A wave crashed against the sandy beach, and in the distance, rocks were exposed.
Suddenly, the space rippled and fluctuated, and a distorted vortex appeared in the air. Then, two figures, a man and a woman, fell out from within. After them, another man in an Akatsuki robe, his face grim, slowly appeared. Three figures... had just appeared out of thin air.
"Nagato!" The moment she got up, Konan saw Nagato's barely-breathing appearance and rushed forward, holding him and crying out in pain. After repeatedly using his ultimate moves, and now having lost his Rinnegan, Nagato was on his last breath.
"Hmph!" Obito looked at all of this with cold eyes. The face hidden behind his spiral mask held a cold and mocking gaze. More than that, it was a look of frustration.
The Rinnegan! He had originally just planned to let it be nurtured in Nagato's body. Now, their Rinnegan was lost. Most fatally, the eyes hadn't fallen into anyone else's hands, but into the hands of their enemy, that guy Hatake Kusuo.
That monster. His swordsmanship was divine. Its power was world-shaking. Every slash carried a fatal threat. Even Obito himself could only guarantee that he could retreat with his whole body intact, but from beginning to end, he was completely helpless against him.
Now, with the addition of the Rinnegan... who under the heavens could control him? Even if Madara Uchiha were to be revived, Obito didn't have much confidence that he could win against this monster, Kusuo.
"What a useless piece of trash!" Thinking of this, he cursed angrily. Obito looked hatefully at Konan helping Nagato to stop his injuries. But he wasn't in a hurry at all. A person who had been enhanced by the power of the Six Paths, even if on the verge of death, could hold on a little longer than an ordinary person.
It was just as Kusuo had guessed. Madara had placed a restriction on every pawn under his command. There was a seal on their hearts. Once they were subjected to a fatal threat or felt the thought of suicide, it would automatically activate to prevent it from happening. It was precisely because he had sensed the sharp sword aura pressing on Nagato's heart that Obito was able to arrive at the scene at the first opportunity and save the lives of both Konan and Nagato in time.
"Tobi!" Konan suddenly turned her head, her pretty eyes misty as she looked at Obito's figure. "Can you save him? If you can save Nagato, I can promise to follow your arrangements in the future."
Now all her hope was placed on "Tobi." Even if they had fought openly and secretly before, schemed against each other, at this moment, he was the only one who could save Nagato. So, even if it meant losing face, lowering her status, Konan had to open her mouth and ask "Tobi" for help.
"Hoh hoh..."
"I never thought that you two would have a day where you would beg me so humbly." Obito seemed to remember the time when the Akatsuki was controlled by them, and all sorts of past events came to mind. He sneered coldly.
"It's not impossible to save Nagato. It's just that all subsequent actions must be as you said, all following my orders. The Akatsuki... it's about time it returned to the hands of its true master."
"Fine!" Konan's expression gradually calmed down. She glanced at the weak Nagato, then at "Tobi." "I have one more request!"
Obito's face turned a little displeased. "Speak!"
"Help us find Yahiko's body." There was a stubbornness on Konan's face, her eyes filled with determination.
This scene... stung Obito's heart. Such a loving scene... it was as if it were secretly mocking him for being ungrateful, for even wanting to take back the gift he had given his childhood friend. In comparison, he was an out-and-out schemer.
"...Alright!" He practically gritted out this word. Obito silently chanted to himself in his heart: It's not my fault, it's the world's fault! All of this is for Rin. As long as the plan can be carried out smoothly, I will stop at nothing. So-called friendship, childhood bonds... are all fake! Only by creating a truly peaceful world can all the evil in the world be eliminated! And that person... will be me! And it must be me!
...
On the coast of the Hidden Rain Village.
Jiraiya was rushing to the battlefield when he saw Kusuo returning with his sword. His heart relaxed, and a happy expression appeared on his face.
"Kusuo!" he shouted, waving his hand.
POW!
A body landing with the speed of a cannonball smashed into the ground beside Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya-sensei." Kusuo pulled his foot out of the ground and responded.
"Er..." Jiraiya was dumbfounded. Kids these days... is their way of making an entrance so violent? One single step is dozens of meters? The inertia from landing can smash a crater in the ground?
"How did it go? Where's Pain?" But Jiraiya quickly composed himself and asked in a deep voice.
Kusuo faintly pulled back his foot, then nonchalantly held up the special container in his chest. Inside it... were the Rinnegan.
"Don't worry, Jiraiya-sensei. In the future, in the entire ninja world, the name 'Pain' will no longer exist."
With that, he took the lead and left.
Jiraiya was first stunned, not reacting to what he meant. Then, his face showed surprise and excitement. That kid Kusuo... did he mean that all six Pains were dealt with by him alone?!
He recalled the repulsive force that was like the mighty power of heaven and earth from before, and the slash that had cut across the sky, even replacing the moon. To have dealt with six Pains... didn't seem so unbelievable anymore.
"Wait for me!" he hurriedly called out, and Jiraiya followed.
Looking at the boy in his bright red clothes ahead, his gaze was a little dazed. He looks so much like him. The Fourth Hokage of the past, his own former student Minato Namikaze, had also saved people from fire and water on the battlefield, moving freely in all directions. The same youth, the same handsomeness, the same trustworthiness. The only difference was... this brat Kusuo's strength was a bit too boundless. He feared that in the entire ninja world, it would be hard to find an opponent for him.
One old and one young, they sped along the road, their figures hurried.
Annihilating Pain, the nominal leader of the Akatsuki... such important good news must be reported to the village at the first opportunity, and then spread to awe the entire ninja world.
And in Kusuo's heart, he was anxious to find a new host for the Rinnegan. Someone with the blood of an Otsutsuki descendant, who could withstand its vast chakra.
On the other end of the coast, Tsunade had just arrived with four ANBU captains. They had only been delayed for a morning, and had already lost Jiraiya's trail.
After a moment, one of the captains in charge of the interrogation division came over and said with a clasped fist, "Lord Hokage, we've already asked clearly. The girl found Lord Jiraiya on the sea three days ago. After that, she met a boy in red, who should be Lord Hatake Kusuo. Three days after finding Lord Jiraiya, which is this morning, they have just left."
After a brief report of the intelligence, Tsunade's face was filled with annoyance and anger. That stinking brat! He actually snuck out of the village behind my back. This kind of behavior is no different from a missing-nin! Most critically, it wasn't enough for this stinking brat to cause trouble alone; he actually took that guy Jiraiya with him! That's Pain! The leader of the Akatsuki! His strength is monstrous, even a hundred times more dangerous than a village Kage!
Just as she was feeling annoyed and angry, an ANBU captain beside her suddenly pointed at the coast in surprise and said, "Lord Hokage, look! There seem to be two people coming!"
-------
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