Yahiko hung in midair. As his final syllable fell, he spread both hands.
An invisible force erupted from him and raced outward in all directions.
"What in the world?" Jiraiya felt the oncoming power and could not help gaping. "What kind of jutsu is that?"
Fukasaku was no less shaken. Even with all their years, the three sages could not immediately name what they were seeing.
Vincent knew it too well. In the original timeline, Yahiko had used this very technique to toy with Kakashi and the others, then leveled the Hidden Leaf with its advanced form.
It was the Rinnegan's power, the Deva Path's signature tool.
"Names can wait. Run," Vincent barked, grabbing Jiraiya as they turned and sprinted.
Rumble.
Behind them the wave from Shinra Tensei rolled on. The nearest walls crumpled like wet tofu and atomized under that eerie pressure.
The force kept expanding, dogging their heels. "What a bizarre way to attack," Jiraiya said, voice tight. "First time I have seen anything like it."
"Agreed," Fukasaku said from Jiraiya's shoulder, brow furrowed. "Any ideas, Shima?"
Shima's eyes were flinty with doubt. Every Path they had met felt wrong. "Might be a unique ability. They share vision, but each body handles something different. The tall, thin one still has not shown his hand. And the one we mistook for Nagato opened with a city crusher. He may be hiding worse."
"Now that you say it," Fukasaku added, "the big one has only absorbed Little Jiraiya's chakra. He has barely struck back."
Vincent said nothing, head down as he ran. They had just reasoned out most of the truth, which pleased him. Fewer surprises.
At full speed they left the last battlefield far behind. The Deva Path's shockwave ran out of breath, slowing, then fading.
"Finally lost it." Jiraiya wiped his brow and looked back at the shredded district. "Put that into a crowd and it is no less than a nuke."
He glanced at Vincent. "Kid, did you catch what I said?"
"What?"
"Head back. Take this intel to Tsunade. Get the analysis moving." Jiraiya's face hardened. "They will act soon."
Vincent understood that tone. Jiraiya meant to die here. He shook his head. "No."
He had come to change that ending. He could have cleared the mission by staying in the Leaf.
"Listen. If Tsunade does not hear this first, when we die here the next step is a massacre in Konoha." Jiraiya's eyes dimmed, then firmed. "Go."
"You are overthinking it, Sensei." Vincent's gaze was steady. "First, what we saw is not everything. It might only be the tip of it."
Jiraiya exhaled and nodded.
"Second, we thought there was one of them. Then three. Now four. What if I leave, two more show up, and you are alone? I still would not have full intel. Tsunade could decide wrong and then…"
His voice tightened. The small grimace did not escape Jiraiya. It stirred something in the old master.
"Also," Vincent went on, "that devastation costs chakra. He cannot spam it. There will be a window."
His eyes did not waver.
"All right," Jiraiya said at last. The toads both chuckled.
"Did not expect Little Jiraiya to be talked down. I like you, youngster," Fukasaku said with a wink.
Shima gave Vincent an approving look. "When this is over, come to my place for dinner. You too, Little Jiraiya."
Jiraiya's face fell. He could still taste sauce-drenched wriggling bugs from the last time.
"Ha. Let us settle this first," he said, turning back.
Sure enough, the Deva Path led the chase, three bodies streaking in tight formation. "Going somewhere?" His right hand snapped forward. "Bansho Ten'in."
Vincent's body lurched. A crushing pull hooked him through the air toward the Deva Path's palm.
"Kid!" Jiraiya's hands flashed through seals. "Tongue Slash."
Fukasaku's tongue lashed out, chakra humming along its edge as it speared for the Deva Path's throat.
The Preta Path's bulk slid between them, a shimmering field blooming from his hands. The sage chakra bled away into nothing, and Fukasaku snapped his tongue back before it was drained dry.
"Sage Art, Needle Senbon." A forest of hair-thin spikes erupted from Jiraiya's mane. The Preta Path drank each strand of chakra and the needles clattered to the ground, harmless.
Vincent streaked helplessly toward the Deva Path.
"Die," the Deva Path said, a black receiver sliding from his palm, its tip cold and hungry as it speared for Vincent's chest.
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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