Back on the Amegakure battlefield, with the successive disappearances of Jigen and Menma, the suffocating, terrifying pressure finally gradually subsided.
Only the devastated ruins, huge crisscrossing ravines, and the lingering energy aftertaste in the air, mixed with the smell of scorching and blood, remained.
The rain continued to mercilessly wash over this land, attempting to erase the traces of battle, only adding to the desolation and decay.
The core members of Akatsuki did not let their guard down.
Konan, fluttering her pure white paper wings, flew higher into the air. Countless tiny paper cranes separated from her body, flying silently to various corners of the battlefield like living things, expanding the reconnaissance range.
Her cold gaze swept over every piece of rubble, alert to any potential hidden dangers or the return of the two mysterious individuals.
Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan beneath his mask slowly turned, the crimson pupils reflecting the ruins.
He not only observed visually but was also using his full power to sense the subtle fluctuations in the surrounding space.
Whether it was the black-haired youth's elusive suspected Flying Thunder God Technique or the tattooed man's bizarre spatial portals, made him especially sensitive to spatial anomalies.
He absolutely did not believe those two had left so easily and completely.
Deva Path used this rare breathing opportunity to quickly summon Naraka Path, which had not participated in the previous battle.
Naraka Path's figure soon appeared at the edge of the battlefield. He formed hand seals.
"Summoning Technique: King of Hell!"
Accompanied by a chilling aura, a gigantic, ferocious-looking King of Hell head with the character for [King] on its forehead slowly rose from the ground.
The King of Hell opened its seemingly all-devouring maw. A bizarre purple long tongue with a hand-shaped tip slowly extended from it.
Deva Path brought the scrapped remains of Shura Path, which had been pinned to the wall by black rods, and Animal Path, which had been shattered by the Super Great Ball Rasengan earlier, before the King of Hell.
The purple tongue deftly rolled up these damaged Pains' bodies and sent them into the King of Hell's bottomless mouth.
A grating chewing sound, as if chewing on steel and flesh, came from the King of Hell's mouth.
But soon, perfectly intact Shura Path Pain and Animal Path Pain walked out from the King of Hell's mouth once more.
This was Naraka Path's ability: to repair and resurrect other damaged Pains.
Just then, Zetsu's half-black, half-white, plant-like figure emerged from the ground beside Deva Path.
"Leader!" The White Zetsu half reported in his characteristic flippant tone, but the content was not optimistic. "Something's wrong in the village! Many of the White Zetsu's clones we placed... have lost contact! Especially the ones originally planted inside Hanzo's tower for surveillance, they were almost completely wiped out, disappearing without a sound!"
The Black Zetsu's hoarse voice immediately added, carrying a note of gravity. "The number is significant, and they lost contact in an extremely short time. The other party seems to know our arrangements inside out."
A flash of understanding passed through Deva Path's cold Rinnegan.
He recalled the black-haired youth displaying a Shinra Tensei identical to Shura's.
Combined with the report years ago, when Shura first attacked Konoha, about the White Zetsu lurking in Konoha disappearing in large numbers.
"No need to investigate." Deva Path's voice was devoid of fluctuation, carrying an indifference. "That black-haired youth should be Shura."
He slowly raised his head, looking towards the direction where Menma and Jigen had disappeared. "He now seems to possess some ability to accurately perceive and locate the existence of White Zetsu. We have almost no secrets before him."
These words made the hearts of the Akatsuki's members present sink.
White Zetsu's concealment ability was a crucial part of their intelligence network, yet now it was completely countered by the opponent.
And Black Zetsu's inner turmoil was far greater than the others.
If that Shura and the tattooed man were really, as their dialogue suggested, existences from a thousand years ago, contemporaries of Otsutsuki Kaguya, or simply members of the Otsutsuki Clan, then being able to see through the White Zetsu's disguise was indeed within reason.
But what made him even more uneasy was the tattooed man's hateful address of 'that bitch' for his mother Kaguya, and Shura's ambiguous stance that seemed leaning towards 'protection'.
'That tattooed man possesses such terrifying power and is Mother's enemy... Then, could this Shura be... Mother's ally? Or, another backup plan Mother left behind?' Black Zetsu's brain worked frantically, trying to untangle these complicated relationships. The thousand-year plan seemed to be being forcibly disrupted by an uncontrollable external force, causing him unprecedented anxiety.
At this moment, Obito also slowly walked over. His gaze swept over the newly repaired Shura and Animal Paths, finally landing on Deva Path.
"Regarding those two just now, Madara..." Deva Path initiated the conversation, his voice still cold. "Do you know their specific origins? Especially that guy who could use powers similar to the Rinnegan's black rods and called the other 'Isshiki'."
A meaningful, cold snort came from beneath Obito's mask. He didn't answer directly.
But his slightly clenched fist and the fleeting glimpse of wariness in his single Sharingan were enough to illustrate the problem.
Even this self-proclaimed 'Uchiha Madara', who was planning the Eye of the Moon Plan, found the power displayed by those two troublesome and felt deeply apprehensive.
This made Nagato's threat assessment of Shura and the mysterious tattooed man rise to the highest level once again.
Just then, Konan slowly descended from the sky, her paper wings folding. She walked to Deva Path's side and said in a low voice, "Pain, Jiraiya-sensei... is gone. I searched the nearby area, but I found no trace of him."
Deva Path was silent for a moment.
He knew well that Jiraiya mastered Mount Myoboku's Reverse Summoning. It was highly possible he had taken advantage of the chaos when everyone's attention was drawn by the two mysterious powerhouses to escape quietly.
"No matter." Deva Path's voice betrayed no emotion. "A lucky escape, that's all. Our target is before us."
His Rinnegan swept over the core area of Amegakure, now riddled with holes due to the multi-party melee.
Hanzo was dead. The biggest threats, Shura and the mysterious tattooed man, also seemed to have temporarily left this battlefield.
"Prepare to take over Amegakure." Deva Path issued the order. "From today, this will be Akatsuki's new starting point."
Obito interjected coldly from the side, "Jiraiya escaped. Next, it's likely Konoha won't sit idly by regarding the drastic changes in Amegakure. War is perhaps not far off."
Deva Path slowly raised his hand, feeling the raindrops and the scent of blood still lingering in the air. A cold light flashed in his Rinnegan.
"No matter how many come, those who dare set foot in the Land of Rain... will become nourishment for the new world, buried here."
…
Meanwhile, at a relatively remote port north of Amegakure.
Jiraiya had long since dispelled his Sage Mode. The toad-like pigmentation around his eyes faded. The two Toad Sages and Gamaken had also long been reverse summoned back to Mount Myoboku.
As the Natural Energy left his body, an intense sense of weakness and excruciating pain instantly swept over him.
The wounds pierced by Pain's black rods earlier, although suppressed to some extent in Sage Mode, now, lacking the support of Senjutsu Chakra, blood once again flowed freely from the wounds, dyeing his red haori even darker.
Jiraiya leaned against a damaged shipping container, breathing heavily. Beads of sweat the size of peas mixed with rainwater slid down his forehead.
He needed to leave here quickly and return to Mount Myoboku for treatment.
He endured the intense pain, preparing to find a place to perform the Reverse Summoning.
Just then, a glimpse from the corner of his eye caught sight of a group of panicked Amegakure's villagers ahead at the port.
Carrying their families and simple belongings, they were in a fluster boarding a dilapidated cargo ship under the guidance of a few seemingly organized individuals, clearly trying to flee this war zone that had just experienced a nightmare.
'And over there...' Among those busy organizers, one figure caught Jiraiya's attention.
Purple, hanging, curly short hair, a distinctive hairstyle, and that familiar purple training uniform.
It was the Amegakure's Genin girl who had appeared with the black-haired youth at his disguised ramen shop earlier… Ajisai!
At this moment, Ajisai was striving to maintain order, helping the elderly and children board the ship. Her delicate face was smudged with mud and rain, yet it carried a determination and sense of responsibility beyond her years.
Jiraiya's heart instantly leapt to his throat, his vigilance skyrocketing!
'She was an Amegakure's Kunoichi!'
'And she was closely related to that dangerous Shura!'
Just as Jiraiya was secretly on guard, the busy Ajisai seemed to have also noticed the anomaly in this corner.
She turned her head. Her gaze passed through the sparse crowd and saw Jiraiya leaning against the container in the corner, covered in blood, his face pale.
She was first stunned for a moment, seemingly recognizing this 'strange old man' she had met once at the ramen shop. Then, her face showed unfeigned worry and urgency.
She immediately said a few words to the villagers and companions beside her, then without hesitation quickly ran over towards Jiraiya's direction!
Jiraiya's muscles tensed. He instinctively assumed a defensive posture, even in his poor condition.
"Old man! How are you so badly injured?!" Ajisai ran up close. Looking at the horrifying wounds on Jiraiya's body that were still oozing blood, her eyes were filled with pure concern and anxiety.
She paid no attention to Jiraiya's wary gaze, quickly pulling out clean bandages and hemostatic powder from the tool pouch at her waist.
"Quick! Apply this to stop the bleeding first!" She thrust the medicine bottle towards Jiraiya, her tone urgent and sincere. "Something terrible just happened in the village! This place isn't safe either! Come with us, leave the village by boat first!"
Looking into the girl's crystal clear eyes, devoid of any impurity, feeling the heartfelt worry and goodwill in her words, Jiraiya's taut nerves and gathered Chakra unconsciously relaxed.
His hand, ready to strike at any moment, also slowly lowered.
At this moment, Ajisai's figure, busy in the rain, helping the weak, concerned for others, slowly overlapped with the figures of three thin but determined war orphans he had met over twenty years ago at the border of the war-torn Land of Rain… Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato.
The same Land of Rain. The same war. The same children maintaining their innate kindness amidst despair.
An indescribable, complex emotion welled up in Jiraiya's heart. There was reflection, sadness, and also a hint of dizziness as if traversing time and space.
He looked at this girl named Ajisai before him, as if seeing a kind of cycle, and also seeing the tiny yet precious glimmer of humanity still stubbornly sparkling amidst the darkness and chaos.
He allowed Ajisai to clumsily help him treat his wounds, but his gaze was somewhat distractedly looking into the depths of the rain, towards this village called Amegakure that had just experienced a terrifying great battle.
And was now being quietly taken over by the Akatsuki.