As the Animal Path lightly shouted, four identical, expressionless figures appeared in Hawkeye's vision.
Hawkeye put on his hat and stood up, stepping off the small boat. The boat, as if controlled, slowly drifted out to sea, avoiding the battle's reach.
This time, Pain acted according to Konan's plan. His main body did not participate in the battle, sending out the Human Path, Preta Path, Shura Path, and Animal Path to confront Hawkeye and test his strength.
Pain and Konan were currently hiding in a house Konan had created with her abilities, controlling the Four Paths to prepare for battle with Hawkeye. Konan had also arranged disguised sentry posts around the Four Paths to monitor every movement in the vicinity.
Hawkeye looked at the four people who suddenly appeared before him. From their attire, he recognized them as members of the Akatsuki Organization, but he did not see the leader who was wanted in the newspapers.
Hawkeye was not a man of many words. Seeing that the newcomers did not speak, Hawkeye also remained silent. He pulled the cross-shaped greatsword from his back and thrust it into the sand, placing his hands on the hilt's end. His eagle-like eyes stared directly at the four, waiting for the enemy to make a move.
Pain observed Hawkeye through the shared vision of the Four Paths. Pain had to admit that Hawkeye was indeed a person with an incredibly powerful aura.
From his aura, Pain could tell that Hawkeye was stronger than Oden, due to Oden's age.
Pain also did not say anything through the Four Paths, choosing to act directly.
The Shura Path moved first, its weapons, the "Five-Finger Missiles" and "Bizarre Arm Rockets," whistled as they shot towards Hawkeye. The Preta Path, turning into sand, followed closely behind the missiles, intending to control Hawkeye while he dealt with the missiles.
The Animal Path was not idle either; three Summoned Beasts were summoned to attack Hawkeye: a three-headed splitting dog, a giant-clawed lobster, and a one-eyed buffalo.
The Summoned Beasts also displayed their abilities. The three-headed splitting dog transformed into three giant fierce dogs, attacking Hawkeye from three directions.
The giant-clawed lobster quickly crawled towards Hawkeye, attempting to clamp him with its giant claws.
The one-eyed buffalo opened its mouth wide, and a thick jet of water shot towards Hawkeye.
The Human Path also directly opened a door, entering it and disappearing, ready to ambush at any moment.
A series of attacks, all under Pain's control, rapidly assailed Hawkeye.
Seeing the fierce onslaught from these three, Hawkeye dared not be careless. His hands instantly turned black and red, and his King-level Observation Haki predicted the trajectories of all attacks.
He quickly swung his sword, and One by one green Sword Qi were rapidly unleashed by Hawkeye, meeting the attacks of the Three Paths with a thunderous roar.
The clash happened in an instant. All of the Shura Path's missile attacks were cut apart by the Sword Qi, unable to get close to Hawkeye. The Preta Path's body also turned to sand in mid-air, dodging the Sword Qi damage.
The Summoned Beasts summoned by the Animal Path were sent flying and flipping by the Sword Qi, all cut into pieces. Under the Animal Path's "Summoning Amplification Technique," they transformed into a pile of monstrous creatures and continued to attack Hawkeye.
Hawkeye's keen gaze watched as the beasts, shattered by the Sword Qi, transformed into even more monsters, and he frowned.
Hawkeye started with a low upward slash, and at the same time, lightly shouted, "Eagle Strike Soaring Sky." Hawkeye's figure instantly vanished, reappearing already in front of the Animal Path.
Hawkeye intended to deal with this enemy with summoning abilities first.
With the Four Paths' shared vision, the Human Path, who had originally planned an ambush, decisively abandoned its preparation. A gate of light appeared beside the Animal Path, and the Human Path raised its hand, parrying Hawkeye's strike.
However, the Human Path and Animal Path were both blasted back dozens of meters by Hawkeye's strike, plowing several deep furrows in the sand before stabilizing themselves.
The Preta Path seized the opportunity to pursue Hawkeye, but was predicted by Hawkeye's keen insight and King-level Observation Haki, and was once again sent flying by a single sword strike.
Pain, controlling the Shura Path, saw that missile attacks were ineffective. Its body transformed into three heads and six arms, and a steel tail resembling a scorpion with a barbed hook emerged from its lower back.
The Shura Path, following the Preta Path, once again closed in, attempting to engage Hawkeye in close combat. The Human Path retreated into the gate of light, waiting for an opportunity.
The Animal Path, concealed, controlled the Summoned Beasts to rush forward and attack Hawkeye in waves.
Hawkeye darted left and right, using his Observation Haki to predict all enemy attacks, cutting down one small monster after another.
The Preta Path had just advanced and hadn't even had time to act before it was sliced into sand by Hawkeye's sword, re-coalescing in the distance.
The Shura Path just happened to seize the opening, wanting to get close, but was struck by Hawkeye's sword. The Shura Path couldn't dodge, raising its six hands to try and block Hawkeye's seemingly casual sword strike, but one arm was directly severed, leaving it with five hands.
The Shura Path felt no Pain. After losing an arm, it continued to attack Hawkeye with its tail under Pain's control, but Hawkeye swung his sword again, sending both the Shura Path and its tail flying into the distance, where it fell to the side.
The Human Path, controlled by Pain, just then emerged from the gate, reaching out to grab Hawkeye. If caught, Hawkeye's Soul would surely be instantly controlled.
But things didn't go as planned. As soon as the Human Path emerged from the gate of light, Hawkeye perceived it, and with a turning slash, the Human Path couldn't dodge and was also sent flying into the distance, falling to the side.
Hawkeye dealt with all the attacks so effortlessly, even after the Preta Path, Shura Path, and Human Path were successively knocked away, he did not press his advantage.
In Hawkeye's perception, these attackers, though formidable, did not seem like living beings. Even when an arm was severed, there was no cry of Pain.
They were knocked down, fell to the side, and then stood up again. He didn't know what these things, neither human nor ghost, truly were.
In the disguised house in the distance, Pain also frowned deeply.
Hawkeye was stronger than Pain had imagined. Even with such dense and coordinated attacks from the Four Paths, he could handle them with ease, even injuring the Shura Path.
This made Pain feel troublesome and realized that relying solely on the Four Paths would not be enough to defeat Hawkeye. Looking at Hawkeye's state, he was certainly not using his full strength.
Continuing this battle would only exhaust Hawkeye's stamina and serve no other purpose. But judging by Hawkeye's current performance, he seemed to have no exhaustion at all.
"Pain, what's wrong?"
"Is the enemy very troublesome?" Konan asked, looking at the deeply frowning Pain, puzzled.
"Ah, yes, very troublesome."
"I can't defeat him without using full strength," Pain said, somewhat troubled.
Through the attacks of the Four Paths, Pain gained a clear understanding of Hawkeye's strength. Pain knew that only with the Six Paths attacking together at full strength would it be possible to kill Hawkeye.
But what Pain wanted was not to kill Hawkeye, but to defeat him and then recruit him. Once he used full strength, he would expose his trump cards and true power, which was not what Pain wanted.
"Konan, are there any movements from World Government personnel nearby?"
"No, perhaps the battle fluctuations aren't very large, and it hasn't attracted the attention of the World Government," Konan replied after sensing with her paper Clones.
The World Government indeed did not notice the battle on Hawkeye's side.
The World Government believed that even if the Akatsuki Organization were to act, it would be to seize Materials. At that time, they would send Mihawk, Hancock, and CP0 to encircle them, forcing the Akatsuki Organization to reveal its trump cards.
They had no idea that Akatsuki had already perceived Hawkeye's existence and would actively seek trouble with him.
"Since the World Government is not yet aware of our plan, let's go all out before they notice our movements." Pain had made up his mind to quickly defeat Hawkeye and force him to retreat.
At the battle site between the Four Paths and Hawkeye, Hawkeye finally spoke his first words.
Hawkeye, surrounded by numerous monsters, didn't care. He put the Supreme Grade Greatsword Twelve Works on his back, crossed his arms over his chest, and said, "You are not living beings, nor are you the true master."
"I have no interest in fighting Puppets. Let the true master come out."
Hawkeye had already discerned with his "Hawkeye's" keen insight that these enemies were not living beings. In Hawkeye's view, these were Puppets. Although he didn't know how it was done, Hawkeye was certain they were Puppets.
The Animal Path deactivated its stealth, and the Four Paths also ceased their attacks under Pain's control. Pain controlled the Animal Path to directly summon himself and Konan.
In Hawkeye's vision, after a burst of white smoke, three more people appeared.
Hawkeye observed the three suddenly appearing figures. Although two of them also had cold expressions, they had more vitality than the Puppet's faces, unlike the Puppets, whose faces had strange iron nails.
"Hawkeye Mihawk, I am Zerozang, the leader of the Akatsuki Organization, code-named Zero."
"You are absolutely correct. They are indeed dead, but they are dead people given life through my abilities."
"My purpose in seeing you is to defeat you. Do you accept the challenge?"
After appearing, Pain, out of respect for the strong, took the initiative to introduce himself. Konan remained silent at his side.
"A challenge?"
"I only accept fair one-on-one challenges. Is this what you call a challenge?"
Hawkeye's meaning was clear: if it was a challenge, it shouldn't be so many people attacking together. Hawkeye wasn't afraid, but it was Hawkeye's recognized rule for a challenge.
"These dead people and I are one person..."
"You can call us the Six Paths of Pain."
"If you are afraid, then it is not a challenge, but a war!"
Pain, having a simple understanding of Hawkeye's personality from Oden, now, rarely, actively provoked him.
"If these Puppets are you, then I accept your challenge."
"Then... make your move!"
To be continued...