The crippling defeat of the legendary Sannin secured two things for Naruto: absolute certainty in his power, and an unhindered path to the heart of the Akatsuki. The emotional breach caused by Jiraiya's mention of Kushina remained a sealed wound, a constant source of pressure that only solidified his need for total victory.
Naruto traveled directly to the Land of Rain, the perpetual gloom and acidic downpour of Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village) mirroring the darkness of his soul. His destination: The Vault, a massive, fortified complex carved deep into the mountainside, revealed by Sasori and Kakuzu's dying whispers.
"Pain's chakra is the single greatest threat you have faced. His Rinnegan controls all six paths, making his tactical scope near infinite. Konan is his absolute defense. You must separate them and neutralize the sensory advantage of the Six Paths," the Collective advised.
Naruto used his Chakra Kekkai no Me to pierce through the extensive sensory barriers surrounding Amegakure. He confirmed that the captive Jinchūriki were being held deep within The Vault, waiting for the final extraction ceremony.
He bypassed Konan's paper defenses by utilizing Genshi Fūin layered over his cloak. The seal instantly neutralized the inorganic chakra in her paper constructs, allowing him to pass through paper streams like mist.
The main entrance was heavily guarded by low-level Akatsuki operatives and Rain Village shinobi, all subject to Pain's will. Naruto unleashed a terrifying, swift onslaught, not with Jutsu, but with the Ryū-jin no Tsume and simple Taijutsu, disabling every guard instantly with focused, internal trauma. There were no screams, only silence.
The infiltration was silent, brutal, and swift.
He descended into the heart of The Vault, a vast cavern where the air vibrated with destructive power. Waiting in the central, cathedral-like chamber were the two leaders: Konan and the primary body of Pain (Deva Path), standing before the massive, sealing statue of the Gedo Mazo.
Pain's Rinnegan eyes locked onto Naruto, cold and utterly non-human. "The surviving vessel. You are stronger than we anticipated, Uzumaki. You have eliminated the others. Your power is an asset to be recovered."
"You killed my family for your false godhood," Naruto stated, devoid of inflection. "I am here to extract your lives."
Konan stepped forward, her paper wings folding defensively. "The gods do not bargain, boy. And no seal can stop the power of the Six Paths."
Konan initiated the attack, unleashing a massive torrent of Shikigami Dance, a tidal wave of paper shuriken and blinding sheets. Naruto did not bother with evasive maneuvers.
"Genshi Fūin!"
The entire barrage of paper, infused with Konan's chakra, struck Naruto's field and dissolved into useless, inert pulp. Konan gasped, her primary defense rendered useless by the high-grade Uzumaki seal.
Pain countered instantly, raising his hand. "Shinra Tensei! (Almighty Push!)"
A colossal wave of repulsive force slammed into Naruto. He met the attack with the kinetic neutralization of the Sōzō\ no\ Fūin. The repulsive force vanished upon contact with the sealing barrier, leaving a moment of terrifying, dead silence.
Pain's eyes narrowed slightly—a rare show of surprise. "The Uzumaki clan's defensive seals are impressive. But you cannot fight all six of my bodies at once."
Suddenly, the floor of the Vault erupted. The five other Pain bodies—Asura, Human, Animal, Preta, and Naraka—were summoned and instantly deployed in a complex formation, trapping Naruto.
"The Six Paths operate as one mind! You must sever the connection to the other bodies to create weakness! Use the environment!"
Naruto glanced up at the Vault's ceiling—a network of thick, structural support beams. He activated the most precise application of his Kishin no Kōsa (Demon God's Cross).
Six ultra-thin chakra chains shot out, not at the Pain bodies, but at the main support beams of the Vault.
"Kishin no Kōsa: Kyōsei Hōkai (Forced Collapse)!"
The chains sealed the structural integrity of the beams, causing a controlled, massive cascade failure of the Vault's ceiling. Tons of rock and debris rained down, separating the Pain bodies from each other and forcing them to focus on defense.
Naruto targets the Deva Path (Pain's Core):
In the momentary chaos, Naruto saw his chance. He aimed for the most critical target: the Deva Path, the body that housed Nagato's true control and possessed the most destructive power.
Pain, distracted by the collapsing ceiling, focused his power to clear the area around his core body.
Naruto closed the distance, utilizing the Ryū-jin no Tsume against the Asura Path (the mechanical body) blocking his path. A few swift, surgical taps caused the Asura Path's internal chakra flow to detonate, destroying its core systems and forcing its collapse.
He reached the Deva Path. Pain met him with a furious Taijutsu exchange.
Naruto forced his fingers onto the Deva Path's torso, attempting to apply a concentrated Chakra Hōkai no Jutsu to disable its Rinnegan abilities.
Pain, sensing the danger, unleashed a short-range Banshō Ten'in (Almighty Pull), ripping Naruto off him and throwing him hard against a stone wall.
"You are reckless, boy!" Pain hissed. "You sacrifice the Jinchūriki for your revenge!"
Naruto looked up, his breathing ragged, his focus absolute. He knew he couldn't win a sustained fight against Pain's full arsenal. He had to escape with the prize.
In the corner of the vast chamber, secured behind thick chakra seals, were the surviving Jinchūriki: Killer Bee (Eight-Tails) and the remnants of the Four-Tails and Five-Tails vessels.
Naruto focused his silver gaze and activated a potent combination: Kage Bunshin: En'i.
Three shadow clones burst forth, each one racing towards the heavily sealed chamber. They didn't break the seals; they used the contact seal on their hands to instantly apply a reverse-flow Uzumaki seal directly onto the Akatsuki's cages.
The effect was immediate: the Akatsuki seals ruptured, and the containment field failed, freeing the Jinchūriki.
Pain, seeing his prize escaping, was enraged. "Stop him! Chibaku Tensei!"
The colossal gravity seal began to form, threatening to crush the entire Vault. Naruto knew he had seconds.
He didn't fight the pull. He focused his remaining strength on a single, massive Kishin no Kōsa chain, aiming it at the ceiling. The chain erupted, securing the massive, free-falling stone and momentarily stabilizing the Vault just long enough.
"Konoha is next, Pain!" Naruto screamed, his voice filled with raw, terrifying promise. "Your false path ends when I tear the world down!"
Naruto, along with his clones, grabbed the stunned Jinchūriki and vanished in a puff of sealing smoke, using a desperate, long-range Hiraishin-style seal he had learned from Minato's fragmented memories in the Collective.
Pain stood in the ruins of his Vault, his Chibaku Tensei failing, his Jinchūriki gone, and four of his six bodies heavily damaged or destroyed. The Uzumaki boy had not killed him, but he had shattered the Akatsuki's purpose.
The world had fundamentally shifted.