On a ridge outside the Hidden Rain Village, two figures stood in silence.
One wore the black cloak patterned with red clouds.
The other resembled a giant pitcher plant.
Uchiha Obito.
Black Zetsu.
"Not running this time?" Black Zetsu asked.
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"Running? This is just a clone," Obito replied coldly.
"So even if you lose, it doesn't matter?"
Obito didn't answer. His eyes were locked on the village below.
Years ago, when he faced Kira of the Red Sun Society, he'd been defeated twice. Even hiding inside Kamui hadn't saved him—the attack had pierced through space itself and injured him anyway.
From that day on, just hearing Kira's name was enough to make him retreat.
A lifelong psychological scar.
Since then, Obito had trained relentlessly. He'd grown far stronger—far beyond what he used to be.
He believed that if he faced Kira again, he wouldn't need to fear him.
And yet—
The moment he heard that familiar voice, his body had instinctively fled.
That realization burned with humiliation.
So he sent a clone.
His last shred of stubborn pride.
"Someone's coming out," Black Zetsu suddenly said.
Below, a lone figure walked out of the village.
Behind him floated several unconscious bodies.
Obito's eyes narrowed.
"Kakuzu… Sasori… Deidara… all of them…"
They dangled like discarded trash.
"Akatsuki… is finished."
His voice was hollow.
Back in the battle at Kirigakure, he had already lost control of the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.
Now the organization he had carefully built to capture the Tailed Beasts was collapsing too.
Infinite Tsukuyomi.
A world for Rin.
Every plan was being severed one by one.
It felt like something was gnawing at his heart.
"It's not over," Black Zetsu said forcefully. "Nagato still has the Rinnegan."
Obito's eyes sharpened.
"Yes. It's not over."
He leapt toward the battlefield.
"I'm fighting. I've trained for years. I refuse to believe it was meaningless."
Black Zetsu followed.
Dozens of miles away, in a barren mountain clearing, Naruto stopped.
The Six Paths of Pain landed opposite him.
Obito's clone and Black Zetsu appeared silently nearby.
Konan stood watching, tense.
"You can come at me together," Naruto said calmly. "I don't mind."
His gaze swept over all of them.
Obito felt a chill.
Even though everyone present was at least Kage-level, Naruto looked at them as if they were insignificant.
"I'm enough," Tendo Pain said coldly.
"Summoning Jutsu—Cerberus!"
The Animal Path stepped forward.
A gigantic three-headed hellhound with wings appeared, roaring violently as it lunged toward Naruto.
It was massive—like a moving hill.
Naruto looked tiny in comparison.
"This kind of summon is troublesome without a counter-summon," Pain said evenly. "Let's see how strong you really are."
Naruto shook his head.
"This puppy? Don't embarrass yourself."
He casually slapped forward.
Boom.
The Cerberus was launched backward—
And exploded midair into a cloud of blood.
No splitting.
No regeneration.
Just gone.
Obito sucked in a breath.
That summon was supposed to multiply when destroyed.
But Naruto had erased it completely.
The Animal Path immediately summoned more:
"Summoning Jutsu—Giant Bird!"
"Summoning Jutsu—Rhino!"
"Summoning Jutsu—Centipede!"
Massive creatures charged from every direction.
The giant bird dove from the sky like a missile.
Naruto flicked a finger upward.
The bird's beak collided with his fingertip.
Wind roared.
Dust swirled.
Naruto pushed forward lightly.
Boom.
The bird exploded just like the dog.
One by one, the giant summons burst apart like overinflated balloons.
Blood mist filled the air.
"They're all fragile," Naruto said mildly. "Stop wasting time."
The Asura Path suddenly appeared in Naruto's blind spot.
"Strange Arm Rocket!"
A mechanical fist shot forward like a cannon.
Naruto caught it mid-flight.
He pulled.
The entire body of the Asura Path was dragged toward him.
"Five-Finger Missiles!"
"Head Laser Cannon!"
Missiles exploded against Naruto's body.
A laser beam blasted through the smoke.
The Asura Path opened its cloak, revealing six mechanical arms wielding deadly weapons, preparing a full assault at point-blank range.
Naruto sighed.
"Impressive. Shame you picked the wrong opponent."
Slap.
One simple slap.
The Asura Path's head spun multiple times—
And dropped to the ground.
The body collapsed lifelessly.
Naruto stepped on the severed head and looked at Tendo Pain.
"Against normal shinobi, the Six Paths are terrifying. Against me? Not enough."
"Do you know how much strength I'm using right now?"
Pain swallowed.
"How much?"
Naruto grinned.
"If I told you, you'd be scared."
The truth?
Not even one percent.
Not even a thousandth.
The amount was so small even Naruto himself couldn't measure it.
Pain's face darkened.
"You dare mock me?!"
He looked around.
The Asura Path was destroyed.
The others—Human Path, Animal Path, Naraka Path, Preta Path—were powerful against ordinary opponents…
But here?
Meaningless.
"…Fine."
Tendo Pain's eyes blazed.
The remaining Paths' chakra surged—
Flowing into the body of the Deva Path.
Even the destroyed Asura Path's chakra streamed back into him.
The air trembled.
Obito's eyes narrowed.
The real battle… was about to begin.
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