"No way, that's impossible!"
Seeing Kazama not only absorb Shuradō's bizarre fire-arrow missile but also unleash Shuradō's own five-finger missile, Nagato was stunned. He hurriedly controlled Shuradō to fire its head-mounted laser cannon, hoping to counter Kazama's incoming attack.
Nagato knew all too well the power of those five-finger missiles. If Shuradō got hit, it'd be out of commission in an instant. With Jigokudō already destroyed by Kazama, there'd be no way to revive Shuradō. Nagato had to protect Shuradō at all costs to keep Pein's fighting strength intact.
But what Nagato didn't expect was that while Shuradō's laser cannon managed to block the five-finger missiles, Kazama closed in, stepping right into the laser's attack range.
Ding! Head-mounted laser cannon absorbed successfully. Congratulations, host, for obtaining Mechanical Armor!
"Shuradō, you're done for!" Kazama roared.
In an instant, all sorts of weapons materialized on Kazama's body, seamlessly blending into his taijutsu. His physical techniques had already surpassed the limits of human capability. At the same time, Kazama summoned missiles and cannons—weapons unheard of in the shinobi world.
With a barrage of explosions and relentless strikes, Shuradō was reduced to rubble in mere moments.
"Holy crap, is Kazama even human? What kind of techniques are those?!" Jiraiya, watching from the sidelines, was dumbfounded by Kazama's display.
"Gods, just take me now! Compared to Kazama, I don't even deserve to call myself a ninja!" Jiraiya wailed, practically in tears. And he wasn't the only one— Nagato was just as devastated.
His once-invincible Pein Rokudō, which had never failed him, was now down to just Tendō, Chikushōdō, and Gakidō. Shuradō, Ningendō, and Jigokudō had been obliterated by Kazama before they could even make a dent.
Even the usually composed Nagato couldn't help but panic. Kazama was, without a doubt, the most powerful and enigmatic opponent he'd ever faced. The sheer strength and mystery surrounding Kazama sent a chill of death down Nagato's spine.
"Nagato, stop this. There's no need for us to fight to the death!" Kazama called out.
"You!" Nagato, hidden in the shadows, was floored. Kazama had just said his name—something no one had spoken in years. Very few knew his true identity, and Kazama definitely wasn't one of them. Or so Nagato had thought. For Kazama to see through him now was beyond belief.
"Kazama, what did you just say? Pein is Nagato?!" Jiraiya, equally shocked, turned to scrutinize Pein. That's when he noticed Tendō bore an uncanny resemblance to his former student, Yahiko.
"What's going on here? Yahiko didn't have the Rinnegan before, and Nagato, who does, has been in hiding. Konan, Yahiko, Nagato—what happened to you three?" Jiraiya demanded.
Konan, hovering in the air, stayed silent. Nagato, controlling Pein, fell into a heavy silence as well. Jiraiya's questions dragged them back to the painful memory of Yahiko's death.
"Let me explain," Kazama said, stepping beside Jiraiya. "Yahiko is dead. The Yahiko you see now is just a corpse controlled by Nagato. Not just him—all of Pein Rokudō are corpses. Nagato himself was crippled years ago after an ambush by Amegakure's leader, Hanzō of the Salamander. He's been unable to move ever since. Am I right, Nagato?"
"What?! Is this true?" Jiraiya's heart shattered at the tragic fate of his three former students.
"You're exactly right," Tendō, controlled by Nagato, spoke up. "I don't know how you learned about our past, but if you understand what we've been through, you should know the pain we've endured and the convictions we hold!"
"I understand—"
"You only think you understand. There's no such thing as true empathy in this world. That's why I'll make the world feel the same pain I have!" Nagato declared.
"Kazama, watch out!" Jiraiya shouted.
Gakidō, with its ability to absorb chakra, had appeared behind Kazama.
"You're strong, but without chakra, you're nothing!" Gakidō taunted, seizing Kazama.
"You're not wrong," Kazama replied calmly, unfazed. "But what if I have infinite chakra?"
At those words, Pein, Konan, and Jiraiya froze, utterly stunned.