"Useless trash."
Hiss—
Just as Nagato was trembling with rage, a spiral of space twisted open, and a masked man appeared.z
"Hmph."
Seeing him, Nagato snorted coldly. Unable to move freely, he remained seated, his expression icy as he barked,
"So you finally decided to show up?"
"If I didn't," the masked man—Uchiha Obito—said with thinly veiled sarcasm, "you would've already ruined Akatsuki completely."
"What did you say?!"
Buzz!!
Still seething, Nagato's face darkened. He turned his Rinnegan toward Obito, unleashing a heart-stopping wave of ocular pressure.
"Heh…"
Facing the Rinnegan's might, Obito merely shook his head calmly and said flatly,
"Akatsuki is already exposed to the entire shinobi world. The members are either dead or beaten into surrender. What exactly do you still have to act tough about?"
"Hahahaha!"
Nagato burst into manic laughter.
"I may not have anything left to boast about—but I still have the Rinnegan. Everything can start over."
"Start over?"
Obito sneered.
"Nagato, you're far too naïve. Do you really think Konoha's Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Ren—will give you the chance to start over?"
Those words struck home.
Nagato fell silent.
He wanted to retort—but even he lacked the confidence to do so.
Ever since Uchiha Ren's sudden rise, he had seemed invincible to the world.
Nagato hadn't accepted it. Believing the Rinnegan to be supreme, he had pushed forward with the Konoha Tailed Beast Plunder Plan.
And the result?
Akatsuki had been smashed back to square one—utterly and effortlessly.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
After a long pause, Nagato narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed the bitterness in his chest.
"We're partners—nothing more. Even if Akatsuki were wiped out entirely, you have no right to lecture me. Understand?"
"Understood."
Seeing Nagato regain some composure, Obito replied evenly.
"What's done is done. Let's discuss Akatsuki's next steps."
"…Fine."
Nagato hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
He knew it well—at this point, Obito was still his best partner.
Boom!!
But just as Nagato, Obito, and Konan were about to sit down and plan—
Without any warning—
A terrifying presence descended upon the Hidden Rain Village like the will of heaven itself.
Too fast. Too overwhelming.
"Not good!"
"This pressure—could it be…?!"
In an instant, Nagato and Obito's expressions changed. Even Konan, reacting a beat later, went stiff.
Because if they weren't mistaken—
The owner of that presence could only be the Fifth Hokage.
Uchiha Ren.
But how was this possible? How could he move this fast—already arriving from Konoha to the Hidden Rain Village?!
"Move!"
Obito and Nagato exchanged a glance and shot outward at once. Because of his limited mobility, Nagato activated the Rinnegan and levitated into the air.
And when they emerged—
They witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
High above the Hidden Rain Village—Uchiha Ren, clad in the Hokage cloak, hovered motionless like a god.
He didn't move.
Yet the pressure radiating from him made souls tremble.
"Akatsuki."
His face was expressionless.
"Feel the pain."
As the words fell—
Ren increased his pressure once more.
Buzz—!!!
A tyrannical wave of Conqueror's Haki crashed down upon The Hidden Rain Village like thunder.
In the blink of an eye—
Time and space across the entire village seemed to freeze.
Civilians and Rain shinobi alike didn't even have time to react. Their eyes widened, bodies locking in place.
Crack—crack—
The air shattered.
Buildings began to split.
Under that overwhelming pressure, countless structures across The Hidden Rain Village fractured, dense webs of cracks spreading visibly through stone and steel alike.
For a moment—
Not only civilians, but even elite jōnin failed to withstand it.
Minds rang.
Vision went white.
Thud—thud—thud…
Seconds later, unconscious civilians and Rain shinobi collapsed in waves.
High above, Ren remained calm and unmoved, his expression unchanged—suppressing the Hidden Rain Village as if it were nothing more than a trivial matter.
Moments later—
The Conqueror's Haki slowly receded.
But the Hidden Rain Village was already in ruins.
The perpetual storm clouds that had shrouded the village for years had been torn apart by sheer pressure, revealing long-forgotten sunlight.
The Hidden Rain Village…
Destroyed.
Akatsuki's last foothold—
Gone.
Atop the central tower, Nagato stared as the village was crushed before his eyes, his face hollow and stunned.
It was over.
Completely over.
He had never imagined—
That Uchiha Ren would be this ruthless.
Nagato had wanted Konoha to "feel the pain."
And in response, the Fifth Hokage had made The Hidden Rain Village feel it—instantly and mercilessly.
It was a slap to the face.
A brutal mockery.
And for the first time—
Nagato felt a deep, crushing sense of helplessness and frustration settle into his heart.
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