"Right now, Nagato is practically unmatched in the entire ninja world," Daniel mused as he observed the battle unfold from the sidelines. While the rest of Akatsuki was busy battling the samurai forces of the Land of Iron, Daniel stood calmly, watching Nagato—more specifically, the Six Paths of Pain—take center stage. Even without Nagato's true body joining the fray, the Five Paths of Pain were more than enough to hold off Mifune and the elite samurai.
Nagato had kept one of his Paths, the Hell Path, close by, acting as a safeguard to revive any of the other Paths if necessary. This Path remained beside Nagato's true body, hidden in a strategic location. Meanwhile, the other five wreaked havoc on the battlefield, with Nagato commanding them effortlessly.
Of particular note were the Animal Path's summoned creatures, which rampaged across the battlefield. Much like the Six Paths of Pain, these creatures were essentially corpses reanimated and controlled through the black receivers that channeled Nagato's chakra. Naturally, Daniel had upgraded these as well, integrating advanced modifications that made them more formidable.
Daniel had accumulated a wealth of knowledge in bioengineering, though he had seldom had the opportunity to put it to use. After all, his expertise was geared toward biotechnology and not weaponry for sale. His personal arsenal—his nanotech armor, enchanted items, and puppets—was already potent enough. However, the opportunity to modify Nagato's Paths and their summons was a rare chance to showcase his skills.
"It's quite the improvement," Daniel thought as he observed the enhanced battlefield prowess of Nagato's modified Paths. Coupled with the contributions from Sasori's puppetry, Daniel had expanded his understanding of puppet manipulation techniques, envisioning even more potent combinations for the future. His own puppets could incorporate ninja techniques, taking cues from Sasori's craftsmanship.
With the division of his training efforts through Shadow Clones, Daniel had ample time to explore his "Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements" technique, a fusion of modern technology and ancient craftsmanship. While techniques like "Wind Emperor's Hidden Mechanisms" were beyond his immediate grasp, "Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements" added remarkable enhancements to the materials he worked with.
---
"Damn you!" Mifune's eyes blazed with fury as he watched the Land of Iron's forces suffer heavy losses. Elite warriors fell one after another, and despite their valiant efforts, Akatsuki's overwhelming power was proving too much to handle. Mifune and his closest samurai found themselves locked in battle with Nagato's powerful puppets.
Even though Mifune had realized that his opponents were merely reanimated corpses—Puppet Paths controlled by Nagato—there was little he could do. The sheer power of these puppets was staggering, and they seemed almost impervious to damage.
The Animal Path's Hellhound, a monstrous beast that split into multiple versions of itself each time it was attacked, was an especially vexing opponent. For the samurai, who lacked sealing techniques, the creature seemed impossible to defeat. Cutting it only made things worse, as it would split into more hounds, causing further chaos on the battlefield.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique!" Nagato's voice rang out as he quickly performed the hand signs. Four massive dragons composed of roaring flames surged toward Mifune and his remaining forces, enveloping the battlefield in a deadly blaze.
Despite Mifune's formidable sword skills, which allowed him to slice through one of the flame dragons, the others proved too much for his companions. The fire attack wreaked havoc among the samurai, leaving Mifune standing alone amidst the devastation.
---
Nagato's recovery from his physical ailments had allowed him to master an array of new jutsu, thanks to the resources Daniel had provided. Using the Five Nature Transformations, including the Wood Release from the First Hokage, Nagato's chakra reserves were now vast. The body enhancements had pushed him to new heights of strength, allowing him to cast devastating jutsu like the "Five Consecutive Nature Bombs" with ease.
Konan, who had also received significant upgrades, saw a marked improvement in her Paper Release techniques. Although she hadn't mastered Flying Thunder God, she had developed her own unique explosion-based jutsu, drawing inspiration from the techniques used in "Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags." Konan's mastery of Paper Release was now unparalleled, with Daniel's insights helping her refine her abilities further.
For Konan, raised in the war-torn Rain Village, the chance to develop her talents was rare. The basic education provided by Jiraiya had been a turning point in her life, but she had never had the luxury of formal schooling. In such a world, even the fundamental skill of reading was a privilege that few possessed.
---
Surrounded by the corpses of his comrades and engulfed in flames, Mifune felt a wave of regret wash over him. Nagato's fire jutsu had claimed the lives of his closest companions, leaving the battlefield strewn with bodies. His initial confidence in the battle had evaporated, replaced by a grim realization of Akatsuki's overwhelming might.
When Mifune had agreed to lead the Land of Iron into this conflict, he had believed victory was certain. After all, they were merely facing the remnants of a small, isolated village—Rain Village, now rebranded as Akatsuki's stronghold. His mind had even entertained the thought of finally avenging his loss to Hanzo the Salamander. Yet, reality had proven far harsher than he had anticipated.
The samurai who had joined the battle, including powerful warriors from all over the Land of Iron, were falling like flies. Mifune now stood alone among the chaos, the weight of the samurai's defeat pressing heavily on his shoulders.
Despite Akatsuki's skill in battle, Mifune's team had not been weak. Many of them were elite fighters, including a pair of brothers who were comparable to elite Jonin. They had dismantled most of Sasori's puppets with ease, only to fall victim to the poison laced in Sasori's weapons. Their final cries of outrage echoed through the battlefield, but in the end, they too became part of Sasori's collection of human puppets.
Another fearsome warrior wielding a massive blade had nearly claimed Kakuzu's life, taking out one of his hearts. However, he was swiftly eliminated by Hidan's ritual after a small cut from Konan's paper projectiles gave Hidan the blood he needed.
Even the most capable fighters from the Land of Iron and beyond were no match for Akatsuki. Itachi's Genjutsu left one warrior trapped in an illusion, while Kisame easily took down another. And all the while, Nagato's Paths of Pain had completely neutralized Mifune's forces.
---
"Ninja rule this world," Daniel reflected. "No matter how many warriors you have, none of it matters if they lack true power." In the shinobi world, numbers alone were useless against overwhelming strength, much like the pirate crews of the Four Emperors in the One Piece world. As long as the core leader stood, the organization thrived. But if that leader fell, their empire crumbled.
As Akatsuki battled, Hidan's unique abilities proved especially dangerous in a group setting. While it was nearly impossible to avoid getting injured, once Hidan had a sample of his target's blood, their fate was sealed unless they escaped his sight.
"Looks like I won't need to step in after all," Daniel thought as he noticed several samurai fleeing the battlefield, paralyzed by fear. With a satisfied nod, he turned and headed toward the heart of Three Wolves Mountain—the stronghold of the Land of Iron.
---
As Daniel passed through the seemingly empty halls of the stronghold, he heard the clinking of glass and followed the sound. Inside a grand chamber, an elderly man sat at a table, calmly drinking from a sake bottle. A pair of swords—one long, one short—rested at his side.
"You're drinking at a time like this?" Daniel asked as he stepped into the room, eyeing the samurai's calm demeanor.
"This is the perfect time to drink," the old man replied without a hint of concern. "If I don't drink now, I may never get the chance again."
"You're not very hopeful about the battle, are you?" Daniel smiled.
"The era has changed," the old man sighed, shaking his head. "This is no longer the age of the samurai. But some people just can't accept that and are trying to cling to the past."
After finishing his sake, the old man tossed the bottle aside, the sound of breaking glass filling the room.
---
"So, if you understand that much, why are you here?" Daniel asked. "You could have just left."
The old samurai stood up and unsheathed his swords. His body exuded a sharp, lethal aura.
"Sometimes, you can't just walk away."
Daniel shrugged. "If you must fight, then come at me. I'll give you one chance."
With that, the two warriors clashed. The old man's two swords crackled with lightning chakra, moving with incredible speed. However, Daniel calmly blocked the attacks. Despite the samurai's immense skill, Daniel was simply on another level.
After a brief exchange, Daniel sheathed his sword, having easily outmaneuvered the samurai's strikes. As he walked away, a dull thud echoed behind him—the sound of the old man collapsing to the ground, defeated.
---
Daniel soon reached the innermost part of the stronghold, where he encountered guards protecting the Land of Iron's vast storage of supplies—his true objective.
While the battle against the Land of Iron was important, the spo
ils of war were just as crucial for Akatsuki's continued expansion.
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