"Ahhh—!"
The boy named Sora screamed as he was pulled toward the open jaws of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Every member of the Akatsuki turned their gaze toward him, ignoring his terrified cries. All they awaited was the moment the statue devoured him—so the Ten Tails could be revived.
But just as Sora was about to be swallowed, another force suddenly seized hold of him.
His body twisted unnaturally, torn away from the statue's mouth and hurled toward the corner of the base.
"Who's there?!"
The four Akatsuki members shouted in shock.
Reviving the Ten Tails had been within their grasp—yet an unforeseen change had snatched it away.
They turned to the shadows, where five figures emerged: Uchiha Fugaku, White Zetsu Clone One, White Zetsu Clone Two, Hatake Kakashi, and Jiraiya.
Fugaku already knew that the Nine-Tails' chakra alone could be used to resurrect the Ten Tails. So when he saw Nagato trying to throw a familiar boy into the statue's mouth, he acted without hesitation.
"Uchiha Fugaku! How did you find this place?!"
Nagato's face twisted in fury. He had never imagined Fugaku would locate their base—let alone appear at the very moment that could interrupt the Ten Tails' revival.
But Fugaku ignored him entirely. Tossing Sora to the second White Zetsu clone, he commanded coldly:
"Take the boy away!"
The clone caught Sora and immediately used the Mayfly Technique, melting into the surrounding rock with the boy in tow.
Earlier, they had bypassed the surveillance of White Zetsu by traveling underground. Now they had suddenly surfaced in the very heart of the Akatsuki's base.
"Leave him!"
Nagato roared, unleashing Universal Pull. A powerful gravitational force shot toward Sora, trying to drag him back.
"Gravitational force…"
But Fugaku, empowered by the Tenseigan, could wield gravity and repulsion himself. Moments ago, it was his pull that saved Sora.
Now, seeing Nagato try the same, he ripped a massive boulder from the cavern wall and hurled it at him.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Nagato switched techniques, blasting the rock apart with repulsive force. But the move disrupted his attempt to recapture Sora.
Shhh—shhh—shhh!
Obito, Konan, and Zetsu all lunged forward, aiming to reclaim the boy.
The first White Zetsu clone, Kakashi, and Jiraiya intercepted them, while the second clone used the chance to flee deeper underground with Sora.
"Bring him back, Tobi!"
Zetsu barked the order, sending forth a unique White Zetsu—one with a spiraling pattern on its body. Stronger than the rest, it slipped into the stone in pursuit.
This was Spiral Zetsu, the sole mutant among them, vastly stronger than normal clones.
"You all, go too!"
Still uneasy, Zetsu commanded the other White Zetsu clones to follow.
Countless bodies surged forward—not strong, but enough to aid Spiral Zetsu in the chase.
"You… you can use Universal Pull too?!"
Nagato's eyes widened. That was his signature ability, unique to the Rinnegan.
He had already suspected it when Fugaku saved Sora earlier—but now it was undeniable.
"Controlling gravity isn't a Rinnegan exclusive," Fugaku said coldly, his azure eyes gleaming with murderous intent. "Nagato… today will be your death."
In the past, during the search for the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, Nagato had slipped away. But now Fugaku had cornered him at last. This time, there would be no escape.
"Arrogant fool!"
Nagato spat. He admitted Fugaku was strong, but to claim he could kill him was madness.
"Shinra Tensei!"
"—Tenseigan Chakra Mode."
Fugaku's body erupted in a green aura. Nine Truth-Seeking Orbs floated behind him, three forming a protective shield around his body.
Nagato's devastating repulsion crashed against it—only to dissolve into nothing, like wind against glass.
"What?!"
Nagato's pupils shrank. An attack strong enough to obliterate half a village—neutralized instantly.
How could Fugaku have grown so strong, so fast?
Without waiting for an answer, Fugaku countered. Six of his orbs streaked forward as glowing emerald missiles.
Nagato raised barrier after barrier of repulsion—but the Truth-Seeking Orbs tore through them like paper.
Panic surged through him.
In desperation, he commanded the Demonic Statue to shield him.
Boom!
The six orbs smashed into the giant husk of the Ten Tails, carving deep, grotesque wounds into its body and sending it crashing backward—straight into Nagato.
The impact hurled both of them out of the cavern wall, blood spilling from Nagato's lips as the shockwave tore through him.
"Truth-Seeking Orbs…"
The Akatsuki members froze. Nagato—supposedly his equal—had been crushed in their first exchange.
Obito and Konan were stunned. What power was this?
Zetsu, however, knew.
That power should have belonged only to the jinchūriki of the Ten Tails. Yet here stood Uchiha Fugaku—wielding it before the Ten Tails was even revived.
It was unthinkable.
Hovering in the air, Fugaku recalled his orbs and advanced, eyes locked on Nagato.
"This power… what are you?!"
Nagato's voice trembled.
"The Truth-Seeking Orbs," Fugaku replied coldly. "A power you can't hope to comprehend."
With that, the nine orbs streaked down like meteors.
Nagato unleashed sealing chains from the statue's mouth—chains strong enough to bind tailed beasts.
But under the crushing might of the orbs, even those chains shattered.
One orb pierced through, striking Nagato. He twisted just enough to avoid instant death, but his torso was ripped open, blood pouring freely.
Even wounded, he roared:
"Tailed Beast Bomb!"
The Demonic Statue opened its maw, unleashing a colossal sphere of destructive energy—greater even than the Nine-Tails' might.
The hundred-meter-wide Tailed Beast Bomb roared skyward, aiming straight for Fugaku.
Fugaku narrowed his eyes. Even he felt the threat.
Behind him, his nine orbs fused into a single enormous spear of green light, tens of meters long.
With a thunderous crash, the spear pierced the Tailed Beast Bomb, shattering it into nothing—before driving forward, straight through the statue's arms and Nagato's lower body.
His legs vanished in an instant.