When Nagato realized that Uchiha Hikaru could see straight through his thoughts as if his mind were laid bare, he responded with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
But Hikaru only gave a calm, amused smile.
"You're right. Ninjas live by results. As long as victory is achieved, the process doesn't matter."
"I agree with you."
After speaking, Hikaru pressed his hands together. At that moment, the chakra drifting through the surrounding air reacted as if called home. Like fish swarming toward a feeding pond, the energy surged toward him uncontrollably.
Chakra thickened to the point of visibility, filling the entire area around him with deep azure light.
"Hey—hey—HEY—are you kidding me?! How can a normal human have chakra like that?!"
Deidara, who had been arguing with Sasori, was instantly drawn in by the sight.
Within a hundred-meter radius around Hikaru, pale blue chakra at the edges spiraled inward, forming a massive vortex centered on him. All of it condensed and then poured violently into Hikaru's body.
Sasori stared fixedly. Though his puppet body held no true eyes, the lenses glowed faintly with fascination.
"I can't even imagine a body like that…"
If he could make Hikaru's body into a human puppet…
It wouldn't just be the strongest puppet—
It would be the strongest weapon in the entire shinobi world.
But even thinking such a thing felt like a death wish. Saying it aloud would get him killed instantly.
Nagato, watching Hikaru's chakra build to terrifying levels, felt a chill sink into his bones.
I can't let him keep absorbing chakra like this.
If he continues… I won't be able to defeat him.
He reacted immediately.
Standing atop the lake, Tendo Pain thrust both hands toward Hikaru, firing a wave of white spiritual light.
"Hungry Ghost Path — Sealing Technique: Suction Seal!"
Unlike using it defensively, Nagato didn't form the usual chakra barrier. Instead, he unleashed pure absorption, pulling at the surrounding energy, trying to rip chakra directly away from Hikaru.
But the instant that wild chakra entered his body—
Nagato felt a violent surge explode within his pathways. Pain stabbed into every vein. He was forced to cancel the technique at once. Even Tendo Pain's mechanical frame shuddered violently, almost collapsing.
"Since you trained under Jiraiya for three years…" Hikaru's voice carried across the lake, "you should at least know what Sage Arts are, right?"
Nagato's pupils trembled.
Sage Mode—
A strange yet familiar name.
Jiraiya had mentioned his own Sage training. But the requirements were strict, the risks severe, and without Konoha's approval, he couldn't pass on Mount Myoboku's summoning contract to outsiders. It would've jeopardized Konoha's alliance with Amegakure.
So Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan had never learned Sage Arts.
"Is that… Sage Mode?!" Kakuzu choked out.
Hidan jumped at the sudden shout. "Sage what? The hell is that?"
Everyone's eyes turned toward Kakuzu—the veteran who had lived through eras the others only read about.
Kakuzu's expression was grim, holding a rare tone of respect and fear.
"Since the end of the Warring States era… only two shinobi in history have mastered Sage Mode."
"Which two?" Hidan asked, unusually cooperative.
"The God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama."
"And one of the Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya, the Toad Sage."
"They learned Sage Arts from the spiritual holy lands they communed with—the Shikkotsu Forest and Mount Myoboku."
Biwa Juzo narrowed his eyes.
"So… does that mean the three spiritual holy lands all have Sage Arts?"
"Does Ryuchi Cave have one too?"
Kakuzu shook his head.
"I don't know. But I've seen Hashirama and Jiraiya fight using Sage Mode. Their faces changed—Sage markings. Distinct and unmistakable."
"Yet Uchiha Hikaru… has no markings at all. No facial transformation."
He frowned deeply.
"Which means… he didn't learn Sage Arts from any of the known holy lands."
Juzo sucked in a breath, suddenly excited.
If that was true—
There might be another Sage Land.
Another source of power.
He knew his limits. No bloodline. No special lineage. Just skill and grit.
Of Akatsuki's members, he could probably only beat Deidara—and that was because Deidara was still young, not fully matured.
Juzo himself was already past thirty-five. His prime fading. His future filled only with decline.
Unless… he found an external power, a new path.
"Don't overthink it," Hikaru said from the cliffs above. "I didn't learn Sage Arts from anyone."
"Humans can create their own Sage techniques, can't they?"
The blue cyclone vanished, completely absorbed into him.
Hikaru stared at Nagato, whose Yahiko-corpse body was still regaining stability.
"How does it feel?" he asked lightly. "Absorbing natural chakra recklessly like that?"
Nagato snorted.
"Even so… defeating me won't be that easy!"
The last of his chakra surged violently outward.
The giant Deva Path body—
the massive "father" construct—
grew even larger.
Up to 120 meters tall, towering another twenty meters above its previous size.
Controlling the titan, Nagato launched himself like a massive rubber projectile, bouncing off the lake's surface three times in a row, gathering momentum—
Then blasted straight toward Hikaru.
Hikaru formed hand seals steadily, unfazed.
The wild wind whipped his long hair behind him.
"Even I can't stand that ridiculous statue of Madara," he muttered, "but he is the founder of the Uchiha. I won't disrespect him."
"And letting you smash it like this would be treasonous."
"Not to mention… Madara and I do look a bit similar." (¬‿¬)
He exhaled.
No more holding back.
Hikaru unleashed his chakra fully—
A fountain erupting from within—
Gathering at his throat.
...
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Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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