Chapter 179: The Proclamation of God
The air in the dimly lit stronghold of the Sound Village grew heavy, charged with an imminent clash of titans. Uchiha Ren stood calmly, a faint, almost mocking smile playing on his lips as he faced the legendary leader of the Akatsuki.
"Uchiha Ren," the voice of Pain echoed, devoid of all emotion. "You have finally shown yourself."
"The honor is mine," Ren replied, his tone light and conversational, belying the tension in the room. "To think the illustrious leader of the Akatsuki would grace our humble village with his presence. You've certainly chosen a… forceful method of announcing your visit. Why don't you state your business?"
There was no hesitation. "Hand over the Two-Tails and Four-Tails Jinchuriki."
"Ah, the Jinchuriki," Ren said, as if recalling a minor detail. "Of course. My team went to considerable effort to acquire those assets. We can't be expected to simply hand over the fruits of our labor for free, can we? What does the mighty Akatsuki offer in exchange?"
"Your terms are irrelevant," Pain stated, his Rinnegan eyes boring into Ren. "You have repeatedly obstructed our goals and eliminated four of our core members. Your only path to survival is to surrender the Jinchuriki and submit to the authority of the Akatsuki. Only then will your past transgressions be forgiven."
A dry chuckle escaped Ren's lips. "Let me understand this. You want us to not only gift you our hard-won prizes but also swear fealty? Your arrogance is… impressive."
"I do not offer suggestions. I proclaim destiny. Defy it, and you will face divine retribution."
"Divine retribution?" Suigetsu scoffed from beside Ren, unable to contain his derision. "You think you're a god? Who died and made you king of the world? The Akatsuki leader is just a madman with a god complex!"
The air around Pain distorted. "Blasphemy warrants punishment."
His arm rose. Before Suigetsu could even react, an invisible, overwhelming force seized him, yanking him off his feet and hurling him through the air directly toward Pain. A sharp black iron rod materialized in Pain's hand, poised to impale the flying swordsman.
But the killing blow never landed. Suigetsu's body splashed against the rod like water, dissolving into a puddle that splattered across the floor before reforming a few feet away, his features tight with strain.
"The Hozuki clan's Hydrification Technique," Pain acknowledged, his voice still a monotone. "A parlor trick."
A tremendous shockwave erupted from his body—*Shinra Tensei*. The force slammed into the liquefied Suigetsu, hurling the watery form against the far wall with enough power to crack the stone. The rest of the Eagle team staggered back from the concussive blast, their feet scraping against the ground.
Suigetsu slowly pulled himself together, his body solidifying as he rose, one hand gripping the Kubikiribōchō tightly. His face was pale; the absolute force of the impact had taxed even his unique physiology.
Ren's eyes narrowed, the playful glint replaced by a cold glimmer. It was one thing to confront him; it was another to assault his subordinate so contemptuously in front of him.
"Everyone," Ren's voice cut through the tension, calm and clear. "Anchor your chakra to your feet. Do not let his attraction technique catch you off guard." As one, the members of the Eagle team flared their chakra, rooting themselves to the ground.
Pain observed the countermeasure with a flicker of something—not surprise, but perhaps acknowledgment. "Your adaptability changes nothing. To stand against a god is an act of futility that history will remember only as folly."
"Your monologues are as tedious as your ambition," Ren retorted, his patience wearing thin. He glanced at his team. "Fall back. This is not a fight you can intervene in. This 'god' is mine."
Suigetsu and Jugo exchanged a look but obeyed without question, retreating to a safer distance. They knew the level of power about to be unleashed.
"Enough talk," Ren said, his posture shifting into a combat stance. His right hand dropped to the hilt of the blade at his hip. "You want the tailed beasts? They're right here. But if you wish to take them, you'll have to get past the edge of my sword first."
A smirk touched Ren's lips. In a blur of motion, he exploded into a high-speed dash, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.
Pain remained impassive. An iron rod slipped from his sleeve into his waiting hand. As Ren charged, Pain hurled the rod like a javelin, its speed rivaling that of a lightning attack. Simultaneously, a second rod appeared in his other hand, and he himself bent low, charging forward to meet Ren head-on.
Ren didn't break stride. As the first rod shot toward him, his right hand became a blur. *"Chidori Nagashi!"* A brilliant, crackling blue aura of Lightning Release chakra enveloped the Meteor Blade as he drew it. With a precise, flowing motion, he didn't merely block the projectile; he carved a crescent-shaped arc of lightning through the air. The chakra slash met the iron rod, slicing it clean in two with a screech of sundered metal.
The sheer ease with which Ren dispelled the attack forced a momentary, almost imperceptible shift in Pain's charge. He was compelled to alter his trajectory, veering sideways to avoid the residual arc of lightning that continued its path. For the first time in the encounter, the absolute confidence of the "god" had been checked.
The first exchange was over. The real battle was about to begin.
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