Chapter 159

However, Pain possessed an astounding regenerative ability, and the uncanny ability to resurrect and reassemble himself, giving him a significant advantage in combat.

But when it came to sheer raw combat power, Pain stood little chance against the formidable Eight Inner Gates.

And then there was the matter of facing Carnes.

Considering the strength might of the Six Paths of Pain, it seemed unlikely that they could overcome Carnes.

Unless Nagato could somehow continuously regenerate and revive those six Pains, his odds might be even worse than Carnes choking himself to death.

The disparity between them was not even remotely close.

Konan's gaze was fixed on Pain, her expression growing increasingly serious.

"I still can't fathom just how powerful Carnes is, the true extent of his strength."

"But suppose, if I were to use that technique, do you think I could kill him?"

Pain recognized the technique Konan was referring to—the Paper Person of God Technique.

A technique so subtle that even the discerning Sharingan couldn't pierce its deception.

With this technique, Konan could disguise six hundred billion explosive tags as part of the surrounding scenery, blending them seamlessly with the earth or water, making them nearly impossible to detect even when using Sharingan.

He shook his head thoughtfully. "I can't say for sure if he can see through it, but I suspect that with his incredible speed and swiftness, he might even just evade the attack if he were hit..."

Deva Path's suspicions were well-founded.

Carnes had no need to escape.

Because, the explosive tags, no matter how powerful, would struggle to breach the impenetrable defense of his Armament Haki. Let alone other things.

All of that was just the tip of the iceberg.

"So, he's quite the tricky one, isn't he?" Konan's brow furrowed.

"Is he determined to remain on Konoha's side?"

Deva Path contemplated the situation for a moment, forming his own conclusion.

"I can't decipher his intentions, but I doubt he'll be subservient to Konoha."

"He's a man of free will."

"Because a man of his caliber wouldn't take orders from anyone."

"However, now that he's within the walls of Konoha Village, he poses an unexpected threat. It's a sudden deviation from our plan," Konan lamented, her disdain for unexpected changes evident.

"With his strength, he may no longer even care about the tailed beasts, unless there's some unique motive driving him."

"Remember, he's not originally from Konoha Village. So, his assault on me was likely mere coincidence, a sick twist of fate."

Deva Path's expression stiffened as he contemplated the situation.

"In this world," he mused, "there are rarely innate enemies—so long as our objectives align."

"There's always potential for cooperation."

Konan's furrowed brows deepened as she contemplated their risky plan.

"Do you want to talk to him?" she questioned; her voice filled with uncertainty.

"To be honest, I'm not optimistic about this plan. Based on what you've told me about this man, it's like poking a tiger with a stick!"

"Our success hinges on him turning against Konoha. How can you be sure you can convince him?"

"And if he turns against us, how do you plan to control him?"

Pain exuded confidence in his response.

"Of course, I have a way to persuade him. There's no strong man without ambition!"

Konan shook her head, unconvinced. She couldn't help but feel that this plan carried too many variables, making it hard to discern right from wrong in many aspects.

"Our top priority now is to find the location of the Nine Tails Jinchūriki," Deva Path continued.

"We don't need to engage with so many strong opponents. Capturing him will suffice. Let's continue our investigation."

"Agreed," Konan nodded reluctantly.

Meanwhile, on the roof of the Hokage building, Kakashi, who had been exhausted, was gradually recovering under Tsunade's treatment.

Tsunade, in turn, was busy as she focused on coordinating the actions of Katsuyu, her summoned slug, while the events unfolded on the roof.

Demiurge had mysteriously disappeared, leaving the rooftop empty. Carnes had slouched in a rocking chair and dozed off, his faint snores contrasting with the raging fires below.

The chaotic surroundings had no impact on him.

The ninjas, including Kakashi and the Anbu, could only silently grumble about the situation.

They dared not voice their complaints aloud. They knew that Konoha Village was facing dire straits, and they couldn't afford to make powerful enemies again.

Just as tension hung in the air, a figure clad in a black moiré gown descended gracefully from the sky.

He landed on the rooftop, fixing his gaze on Carnes, who was now in a deep slumber.

Ignoring Tsunade and Kakashi as though they were insignificant.

This mysterious figure was none other than Deva Path.

Seeing that Carnes remained motionless sleeping there ignoring all that happened around Konoha and that Kakashi and the others didn't attempt to awaken him, Deva Path breathed a sigh of relief.

He believed he had made the right gamble.

This mysterious individual bore no grudge against him and was unlikely to be swayed by Konoha's influence, as was not under Konoha's control.

In other words, this man stood as an independent third party, he had no affiliations with Konoha.

But one thing was undeniable—no one dared to provoke him.

Then the Deva Path, with an expressionless face and an indifferent tone, addressed Kakashi and Tsunade.

"Kakashi, we meet again, and you... Tsunade!"

Kakashi's expression froze in recognition. He had faced the Deva Path in combat before, well aware of the formidable opponent standing before him.

Vivid memories of his past clashes with Deva Path rushed back.

Both of them were well aware of each other's strengths and limitations.

Kakashi's gaze then involuntarily drifted towards Carnes, sitting in a rocking chair, still deeply engrossed in his sleep.

Seeing that Carnes was still dozing off and sleeping soundly, a pang of disappointment swept over Kakashi.

He understood that someone of Carnes' caliber couldn't merely be swayed by friendship with Jiraiya.

The Deva Path, however, remained passive, making no immediate move.

"I guess I'll have to rely on myself this time," Kakashi mused.

The current situation was somewhat ideal; the Hokage's building was teeming with powerful shinobis, and so he knew that if everyone launched a combined attack, they would have the necessary power to stand their ground.

Narrowing his eyes, Kakashi began devising a plan to counter the situation.

But it was apparent that the Deva Path saw the unfolding scenario as expected, his subtle confidence growing.

Stepping forward, Deva Path's unique Rinnegan swirled in his eyes as he fixed his gaze upon Tsunade.

"Hokage, shall we talk?"

Tsunade looked at the figure before her, a recollection of several past memories resurfacing and flickering in her mind.

She scrutinized the Deva Path, and the pieces slowly started coming together.

The lines of her memory wavered, several figures merging into one.

"You... you're that brat from back then?"

A trace of coldness crossed the Deva Path's features as he confirmed.

"Yes, I am."

"Hmm... it appears you still remember me, quite a sharp memory you have."

The tension in the surrounding escalated as these two figures met, a meeting that would bring out untold consequences.

.

.

.

Guys, if you like this story, then give it some POWER STONES and REVIEWS.

✌patreon.com/Anfractuous✌

If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to 35 Advance Chapters.