The support abilities allowed Nagato to operate with even greater ease during the battle.
Did this bastard hold back last time? Jiraiya thought. Even though he had been on guard, the sheer force of the impact left his body aching, his bones feeling as if they were about to rattle apart.
However, he gritted his teeth, forced himself upright, and roared, "Execute the backup plan!"
Though he didn't understand how Yahiko now possessed Nagato's Rinnegan, he couldn't ignore such blatant hostility. Seeing his student stray so far down a dark path, he, as their teacher, could not stand idly by.
Following Jiraiya's command, the Leaf shinobi rapidly shifted into formation. Two squads simultaneously wove signs. Fire Style: Great Fireball merged with Wind Style: Great Breakthrough. The wind fanned the flames, creating a searing sea of fire that surged toward Nagato. Simultaneously, multiple Earth Style: Mud Walls erupted before them, forming a tiered defense.
From the flanks, kunai, shuriken, and various elemental jutsu rained down upon Nagato, cutting off every possible angle of escape.
"Almighty Push!"
The massive repulsive force erupted once more, obliterating and reflecting everything in its path.
As the shockwave subsided, three Leaf shinobi charged. They channeled chakra into their feet, anchoring themselves to the ground to resist the wind. The moment the blast faded, they lunged. An Inuzuka unleashed Fang Over Fang, while another Jonin utilized the Dance of the Crescent Moon, blurring into three spinning shadows that led the charge.
Nagato's Almighty Push wasn't infinite; it had a cooling-off period. In that window, he raised his hand toward the ground. "Universal Pull!" The terrifying gravitational force ripped a massive boulder from the earth, interposing it between him and the attackers.
The observing Leaf ninjas narrowed their eyes, confirming the existence of a time interval between his defensive blasts. Otherwise, facing a pincer attack, Nagato wouldn't have needed such a clumsy way to block the Inuzuka's assault.
The Fang Over Fang slammed into the boulder, and the sudden obstacle slowed the Dance of the Crescent Moon. Nagato leapt high into the air, evading the Inuzuka. The other two ninjas seized the chance, following him into the sky to strike.
They had underestimated the Deva Path. Nagato flicked his wrists, and several black receivers shot out like lightning. The ninjas swung their weapons, the clink-clank of metal on metal ringing out as they parried the rods.
But as they landed, they saw Nagato's hand raised again. "Almighty Push!"
At point-blank range, the repulsive force hit like a sledgehammer. Three ninjas were slammed into the earth. In an instant, two were reduced to a bloody mist, their bodies pulverized. Nagato condensed more black rods and hurled them toward the distance. Gekko and his partner didn't even have time to react; they were skewered through the abdomen just as they stood up.
In the distance, White Zetsu and Obito watched from the shadows. Obito emerged from the Kamui dimension, leaning against a tree, while Black Zetsu rose from the trunk.
"Tch. Nagato's proficiency with the Rinnegan is growing fast. It hasn't been long since he summoned the Gedo Mazo, yet he's already using the Deva Path with such finesse," Black Zetsu marveled. "With the Zetsu clones helping, it looks like this Leaf contingent won't be able to take him. They might even lose a significant portion of their force, weakening the Leaf's military might."
"This is without him even being fully prepared. The Rinnegan of the Sage of Six Paths is truly terrifying," Obito noted. He had taught Nagato the Six Paths techniques and Yin-Yang Release after being instructed by Madara. Nagato was now figuring out the shared vision and specialized abilities of the paths, including the Asura Path's mechanical weaponry.
"If our own bodies weren't such a mess, a master of the Rinnegan could probably crush the ninjas of the Five Nations combined. Every ability is a nightmare to deal with," Obito mused.
"But the Leaf ninjas are probing him," Zetsu noted. "They've practically mapped out the Deva Path's limits. Is that okay?"
"Let him fight. As long as he doesn't die, he remains our tool. The core is his main body, not these puppets. If a body is lost, he can just make another," Obito said indifferently. "The more the Leaf wounds him, the more he will rely on us. Besides, he needs the combat experience."
Nagato knew the Six Paths techniques now, though he likely hadn't mastered Gedo: Rinne Rebirth yet. But as long as he had the eyes, Black Zetsu could use the seals in Nagato's body to seize control if he failed, forcing the revival of Uchiha Madara.
Meanwhile, in Konoha.
"Yo, Lord Danzo. You finally decided to grace the village with your presence," Hiruko remarked at the main gate. He looked at Danzo with a touch of mock pity. He was surprised the old fox had survived a thrashing from Nagato.
Looking at Danzo's wretched state, it was clear he had burned through several Sharingan on his arm. Since the Uchiha hadn't been massacred yet, Danzo's "stock" was limited. Escaping Nagato was a miracle, likely bought with the lives of every ninja accompanying him.
Hiruko waved a hand. The Root ninjas behind him, now loyal to the new administration, moved forward to surround Danzo's twenty-odd survivors.
"What is the meaning of this?" a Sarutobi clan ninja snapped. "We are Konoha shinobi! How dare you move against us!"
"Heh. Leaving the village without orders and provoking a major international disaster... and now you dare resist?" Hiruko didn't mince words. "Anyone who resists is to be executed on the spot!"
The chilling intent in Hiruko's voice made the Sarutobi ninjas break into a cold sweat. The ANBU moved like lightning, sealing everyone's chakra before tossing them into the cells. Danzo remained silent throughout, which Hiruko found boring. He had them hauled away.
Hiruko headed to the Hokage Building, passing Hiruzen Sarutobi on the way out. The old man looked grim; clearly, he hadn't achieved his goals.
"Lord Third."
"Carry on. I have matters to attend to," Hiruzen forced a smile and departed. He knew his prestige was in freefall. If he didn't save his old friend now, he might never get another chance.
In the office, Minato looked up. "They're back?"
"Yeah. Currently 'resting' in the Sealing Bureau's prison."
"Prison?" Minato paused his filing. "Is that... appropriate?"
"He's just a ninja who caused a massive crisis. He's lucky he wasn't sent straight to the Torture and Interrogation Squad," Hiruko replied. "Besides, Danzo planned to rebuild Root in the Land of Hot Springs. The only reason that plan stopped is because he lost too many men in the Rain. He claims he does it for the Leaf... but is it really for the Leaf?"
Minato frowned. This was the first he'd heard of an external base. If true, the crime was severe. He resolved to have the Interrogation Squad question the subordinates after lifting the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
"Minato," Hiruko asked, "what did the Third want?"
"He wanted me to lift the restrictions on Danzo and his men. I refused. But enough of that—Konoha is reaching capacity. Let's talk about the expansion project."
Minato produced a map. "Based on your proposal, I plan to reclaim a thousand square meters of land and convert 60% into residential zones. I also want to build housing and commercial districts atop the Hokage Rock. We need to be able to house a hundred thousand people."
Hiruko realized Minato was implementing urban planning that wouldn't normally appear until the Boruto era. Training grounds could be moved further out; for a ninja, a few extra miles was a light jog. They discussed the logistics. Once the background checks on the new applicants were finished, the construction crews would move in. The Barrier Team would have to redrawn the village's defensive perimeter, but with widespread camera surveillance, the Police Force's job was easier than ever.
In the Land of Rain, the slaughter continued. Leaf casualties were mounting, and Nagato's Deva Path was nearly scrap. But just as Jiraiya's team felt a moment of respite, Nagato's true body entered the fray, plunging them back into a desperate struggle.
However, Jiraiya had the intel now. They couldn't easily kill the Deva Path, but they understood the five-second window of the Almighty Push.
"Almighty Push!"
The blast sent three ninjas flying. Fukasaku Sage shouted, "Lord Jiraiya!"
"Sage Art: Massive Rasengan!!"
Jiraiya, already in Sage Mode with the two Great Sages, slammed the attack home just as Nagato's main body appeared. Simultaneously, Shima Sage unleashed Tongue Bind, her tongue lashing out to wrap around Nagato if he tried to absorb the ninjutsu. A cloud of senbon followed as a third layer of attack.
BOOM!
The Rasengan struck the ground, kicking up a massive dust cloud. Jiraiya sensed immediately that he had missed. He leaped back, shouting, "Who's there? I felt a strange chakra near Nagato!"
"As expected of a Leaf ninja," a voice echoed as the air rippled. Obito appeared beside Nagato. He smirked provocatively. "You aren't taking Nagato today. We've played long enough. It's time to go."
"Yahiko's body is still in their hands!" Nagato hissed.
Obito looked at him, his voice low. "Calculate your remaining chakra. Continuing this is a suicide mission. Zetsu's time limit is up; the strain on your body is too great. We don't have time to linger."
Obito knew they couldn't wipe out Jiraiya's reinforced squad quickly, especially since the backup signal had been sent.
"Yahiko isn't as important as you. Reinforcements are coming. If you stay..."
Nagato fell silent, allowing Obito to draw him into the Kamui dimension.
"Don't let them escape!" Fukasaku roared. "Ma! Use the Wind and Fire Sage Art—Goemon! Oil, wind, and fire! Burn them!"
A massive torrent of elemental Sage Art roared toward Obito. But the space warped, and Obito vanished into his dimension a second before the inferno arrived. The fire swept over the plains, turning the earth into glass.
BOOM!
The ground was scorched into crystalline shards. They were gone.
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