"Needless to say, these means must have been left behind by Ayanami Kaito!"
"Nagato! You already know what happened to Konoha!" Konan's voice carried urgency as she flew into the dark chamber.
"I know," Nagato replied calmly, his thin face unreadable. "It seems we walked straight into Konoha's trap. They predicted our movements."
"Then we should leave! On my way back, I saw Konoha shinobi searching the area. Jiraiya-sensei was leading them!"
"Damn it!" Nagato growled, his tone edged with frustration. "I underestimated Ayanami Kaito."
A vision suddenly flashed across his mind, the memories of the Deva Path. Images of Kushina, Tsunade, and Ino shrouded in Nine-Tails chakra, and the fierce battles where Konoha's jōnin struck back before the Deva Path finally fell.
"What's wrong? I can see your expression has changed," Konan pressed.
"The Deva Path was defeated," Nagato admitted in a low voice. "The Fifth Hokage herself entered the battle, and… there was a woman who wielded the Nine-Tails' power."
Konan's brows furrowed. "Nine-Tails mode? A woman? But wasn't the Nine-Tails sealed inside Naruto Uzumaki? How could there be another?"
"No time to dwell on it now. We have to move before Konoha's search team arrives," Nagato said coldly, his senses sweeping the forest around them.
Konan gave a sharp nod. Her hands moved gracefully, and the massive tree they stood beneath dissolved into countless paper fragments that scattered into the night. Light returned to the clearing, exposing Nagato's frail frame bound with chakra rods.
Blinking against the sudden brightness, Nagato squinted. His body was painfully weak, yet his gaze remained unyielding.
Konan's form unraveled into sheets of paper that bound tightly around him. With a powerful sweep of her wings, she carried them both into the sky.
By the time Jiraiya and his team reached the clearing, only the eerie remnants of Nagato's presence lingered.
"So… they slipped away," Jiraiya murmured, relief softening his features. Deep down, he was glad. He had no wish to battle the students he once guided.
High in the skies, Konan's paper wings spread wide as she carried Nagato swiftly toward the hidden village of rain. The assault on Konoha had ended in complete failure. They had underestimated Konoha's readiness, and the Six Paths puppets they had painstakingly prepared were destroyed.
Nagato's thoughts grew heavy. Two defeats in quick succession—was his strength truly this lacking?
Suddenly, Konan froze mid-flight. Her eyes sharpened with alarm. "Nagato, be careful!" she whispered.
Wrapped tightly in paper, Nagato could not see, but his senses flared. A powerful chakra presence stood ahead, waiting for them.
"This chakra…!" His eyes widened. "It's him. Ayanami Kaito."
Nagato exhaled bitterly. "Konan, let me down. You're not his match."
Reluctantly, she obeyed. The paper bindings released, and Nagato's gaunt body floated on its own, suspended by his Rinnegan. Black receivers jutted from his back, his form both frail and fearsome.
Across from him stood Kaito, calm and unmoving. A faint smile played across his lips. "You've just returned from Konoha, haven't you? I assume your attack failed?"
Kaito's eyes glimmered with quiet certainty. After leaving the Moon's hollow, he had rushed back across Earth. His speed had carried him straight into the Land of Fire, where he had crossed paths with Jiraiya's squad before sensing Nagato and Konan's retreat.
The last time they met, Uchiha Obito's interference had spared Nagato and Konan. But now, Kaito's mastery of the Eight Gates had elevated his strength to another level entirely. Even if Obito appeared here again, Kaito was confident he could strike him down.
"You anticipated that we would strike Konoha the moment you left," Nagato said, his voice cold and accusatory.
"There's nothing to anticipate," Kaito replied evenly. "As long as I remain in Konoha, you can't touch the Nine-Tails. Without it, your plan is impossible. The only chance you had was if I left. That's why you attacked."
Nagato's face darkened. His plan, laid bare so effortlessly, seemed almost childish in hindsight.
"Konan," Nagato said harshly, never looking away from Kaito, "when the battle begins, leave. Do not stay here. You'll only be in the way."
Konan hesitated, then nodded. She understood her limitations. Yet what she didn't know was that Nagato's words carried another truth—he didn't want her dying beside him.
Deep within, an instinct screamed at him: Run. If you stay, you will die. His power is beyond you.
"Shinra Tensei!" Nagato roared.
A massive wave of repulsive force exploded outward. The air twisted, clouds scattered violently, and the very sky seemed to shatter beneath the overwhelming pressure.
Yet within the storm stood Kaito. His expression remained calm, his body unmoving, like a stone unmoved by crashing waves.
"Too weak," he muttered, his brows drawing together. Compared to the repulsion of an Ōtsutsuki, Nagato's power was laughable.
He stepped forward, undeterred, walking through the crushing force as if it were nothing.
Konan had already taken flight, disappearing far into the distance. Kaito paid her no mind. His focus was locked solely on Nagato—and the Rinnegan glowing in his eyes.
Kaito's mind drifted briefly to his experiments. Ever since imbuing the Tenseigan's energy into his spirit body, he had wondered what would happen if he fused the Rinnegan's power as well. That thought alone spurred his resolve.
Nagato's breath grew ragged. His skeletal frame trembled as he forced himself to retreat, widening the gap between himself and Kaito. His body floated higher, upheld by sheer will and ocular might.
But even as he rose, Nagato felt the dread solidify in his chest. This man—this monster—was on a level he could no longer hope to reach.
_____
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