[Naruto glared furiously at Pain. How dare this guy destroy Konoha like this!]
[Let's settle this.]
Naruto charged forward instantly, relentlessly attacking the Preta Path.
But every move was seen through; even attacks from blind spots were dodged.
[Naruto-kun, the Pain's eyes share vision. You must deceive all of them...]
The slug on Naruto's shoulder continuously provided intelligence about Pain.
[Then I'll show them an attack they can't see!]
Naruto grinned, brimming with confidence.
The Preta Path and Naruto dodged each other's punches, but the next second, the Preta Path's face deformed as if struck by an invisible force.
It fell to the ground, unable to get up. Naruto, infused with natural energy, now possessed terrifying strength.
[I dodged it, yet...]
[The Frog Kata uses natural energy from the surroundings to attack. Sage Mode enhances danger perception and attack range.]
After defeating two Pains, Naruto showed no joy.
[No time to dawdle. I'll end this with a new jutsu!]
[Shadow Clone Jutsu!]
The Deva Path looked at Naruto, seemingly recalling something, and said slowly:
[Sou ka, you've become a sage, just like Teacher Jiraiya.]
Naruto was stunned to hear him call Jiraiya "teacher," wondering if he misheard.
[You said... Jiraiya...sensei?]
[I also learned ninjutsu from Jiraiya. To you, I am your senior brother...]
[Jiraiya desired peace...]
Naruto no longer wanted to listen. He roared:
[Don't joke around!]
He raised a Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, emitting an ear-piercing sound as the surrounding air flowed toward him.
[What you're doing now... has nothing to do with peace!]
[You see only the tree, not the forest. You simply cannot understand the meaning of peace...]
[Just surrender quietly.]
[Just die obediently!]
Naruto couldn't take it anymore. Being told to die repeatedly was too much for anyone.
[I told you to stop joking around!]
[Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!]
The rapidly rotating Rasenshuriken shot out at incredible speed!
[He actually threw that high-density, high-rotation thing!]
The Deva Path, seeing the danger, didn't take it head-on. Its chakra hadn't recovered yet.
But the Rasenshuriken was too fast. One Pain was caught in it and instantly bisected.
Naruto's sage chakra was almost depleted.
[I must take down another before my sage chakra runs out!]
Elder Fukasaku seemed to read Naruto's mind. His tiny body instantly threw Gamabunta out.
The Animal Path Pain found itself in complete darkness.
Under relentless attack, it seemed unable to fight back.
[Where is it?]
The other Pains searched frantically. Where did that huge person go?
[Spiral Serial Barrage!]
In the shadows, Naruto struck the Animal Path Pain's back with two Rasengans.
Gamabunta's previously deflated mouth suddenly swelled, and a wisp of white smoke drifted out. Gamabunta calmly looked down at the Pain below.
[It was in his mouth!]
Gamabunta spat out Naruto and the Animal Path Pain.
Naruto's sage chakra was now completely exhausted.
But he had a clever idea: use shadow clones as substitutes. Soon, he regained sage mode and defeated all Pains except the Deva Path.
However, the strongest Pain, upon recovering chakra, instantly knocked Naruto down and pinned him with black rods, immobilizing him.
[Only through great power and making people feel pain can true peace be achieved. This is my wish.]
Naruto, now unable to move, seemed utterly defeated...
....
Naruto World.
A suffocating atmosphere spread across the shinobi world. The power displayed by Pain terrified everyone.
Even a mighty village like Konoha was destroyed in an instant.
If this happened to smaller nations, or even major countries, none could withstand it.
How could they possibly counter this?!
The people of Konoha now secretly hoped Naruto would win. He was the only one who could stop Pain.
Land of Earth.
"Old man, I heard you used the Akatsuki?" Kurotsuchi, standing beside Ōnoki, whispered.
Was this old man so powerful that he even manipulated the Akatsuki?
Ōnoki twitched, but he replied calmly, "Naturally..."
...
[Suddenly, the scene shifted to a young girl.]
["Hinata wants to be as strong as Father and as gentle as Mother."]
[But the girl faced constant setbacks, even losing to her younger sister. When bullied, a blond boy appeared and protected her...]
[The next moment, as Naruto was about to be captured, Hinata rushed forward... shielding him.]
["I won't let you lay a hand on Naruto again!"]
Naruto was surprised Hinata came, but knowing she was no match for Pain, he exclaimed anxiously:
[Why are you here? You're no match for him!]
Hinata didn't retreat. She said determinedly:
[This is my own decision.]
Naruto was frantic. Hinata stood no chance. He urged:
[What are you saying? You shouldn't come to such a dangerous place!]
[I came here of my own will. This time, I want to help Naruto.]
[I used to only cry... gave up from the start... almost strayed down the wrong path multiple times...]
[It was Naruto who brought me back...]
[I've always wanted to walk alongside Naruto... always wanted to be by his side...]
[Naruto changed me...]
[Naruto's smile saved me...]
[If it's to protect Naruto... I'm not afraid to die!]
The girl's expression softened, and she said with a smile:
[Because...]
[I love Naruto the most...]
Pouring out her heart, Hinata showed no fear toward Pain and charged at him without hesitation.
But the gap in strength was too vast. After destroying a few black rods, Hinata was covered in wounds.
Pain threw Hinata into the air, slammed her heavily to the ground, and stabbed down.
Blood flowed from the cracks in the stone.
Seeing this, Naruto's pupils dilated instantly, and hatred erupted from his heart.
BOOM!
A pillar of dark red chakra shot into the sky, radiating endless dark energy.
The Nine-Tails went completely berserk...