Choke.
The silver blade and the black receiver collided, producing a sharp, metallic ring.
"Uchiha Shisui?"
Pain was forced back a few steps. His lavender eyes fixed on the young man holding the blade. He spoke with detached indifference: "You truly dare to stand against a god?"
Despite his cold words, Pain's focus sharpened. The power behind the boy's previous strike had exceeded his expectations. Engaging this opponent head-on would likely prove troublesome.
Scoff.
Shisui didn't offer a verbal retort. Instead, he swung his blade in a horizontal arc aimed at Pain's right arm. Simultaneously, he glanced at the fleeing Kakashi. "Take Naruto and get out of here!"
Ding.
Pain pivoted, blocking the strike with the black receiver in his left hand. He extended his right palm toward the retreating Kakashi. "Bansho—"
Before he could release the technique, he was interrupted again by a sudden thrust from Shisui's blade.
"A mere Uchiha!" Pain's voice carried a hint of annoyance as he stared coldly at Shisui. "Since you desire divine punishment so fervently, you shall have it!"
Clang.
The black receiver in his hand slipped out, clattering onto the ground. It seemed as though Pain had abandoned his weapon; Shisui, sensing an opening, surged forward to close the distance. However, at that exact moment, the deity raised both palms toward him.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Bang!
Shisui's pupils constricted as an irresistible repulsive force slammed into him. He was flung backward, crashing violently into a stone wall. He moved to grit his teeth against the searing pain, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Before he could recover, two black receivers whistled through the air toward him.
Puff.
Shisui's face contorted as the rods pierced his right arm and left leg. Worse than the physical wounds, he felt the chakra flow in the injured areas stagnate and turn cold.
"So this is the extent of the so-called Uchiha genius." Pain looked down at him with an icy expression.
In truth, he had capitalized on a lack of information. Because Shisui knew nothing of his abilities, the boy had suffered a catastrophic loss.
"Damn it...!"
Shisui struggled to break free, but the black rods pinned him firmly to the masonry, rendering him immobile. He could only watch helplessly as Pain turned his back on him and walked toward Kakashi and Naruto.
Konan captured a photo of the scene and sent it to the group.
Book Artist: "Is it over?"
Skirt-Lifting Maniac: "That was too fast!"
Ruiko had assumed that even if Shisui couldn't defeat the Deva Path, he would at least hold his own for a while. The reality was jarring—after only a few exchanges, Shisui had been completely neutralized.
Curly-Haired Boy: "Tsk, where's that 'Hollow' ability you promised? I'm demanding a refund from Aizen right now!"
Shark Face: "I think this outcome is quite logical. Shisui lacks any intelligence on Pain's abilities, and his Hollowfication is still in its infancy. He's only using Reiatsu to superficially reinforce his physical body; he hasn't learned how to truly fuse Reiatsu with Chakra yet."
Book Artist: "I see. Maybe that's why... Aizen gave up on training Shisui."
Angel of the Hidden Rain Village: "To be honest, I don't really understand it either. All that talk about transforming spiritual energy into Reishi and building up Reiryoku? It's confusing. Yet, my own spiritual pressure won't stop growing. I'm not sure what's happening."
This is an Actor: "Indeed, it is quite strange."
Even Aizen-san finds it strange?
Hoshigaki Kisame looked puzzled at first, but then a realization struck him. As someone who followed Aizen closely, he knew the man surely understood why Konan's power was skyrocketing. This was obviously nonsense! The real answer was that Aizen was giving her special treatment and merely pretending to be ignorant. What a masterful actor!
Scarlet Snake Fairy: "By the way, was Pain taking Naruto part of the plan?"
Angel of the Hidden Rain Village: "No. Naruto will not be taken away today."
Konan felt a twinge of guilt as she sent the message. Her friend was being moved like a piece on a game board, and she, the only one who knew the truth, didn't dare warn him. She knew all too well that doing so would only plunge them both into a more fatal crisis.
Book Artist: "Naruto won't be taken? Then who's going to stop Pain? Will it be you, Konan-san?"
Curly-Haired Boy: "Hey, are we getting a love-hate best friend drama? Is the story finally shifting back to that classic Naruto style?"
Angel of the Hidden Rain Village: "You guessed wrong. It's not me."
Konan paused, suddenly thinking the idea of a best-friend drama sounded oddly interesting. What was happening to her?
Skirt-Lifting Maniac: "If it's not Konan-san, it's probably not Aizen either."
Curly-Haired Boy: "Hmph, obviously. If Aizen moved personally, Konan wouldn't be standing there looking so relaxed."
Do I look relaxed? Konan blinked at the screen. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But they were right—it wasn't Aizen who had intervened. It was...
"Itachi?!"
Kakashi stared at the boy who had suddenly materialized in front of him, his expression one of pure shock. He quickly recovered. "Why are you here? This enemy is beyond you. Get out of the way!"
"Another Uchiha?" Pain frowned as he looked at Itachi. "Your clan is truly tiresome." He raised his arm, and a black receiver shot out like a bolt of lightning.
Swish.
The fatal attack missed completely.
What?
Pain was stunned for a fraction of a second. He turned sharply, only to find the boy had flickered to his side like a ghost. This was impossible. Even with the power of the Rinnegan, he hadn't been able to track the trajectory of the movement.
What surprised Pain even more was that Itachi slowly extended an index finger toward him.
"Bakudō #4: Hainawa!"
Fwoosh!
A cord of golden light burst from Itachi's fingertip, lashing out like a serpent to coil tightly around Pain's body.
What is this?
Pain strained against the binding, only to find he couldn't break it immediately. Furthermore, he realized with a start that this binding force wasn't fueled by Chakra!
Having landed the strike, Itachi didn't hesitate. His lips moved in a rapid, rhythmic chant: "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudō #61: Rikujō Kōrō!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Six thin, wide beams of yellow light slammed into Pain's midsection, locking him in place.
Only then did Itachi turn and walk toward Kakashi. Ignoring the older ninja's bewildered, probing gaze, he produced a long bandage from his sleeve.
Kakashi, still clutching Naruto, looked on in dazed confusion. As the long bandage began to envelop them both, Kakashi suddenly felt the world tilt and spin.
Familiar trees, familiar air.
He blinked, realizing he was back at the Hokage Rock.
"Welcome back, Kakashi-kun."
A voice—one he knew well, yet one that sounded utterly impossible—echoed in his ears. "Put Naruto down now. You may leave."
Kakashi raised his head slowly, his body stiff. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning.