A heavy, leaden sky hung low, devouring almost all light. A brief tear in the clouds created a single, piercing beam of light that accurately illuminated the figure floating in the air. This bright light stretched his shadow, pinning it to the dark, blade-like spires below, like a long, sharp sword stabbing into the ground.
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Uchiha Hongzhong narrowed his eyes, looking into the light.
The one floating in the air was a Pain he had never seen before! Under his short orange hair was a young face, but this face was covered with the black piercings that symbolized something inhuman.
His powerful aura was completely different from the Pains he had encountered before; he was more like an abyss, an unfathomable darkness and coldness.
He defied the laws of the mortal world, suspended alone in the air. The light shining on him, like a magnet, drew all eyes in the world!
A cold sidelong glance showed more figures emerging from the shadows on top of the surrounding spires.
Beside the Animal Path Pain, two more figures in red-cloud black robes stood silently. One, two, three, four pairs of eyes, all glowing with a strange purple light, opened from the cold darkness above, looking down emotionlessly at the tiny figure of Hongzhong below.
The remaining four of the Six Paths of Pain had gathered! They stood like statues on the spire tops, dozens of meters high, looking down. The only light source was behind them, leaving their faces in shadow. Only the four pairs of Rinnegan twinkled with a chilling purple light.
The pressure was immense!
After a quick scan, Hongzhong focused his gaze on the most imposing figure in the air.
To be able to fly in such a way that defied all logic, this was undoubtedly the Deva Path!
As if in response to his gaze, the Deva Path Pain began to descend slowly. It wasn't a rapid dive, but a steady descent, as if he was defying gravity and was in complete control.
He was absolutely confident in his power! Even after seeing Hongzhong easily destroy the Preta and Asura Paths, he still chose to descend and land on the ground in front of Hongzhong, only about ten meters away.
While Hongzhong observed and assessed the Pains, Pain, or rather, Nagato, who was deep within a dark spire, was also observing this strange intruder through Pain's eyes.
His appearance was the same as before, unremarkable. But his strength... was unexpectedly powerful.
Without any intel, he had managed to swiftly take down the Preta Path and the Asura Path! If the Deva Path hadn't intervened, the third one, the Animal Path, would have probably fallen as well.
This was no ordinary ninja. The destructive and controlled power he displayed had reached the pinnacle of S-rank rogue ninja, making him a perfect recruitment target for the Akatsuki.
"Hongzhong, your strength is considerable. I invite you to join the Akatsuki."
Deva Path Pain's voice was cold and emotionless, and his face, covered in black piercings, was forever a mask of icy coldness.
Hongzhong noticed that these four... no, including the two from before, all six faces were stiff and cold, like masks, devoid of any life!
That's right.
They're just puppets being controlled. Why would they have expressions? It's as pointless as Kakashi-sensei carving a dog's head on his Earth Release: Earth Wall.
"Oh?"
Hongzhong put on his acting face, and a look of genuine surprise and inquiry appeared on his ordinary face. "The Akatsuki? What's that?"
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
At that moment, three figures silently dropped from the spires, precisely positioning themselves on either side of the Deva Path. The four Pains now stood in a line.
Four pairs of Rinnegan, shining with a deep purple light, were now close by, focused on him without emotion, and the pressure increased exponentially.
Hongzhong felt that the person controlling them was intentionally trying to force him into joining the "Akatsuki" by using this pressure.
Deva Path Pain scrutinized Hongzhong and spoke with the same calm voice, "I see you're about twenty-three or twenty-four. You must have experienced war, right?"
Hongzhong tilted his head, his eyes momentarily showing confusion before becoming clear again.
War? In my last life and this one, I've never experienced it.
That kind of thing is pretty far away.
Wait, if you count one-sided beatdowns as war, then...
The Boss has done it: the Grass Village, the Konoha Crush, and last night's Cloud Village sabotage plan.
"War? Perhaps." He answered ambiguously.
Deva Path Pain assumed he was just being shy. At twenty-three or twenty-four, he would have been the right age for the Third Shinobi World War, which was over a decade ago.
"If you've experienced war, have you ever lost family or friends, and felt pain?"
Pain?
I, Hongzhong—no, I, Naruto—am kindhearted.
Does the whimpering Grass Village dog count? I felt guilty about it for a whole 1.5 seconds.
"I have." His voice was low, with a hint of a barely perceptible hoarseness, and his eyes appropriately darkened.
Deva Path Pain took a half step forward. "Then... in the depths of your despair, have you ever longed for a world without tears or bloodshed? Have you ever hoped for world peace?"
His purple Rinnegan eyes were locked on Hongzhong.
World peace?
Heh. For some reason, hearing that word reminded me of a joke from my previous life about God and the national football team.
But... isn't world peace the Boss's goal? This kid... has big ideas!
However, from Uchiha Itachi, who annihilated his clan, to the rogue Sasuke, and the villain Uchiha Obito... this Akatsuki organization seems to be a far cry from the goal of world peace!
With that thought, Hongzhong asked honestly, "Is that really your goal, the Akatsuki's? To bring world peace?"
"Yes!"
Deva Path Pain finally showed a hint of emotion. He suddenly spread his arms, as if embracing the void. His face, covered in black piercings, actually revealed a flicker of a dreamer's light. "To bring world peace! That is the mission of the Akatsuki!"
Hongzhong's mouth twitched imperceptibly. "So, how do you plan to achieve this goal?"
"The answer... will be revealed once you join the Akatsuki! Now, tell me your choice!" Pain's fanaticism instantly cooled, and his Rinnegan eyes scrutinized Hongzhong.
Join the Akatsuki?
Hongzhong actually had this thought. He not only wanted to join but also wanted to be a spy within the organization. This organization was too mysterious, and very little was known about it.
Gathering intel in the dueling ground?
In the past few months, he had been spending almost all his time with Sasuke and Sakura, which left him with very little free time. The little time he did have was spent challenging Kage-level and other powerful, named opponents, so he had no time to specifically search for Akatsuki intel.
Based on the intel he already had about the Akatsuki: Uchiha Itachi was a member. The rogue Sasuke from his past life would also join. The villain Uchiha Obito was once a member of the Akatsuki, and if it weren't for the variable that was his Boss, he probably still would be.
Furthermore, all the other known members of the Akatsuki were S-rank rogue ninja!
Most importantly: The leader of the Akatsuki, a fact he had never uncovered before, had a pair of Rinnegan.
Looking at it this way, this Akatsuki organization was powerful, and they were hiding their names, so they must be planning to do something big! It was bound to play a significant role in the original story.
Therefore, it was very necessary to monitor this organization at all times!
However, as a powerful individual, Hongzhong had his own pride. He couldn't just join because they asked him to. That would be too fake and have no value as a united front. Besides, Hongzhong was curious about the strength of the Rinnegan's owner.
All in all, he'd have a "ranking match" first! Status was earned through battle!
"Join?" Hongzhong's eyebrow twitched, and his tone carried a playful hint of provocation. "Does that mean you want me to be the boss?"
Deva Path Pain's face remained frozen, without a single ripple.
This reaction was within his expectations. If Hongzhong had simply agreed, he would have been suspicious and wary. It was the same with Orochimaru before. Those who begged to join the Akatsuki must have had some ulterior motive, and it turned out to be true.
Hongzhong's reaction was what he expected from a powerful person. Why would he submit so easily?
Someone like him would become much more obedient after a good beating and would still join the Akatsuki!
"Mortal! You have a little power, and you dare to presume you can be a god."
"I will show you what true divine power is!"
Deva Path Pain's aura suddenly changed, and his cold Rinnegan eyes looked down on him from above, like a god from heaven looking down on an ant in the dust.
At the same time, the three Pains beside him moved slightly, and their formation suddenly changed into a "1-2-1" absolute defense formation, protecting a certain Pain at the very back.
Hongzhong quickly scanned the four of them.
The Deva Path stood alone at the very front. The Animal Path with the Ino-like hairstyle and another long-haired, orange-haired Pain were in the second line. The last one was also a short-haired orange Pain.
Hongzhong immediately deduced that the last short-haired orange Pain must be the "medical ninja" of the group, the Naraka Path. By extension, the long-haired orange Pain must be the Human Path.
Tsk tsk...
The remaining ones seemed to be all about function.
"Almighty Push!" A cold, indifferent voice sounded. Deva Path Pain's right palm opened like a black hole, and his five fingers spread slightly!
Buzz—
A powerful, irresistible, invisible gravitational field was instantly created. Hongzhong felt his feet lose their grip, and his whole body was forcibly pulled towards that palm by a force that defied the laws of physics, like a leaf in the wind.
Faced with this strange and illogical power, others might be instantly stunned and killed, but Hongzhong was different. He was all too familiar with the power of the Rinnegan!
He channeled chakra into his feet, clinging to the ground like tree roots, while also beginning to test the limits of the technique. But as Deva Path Pain increased his chakra output...
Crack! Rumble—
The ground his feet were clinging to was torn up, and Hongzhong, along with this giant slab of rock, was irresistibly pulled toward that terrifying palm, like a kite with a broken string.
The distance closed rapidly, and the lines on the palm were clearly visible! He knew he was reaching his limit and had to act now.
"Now!"
Hongzhong brought his hands together, forming the Horse hand seal in an instant. The surging chakra in his body roared like a volcano, rushing into his chest!
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Whoosh! Boom!
A scorching orange-red sea of fire, hotter than magma and more ferocious than a tsunami, poured out of his mouth, instantly engulfing the space in front of him.
Boom!!!
Deva Path Pain's pupils contracted slightly, and he was forced to stop the gravity pull.
"Almighty Push!"
Buzz—
An invisible repulsive barrier expanded from him. The world-destroying sea of fire, along with Hongzhong, who was caught in it, was met with an invisible wall of force and was pushed back even more violently!
Flames lit up the sky, and a fiery storm swept through.
Bang! A crisp sound.
Where the rebounded fiery torrent hit, only a substitution log was instantly reduced to ashes!
Thud, thud, thud, thud—
The real Hongzhong, with chakra condensed under his feet, moved like a ghost, flashing and darting at high speed along the wide steel platform, circling the four Pains in the center.
His goal was clear: The other Pains were just cannon fodder. The most important one was the Naraka Path! He had to find an opportunity to take down the Naraka Path; otherwise, he would be guaranteed to lose!
With that in mind, his hands formed a series of hand signs that were like a blur of motion.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Extermination!"
A sea of molten fire, even more terrifying than the Great Fire Annihilation, descended instantly. Hongzhong was on a high point of the structure, and the sea of fire surged down from above, instantly enveloping the four Pains below.
"Almighty Push!"
Buzz—
The sea of fire was too vast, so the ability could only create a safe zone around the four of them, and the molten liquid fire within that range was instantly repelled. But outside of this jutsu, the surrounding area was still a swirling mass of liquid fire, like flowing lava.
Hiss, hiss, hiss—
The sound of evaporating water filled the air, and at the same time, the high temperature melted the ground and even the surrounding steel.
At this moment, even a proud god would have to give a second glance to the person above. That gaze kept scanning and searching for an opportunity to strike Hongzhong.
"What a powerful Fire Release!"
At this moment, the Animal Path stepped forward and clapped its hands.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three large smoke pillars exploded! From within the smoke, a gigantic rhinoceros, a monstrous bull, and a fortress-like crab emerged. The one-horned rhinoceros was the closest, and it stomped the ground with its massive front hooves to gather momentum, then charged forward like a mountain.
Troublesome!
Hongzhong quickly formed hand signs again.
"Water Release: High-Pressure Water Cannon!"
Spit—
Three water balls, like cannonballs, were stretched into long lines as they shot forward at high speed. Hiss, hiss, hiss—
The moment they touched the rhinoceros, the ultra-high-pressure water cannons cut through its skin, instantly blasting three large holes clean through its body.
Bang—
After a puff of smoke, the rhinoceros disappeared.
As for the other two, Hongzhong again retreated backward, his figure flickering. He reached out his right hand, and the hilt of a sword appeared in it.
It was the Kusanagi Sword that he had thrown earlier!
With the sword in hand, Hongzhong suddenly stopped, a cold glint in his eyes.
Now!
He turned and charged towards the two giant beasts.
Shing—
A ten-meter-long blade of lightning, condensed into a tangible form, suddenly appeared in his right hand. It wasn't formed through hand signs but was summoned from thin air.
"Slash!"
His body moved like a flash of lightning.
Swoosh!
A fierce, space-tearing blade of lightning flashed by! This one diagonally sliced the giant bull, its horns breaking off, and its massive, mountain-like body was cut in half.
While the giant beast was still wailing in the dissipating smoke, Hongzhong didn't stop.
Clang—
Following that, another blinding bolt of lightning, similar to the one he had used to shoot the bird, shot out like a meteor.
Crack!
The lightning bolt pierced right through the thick center of the giant crab's head.
Bang—
Amidst the swirling smoke, the third summoned beast dissipated.
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