Ōnoki stared at Nagato's back, and in that moment, the figure before him overlapped perfectly with the terrifying Uchiha Madara from years past. A heavy sense of despair filled his heart, as though the entire world had lost its color.
The other four Kage had already fallen with little effort on Nagato's part, and Ōnoki knew it was only a matter of time before he joined them. Facing such overwhelming power, his resolve crumbled completely, and the will to fight drained away.
He slowly closed his eyes, resigned to his fate.
But then, a voice pierced the heavy silence.
"Tsuchikage-sama! Please don't give up!"
Ōnoki's eyes shot open. He turned toward the voice and saw a young Rock Shinobi standing not far away, his face filled with desperation.
"As long as you are alive, we still have hope!" the young man shouted again, his voice firm.
"Hope…?" Ōnoki muttered, confusion flickering in his eyes.
Memories flashed through his mind—moments of camaraderie, his dreams for the Hidden Stone, and the ideals he once held dear. Could it be true? Even in a hopeless situation, could there still be a chance as long as one refused to give in?
Gradually, his gaze hardened. "You're right. Now is not the time to surrender. We can't just give up without a fight. We have to try—at least once!"
Suddenly, his expression changed. "Be careful!" he shouted.
The young Rock Shinobi turned, but before he could react, his head was sliced clean from his shoulders.
"What's with all the yelling?" Biwa Jūzō growled in annoyance, kicking the severed head aside before smashing it underfoot. He had been hiding, fishing for an opportunity to avoid the battle altogether, when this loudmouthed fool had drawn everyone's attention.
Now that his cover was blown, Jūzō's irritation boiled over. Without hesitation, he ended the man's life.
"You bastard! You're looking for death!" Ōnoki's face twisted with fury, his gaze locking on Jūzō.
Feeling that murderous intent, Jūzō instinctively shrank back. "Leader… stop him!" he called out nervously.
Though Ōnoki couldn't match Nagato, taking down Jūzō would be well within his abilities—and if the Tsuchikage truly intended to kill him, even the leader might not intervene in time.
Nagato's voice cut through the tension. "Stop struggling and prepare to die."
He rushed at Ōnoki with astonishing speed.
"Dust Release: Origin Separation Technique!" Ōnoki roared, unleashing his most powerful jutsu.
Nagato's reply was ice-cold. "That won't work on me." He countered with a simple "Shinra Tensei," effortlessly deflecting the deadly technique.
Ōnoki's eyes widened in disbelief. His ultimate move, rendered useless in an instant. "There has to be another way… there must be…" he muttered, desperation gnawing at him.
"It was a mistake for the Five Great Nations to wage war against me," Nagato declared. "Against me at my peak, your defeat was inevitable."
He unleashed wave after wave of coordinated attacks, the Six Paths of Pain working seamlessly to push Ōnoki to his limits. Pressured from every direction, the Tsuchikage's movements grew sloppy, and soon he made a fatal mistake.
Before he could retreat skyward, a massive bird swooped down, slamming into him and knocking him from the air. As he staggered to recover, Nagato's "Universal Pull" dragged him in like a puppet.
The cold hand of the Human Path reached out—and ripped Ōnoki's soul from his body.
Just like the other Kage before him, Ōnoki's life was extinguished.
The remaining shinobi of the Allied Forces froze in horror. Seeing all five Kage fall so easily shattered their morale. Chaos erupted as they scattered in all directions.
"Shisui, let's go!" Kakashi shouted urgently.
Shisui gave a sharp nod, and the two moved to escape—but a pale figure slithered into their path.
"Heh… leaving so soon?" Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with hunger as he licked the corner of his mouth. "Mangekyō Sharingan… I will have it."
Kakashi and Shisui's expressions darkened. They knew they were no match for him.
"Better to lose my sight than my life," Shisui thought grimly. Gritting his teeth, he summoned the last of his strength. His eyes blazed, Mangekyō spinning as an immense green chakra erupted around him.
The fully-formed Susanoo rose, towering and awe-inspiring, radiating crushing pressure.
Orochimaru's smile faltered. "Not this again," he cursed under his breath.
Around them, even the Akatsuki members flinched. They had not expected anyone besides Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Fugaku to manifest such a perfected Susanoo.
Shisui could feel his vision dimming—his Mangekyō's power burning out fast. Without hesitation, he seized Kakashi and launched into a high-speed retreat. The Akatsuki could only watch as the giant vanished into the distance.
Susanoo—its offense devastating, its defense near impenetrable—was too much trouble to chase recklessly.
"Damn it! My prize, gone again!" Orochimaru snarled.
Nearby, Biwa Jūzō eyed the fleeing Allied shinobi. "Finally, it's over. I'm exhausted."
Exhausted was an overstatement—he'd only killed one person the entire fight.
"Tch. Weaklings, all of them," Kakuzu muttered in disgust.
The Red Sand Scorpion stepped forward, his gaze drifting to the still forms of Uchiha Fugaku and others. "Leader, why not hand these bodies to me? I could turn them into perfect puppets."
Nagato shook his head. "They're not dead."
That drew startled looks from the group.
Orochimaru crouched beside one body, his eyes narrowing. "Hmm… yes, there's still a faint breath."
"When a soul is removed," Nagato explained, "the body does not die immediately. Return the soul, and they will awaken."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Scorpion's face. "I see. What a shame." He cast a lingering glance at the fallen before stepping back..
Nagato's tone turned decisive. "We return to the village. Imprison the Five Kage."
With a gesture, he summoned the King of Hell. The monstrous head extended its tongue, scooping up the three soulless bodies and swallowing them whole.
"Call it a day," Nagato ordered. "We're done here."
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