Chapter 187: The Six Paths of Pain Enter the Stage!

The Nine-Tails seemed to forget.

Its adversaries weren't only the five Tailed Beast Jinchūriki, but also the Kage from various villages. Some of them even had powers surpassing those of the Tailed Beasts.

A giant spear made from sand-gold soared through the air, piercing directly into the mouth of the Nine-Tails. As it roared in pain, it also got a mouthful of sand.

The formation of the Tailed Beast Bomb was disrupted.

A figure wrapped in lightning charged towards the Nine-Tails. His speed was so fast that it was hard to follow with the naked eye. If the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, were resurrected, he probably wouldn't be any faster.

This was the Fourth Raikage.

He was like a bolt of blue lightning, dodging left and right, avoiding the attacks from the Nine-Tails' claws and tails, before leaping high into the air.

He raised his right arm, his five fingers forming a knife hand. A high-intensity current of Lightning Chakra wrapped around his palm.

Then, his sharp knife hand, like a streak of lightning, dived down from mid-air.

Lightning Release: Lariat.

In his youth, the Fourth Raikage had once seen the Third Raikage severed one of the Eight-Tails' horns with this technique.

And now, as his knife hand descended, three of the Nine-Tails' tails were cut off in quick succession.

The Nine-Tails once again roared in pain and lost its balance, its enormous body collapsing to the ground.

Before it could catch its breath, the ground beneath the Nine-Tails, like quicksand, gave way. A large amount of sand-gold surged from the ground, transforming into large hands and binding the Nine-Tails' body.

It was trapped by Rasa's Magnet Release and couldn't move.

At that moment, Ōnoki took to the air, hovering above the Nine-Tails, and raised both hands.

'For the shinobi world, the Nine-Tails is a huge calamity. I'll be the one to get rid of it.'

As he spoke, he gathered Chakra. A translucent cubic barrier appeared between his hands, aimed at the fox below.

In Ōnoki's view, the Nine-Tails was Konoha's last-ditch effort. Once it was defeated, Konoha would no longer be able to resist the Allied Forces.

With the fall of the Nine-Tails, the war would soon end.

However, just as Ōnoki was ready to use Dust Release, a strange-looking giant bird with a long, sharp beak suddenly appeared in mid-air, swooping towards him.

Hmm?

Ōnoki's face changed. He quickly channeled his Chakra and swiftly retreated dozens of meters backward, narrowly evading the bird's attack.

The strange bird circled in the air and dropped several giant eggs. When the eggs hit the ground, they immediately exploded.

The Fourth Raikage, Fourth Kazekage, and others were forced to retreat by the explosion.

Finally, the strange bird folded its wings and landed on the ground.

A man dressed in an Akatsuki cloak with orange hair leaped down from its back, looking at Ōnoki and the others indifferently.

Who was he?

Ōnoki and the others looked puzzled. They noticed that the man's eyes were the Rinnegan, resembling tree rings. But he looked completely different from the Pain they had met before.

This person was the Animal Path, one of Pain's Six Paths.

The Animal Path quickly formed hand signs and pressed a palm to the ground, performing the Summoning Jutsu.

After a puff of smoke, five figures dressed in Akatsuki cloaks, all possessing the Rinnegan, appeared together.

Pain's Six Paths made their entrance!

What was going on?

Why did these six members of the Akatsuki all have the Rinnegan? How was that possible!

Seeing this, the allied forces were even more baffled. Many of them looked tense and serious.

'Pain!'

A roar sounded. It was the Fourth Raikage stepping forward, his gaze locked on the Deva Path among the six, questioning, 'What are you doing? Why are you stopping us from killing the Nine-Tails?'

The Deva Path replied indifferently: 'I told you, the Nine-Tails is mine.'

Hearing this, Rasa sneered, seeing through Pain's plan: 'So, you waited for us to knock it down, then came out to reap the benefits? You're dreaming!'

Pain didn't argue, or rather, he didn't bother to argue. He maintained his superior, aloof tone: 'That's right, those who prevent me from taking the Nine-Tails have only one end, and that is death.'

'Unfortunately, we can't let you take the Nine-Tails,' Ōnoki said, shaking his head,

Everyone present knew how powerful the Nine-Tails was - it was a calamity-level creature capable of easily annihilating an army or destroying a village.

Pain, a self-proclaimed god, had indeed proven with a series of battles that his strength was above all others.

If such a person were allowed to take the Nine-Tails and control it with his Rinnegan, wouldn't he truly become invincible?

By then, the entire Shinobi world would probably have to submit to Pain, surviving at his mercy.

Therefore, anticipating this horrifying scenario,

Leaders from various villages such as Ōnoki, Rasa, the Fourth Raikage, and the Fourth Mizukage had already privately negotiated and agreed upon an alliance.

They intended to unite against Pain, especially to prevent the Nine-Tails from falling into Pain's hands.

During the standoff,

The Nine-Tails, which had been "catered to" in turns by the Allied Forces, was now also exhausted, and its body, as large as a small hill, quickly shrank.

It retracted into its Jinchūriki.

On the ground, there was only a blond child left, lying sideways with his body curled up. Underneath his tattered clothes were countless scars.

He was barely alive.

Seeing this, the Animal Path of Pain acted once again.

A giant chameleon was summoned. With a long roll of its tongue, it swallowed Naruto Uzumaki and then turned invisible.

Not good!

The Allied Forces were shocked and rushed towards the Six Paths of Pain.

Facing the onslaught of the crowd, Pain remained unflustered.

Even if these people did not act, he would take the initiative to take the Tailed Beasts from the various villages.

This fight was inevitable.

So, the battle resumed!

On a distant clock tower, two figures appeared.

After leaving Tsunade to heal in the Medical Department, Dan and Tsunade exited the Uchiha district and arrived on the battlefield.

Wherever they went, whether it was the Leaf Shinobi or the Allied Shinobi Forces, everyone saw them as if they had seen ghosts.

Thus, the two had a smooth journey, reaching the top of the clock tower, overlooking the center of the battlefield.

"This is bad, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki has been taken by Pain."

Upon seeing the scene where the chameleon swallowed Naruto and disappeared, Tsunade furrowed her brows, hesitating on whether or not to participate in the struggle for the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.

Her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, once said that the power of the Nine-Tails was too strong and needed to be sealed. It could not be allowed to cause havoc in the ninja world.

Dan saw Tsunade's concern and scoffed: "Do you plan to snatch Naruto back and then hand him over to the Leaf again? Excuse my bluntness, that kid would probably be better off no matter who he ends up with, rather than staying in the Leaf, right?"

"..."

Tsunade instinctively wanted to refute Dan, but she was at a loss for words.

Indeed, Naruto was the son of a hero, but he was labeled as the demon fox since he was a child. He was ostracized and despised by the villagers, used as a tool by the higher-ups.

Among all the villages, there probably wasn't a Jinchūriki who had a worse life than Naruto.

This kind of life was worse than death.

For that kid, leaving the Leaf might be a better choice.

With this thought, Tsunade's expression dimmed, and she gave up on the idea of taking action.

Apart from Naruto, the devastated Leaf Village in front of her also weighed heavily on her heart.

The only good news was that, the Allied Shinobi Forces that attacked the Leaf Village, were now divided in their quest to seize the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.

Six Paths of Pain VS Allied Forces.

The more intense this battle was, the more the enemy's high-level combat power would be reduced, and the situation would be more advantageous to the Leaf Village.

After understanding the situation, Dan didn't rush to take action either.

He was not particularly interested in the Nine-Tails. Only Pain's Rinnegan was his target.

No, it should be said, it was Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan.

Madara transplanted his own Rinnegan into Nagato. Nagato then created the Six Paths of Pain, using the power of the Rinnegan to control them remotely within a certain range.

The appearance of the Six Paths of Pain in the Leaf Village also meant--

Nagato's body left the Hidden Rain Village and came near the Leaf Village.

The Rinnegan, the final evolution of the Mangekyō Sharingan, its value to Dan or the Uchiha clan, was self-evident.

If he could retrieve Madara's Rinnegan, the benefits would certainly be great.

However, although Nagato's real body was hidden near the Leaf Village, it wasn't so easy to find.

The best way was to defeat the Six Paths of Pain, and then use those black rods implanted in their bodies to receive Chakra, to trace Nagato's location in reverse.

At this moment, since the people from the major ninja villages were willing to take the lead, then let them do so.

Dan did not expect these people to be able to defeat the Six Paths of Pain. As long as they could deplete some of Nagato's Chakra, it would be enough for him.

Perhaps, this is what's referred to as 'the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.'

On this battlefield, the most patient person would be the final winner.

In the center of the Leaf Village, although Pain was powerful, he only had six bodies. Facing more than ten Kage-level opponents and tens of thousands of Allied Shinobi Forces, he was at an absolute disadvantage.

Under such circumstances, the Animal Path of Pain acted once again.

Boom, boom, boom!

As the plumes of white smoke dissipate, one after another, giant summoned creatures appear on the battlefield: Hell Crabs, Hellhounds, Yatagarasu, Bulls, and Giant Centipedes...

The moment these summoned creatures make their entrance, they rampage forward, their main targets being the five great Tailed Beasts.

Whoosh.

A brown hellhound, complete with wings and three heads, roars as it charges at the Eight-Tails Beast, its gaping mouth aiming for a devastating bite.

Looking for trouble.

The Eight-Tails Beast lands a punch, the horrifying force immediately knocking the hellhound to the ground.

However, the next second...

The attacked hellhound, far from being damaged, sprouts even more heads, with its body also splitting into two, then four...

This is the amplification summoning technique of the Animal Path.

Using the power of the Rinnegan, the Hellhound is bestowed with the characteristic of "infinite multiplication".

Once attacked by an enemy, it multiplies continuously, multiplying more with each hit, until it forms a massive hellhound army, draining the enemy's stamina and endurance.

It's arguably the most formidable summoning technique.

In an instant...

Including the Eight-Tails Beast, all five of the great Tailed Beasts are embroiled in intense battles.

After the Animal Path ties up the Tailed Beasts, the Asura Path and Human Path make their moves.

The Asura Path is a hulking bald man, in front of which stands a puppet master. His body has been filled with mechanisms by Nagato, turning him into a humanoid weapon.

The Asura Path steps forward, the top of his head automatically opening to reveal the internal mechanisms.

The next second...

Whizz, whizz, whizz.

Along with a flash of dazzling light, dozens of laser cannons are launched from the Asura Path's head, landing amidst the surrounding enemies, immediately causing a chain of large explosions.

This is the Asura Path's trump card, with power comparable to the Tailed Beast Bomb.

Boom, boom.

Numerous Leaf Village buildings collapse, countless ninjas are killed by the explosions, and the scene is incredibly horrific.

In the midst of all this chaos...

Whizz.

The long-haired Human Path, with a single teleportation, appears in the midst of the panicked alliance crowd.

He excels in close combat, his taijutsu is strong, and he quickly takes down a Cloud Village Jonin.

Then...

Under the frightened gazes of many, the Human Path raises a hand, placing it on the head of the Cloud Village Jonin. Accompanied by a chilling scream, a semi-transparent purple figure is drawn out from the body.

That thing is the person's soul.

The Cloud Village Jonin, bereft of his soul, instantly becomes skeletal and mummified, as if a dried corpse, dying on the spot.

Witnessing this...

"Damn it!"

The Fourth Raikage lets out a roar, once again transforming into blue lightning, charging at the Human Path.

However, what meets him is an ambush from the Asura Path.

Whizz, whizz.

From a distance, the Asura Path opens his arm, launching a large number of tracking missiles from the mechanism within, raining down from the sky, and engulfing the Raikage.

Boom.

Amidst the explosion, flames and smoke rise.

Was the Fourth Raikage... killed?

Of course not.

Under the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, his speed is comparable to Minato Namikaze's Flying Thunder God Technique. The mere missile mechanism is not a threat to him.

On the contrary...

Under the cover of the flames and smoke, the Raikage quietly appears behind the Asura Path, raising his hand in a knife-like strike.

Bang.

The Asura Path, without turning his head, bends his arm in a strange arc backward, accurately blocking the Raikage's strike.

Huh?

The Raikage, who thought he had succeeded, can't help but narrow his eyes in surprise.

What he doesn't know is...

The vision of the Six Paths of Pain is shared through the Rinnegan, thus there are no blind spots in their field of view.

All in all...

The Six Paths of Pain are all manipulated by Nagato alone. The six operate as one, without any flaws.

Therefore...

The moment the Asura Path is attacked, the Human Path teleports in, engaging the Fourth Raikage in combat.

Crack, crack.

The Asura Path, who has turned around, emits mechanical noises from all over his body. He grows three heads and six arms and even extends a giant saw from a mechanism on his back.

He fiercely lunges at the Raikage, aiming to slash him with the saw.

The Fourth Raikage has no choice but to face two opponents, falling into a tough battle.

"Support the Raikage!"

Yamato and Rasa wouldn't just stand by and watch. The two of them each use their techniques to fly mid-air, looking down at the battlefield, positioning themselves in an invincible position.

Then...

Rasa repeats his technique, employing his handy Magnet Release ninjutsu, creating a large amount of Gold Sand to trap the remaining three Paths on the ground.

Yamato also coordinates with Rasa, once again unleashing his powerful Dust Release.

This time, his Dust Release is not interrupted.

Whizz.

A cubic barrier filled with terrifying chakra swiftly plummets towards the ground...

To be continued...