The Chakra Fluctuations and deafening explosions produced by the battle between Menma and Jigen were like a massive boulder thrown into the deep waters of Amegakure, with ripples rapidly spreading throughout the entire village.
Orochimaru, who had just joined the Akatsuki and was hiding in the shadows observing Jiraiya's fight with Pain with a researcher's curiosity and greed, was also drawn by the sudden explosion.
His golden snake-like pupils narrowed slightly as he looked towards the southeast direction from which the intense tremors kept coming. His long tongue instinctively licked his lips.
"Oh? It seems Amegakure is even more lively today than expected..." He murmured to himself, a trace of excitement in his tone.
Meanwhile, Obito, standing in the shadows of another tall building, looked towards the direction of the explosion with his Sharingan, his brow furrowing tightly beneath his mask.
He asked Zetsu, who had emerged from the wall: "Aside from Hanzo and his direct Anbu, does Amegakure... have Jonin of this level?"
"As if!" The White Zetsu half denied in his characteristic exaggerated tone. "That old fool Hanzo is so paranoid! If there were powerful, disobedient Jonin, he would have found an excuse to eliminate them long ago! Apart from our Akatsuki, Amegakure is basically a wasteland right now!"
The Black Zetsu half added in his hoarse voice, filled with gravity: "It is indeed abnormal. The quality and collision level of this Chakra... is far beyond that of an ordinary Jonin. It even feels... somewhat familiar."
A deep doubt flashed in Obito's single eye: "Then... who is responsible for a battle of this level?"
A sense of unease stirred within him, as things seemed to be slipping out of his control.
On the battlefield, Konan, fluttering her pure white paper wings, slowly descended from the sky to land beside Deva Path. She whispered, "Pain, the commotion over there... I'll go check it out."
Deva Path remained expressionless, merely giving a slight nod. His attention was still focused on Jiraiya, who lay amidst the rubble, his aura weak but still struggling.
He slowly raised his hand, the black Chakra Rod lifting once more, his cold killing intent locking onto his former teacher.
"Jiraiya-sensei... it's time to end this for good."
Just as he was about to bring down the rod and pierce Jiraiya-
Boom!!!
A figure shot backwards like a cannonball from the direction of the explosion, moving at extreme speed, carrying a shrill whistling sound, and smashed hard into the already precarious wall of a ruined tower next to Asura Path!
Bricks and stones flew, dust filled the air!
Then, under the shocked and uncertain gazes of everyone present, a figure slowly walked out of the dust.
He wore a tattered white haori, his face and exposed skin covered in strange black wedge-shaped patterns. A trace of fresh blood still stained the corner of his mouth, his aura somewhat disordered, but his eyes still held that aloof indifference and arrogance.
It was Jigen, forced to activate his [Kama - Stage One].
Jigen's gaze swept indifferently over the Akatsuki's members present.
Deva Path, Konan, the recently arrived Obito and Zetsu, and finally settled on the severely injured Jiraiya on the ground.
He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his tone still carrying a bizarre politeness: "My apologies for interrupting your battle. I have some personal business to handle, I'll be leaving shortly."
His attitude, as if he had just casually wandered into someone's backyard, thoroughly angered Nagato, who was already displeased by the interruption of his plans.
"Arrogant!" Nagato, controlling Asura Path, sent the high-speed rotating buzzsaw on its back screeching towards Jigen's back with a piercing whine!
The attack was swift and vicious, enough to easily tear through steel.
However, Jigen didn't even turn his head.
He simply raised his left hand seemingly casually. A black Chakra Rod instantly appeared in his hand, precisely blocking the savage buzzsaw!
Clang!!!
Amidst the grating sound of metal clashing, a scene that shocked everyone occurred.
Asura Path's incredibly sturdy buzzsaw, upon colliding with the seemingly ordinary black rod in Jigen's hand, shattered into pieces as if it were fragile glass!
Immediately after, Jigen turned sideways, delivering a seemingly plain and unremarkable whip kick that lashed out like lightning, squarely striking Asura Path's abdomen!
Bang!!!
Asura Path's mechanically enhanced body, as if hit head-on by a battering ram, was sent flying back without any resistance, crashing hard into the ruins further away, momentarily unable to move!
Silence!
Deathly silence!
Whether it was Nagato observing through the Deva Path's perspective, or Obito and Black Zetsu on the scene, all were deeply shocked by the scene before them!
'That black rod that mysteriously appeared in the stranger's hand... it was undoubtedly a Chakra Reception Rod!'
But in their understanding, this was a special weapon that only the possessor of the Rinnegan could condense and use, imbued with the power of Yin-Yang Release!
'Why could this person use it too?!'
Especially Black Zetsu. His extremely acute sensing ability, when trying to probe this mysterious person, felt like a stone sinking into the sea… he couldn't sense anything, as if there was no one there at all!
But he was physically present before their eyes, giving off a feeling of deep emptiness and an indescribable pressure!
'This guy... just who is he...' In a thousand years, Black Zetsu had never encountered a situation where sensing probing failed like this!
Jigen shook his hand slightly, as if he had just swatted a fly, his tone still flat: "I said, I have no intention of fighting you."
His gaze passed over the crowd, looking towards a spot not far from Obito's location.
There, atop another tower, another figure had quietly appeared at some point.
He had short black hair, a young face, and wore a black gown with red edges. He was also toying with a black Chakra Reception Rod in his hand, looking down at the chaotic scene below with an interested gaze.
A slight smirk played on Menma's lips as he mimicked Jigen's earlier tone, a hint of mockery in his voice:
"My apologies for interrupting your battle."
"That guy..." Konan immediately became wary, her paper wings fluttering slightly as she whispered to Deva Path, "His eyes!"
Nagato, focusing through the Deva Path's vision, indeed saw Menma's unconventional eye combination… one crimson Mangekyo Sharingan and one pure white Byakugan!
This bizarre combination sent shockwaves through his heart.
Obito and Zetsu also immediately noticed the mysterious person's eyes, and the Chakra Rod in his hand, identical in origin to Jigen's, causing similarly massive waves of shock in their hearts!
'A combination of Sharingan and Byakugan?'
'Also using Chakra Rods?'
'Just what were the origins of these two guys?!'
As Menma was not currently wearing his signature black robe or his white three-eyed fox mask, the Akatsuki's members did not connect this mysterious youth with the dreaded Shura they were wary of.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya, lying in the rubble leaning against a broken wall and breathing heavily, looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar black-haired youth on the opposite tower.
The scenes of their previous encounters at the ramen shop and on the street immediately surfaced in his mind.
'It's him... that kid who called himself 'Ichiraku'...'
His heart was filled with confusion and shock.
Fukasaku and Shima on his shoulders looked even more grim.
"Jiraiya-chan, those black rods..." Fukasaku's voice was low. "They are the same type of weapon as the one that attacked you earlier! They contain a terrifying power that disrupts and even seals Chakra! These two people... are both extremely dangerous!"
At this moment, Menma's eyes were only on Jigen. He had no interest in Obito and Nagato, his former defeated opponents.
And Jigen similarly looked down on the Akatsuki's members. His full attention was focused on Menma, this mysterious youth who called himself 'Otsutsuki Rakushiki', wielded strange powers, and had managed to injure him.
For a moment, a strange four-way standoff formed on the battlefield.
The severely injured, near-death Jiraiya and the two Toad Sages, the suspicious and unsettled Akatsuki's members. and Menma and Jigen, locked onto each other.
"Warm-up should be over." Menma cracked his neck slightly, his eyes suddenly turning sharp.
He pushed off with his feet, the concrete on the tower top cracking. His figure shot forward like a diving hawk, once again carrying an unstoppable momentum as he charged towards Jigen on the ground!
Jigen's eyes turned cold as he met the charge without fear!
The two engaged once more!
This time, they seemed to abandon flashy Ninjutsu, relying entirely on pure Taijutsu and the black rods in their hands!
The sound of rod clashing against rod was like rapid drumbeats, ringing out urgently amidst the rain and ruins. Each impact sparked blinding flashes and sent out heart-palpitating energy ripples.
Their movements were so fast that even Konan had trouble keeping up, and Obito needed his Mangekyo to see clearly.
Their strength was astonishing. Wherever the black rods passed, the ground cracked and walls collapsed, as if they were two human-shaped demolition machines.
This feeling of being completely ignored made Nagato, who saw himself as 'God', feel an unprecedented humiliation.
He manipulated Asura Path, which had just struggled out of the rubble, and aimed it at the center of the battle!
"Flaming Arrow Warhead!"
Asura Path's arm and shoulder armor snapped open. Dozens of small homing missiles swarmed out like a hive, whistling shrilly as they indiscriminately covered the area where Menma and Jigen were!
Menma, in the midst of the fierce exchange, moved like a ghost, weaving and flickering through the gaps between the missiles, avoiding the explosions by a hair's breadth.
Jigen, however, appeared even more composed. He didn't even stop his assault on Menma, merely raising his free left hand, the space in front of his palm slightly distorting.
Countless extremely small, barely visible black particles were scattered into the air, just in time meeting the incoming missile swarm.
Then, with a thought:
'Sukunahikona!'
Those tiny black particles instantly expanded, transforming into countless sharp Chakra Rods that crashed into the incoming missiles!
Boom Boom Boom Boom—!!!
A chain of violent explosions erupted, flames and smoke instantly swallowing a large area.
And under the cover of this explosive smoke, Jigen's figure abruptly accelerated. A powerful side kick landed squarely on the rod Menma hastily raised to block!
Bang!
Menma was sent flying backward by the tremendous force.
Just as his body was mid-air with no leverage, Asura Path, having just vented its attack, had its head split open like a bizarre flower petal, revealing a complex energy-gathering device inside!
A thick, terrifying laser beam, brimming with destructive energy, shot out like the gaze of death, instantly targeting Menma in the air!
"That kid is in danger!" Shima couldn't help but exclaim.
Facing this sudden sneak attack, Menma forcibly twisted his body in mid-air, his eyes showing not a trace of panic.
He directly threw the black rod he had been fighting Jigen with, hurling it like a javelin at the laser beam!
Swoosh-
Squelch!
The black rod, infused with Menma's powerful Chakra and special power, actually pierced straight through the seemingly indestructible laser beam like a hot knife through butter, shattering and annihilating it from within!
And its momentum didn't stop. At the tail end of the black rod, three thinner rods split off like forked lightning and shot out!
"What?!" Nagato was aghast.
Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!
The three split rods, moving faster than the eye could follow, accurately struck Asura Path's head, chest, and core joints!
Asura Path's movements instantly froze. The light in its Rinnegan rapidly dimmed. Its large body was firmly pinned to the wall behind it, completely losing its ability to move, becoming a literal pile of scrap metal.
The second Pain, destroyed!
Obito and Zetsu instantly appeared beside Deva Path and Konan. The atmosphere grew extremely tense.
"That's... definitely a Chakra Rod..." Black Zetsu's hoarse voice held unprecedented gravity. "In theory, this should be something only those who have mastered Six Paths power, especially the power of the Rinnegan, can condense... But they..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Nagato and Konan understood the implication.
Chakra Rods were one of the Rinnegan abilities Nagato gradually mastered after summoning the Gedo Statue. These Six Paths of Pain were controlled using Chakra Rods as connection points.
But these two mysterious opponents, clearly without Rinnegan, could use them so skillfully, even with greater power!
Obito's face beneath the mask was extremely grim, his heart filled with doubt and shock.
'Amegakure actually harbored such powerful and mysterious Ninja, and I and Zetsu, after years of operation, knew nothing about it!'
This completely disrupted his plans.
And Nagato, who proclaimed himself 'God', having just killed Hanzo and preparing to rule the Land of Rain, collect the Tailed Beasts, and ultimately even defeat that Shura, now felt an unprecedented rage and insult!
First Jiraiya, now these two guys who came out of nowhere, each daring to act recklessly within his 'Divine Realm'!
Deva Path took a step forward. Its Rinnegan filled with cold killing intent, its voice like millennia-old ice, echoing through the rain:
"No matter who you are... committing such crimes in the realm of God warrants only death!"
Jigen, who was about to continue pursuing Menma, paused slightly upon hearing these words.
He first looked down at the fine cracks that had appeared on the black hole-like pattern on his abdomen.
'Reaching the limit already?' This was the strain forced power usage was putting on this vessel. It even caused a tear of physiological pain to seep from the corner of his eye.
'Such a useless vessel...'
Jigen slowly raised his head, looking at the orange-haired puppet that called itself 'God'. For the first time, his face showed undisguised, ultimate contempt and arrogance, as if looking at an insect.
"Insects... dare to call themselves deities?" Jigen's voice wasn't loud, but carried an absolute sense of superiority seemingly stemming from bloodline and soul. "Then let you frogs at the bottom of a well witness... what true 'God'-like power is."
Before the words fully faded, without any obvious hand seal or movement, he simply raised his right hand towards Deva Path and made a slight grasping motion.
Sukunahikona!
The Chakra Rods he had scattered while defending against the missiles earlier, which had been secretly placed around the battlefield in their microscopic state, were instantly enlarged at this moment!
They resumed their lethal forms!
Squelch! Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!
Several black Chakra Rods seemed to appear out of thin air. Moving at an impossible-to-react-to speed, they instantly pierced through Deva Path's limbs and torso!
One even grazed his cheek, cutting off a strand of orange hair!
Deva Path's body stiffened abruptly, its Rinnegan filled with disbelief and shock!
It hadn't even had time to activate Shinra Tensei!
Deva Path's body was forced back a few steps by the power contained in the rods, pinned firmly in place, its Chakra Flow instantly thrown into chaos!
"Pain!" Konan cried out in horror.
Obito and Zetsu also widened their eyes!
They hadn't even seen how those black rods appeared!
This method of attack completely surpassed their understanding!
"Dance of the Shikigami!"
Konan, both shocked and furious, sent countless sharp paper shuriken swirling towards Jigen like a blizzard!
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Obito immediately formed hand seals, spewing a blazing fireball to provide covering fire!
However, facing their combined attack, Jigen merely indifferently raised both hands, his palms aimed at the paper and the fireball respectively.
Kama: Absorption!
The savage paper barrage and the massive fireball, upon contacting Jigen's palms, seemed to vanish into a bog. All the Chakra was rapidly devoured, absorbed, disappearing without a trace!
Not even a ripple was stirred!
"How is that possible?! Absorbing Ninjutsu?!" Konan and Obito's pupils constricted sharply. This scene was all too similar to the Preta Path's ability!
No, it was even faster than Preta Path's absorption!
The successive appearances of mysterious enemies, the power that completely suppressed the Rinnegan's abilities, sank the hearts of the Akatsuki's members to the depths.
And Jigen, after casually neutralizing the Akatsuki's attack, seemed to regain some of the confidence and superiority of the mighty Otsutsuki Clan from the natives' shock and fear.
He slowly turned his head, once again fixing his gaze on Menma, who was standing on the tower wall, quietly watching all of this.
Rainwater slid down the patterns on his face, mixing with that tear of physiological pain, making his current expression appear particularly eerie.
"Now, it's your turn." Jigen's voice carried a cold, arrogant killing intent, locking onto Menma.