"Those who boast the loudest usually possess the least strength."
"Accept divine judgment."
"Rest within the seal… Namikaze Kirito."
Tendō Pain spoke coldly as he stared at the massive sphere suspended in midair.
The members of the Akatsuki fixed their eyes on it as well.
"So that's the leader's true power? Is that what the Rinnegan can really do?"
"Tch… what a convenient ability."
"What a shame. Namikaze Kirito won't even have the chance to appreciate true art. Honestly, leader, you're too impatient."
"As expected of Leader-senpai! He's incredible!"
While they were still marveling at their leader's strength, a voice drifted down from above the sphere.
"Hey… what are you all so happy about?"
They looked up in shock.
Standing atop the sphere was Namikaze Kirito.
But the one sealed inside Chibaku Tensei… who was that?
"Something's wrong."
Kisame was the first to notice.
"My shark tore his clothes in several places earlier. But now he's completely unharmed—and his clothes aren't even wet."
Everyone present was sharp. The moment he said that, realization dawned on them.
"A Shadow Clone from Konoha? But the leader's Rinnegan should see through that!"
"How is that possible?!"
Namikaze Kirito glanced at their stunned expressions and casually patted the earthen sphere beneath his feet.
In the blink of an eye, a log sprouted from the surface. It rapidly expanded, taking on a human shape—until it became another Namikaze Kirito.
"A Wood Clone…? That's a far more advanced clone technique. Even the Rinnegan can't distinguish it!"
Tobi—Uchiha Obito—watched closely and immediately understood.
"Wood Clone… so you've truly mastered Wood Style."
Tendō Pain's voice remained calm, but his eyes sharpened.
Hearing intelligence and witnessing it firsthand were two entirely different things. During their earlier clash, Namikaze Kirito hadn't revealed any Wood Style at all.
The Akatsuki members exchanged uneasy glances.
After all that fighting… they had only been battling a clone. In the end, it was their leader's Rinnegan that eliminated a decoy.
"Enough. This time, we kill him."
Pain's order fell like a hammer. Anger surged through the Akatsuki. Realizing they had been toyed with only fueled their killing intent.
Chakra swelled within their bodies, ready to erupt at any moment.
"Ganging up on one person? Fine… I'll entertain you."
Namikaze Kirito brought his hands together.
"Wood Clone Technique."
Twenty identical figures appeared around the battlefield and rushed toward the Akatsuki.
This time, the clones didn't divide chakra evenly. Each one carried only a small portion. They lacked the overwhelming power of the earlier clone, but their numbers made up for it.
Each Akatsuki member now faced two Namikaze Kirito.
Even the Six Paths of Pain were not spared.
"Let the game begin."
With a faint smile in his voice, every Namikaze Kirito attacked at once.
The Akatsuki did not panic. Each of them was a seasoned combatant. The battlefield erupted in a storm of ninjutsu and roaring explosions.
"Water Style: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"
"Earth Grudge Fear!"
"Crimson Secret Technique: Thousand Needles!"
"Exploding Clay: Twin-Winged Bird!"
The Akatsuki clashed head-on with the Wood Clones. The clones didn't use large-scale ninjutsu. Instead, they relied on taijutsu and the power of the Shock Fruit, trading blows in brutal close combat.
For Namikaze Kirito, this was nothing more than unlocking his template. Otherwise, he wouldn't waste time playing with them.
The more he used the ability, the faster the template awakened.
Tendō Pain glared at the two Wood Clones before him. Instead of relief, fury burned in his chest.
"Namikaze Kirito… you will learn the price of insulting a god."
The Six Paths of Pain regrouped and charged forward. Six bodies moved in perfect coordination, overwhelming the two clones—and even drawing in the clones near Konan.
Konan was left momentarily alone.
Her gaze shifted to Namikaze Kirito atop the sphere. A firm resolve flashed in her eyes. With a burst of white smoke, she vanished.
Watching the chaos below, Namikaze Kirito wore an amused expression.
"Die, Namikaze Kirito!"
Konan appeared behind him without warning, a massive paper spear forming in her hands as she thrust it toward the back of his head.
Clang.
Jet-black Armament Haki coated the back of his skull. The spear shattered on impact, its tip splintering apart.
"How…?!"
Horror filled Konan's face.
"Even that doesn't work?"
A frontal assault failed. A sneak attack failed.
"Thanks for the massage," Namikaze Kirito said lightly. "Though honestly… I never wanted to fight you."
He dusted off his pants and stepped toward the stunned Konan.
He understood her story. A child orphaned by war. A wanderer alongside Yahiko and Nagato. A girl who once found light under Jiraiya's guidance.
Then Yahiko died.
Nagato fell under Obito's manipulation.
The Akatsuki was born.
And after Nagato's death, even freedom was denied to her. Six hundred billion explosive tags weren't enough to bring down that man. In the end, she withered alone, like a paper flower on frozen ground.
For a fleeting moment, Konan saw pity in Namikaze Kirito's eyes—and didn't understand why.
"I wanted you to stay out of this," he murmured. "But it seems impossible. Nagato needs a little… motivation."
His leg lashed out.
A brutal force slammed into Konan's abdomen, launching her skyward. He appeared above her in an instant and drove his fist down without hesitation.
Boom.
The punch struck her chest. Konan's body traced a broken arc through the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
She landed at the feet of Pain, blood staining her cloak as consciousness faded.
"…Konan!"
Pain's pupils shrank as he looked at her motionless form.
"Namikaze Kirito… I will kill you."
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