A familiar voice echoed in Hiruzen's ear. He smiled the moment he heard it.
"Not late at all. You're right on time."
The other Konoha shinobi also regained their composure.
The Akimichi Clan's eruption had been an unexpected boon—but their brute force alone couldn't cure the deeper rot. Against the true illness that was the Akatsuki's leader, a stronger antidote was needed.
Someone like Orochimaru.
Morale surged once more, but Pain remained unmoved.
The difference in power was still overwhelming—this delay only prolonged the inevitable. His real enemy wasn't the Konoha shinobi. It was Orochimaru.
All six pairs of Rinnegan eyes now focused squarely on him.
From their vantage atop the Yatagarasu, Tendo and the Animal Path had a perfect view of the battlefield.
Orochimaru stood atop Manda, though his lower half had merged grotesquely into the great serpent's body. The fusion was unnatural—bizarre even—but chakra-wise, the two were one.
"Your form is becoming more repulsive by the day," Pain muttered with visible disgust.
"We're not so different," Orochimaru chuckled, licking his lips. "You're chasing power too—what's one more abomination?"
The Six Paths of Pain were human in form, but just puppets. Machines inside, corpses outside. Orochimaru's transformation may have been organic, but the principle was the same.
Besides, at least he had borrowed Manda's strength.
What had Nagato gained from puppeteering Yahiko's corpse?
Pain's expression darkened, unwilling to waste more words.
The Yatagarasu let out a shrill cry and dipped sharply, launching massive egg-sized projectiles from its gut.
"Evade—now!" shouted a Hyūga.
The Konoha shinobi scattered as the chakra-filled eggs exploded on impact, each one releasing a blast comparable to an A-rank jutsu.
And then—a shadow lunged from the ground.
A massive figure launched itself skyward, slamming toward the bird's underbelly. Pain and Animal Path leapt just in time.
BOOM!
Manda's tail struck the Yatagarasu mid-air, sending it spiraling out of control. Its sharp beak embedded itself in the ground with a crunch.
It was almost comical.
But Pain had no time to laugh. He turned to see Manda airborne, with Orochimaru directing it like a living war machine.
Flying summons weren't unheard of, and some shinobi could fly using chakra. But no one had ever taken a giant snake into the sky.
Worse—giant summons were Pain's preferred targets. Big, slow, easy to destroy.
He clasped his hands. "Chibaku Tensei—"
Before the technique could form, Manda's tail snapped toward him like a whip.
Pain gritted his teeth and shoved out both hands. "Shinra Tensei!"
A shockwave rippled through the sky as the tail and gravity repulsion collided midair. Both forces canceled out with a violent burst. Manda reeled slightly, but Orochimaru righted the beast and surged forward again.
No pause. No breath. No mercy.
Powerful techniques like Chibaku Tensei or even enhanced Shinra Tensei required buildup. And that was Nagato's flaw—he needed time.
Most enemies couldn't close the distance. But Orochimaru, with gravity manipulation turned into sage art, could ride Manda through the sky like a predator. Every attack bought him another second to interrupt.
Pain tried to retreat, but Manda was relentless. For such a massive beast, its speed was stunning. Pain relied again and again on Shinra Tensei, each time looking more desperate.
And though Orochimaru hadn't landed a solid hit yet—visually, the god of Amegakure looked like he was being toyed with.
Slapped left and right. Off-balance. Harried.
Even gods lose their mystique when seen flailing through the air.
This wasn't just a tactical loss. It was psychological.
And Pain knew it.
He scowled and finally withdrew from direct engagement, falling back toward the ground.
---
Down below, where the Hokage Building once stood, the battlefield had fallen quiet.
Konoha's shinobi didn't speak, but their thoughts were clear: Orochimaru had shown up, picked a fight with the enemy's strongest fighter—and won the aerial battle.
Meanwhile, the remaining Paths of Pain looked furious.
They were all aspects of Nagato—but seeing one of their own humiliated stirred something in them.
As they moved to provide backup, the ground in front of them suddenly erupted.
A wave of mud blocked their path.
"You're not going anywhere," said Hiruzen, staff in hand as Konoha's finest closed in around the remaining Pains.
"Leave these ones to me."
Asura, Human, and the others narrowed their eyes. A purple glow shimmered faintly within their Rinnegan.
"Then die with the rest of these insects."
The second clash began.
---
Elsewhere—on another battlefield, where jōnin were still fighting the monster called "Satori."
The moment that massive chakra signature had flown overhead, Guy had snapped to attention.
"Hey… wasn't that Orochimaru?" he said, squinting skyward.
He wasn't a dōjutsu user, but his motion tracking was unmatched.
"HAH—DIE!!"
Satori, previously under pressure, seized the opportunity and dove from the sky.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
A wall bearing the carved visage of a giant hound rose just in time—but Satori smashed through it with a single punch, debris raining down.
But Guy was already gone.
"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"
A green blur spun downward like a drill, targeting Satori mid-air.
The timing was perfect. Guy's instincts kicked in—but Satori twisted unnaturally, narrowly avoiding the hit and swiping with a claw.
If it had landed, even steel would've been shredded.
In that instant, Guy didn't panic. He twisted, using the recoil of the clash to redirect his body. His foot glanced off Satori 's palm, sending him flying backward—just out of range.
Boom boom boom!
Satori crashed through several buildings while Guy skidded for meters before halting with a flourish.
"Guy! Are you okay?"
Kakashi blurred to his side.
"I'm good!" Guy grinned, flashing his teeth. "I finally tagged that bastard."
For over ten minutes, they'd fought the Bliss Box's monster. Neither taijutsu nor ninjutsu had landed cleanly—until now.
"This thing senses hostility. Any attack with killing intent? It dodges instinctively."
"Then we just need to go faster," Guy said, watching the creature leap to its next target.
"The Seventh Gate?" Kakashi asked, shocked.
"I'll use it. I can match its speed that way."
"You'll die," Kakashi snapped. "Even the Sixth Gate is too much."
"Not yet," Kakashi said grimly. "Shisui's engaging the Bliss Box itself. Once he weakens it, we strike."
Guy nodded. "Then I'll crush him when the time's right."
They dashed back into the fray.
---
In the forest—
Dozens of figures raced through the trees, silent and deadly.
"Captain, the enemy's just ahead."
"Spread out and encircle," Shisui ordered.
Moments later, they encountered the Akatsuki team.
"Well, well…" Sasori said, smiling behind his mask. "Looks like the delivery came to us."
"Don't get cocky," said Kakuzu, his voice gravel. "That's Uchiha Shisui. Watch his eyes."
Kakuzu shed his cloak, revealing his grotesque, stitched-up body. Two masks emerged from his shoulders.
"Fire-Wind Style: Scorching Hurricane!"
A hurricane of fire and wind roared toward the Konoha squad—but Shisui stepped forward.
"Get behind me."
A violent pulse of chakra surged from his eyes.
A green spectral ribcage formed, then muscle, then armor—Susanoo. Towering and majestic.
The giant samurai swung its spiral blade, cleaving through the inferno like it was nothing.
With Shisui as the spearhead, the Konoha forces charged through the parted flames straight at the Akatsuki.
Sasori and Kakuzu shifted into full battle stance. But Shisui didn't aim for them.
His target was the Bliss Box.
It was too massive to move—too dangerous to leave.
If he couldn't take it back to the village…
Then he'd destroy it.
Susanoo raised its sword and brought it down with explosive force.
CRACK!
Smoke cleared.
The box stood unharmed.
Shisui narrowed his eyes.
So. It wasn't going to be easy.
But neither was he.
_____________________
The story is Finished on patreon (394 Chapters)
Join my patreon
patreon.com/Silver757
Or Tip me on
coff.ee/silver7959
http://buymeacoffee.com/silver7959