The rooftop of the Hokage Building was long gone, leaving behind nothing but a wasteland of exposed rebar and ruins.
Through the settling dust, the figure of the Deva Path appeared. Though he looked slightly disheveled, those purple Rinnegan eyes remained as cold as ever.
"Summoning Jutsu: Six Paths of Pain!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Several massive clouds of white smoke erupted. The Asura Path and Animal Path, which had been previously destroyed by Jiraiya, reappeared completely intact. Beside them, two more figures emerged—the tall Human Path with long hair draped over his shoulders, and the deathly-pale Preta Path.
Aside from the Naraka Path, who governed life and death and remained nowhere to be seen, five of the Six Paths of Pain were now gathered.
"Oh? You're finally willing to bring out the whole squad?"
Jiraiya wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, eyeing the five monsters who shared a linked field of vision through their Rinnegan.
"Nagato, it seems you've run out of tricks."
"Teacher, the fact that you've held out this long alone has exceeded my expectations," the Deva Path said coldly. All five Pains took up combat stances simultaneously.
"But without the assistance of those two toads, how much longer can your Sage Mode last? Feel pain before the presence of God."
Before he even finished speaking, the mechanical launcher on the Asura Path's back opened, firing several missiles that shrieked through the air with trails of flame. Simultaneously, the Animal Path summoned the splitting dog once more, which roared as it charged toward Jiraiya.
"Hmph, who says I'm helpless without the two Sages?"
Jiraiya clapped his hands together forcefully, his chest swelling as the massive amount of Sage Chakra within him transformed into a torrential blast of flames and wind.
"Sage Art: Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!"
Even without the oil and wind provided by the Two Great Sages, the Sage Art flames Jiraiya released alone were still incredibly powerful.
It was a qualitative change of fire infused with natural energy. The sea of flames instantly swallowed the missiles and the splitting dog, and the rolling heatwave forced even the distant five Kage to activate their defensive ninjutsu.
However, just as the sea of fire was about to engulf the various Paths of Pain, the stocky Preta Path suddenly rushed to the front.
He spread his arms, and a transparent barrier formed before him.
"Blocking Technique Absorption Seal."
The terrifying sea of Sage Art flames, powerful enough to incinerate half a city block, was completely absorbed by the Preta Path as if it were water flowing down a drain. Not a single spark remained.
'Can he absorb ninjutsu? What a troublesome ability.'
Jiraiya's brow furrowed slightly.
But in the next moment, the situation changed. After absorbing the Sage Art, the Preta Path's body began to be covered in stone, and he actually transformed into a stone frog statue!
Nagato realized something was wrong and quickly desummoned him.
When he reappeared a moment later, the Preta Path had been restored to normal.
Although the Pains worked in perfect harmony, Jiraiya understood that Sage Art wouldn't be so easily absorbed.
Without the Two Great Sages to help distract them, he had to be even more focused, especially since his opponent would not give him another chance to summon them.
Just then, the Human Path used a Body Flicker Technique to appear behind him like a ghost, his withered palm reaching directly for Jiraiya's soul.
"Behind you!"
Minato's warning had just left his mouth when Jiraiya acted as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
"Ninjutsu: Needle Jizo!"
His long white hair, as sharp as steel needles, suddenly exploded in length, forming a hard shield that blocked the Human Path's hand. Simultaneously, a heavy roundhouse kick forced the Deva Path back as he tried to launch a sneak attack.
The battle instantly entered a state of white-hot intensity.
It was one against five.
Furthermore, these were five top-tier experts with perfect coordination, complementary abilities, and shared vision.
Even in his Perfect Sage Mode, Jiraiya felt immense pressure.
Because he didn't have the Two Great Sages to help merge natural energy, the Sage Chakra in his body was being consumed rapidly. His originally full physical functions began to show a trace of fatigue, and the Sage markings on his face started to dim.
"It's over, Teacher," the Deva Path said, catching Jiraiya during a moment when he stopped to catch his breath. The cooldown for Shinra Tensei had just ended. "You should be proud of fighting God to this extent while running out of steam."
"Is that so?"
Jiraiya suddenly grinned, and his hands quickly wove a strange sign.
Poof!
Somewhere on Mount Myoboku, a shadow clone sitting cross-legged suddenly vanished into a cloud of white smoke.
In the next second, Jiraiya's body on the battlefield shuddered.
The eye markings that had nearly vanished flared with brilliant light. His depleted chakra refilled like a withered tree meeting spring, becoming even more violent than before!
The sheer force of his presence kicked up a shockwave across the ruins of the building!
"What?!"
A trace of shock finally appeared on the Deva Path's eternally frozen, icy face.
"Nagato! You still have a lot to learn!"
Jiraiya laughed heartily in his full-power state. He kicked off the ground, transforming into a blur as he charged toward the Preta Path. "Since you like absorbing things so much, I'll give you your fill!"
Jiraiya didn't use taijutsu to knock the Preta Path away. Instead, he proactively slammed his palm, which was condensed with high-concentration Sage Chakra, hard against the Preta Path's chest.
Nagato wanted to control the Preta Path to dodge, but it was too late. He could only continue to absorb.
"Blocking Technique Absorption Seal!"
The Preta Path absorbed the surging chakra.
"Foolish," the Deva Path said, watching coldly. "Even so, it is futile."
Crackle! Crackle!
In just an instant, the Preta Path turned into a stone frog statue once again.
"Break!"
Jiraiya threw a punch.
Boom!
The petrified Preta Path instantly shattered into a million pieces, turning into a pile of rubble on the ground.
Immediately after, Jiraiya used the momentum to bounce back, slamming a Massive Rasengan onto the head of the Human Path who was attempting to provide backup.
Having eliminated one of them, Jiraiya finally seized the opening!
Boom!
The Human Path's head exploded, and the headless corpse slumped to the ground.
The situation seemed to reverse in an instant.
"So strong..."
The Fourth Kazekage Rasa murmured as he watched Jiraiya's display of power. "Using a Sage Art backlash to destroy the absorption ability... Is this the combat wisdom of the Sannin?"
However, just as everyone thought the victor had been decided.
A bizarre scene unfolded.
The Human Path, who should have been dead, and the stone fragments of the Preta Path were summoned away again.
In a nearby forest, the phantom image of a massive King of Hell appeared for a split second. Its mouth opened, chewing the remains as if eating.
A moment later, when they reappeared on the battlefield, they were—completely unharmed!
The petrification of the Preta Path was gone, and the Human Path's head had grown back perfectly.
"They were revived?!"
Onoki rubbed his eyes, shouting in disbelief. "How is that possible? That fat one was literally broken into stones!"
Minato's voice rang out, his gaze piercing through the dust of the battlefield to lock onto a dark corner in the distance. "Nagato doesn't care if the Preta Path gets petrified. He still holds a trump card—the Naraka Path, who governs life, death, and resurrection."
"As long as the Naraka Path doesn't die, these Pains are an immortal legion. Even if they turn to stone, they can be repaired."
"That's so underhanded..."
Gamakon spat out a sunflower seed shell and shook his head. 'I'm afraid Jiraiya is going to lose.'
On the battlefield.
Jiraiya had clearly realized this as well.
He panted heavily, looking at the five monsters who seemed tireless and capable of returning from the dead. His expression grew grave.
Although he had shadow clones to replenish his chakra, there was a limit to that tactic.
And Nagato...
He was of the Uzumaki clan. Not even counting his lineage, he had three Tailed Beasts to replenish himself!
In a war of attrition, Jiraiya had already lost!
Nagato was willing to sacrifice the Preta Path to blunt Jiraiya's offensive, simply to drag the fight out until Jiraiya was exhausted.
"Teacher, you cannot win," the Deva Path said, floating in mid-air and looking down at Jiraiya. "No matter how many times you knock them down, God will make them stand up again. And your shadow clones... how many do you have left?"
"Once? Twice?"
Jiraiya gritted his teeth and remained silent.
It was true. To maintain this high-intensity combat, he only had one shadow clone left storing Sage Chakra.
If he couldn't find the hidden Naraka Path, he would lose this battle.
But before the fight started, he had insisted on not summoning the Two Great Sages because he wanted to wake Nagato up himself.
As it turned out, their strength was roughly equal. The only difference was their stamina.
"Universal Pull!"
The Deva Path attacked again.
This time, all five Pains launched an assault simultaneously, blocking all of Jiraiya's escape routes.
Black chakra rods fell like a rainstorm.
"Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon!"
Jiraiya fought back desperately, but he was fighting alone. Two hands couldn't fight four, let alone five, and he didn't have the Great Toad Sages on his shoulders to cover his blind spots.
Psh!
A black rod pierced Jiraiya's left shoulder.
Then his right leg, his abdomen...
The flow of his chakra was instantly disrupted.
Jiraiya fell to one knee, blood staining the ruins beneath him.
He tried to weave signs, but his body wouldn't obey because of the interference from the black rods.
"It's over."
The Deva Path landed slowly, holding a sharp black rod pointed at Jiraiya's throat.
"Teacher, you lose."
The victor had been decided.
The faces of the five Kage became incredibly grim.
To be able to defeat someone as powerful as Jiraiya—the leader of the Akatsuki was strong beyond common sense.
"Enough."
A cold voice rang out abruptly.
The Deva Path's movement stopped instinctively in mid-air.
Kaguya Otsutsuki.
She was still standing next to Minato, having not moved an inch.
But those pure white eyes were now looking coldly at Pain.
That kind of look was like watching a husky in the middle of tearing its house apart.
"I have grown weary of this mortal farce."
Kaguya slowly raised her hand, her palm aimed at Pain.
Buzz!
The air instantly froze.
Nagato's real body felt an unprecedented, terrifying chill envelop him.
It was absolute suppression from the very level of existence, as if that woman could turn his prideful Six Paths of Pain into dust with a mere flick of her finger.
Even if he possessed a portion of the Tailed Beasts' chakra, even if he called himself a god...
Before that woman, he felt like an ant.
'Is this... the power of the Otsutsuki?'
Nagato's hands were trembling.
He had originally intended to test the depths of this so-called "Kaguya Otsutsuki" after defeating Jiraiya.
But now, just from a single look, he understood a cruel fact.
He couldn't win. He absolutely could not win.
Unless his real body was there and he fully mastered the power of the other Tailed Beasts, there might be a slim chance.
Against this woman, puppets made from corpses weren't even considered fodder.
"Tch..."
Nagato gritted his teeth and reluctantly retracted the black rod.
He glanced at Jiraiya, who was heavily injured but not in mortal danger, then at Minato and the unfathomable Kaguya in the distance.
"We shall end this for today."
The Deva Path slowly retreated, his body beginning to ascend. "Konoha... and the five Kage, you have indeed given God a surprise."
"But do not think this is the end."
Pain's gaze swept over everyone, finally resting on Kaguya for a long moment. "The world will eventually know true pain."
"You think you're leaving?" Raikage A roared, preparing to give chase.
"Don't chase them."
Minato stopped him and shook his head. "That is only Pain, not the real body."
The crowd could only watch as the Six Paths of Pain turned into black shadows and disappeared into the overcast sky.
The rain finally stopped.
But the gloom hanging over everyone's hearts was heavier than before.
...
In Amegakure, atop the high tower.
Nagato suddenly opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Although he relied on the Tailed Beast chakra to recover his body, the high-intensity control of the Six Paths of Pain—especially against a berserk Sage Jiraiya—had taken a massive toll on his mental energy.
Coupled with the pressure from that white-haired woman named Kaguya at the end, his condition was not ideal.
"Nagato!" Konan supported him anxiously. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine..."
Nagato wiped the blood from his mouth, but his gaze had become exceptionally lost.
He slowly raised his hand and touched his eye sockets.
There, those purple Rinnegan still radiated powerful visual prowess.
But in that moment when he looked at Kaguya.
He clearly felt that these eyes... were afraid.
No, it wasn't that he was afraid.
It was that the eyes themselves were producing an instinctive tremor, like a subordinate facing a superior, when confronted by Kaguya Otsutsuki.
At that moment, he even felt that the eyes wanted to break free from his control and submit to that woman.
"Konan..."
Nagato's voice was hoarse, carrying an unprecedented sense of self-doubt.
'Do these eyes... really belong to me?'
'Why did I feel like... this power didn't belong to me in front of that woman?'
Konan was stunned.
She had never seen Nagato look so fragile.
Nagato recalled Black Zetsu's words as he left, and the toad's claim that the Rinnegan belonged to Madara Uchiha.
Once the seed of doubt was planted, it began to sprout wildly in his heart.