Having lost interest, Uchiha Shion was already preparing to leave. But Jiraiya—who had clearly come with the intent to investigate him—was not about to let him walk away so easily.
"Kid, do you even know who I am? I am—"
Shion turned back, his expression cold as he cut through the man's theatrics.
"Disciple of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Crushed into the dirt by Hanzō of the Salamander, then tossed a pity title—'one of the Sannin.' In your youth, out of frustration, you reverse-summoned yourself to Mount Myōboku, where that old toad gave you a prophecy about a savior. Ever since then, you've run around chasing that prophecy… and chasing women."
A faint smirk tugged at Shion's lips.
"I know your past as clearly as daylight. I can even guess at pieces of your future. But you—your so-called value—doesn't interest me in the slightest."
He glanced at Jiraiya dismissively before adding,
"Whether it's Mount Myōboku's senjutsu or the jutsu you've gathered for yourself, in this world, your power is… negligible."
As Shion turned away, Jiraiya's smile faded. His gaze hardened.
Power, huh?
Whether it was bargaining with Minato, or the First Hokage's presence in the Pure Land, Uchiha Shion's purpose always circled back to one thing: power.
Then here, in the Land of Rain…
Nagato.
The Rinnegan.
The thought hit him at once.
In this world, was his own power really so insignificant?
The Land of Rain sat at the border of Fire, Wind, and Earth. Rain poured down ten months out of the year, if not all twelve. By all rights, landslides and mudslides should have been constant, and yet somehow, the nation endured.
But within Amegakure, the rain never ceased.
The Jutsu: Rain Tiger at Will.
Standing at the outskirts, Shion gazed at the village shrouded in its endless curtain of rain.
"So this will have to be a direct assault?"
He wasn't sure how far Akatsuki had developed at this point. As for his old acquaintance, Obito—the new arm should have been fully attached by now. Not that it mattered. That piece was useless to him now.
Reaching into his pouch, Shion pulled out a kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God formula. His eyes lifted toward the tallest structure in the village: the central tower.
Whish!
With a single motion, the kunai was hurled with immense force, splitting the air with a shriek that drew every gaze upward.
Swsh!
In the next instant, Shion's figure vanished. He reappeared midair, hand catching the kunai as it spun.
Swsh!
Another throw. Another disappearance.
By the second leap, his overwhelming strength sent the kunai crashing through the tower's glass, embedding itself within.
Swsh!
Shion appeared inside, eyes falling upon the emaciated figure bound with chakra rods and tubes—Nagato.
Tilting his head, Shion grinned.
"Mind lending me a little blood? Or maybe a piece of flesh will do."
Nagato's response came not in words, but through the cold light of the Rinnegan.
"Shinra Tensei!"
BOOM!
The repulsive force shattered the stone walls, blasting Shion back out of the tower.
"All I asked was for a little sample… already refusing to negotiate?" Shion muttered dryly as he adjusted midair.
The kunai he had thrown was also expelled, clattering across the ground outside. Clearly, storming the tower and attacking Nagato's true body was out of the question.
No sooner had he landed than six figures descended, surrounding him in an instant.
At their lead stood one who looked almost identical to Shion—save for the hair. His body, too, was pierced with countless black receivers.
"Who are you?! Why do you wear this face? Release your transformation technique."
Tendō Pain's voice was devoid of emotion. To him, anyone who dared to bear Yahiko's likeness deserved only divine punishment.
Shion looked around at the Six Paths of Pain encircling him. At this point in time, their lineup wasn't quite the one he remembered. Some were different.
"You, wielder of the Rinnegan, can't even tell? I'm not using any transformation. Why I look like you—aside from the hair—I'd very much like to know myself."
He smirked faintly.
"My name is Uchiha Shion. I came here to borrow something."
Pain shook his head.
"There is nothing here for you to borrow. Before God, you cannot take anything."
Shion blinked at the absurd line, then sighed.
"Well… then perhaps God could grant me what I seek?"
The air fell silent at his provocation.
Pain's cold voice cut through.
"Your previous blasphemy already insulted God's majesty. Only death can atone for such a crime."
As the words faded, the Six Paths moved as one, forming a battle formation. From Asura Path's arm, six homing missiles fired outward.
"Negotiations failed, huh?"
Shion muttered casually, but his body showed no sign of fear. He waited until the missiles were almost upon him, then flicked a kunai and vanished in a flash of Flying Thunder God.
BOOM!!
The impact carved a crater where he had just stood, but the smoke cleared to nothing.
Swsh!
Reappearing above Asura Path, Shion brought his fist down.
BOOM!
The monstrous strength of his Sage-enhanced body crushed the puppet-like body to pieces, scattering it into smoke and metal fragments.
"Hmm?"
Landing lightly, Shion vanished again in the blink of an eye, evading the grasp of Human Path, who had lunged from behind.
That one was dangerous. With the ability to rip out souls, Human Path was a true threat—even to a clone. But its speed was too slow, nothing like Nagato's true self.
Dodging aside, Shion flung three kunai outward.
Swsh!
He reappeared above Human Path, fist cocked to crush it—
"Shinra Tensei!!"
The repulsive force blasted him and his marked kunai back at once.
Steadying himself midair, Shion gave a rueful laugh.
"Already figured it out? That was only twice."
Tendō Pain's eyes glowed.
"Uchiha Shion… the Red Flash. The second man, after Konoha's Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, to wield such speed. Space-time ninjutsu. Those special kunai you throw—your coordinate markers, aren't they?"
Shion tilted his head.
"Everything else you said is right. But I'm not the second. I should be the third."
Pain's expression didn't change.
"Such details don't matter. Against God, even space-time techniques are nothing more than desperate flailing."
"…ouch." Shion chuckled. "That's some next-level arrogance. Should I take lessons from you? If we ranked the ninja world by who can act the most superior, I'd give you the crown without question."
"Empty words from a mortal," Pain intoned coldly. "Now you will witness the true power of God. Only through pain can one find salvation."
"Summoning Jutsu!"
From the clouds of smoke rose a monstrous hellhound and the giant bird, the Eight-Headed Crow. The massive beasts glared down from above, ready to strike.
Shion smirked at the slavering hound.
"I came here on a gamble. But even a gamble… I wouldn't make unless I had the confidence to overturn the board."
Glancing at the empty streets around them, Shion clapped his hands together in the Ram seal.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees!"