knew it was an Uchiha warning signal, but he didn't know its specific meaning. He had no choice but to follow Sasuke toward Konoha.
The Anbu behind them quickly surrounded Naruto. Sasuke and Naruto glanced at them, and the leader immediately explained, "Naruto, Sasuke, don't be afraid. We were sent by the Third Hokage to protect you."
...
The moment he saw the fireworks, Fugaku stood up and rushed out the door, heading straight for the location where the flare had been launched. He soon ran into the retreating team of Kenji and the others. At that moment, the wave of white light swept over them and continued to expand outward.
Upon seeing Fugaku, Kenji shouted, "Patriarch, the enemy has been confirmed as Threat Level Three. His attire is a perfect match. He appeared suddenly within the territory, consistent with a space-time ninjutsu user."
Fugaku moved past Kenji's team. "Execute Protocol Three. Kenji, go confirm Sasuke and Naruto's location, then assemble the medical team. Iori, head to the summoning platform. When the barrier's time is up, act on my signal! Daichi, gather the clan members as planned and then join us."
"Yes, sir!" the three responded in unison and immediately split off to carry out their orders.
Fugaku's Mangekyo Sharingan was already active as he sprinted toward the outer edge of the territory.
"His position is now stationary."
Fugaku moved through the trees and saw, in the distance, a figure wearing an Akatsuki cloak and a spiral mask!
Obito