"Nagato!"
Konan, trapped inside the crimson barrier, could clearly see the chaos unfolding in the sky above.
In the end, Nagato had still been caught up in the enemy's trap.
That thought flashed across her mind—but she quickly shook it off. There was no time to dwell. Her gaze shifted coldly to the four barrier-casting ninjas encircling her.
"You bastards... I'll kill you!"
From her sleeves, countless explosive tags flew out, fluttering like swarms of paper butterflies in every direction.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A barrage of explosions followed—insignificant compared to the thunder in the sky, yet within the confines of the barrier, they were deafening, like heavenly judgment.
But even after the relentless detonations, the barrier held firm.
This wasn't a normal Four-Purple Flame Formation—it had been personally enhanced by Orochimaru. Its defense rivaled the Four Red Yang Formation, which typically required Kage-level ninja to perform. As long as the users had chakra, the barrier wouldn't break easily.
Konan stood at the center, her expression cold as steel. She kept throwing more tags—thousands more—even as her own body was injured in the aftermath.
The enemy's plan was obvious now: use her as bait to force Nagato into facing Madara's meteor strike.
Konan didn't know how long Nagato could last, but even powerful shinobi only had so many high-level defenses. The sooner she broke out, the sooner she could turn the tide.
A few injuries were a small price to pay.
Within minutes, she had detonated nearly ten thousand explosive tags—enough to level a mountain.
And yet, the crimson walls kept regenerating. The casters seemed to have endless chakra… or rather—
"…Damn it. White Zetsu."
Konan's breathing grew heavier as she noticed the white, organic material spreading across the barrier team's bodies.
Still, she kept pushing her chakra to its limit, igniting another explosive storm.
---
Meanwhile, in the rain-drenched sky above Amegakure…
Nagato's Susanoo—nearly 100 meters tall—struggled to cleave apart another meteor nearly twice its size. As the previous one shattered, the next one was already falling.
He wasn't surprised.
This was Uchiha Madara—a warrior who had endured countless battles. His attacks came like a relentless tide, giving his enemies no chance to breathe.
Nagato gritted his teeth. He had no choice but to face it head-on again.
From above the clouds, Madara watched with cold detachment.
Susanoo was powerful, yes—but not invincible. Especially not against Madara's meteor technique whose sheer destructive force rivaled any bloodline limit or forbidden jutsu.
"Let's finish this," Madara muttered.
Another meteor appeared—larger than any before. Twice the size of the previous one. It roared through the sky like a judgment from the heavens.
Nagato's Susanoo was already battered and cracking. It wouldn't survive another hit. And if it fell now, Nagato's Rinnegan would be critically strained—perhaps unusable.
Shinra Tensei…? No.
The thought crossed his mind—but he dismissed it. The technique's gravity couldn't be redirected once cast. It was too risky now.
There must be another way!
Suddenly, his eyes lit with resolve. With a sharp motion, he hurled Susanoo's sword toward the crimson barrier below.
Clang!
The blade struck the barrier—and in that instant, Nagato dispelled Susanoo entirely. Its energy condensed and burst outward in a pulse of raw pupil power.
Boom!
The explosion obliterated the barrier in an instant, vaporizing the four Zetsu-possessed Jonin.
Nagato didn't even glance back.
He halted midair, about 700 meters above ground, and quickly formed hand signs.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A massive cloud of white smoke erupted across the sky.
From within, a monstrous shadow emerged—and just as the meteor was about to strike, the Gedo Statue—the Ten-Tails' empty husk—roared into view.
ROOOOAAAARRR!
The meteor slammed into it.
The ground shook.
The golem wailed, its voice cutting through the heavens—a nightmarish sound that echoed in every shinobi's bones.
But it didn't fall.
Its massive frame bent slightly—one knee dropping like the mythical Atlas holding up the sky. It had absorbed the hit.
Yet the strain was immense.
Blood wept from Nagato's Rinnegan. His brain felt like it was being split apart. The Gedo Statue was resisting—its survival instincts raging, trying to break free of his control.
Nagato held on by sheer force of will.
But finally, the tide had turned.
Konan was free.
The enemy wouldn't catch him off guard again—not with the Gedo Statue at his side.
Just then, a voice rang out in the sky:
"Looks like I'll have to act after all."
Obito appeared midair, eyes glowing red.
"You dare show yourself to me?"
Nagato was seething—but his attention remained on Konan. Just as he glanced at her—
His eyes widened.
A shadowy form slipped across Konan's back.
Black Zetsu.
Even Nagato hadn't noticed until it was too late.
"You bastard!" he shouted. "Let her go! Come for me instead!"
Obito sneered, Susanoo reappearing between them.
"Come for you? I've lost interest."
Obito's body distorted, vanishing into a swirling vortex of space.
"DON'T RUN!"
Nagato shouted, blasting out another Universal Pull, but it was too late.
At that moment—Madara on the clouds, Shennong fighting Yakushi, Black Zetsu dragging Konan—all vanished.
All that remained in the village were four charred corpses and smoldering debris.
BOOM!
The shattered meteor crashed into the earth, demolishing dozens of towers and carving a massive crater.
The Gedo Statue rose slowly, roaring again—mirroring the fury in Nagato's heart.
Rain pelted his face as he hovered in the air, numb.
It was only now—too late—that he realized the enemy's true goal.
They never wanted to kill him. Not to take his Rinnegan.
They wanted Konan.
The whole battle, the meteor barrage, was just a grand distraction—to separate them.
"…Those bastards…"
Nagato's fists clenched, his face contorted in grief and rage.
They'd used her… because of what she knew. Because of what she meant to him.
"If I'd only acted sooner… if I'd only prepared…"
His fingers dug into his palms, drawing blood.
Boom!
The Gedo Statue vanished in a puff of smoke.
Nagato descended slowly, his face hollow.
A few moments later, Yakushi Kabuto arrived, too late to help.
"…Nagato?"
Nagato didn't even lift his head. He muttered, "They took Konan."
"Konan…"
Kabuto, much calmer, quickly assessed the situation—and understood.
Yes, Konan had sensitive information. But still, this level of effort from Obito and Madara… was excessive.
"…Strange."
Before he could say more, Nagato suddenly grabbed his shoulders, eyes bloodshot.
"WHAT DO WE DO?! Tell me! What do we do now?!"
Kabuto didn't resist. After a pause, he said carefully, "…Maybe… we ask Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru…"
Nagato's eyes lit up.
"Yes—he has ways. Maybe he can track them. Maybe he can help save Konan!"
Without wasting another second, Nagato bit his thumb and summoned a messenger snake to reach Orochimaru.
---
Far west, above the sea—
Orochimaru read the message, eyes widening slightly.
"Konan… captured?"
He had expected she might become a target eventually, but not so soon.
And then—another surprise.
"Not Otsutsuki Isshiki… but Uchiha Madara?"
Even Orochimaru found it strange.
Kabuto had been right. For Madara and Obito to go to such lengths just to capture Konan?
It didn't add up.
"…Or maybe it does," came a voice from behind him.
Djinn stepped forward, eyes sharp.
"Maybe… it's because Konan knows something about Otsutsuki Isshiki."
_____________________
The story is Finished on patreon (394 Chapters)
Join my patreon
patreon.com/Silver757
Or Tip me on
coff.ee/silver7959