Chapter 202: Genichi's Six Paths vs. Nagato's Six Paths of Pain
Chatting about old times was one thing, but it didn't interfere with today's battle.
Nagato arrived, along with the winged Konan.
Genichi glanced at the figure in the sky. "You're getting more and more beautiful, Konan."
"We are people who understand each other. Why must we fight?" she asked, looking down at him.
"Konan," Nagato said immediately, "everyone has their own position. Just as we can no longer join Konoha."
Konan fell silent.
Genichi smiled and said to Nagato, "Now that the reunion is over, let's have a warm-up." He clapped his hands together, and a formula spread out on the ground beneath him. Then, figures appeared on his left and right with puffs of smoke.
His Six Paths Puppet Clones.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh~~
Jiki, Hyō, Sui, Mei, Shika, and Gyoku, all dressed in black robes, wearing Konoha headbands.
"The same puppet clones?" Nagato's gaze hardened. "No… they are all living people?!"
At this time, Genichi's main body slowly rose into the air, his Mirror Eye activating. "Nagato, let me see the power of the Rinnegan!"
"As you wish." Nagato retreated, temporarily leaving the battlefield to his Six Paths of Pain. The Paths also flickered, changing positions. The Naraka Path stood at the very back, the Tendo Path at the front, and the other four were spread out in a line behind it. Hanzō, wearing his respirator, was among them.
"It begins," the Tendo Path said in a low voice, then raised its hand toward Genichi's clones.
Banshō Ten'in!
In an instant, all six puppet clones were pulled into the air toward the Tendo Path (Yahiko). At the same time, Hanzō (Animal Path) pressed his hands to the ground. A summoning formula spread out, and with a puff of smoke, a chameleon and a grey hound were summoned. The chameleon opened its mouth, its tongue shooting out and wrapping around the Ice Clone, which was flying toward Pain. The dog roared and charged forward.
On the other side, the fat Pain (Asura Path) pulled his wrist, and his hand detached, pulling out a string of missiles that ignited and shot forward.
Animal Path! Asura Path!
Suddenly, the six clones flying toward Tendo Pain all sank, landing heavily on the ground with a boom. The Universal Pull had failed.
"Did they change their own weight?" Tendo Pain's gaze flickered.
Immediately after, he saw the chameleon's tongue freeze. With a crackle, the chameleon screamed in pain and was unsummoned. The Water Clone spat out a large number of bubbles that flew out and detonated, exploding in the air along with the missiles.
A Kekkei Genkai, Explosion Release.
As for the charging hell-hound, the Gyoku clone opened its three-tomoe Sharingan. With just one look, the dog collapsed, sliding a great distance across the ground.
In the air, Genichi watched the battle below and thought to himself, As expected, the illusion-reality conversion of Kyōka Suigetsu cannot grant immunity to the gravitational pull of Banshō Ten'in. So, this probe had been necessary, even though he knew about the abilities of the Six Paths of Pain.
Suddenly, a roar came from below. Behind the puppet clones, a giant salamander burst from the ground, its tongue shooting out and pulling the Shika clone into its mouth. The corpse-Paths of Pain were not afraid of poison, but a living person would definitely be affected.
However, just as the salamander was about to dive back underground, it let out a piercing shriek. Bone spikes erupted from its mouth. Its head was then torn open, and the Shikotsumyaku clone walked out, the bone spikes on its body retracting. As for the poison, it had been frozen solid before it could even be inhaled. He was completely unaffected.
Although these puppet clones were to increase his offensive output, their abilities were not fixed.
"The Shikotsumyaku of the Mist Village… It seems each one of them has mastered a Kekkei Genkai ability," Nagato analyzed from a distance.
Suddenly, his pupils constricted. The body of the Naraka Path was suddenly enveloped by Iron Sand that surged up from the ground. Before he and the other Paths could react, its body was impaled on the ground by dense spikes of Iron Sand.
"Magnet Release? He actually mastered the same Iron Sand control as the Third Kazekage!" Nagato was shocked.
Both sides were probing, each revealing some of their abilities. But with the Naraka Path (the path of revival) dealt with, it meant that if the others were lost, they could not be quickly restored.
But just relying on the Paths of Pain is probably not enough to deal with someone like Genichi. This was just to test his abilities, Nagato thought. In that case…
Banshō Ten'in! Tendo Pain raised his hand again. This time, he only targeted the Magnet Release clone. He also increased the power. Even with the Super Added-Weight Rock Technique applied, the clone was still pulled toward him.
This time, the Asura Path did not fire missiles, but a scorpion-like saw-blade shot out, stabbing toward the incoming clone. At the same time, the Animal Path used another summoning. With the cry of a bird, a giant drill-beaked bird shot out, preparing to "lay an egg." There was also a giant bull, which lowered its head and charged with its horns. And the hell-hound, which had been under genjutsu, suddenly leaped up, pouncing ferociously. However, it was immediately caught between ice pillars and frozen into a sculpture. This time, it vanished.
The Water Clone clapped its hands together and spat out a series of high-pressure water jets. This was the Water Sand Severing Wave, infused with Iron Sand, which was stronger than the ordinary version and the version with normal sand. The incoming bird was hit, and with a cry of pain, it was unsummoned.
As for the giant bull, the Shika clone stepped forward, grabbing its horns with both hands. With a push, the giant impact was neutralized. Then, bone spikes grew from his hands, stabbing into the bull's body. Amidst its piercing screams, he used his arms, lifted the giant bull, and threw it at Tendo Pain. With a poof, the summon was dispelled.
In the air, the Asura Path's saw had pierced the Magnet Release clone. However, a large amount of Iron Sand condensed in the air into slender senbon, which were then coated with wind-natured chakra, giving them a brilliant white glow.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!~~
A dense barrage of Iron Sand senbon, like white lasers, shot down at Tendo Pain and the others.
"Immune to physical attacks, like the Hydrification Technique?" Tendo Pain raised his hand.
Shinra Tensei!
All the incoming senbon were repelled. At the same time, the Asura Path flung the clone away, then fired a tracking missile, which detonated in the air, enveloping it in flames.
Just then, the Shika and Water clones both charged forward, while the Gyoku clone activated its genjutsu.
Heaven and Earth Seal!
The six senses of all the Paths of Pain, and Nagato, were sealed.
Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!
The Shika clone raised its palms. Bones broke through the skin of its ten fingertips, and then shot out like bullets toward the Animal Path and two other Paths. The Water Clone, meanwhile, went straight for the Asura Path.
In an instant, Nagato broke the illusion. The Rinnegan was not immune to genjutsu. However, it could use the Absorption Seal to absorb ninjutsu, and this included genjutsu. So, the illusion was instantly absorbed by him. At the same time, the Preta Path also broke the illusion. The moment he recovered, he grabbed the Human and Animal Paths and leaped away, dodging the bone bullets. He couldn't absorb them with his ability. Although the bones of the Shikotsumyaku were created with chakra, they were not pure chakra constructs, but real bones.
Throwing the two Paths aside, the Preta Path engaged the Shika clone in the air, exchanging blows. But after just three moves, his movements became deformed, and he was struck by the clone's leg, sent crashing to the ground with a boom. After finishing him off, just as the Shika clone was about to go after the others, a pulling force came from behind. Banshō Ten'in!
At the same time, the Asura Path, which had also broken the illusion, pierced the Water Clone with its saw. With a splash of water, the clone, though pierced, turned to water, its feet never stopping as it arrived in front of the Asura Path, its watery arm locking around its neck.
Boom!
The Asura Path was slammed into the ground. The Water Clone then brought its fist down, smashing its head and driving its upper body into the earth.
"Damn it!" Tendo Pain was furious. He spread his arms.
Shinra Tensei!
An invisible repulsive force exploded outward. The Water and Shika clones suddenly vanished, reappearing where they had originally been standing, causing the attack to miss. And in the air, the Magnet Release clone, its back sprouting wings of Iron Sand, was completely unharmed by the missile explosion.
The second round of exchanges was over. The Asura and Preta Paths were destroyed. Of the Six Paths of Pain, only Tendo, the Human Path, and the Animal Path remained.
That space-time Body Flicker... what a troublesome opponent. Nagato's expression was grave.
Konan, watching from the sky, was also shocked. This guy… no wonder he was able to take out Uchiha Tekka. The Sharingan, Ice Release, space-time ninjutsu, Shikotsumyaku, Magnet Release, and the Hydrification Technique. And he has another clone that hasn't even acted yet. And according to the intel, his Ice Release is extremely strong, very likely a Kekkei Tōta. Also, his knowledge of the Rinnegan's abilities is not zero. These six clones… was it a coincidence, or were they specifically designed to counter the Six Paths of Pain?
In the distance, the watching Tobi exclaimed, "Wow, this is bad! Very bad! This guy was hiding so many abilities! It looks like Nagato is going to end up just like Tekka! Just his Ice Release alone is extremely troublesome! It looks like I need to prepare to find a new master!"
"It seems my normal methods are no longer useful. But there is still one clone whose abilities I don't know," Nagato said, his gaze sweeping over Genichi's six clones. The Human and Animal Paths immediately leaped away, retreating to a distant mound. The next moment, they both collapsed.
Genichi looked over, his mind clear. He had concentrated the power of those two Paths into Tendo Pain.
"It seems the main body is about to act as well," he smiled. These puppet clones really are useful.
Just then, Tendo Pain raised his left hand, aiming his palm at the Dark Release (Mei) clone, which had not yet acted.
Banshō Ten'in!
The clone was immediately pulled into the air. Then, Tendo raised his right hand and aimed at the Magnet Release clone in the sky. Another pull, and the clone lost control, crashing toward the Dark Release clone.
And to prevent the other clones from interfering, Nagato finally made his move. He formed the "Serpent" hand seal. Thick vines erupted from the ground, winding around Tendo Pain like dragons and snakes, and shooting toward Genichi's other four clones.
Wood Release!
So he had mastered it. Genichi's gaze hardened. He had guessed it when he saw Nagato's healed legs. And with his abilities, it wasn't strange. But was it on the same level as Madara's? He was a little expectant.
Below, in front of Tendo Pain, a jet-black wall suddenly rose from the ground, quickly blocking his vision and cutting off the Universal Pull. The sharp vines pierced toward the black wall. They collided with the sound of metal clashing, and the tips of the vines exploded, sending splinters flying. The black wall also dented.
"Not a rock wall…" Tendo Pain's gaze hardened. He then saw the ground rapidly freezing, the surrounding temperature plummeting, and the Wood Release stopping its growth.
The true power of his Ice Release? Tendo leaped back, arriving next to his main body.
The cold air spread. Nagato raised his hand. Fūjutsu Kyūin! The rolling cold air surged into his palm and was absorbed completely.
Just then, the sound of movement came from the left and right. Two figures were closing in.
So fast!
Tendo Pain raised his hand toward the one on the left. Shinra Tensei!
It was the Water Clone. Seeing Tendo raise his hand, it immediately threw a punch. Tremendous physical strength + Monstrous Strength + Boil Release!
The fist collided with the invisible repulsive force. With the sound of water exploding, the clone's arm burst into a spray of water, but its body was not repelled by the Shinra Tensei.
"What? He blocked it with his fist?!" Tendo was shocked. Although he hadn't used much power just now, to block it with a fist was still shocking enough.
On the right, Nagato also used Shinra Tensei, repelling the Shika clone that was attacking from the flank.
Boom!
Tendo suddenly sank into the ground, leaving only his head exposed. Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!
Just as he was about to use Shinra Tensei to free himself, the surrounding ground rapidly hardened into steel. Steel Release: Earth to Steel Technique!
So that's it. The Steel Release Kekkei Genkai. Nagato moved sideways, his feet landing on the steel ground. Fūjutsu Kyūin! The hardened ground quickly softened.
And from the sky, a dense barrage of Iron Sand senbon rained down. From the rear, a tide of Gold Dust surged. And from the front, a great wave of water, surging and powerful. From the left and right, there were also attacks.
Surrounded on all sides, with both pure physical and ninjutsu attacks. Seeing this, Nagato spread his arms.
Shinra Tensei!
This time, the power he unleashed was far greater than any before. Whether it was the Gold Dust or the Iron Sand, or any of the other ninjutsu, all of it was instantly repelled. Then the ground was stripped away layer by layer, and the terrifying force even tore apart the steel wall that had been created in a very short time.
Just as the puppet clones were about to be sent flying, thick, jet-black iron walls erupted from the ground, linking together to form a giant cube that surrounded Nagato and the others.
Steel Release: Multiple Iron-Flowing Walls! And on these walls were carved the heads of the Nine-Tails fox.
THUD~~~
A dull roar sounded as the power of the Shinra Tensei crashed against the thick iron walls. The innermost layer dented and tore. But the clones had created a wall a dozen meters thick, and it stubbornly withstood the impact.
"They blocked it even like this," Nagato was shocked.
Swoosh! Swoosh!~~
On the four walls, figures appeared. The Dark Release clone on the left, the Shikotsumyaku clone on the right, the Sharingan clone in the back, the Ice and Water clones in the front, and the Magnet Release clone in the air.
The left, right, and air clones attacked again at the same time. Still Iron Sand, Gold Dust, and Wind and Fire Release.
"Such attacks are useless against me!" Nagato raised his hand again. Shinra Tensei. All attacks were repelled.
As expected, Genichi thought. For the main body, as long as there is enough chakra, there is no so-called cooldown. Tendo Pain needs a cooldown because his chakra is being transmitted from Nagato. And as a corpse, he doesn't produce his own chakra and can't store a portion of it.
The clones below continued to attack. But this time, Nagato did not act. Instead, the now-recovered Tendo Pain used Shinra Tensei to defend. A circular defensive barrier appeared, and all attacks were deflected.
Genichi, watching this, already had a guess. Nagato is about to use his big move.
As expected. After Tendo Pain's Shinra Tensei entered its cooldown, Nagato leaped into the air, his arms spread wide. The probing was about over. If he didn't deal with these clones, it would be very troublesome. So, he would deal with them all at once.
Chō Shinra Tensei!
Nagato unleashed his strongest Almighty Push! The greatest power he could exert in an instant.
At this, the earth cracked, and even the ten-meter-thick iron wall could not block it and was torn apart. But on the ground, the six puppet clones, who had retreated from the wall, had four of their number simultaneously forming hand seals. In an instant, a red, rectangular barrier rose up.
The invisible repulsive force crashed against the barrier, causing it to ripple like water. However, it showed no sign of breaking.
"What? It was blocked even like that?" For the first time, Nagato's face showed his shock.
Konan, watching from the sky, was also dumbfounded. The power that, in her eyes, was like that of a god, had repeatedly failed. And just now, he had clearly been charging for some time. It was conceivable how strong this attack would have been. But it had been completely blocked. It was truly hard to accept.
Nagato landed on the ground. The barrier around him also disappeared. He recalled the chakra from Tendo Pain, then shouted, "Konan!"
She immediately understood. She swooped down from the sky and wrapped Yahiko's body in paper, carrying it into the air and flying back toward the village, leaving a paper clone behind.
"Oh? Looks like he's going to use his full strength," Genichi smiled.
(End of Chapter)
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