The Land of Rain.
A country where rain fell year-round.
For Shimura Danzō, this was only his second time setting foot here since the Third Shinobi World War.
"Relax. I have a way to infiltrate Amegakure without being detected," Kashin Koji said calmly.
"Our objective this time is simple—obtain the Rinnegan."
He bit his finger and slammed his palm onto the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
Puff! Puff!
"Gwah—gwah—!"
Two toads appeared, leaving Danzō puzzled.
What does summoning toads have to do with infiltrating the Hidden Rain?
Koji answered his unspoken question:
"As long as we enter a natural creature's internal space, we can bypass barrier sensory techniques."
"Don't forget—Konoha has barrier detection outside the village. Amegakure likely has something similar."
"I see."
Danzō nodded, preparing to enter the toad's body—then glanced at the presence beside him.
"What about him?"
Platinum Star stood silently at his side.
"He's a spiritual entity," Koji replied.
"He can manifest or vanish according to your will."
"So even that's possible…"
Danzō couldn't help but marvel.
"Then hide yourself, Platinum Star."
Platinum Star nodded.
Its body began to mist over—then completely vanished.
"This truly is the power of inheritance…"
"To think I would one day receive a gift from the ancient gods."
Along the way, Koji explained that this artifact was a Sage-tier relic, born from the death of a god during the age when divine beings still fought.
Danzō believed every word.
Amegakure
Within the rain-soaked village, Pain and Konan were in conversation.
Then—
A disturbance.
Someone was blocking the rain.
Pain's expression darkened.
"This feeling… it's familiar."
"And the chakra is enormous."
"…There's more than one person."
Elsewhere, Danzō and Kashin Koji donned rain cloaks and slipped into Amegakure's streets.
"Where do we go next?" Danzō asked, face hidden.
"I remember Hanzo wiped out Akatsuki."
Koji replied quietly, "This city is no longer under Hanzo's rule."
"…What?"
Danzō froze.
If Hanzo was gone, then—
At that moment, he noticed white paper butterflies fluttering through the rain.
"Paper butterflies… some kind of jutsu?"
Koji smiled faintly.
"So it's you, Konan."
He didn't bother pretending anymore.
"Konan," he said lightly,
"would you mind guiding us to yourself?"
Before Danzō could ask who Konan was, the butterflies drifted away—
Toward the central tower.
High above, countless paper fragments gathered, folding together into a woman's form.
Konan.
Beside her stood the Animal Path Pain, orange hair tied back, his appearance eerily reminiscent of Nagato's former self.
His gaze swept over the intruders, signaling Konan to identify them.
"Based on appearance," Konan said slowly,
"that man should be Jiraiya… though his hair is trimmed, and he's grown a white beard."
"Jiraiya…"
"So it really is Sensei. How nostalgic."
"Regardless," she continued coldly,
"he was never meant to be one of us."
"Pain, I'm not finished."
Hatred flashed in her eyes.
"The other one is Shimura Danzō of Konoha."
"..."
Animal Path Pain fell silent.
Jiraiya is one thing—but Danzō?
"Confirmed?"
"Yes. I guided them here myself."
"What do we do?"
After a brief pause—
"Kill them."
"Under no circumstances let Shimura Danzō leave."
Konan nodded, her body dissolving into paper.
"I'll stall them first."
Animal Path Pain leapt down from the rooftop.
Killing intent flooded his concentric-ring eyes.
The Central Tower
The heart of Amegakure.
Once Hanzo's domain.
"The last time I was here… was over ten years ago," Danzō murmured.
Platinum Star hovered nearby, guarding him.
"So you say," Koji replied casually.
Soon, the paper butterflies guided them to the tower itself.
They merged, forming Konan once more.
Koji felt strangely nostalgic.
Watching this live is better than TV, he mused.
Even if he wasn't really Jiraiya.
"So it really is you, Konan," Koji said warmly.
"You've grown into a fine woman."
"You've changed too, Sensei," Konan replied, finally certain of his identity.
"But bringing Shimura Danzō to Amegakure—what is your purpose?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Danzō sneered.
"For the Rinnegan."
He shot Konan a mocking glance.
"And you actually think this man is Jiraiya?"
"Looks like you didn't trust your own teacher all that much."
Konan stiffened.
She had already resolved herself to kill Jiraiya for Akatsuki's ideals.
Now Danzō claimed this man wasn't even Jiraiya?
Yet no matter how she looked—
The man before her was Jiraiya.
Just hooded. Masked.
"I am no longer the helpless orphan you knew," Konan said softly.
"I am the Angel of Amegakure."
"By God's will—"
"I will kill you."
Her hand rose.
Paper exploded outward, mixed with explosive tags.
"Move! Platinum Star!"
Platinum Star vanished.
In the next instant—
It tore through the storm of paper and appeared before Konan.
BOOM!
She was sent flying, smashing into the steel-and-pipe walls.
Had she activated Paper Person of God Technique (Dance of the Shikigami) instantly, she could've avoided it.
But she was too slow.
Blood spilled from her lips.
"What… what are you?!"
Platinum Star vanished again—
Reappearing right in front of her.
"Paper Dance!"
"Yura yura yura yura yura—!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Her body scattered into countless paper fragments just in time.
The ground behind her was obliterated.
One second later, and I'd be dead.
Platinum Star vanished again.
Konan panicked.
Paper wings burst from her back as she took flight within the tower.
"Summoning Technique!"
Before her jutsu could fully form—
Animal Path Pain appeared along the wall.
A massive deep-sea crab emerged, spewing endless white bubbles.
Platinum Star instantly retreated, scooping up Danzō and withdrawing.
Koji followed, leaping onto the wall with chakra control.
"Jiraiya…?"
"No. You are not Jiraiya-sensei."
With the Rinnegan, Animal Path Pain could see something different.
Platinum Star and Koji were shrouded in a layer that blocked his perception.
"Who are you?!"
"That red-haired boy… so it really is the Rinnegan," Danzō said, narrowing his last remaining eye.
"Your intelligence was accurate."
"Our organization has been watching the Rinnegan for a long time," Koji replied.
"This is merely a retrieval."
"So you're not Jiraiya," Konan said, relieved.
Koji smiled, removing his hood and tossing the visor away.
"To be precise—Jiraiya and I are the same."
"Different souls. Different fates."
He formed seals.
"Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
White hair shot out, binding the massive crab—
Crack! Boom!
The summon dispersed.
Animal Path Pain stared.
"What do you mean?"
"No hidden meaning," Koji said calmly.
"Just that fate split us apart."
His hair lunged again, binding Pain.
"Tell me."
"Where is Yahiko?"
Konoha — Senju Compound
A slime clone sighed.
Why is my life so hard… even doing livestream work.
Colorful light spilled from its eyes, projecting everything the slime-toad was seeing.
Using Dragon Vein chakra transmission, the feed played in real time.
Inside the darkened room—
The real Jiraiya stared, utterly shaken.
"That's… Nagato. And Konan…"
"Jiraiya-sensei," Nawaki said quietly.
"Kaito said he'd walk your path for you—while also ending Danzō's life."
"…So he went to the Rain Village."
Tsunade crossed her arms.
"I didn't bring you here to ask questions."
"Use your eyes. Find the answer."
Back in Amegakure
"You know Yahiko?"
Animal Path Pain stared in shock.
"You shouldn't be Jiraiya."
"Yet your jutsu… carries his shadow."
He glanced at Danzō.
"Then tell me, Elder Danzō."
"What happened?"
Danzō laughed coldly.
"Why should I tell a brat like you?"
"Regret? My only regret is not killing you sooner and taking your eyes."
Somewhere far away—
A teacher's fist clenched.
"Oh?" Koji prodded casually.
"Our organization doesn't know the full story."
"Care to elaborate, Danzō?"
Danzō, brimming with confidence thanks to Platinum Star, spoke freely.
He explained everything.
How he extended the war.
How he manipulated events for his dream of becoming Hokage.
How he discovered the Rinnegan—
And how the red-haired boy erupted beyond control.
"DANZŌ!!!"
Jiraiya nearly lost his mind.
"Keep watching," Tsunade said coldly.
"Disgusting," Konan muttered.
"So that's how it was…"
Animal Path Pain finally understood.
"No wonder Hanzo turned against Akatsuki."
"Yahiko died because of you."
"Laughable."
Pain laughed—on the brink of madness.
"Is being Hokage really that important?" Koji asked.
"It was my lifelong dream," Danzō said without remorse.
"But I can't return now."
"Still," he smiled,
"things aren't so bad."
"YOU DESERVE TO DIE!"
Animal Path Pain summoned again.
"Go, Platinum Star!"
Platinum Star released Danzō—
And threw him.
Straight at the Hellhound.
"WHY—?!"
His future shattered in an instant.
The Hellhound bit down.
Danzō was devoured.
Just like that.
Platinum Star transformed—
Into a handsome young man.
Animal Path Pain finally saw him clearly.
"What monstrous chakra…!"
It rivaled the Tailed Beasts.
No—
It surpassed them.
"I'm just a spectator," Kaito said calmly.
"Leave the fighting to you two."
"I'll go have tea with the Angel."
"DON'T YOU DARE—!"
"Ultra Big Ball Rasengan!"
BOOM!!!
Koji blocked the Hellhound, blasting it away.
Kaito vanished.
High above—
Kaito lounged beside Konan, restrained by pale-blue chakra threads.
"This place really is a great tourist spot," he said cheerfully.
"Don't you agree, Angel?"
"…What do you want?" Konan asked quietly.
"I don't lack women," Kaito replied casually.
"And in another world—"
"You were my student."
He frowned.
"That lip piercing is ugly."
Shhk.
He healed it instantly.
Konan froze, face burning red.
"Don't misunderstand," Kaito added.
"I'm just here out of interest."
Below, the battle escalated.
Two Sage Toads appeared.
Slime versions—yet terrifying.
"This," Tsunade whispered in awe,
"is his true power…"
"The All-Powerful God," Yugao murmured.
Kaito suddenly appeared in the room.
"Yugao, watch her for me."
"I'm joining in."
Shun—
In less than two seconds—
Rain Village to Konoha.
Konoha back to Rain.
With enough chakra—
You really could do whatever you wanted.
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