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"Ha," Kaito let out a soft chuckle as he appeared, scanning the people around him. "It seems we’re all familiar faces here."
Wearing a gentle smile, Kaito exuded an overwhelming aura that spread across the area, immediately catching everyone’s attention.
In that instant, Kisame, Sasuke, and Neji stopped their battle, retreating to their respective positions.
"Kaito."
Pain stepped forward, his violet Rinnegan eyes fixed on the young man shrouded in a golden mist.
"Hello," Kaito nodded. "Why are you alone? Nagato should be nearby, right?"
Pain’s cold eyes remained emotionless, refusing to respond.
"And you there, Mr. Aloe Vera." Kaito’s sharp gaze shifted to Zetsu, who was trying to retreat quietly. "Where are you off to?"
"Too rude! I’m not Aloe Vera!" White Zetsu retorted cheekily.
"Oh? Upon closer inspection, you’re right—you’re not Aloe Vera." Kaito’s smile deepened. "But the black half of you, dear Black Zetsu, doesn’t seem quite human, does it?"
"What could it be?" Kaito stepped forward. "Even I, an onmyōji, can’t quite discern it. It piques my curiosity."
"Retreat!"
Black Zetsu’s raspy voice rang out as his body moved like a ghost, swiftly vanishing into a distant tree.
"Oh?" Kaito paused, his smile unchanging. "Leaving so soon?"
"And now, what are your plans?" His gaze turned to Pain and "Tobi." "Do you intend to rescue Itachi from my hands?"
"Kisame, come here."
Pain ignored Kaito’s question, instead calling Kisame over.
"Yes."
Kisame, carrying his large blade, moved swiftly to join Pain and "Tobi."
Kaito watched with amusement, making no move to stop them.
"You two, leave first," Pain instructed.
"Hehe, understood!"
"Tobi" immediately changed his tone, giving a playful bow.
"Alright then, Tobi will escort Senior Kisame and leave first!"
A swirling vortex of space appeared before "Tobi," swallowing Kisame. Moments later, his figure vanished into the vortex as well.
"It seems Nagato keeps many secrets even from his subordinates."
Kaito waved his hand dismissively.
"Senior Izuna, please take them and retreat to a safe distance."
"Hmph!"
Izuna signaled Sasuke with a glance, leading both Sasuke and Neji out of the ruins. Golden chains retracted into the ground as one of Kaito’s paper clones carried the bound Itachi and followed them.
"Alright, the area is cleared." Kaito clapped his hands. "Now then, Nagato, what surprise have you prepared for me this time?"
Pain remained silent, his expression as cold as ever.
*Swish!*
A small figure darted into the ruins. The orange-haired girl, her body pierced with black rods, formed seals before slamming her palm onto the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
With a burst of white smoke, four new figures appeared before Kaito.
"Same old tricks?" Kaito looked slightly disappointed.
The Six Paths of Pain suddenly spread out, encircling him completely.
"Oh?" Kaito’s gaze locked onto the new Asura Path. "This..."
Wasn’t this Nagato’s real body?
Sensing briefly, a strange smile appeared on Kaito’s face. "Something extraordinary must’ve happened. Nagato even discarded his own body, didn’t he?"
"I’ve been reborn," Pain declared, his body levitating. "Things are different now, Kaito."
"Have you grown stronger, Nagato?" Kaito seemed unimpressed.
"Talk is meaningless."
Pain extended his right hand.
"Universal Pull!"
"Asura Missile Barrage!"
The Asura Path’s arm opened, releasing countless small missiles.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The Animal Path summoned a massive red dog and a giant raven.
*Buzz!*
Kaito stood motionless as powerful vibrations radiated from him, counteracting the pull of gravity. Missiles fell to the ground and exploded, while the colossal summoned beasts collapsed under the increased gravitational pressure.
*Buzz!!!*
The vibrations intensified, and the surrounding gravity increased further. The Six Paths of Pain all fell to the ground, their bodies creaking under the strain.
"It seems you haven’t improved much, Nagato."
Kaito strolled leisurely to the fallen Asura Path, crouching beside it and patting its face.
"What did you gain by discarding your body?"
"Chibaku Tensei!"
Kaito turned toward the sound. Pain had barely managed to clasp his hands together.
A black sphere ascended into the sky, radiating blinding white light.
The immense gravitational force counteracted Kaito’s gravity, allowing the Six Paths of Pain to rise. Lighter objects from the ground began to float upward, while heavier ones merely quivered.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
With a puff of white smoke, the Six Paths of Pain vanished.
"They’re retreating already?"
Even Kaito was momentarily surprised.
What was Nagato up to? Why such an abrupt conclusion?
"Never mind."
He looked up at the black sphere in the sky and stomped heavily on the ground.
*Whoosh!*
Golden chains shot upward, piercing through the black sphere.
The sphere shattered, the gravitational force dissipated, and the floating objects plummeted back to the ground.
Kaito dispersed the surrounding gravity and golden mist, turning to head in the direction Izuna and the others had gone.
---
One Minute Earlier.
Hidden within a paper-masked tree in the distant forest, Nagato and Konan observed the battle.
"Nagato." Konan looked worriedly at Nagato, who was seated within a mechanical device.
"Damn it, that guy has grown even stronger!" Nagato slammed his fist onto the armrest in frustration.
Despite his new body making him far stronger than before, he had been suppressed by Kaito’s overwhelming gravity.
Nagato struggled to accept this reality.
"Nagato, let it go." Konan stood before him. "Now isn’t the time to face Kaito."
When Nagato remained silent, she added, "After all, he hasn’t stopped us from gathering the Tailed Beasts, has he? Once we have all the Tailed Beasts, no one will be able to oppose us."
"...Fine."
Nagato’s expression shifted several times before he reluctantly relented.
He descended from the mechanical device, forming seals with his hands before slamming them onto the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
White smoke appeared, and the Six Paths of Pain materialized before them.
---
"You let them go?"
Izuna crossed his arms and looked at Kaito in surprise. "Didn’t you want to seize one of their summons?"
"It’s fine. He won’t escape." Kaito approached them calmly. "There’s no rush for now."
He glanced down at the unconscious Itachi lying on the ground.
"More importantly, Itachi’s body is in bad shape." He turned to Sasuke. "Do you want me to heal him?"
"Please heal him," Sasuke said emotionlessly, staring at Itachi. "Then seal his chakra. I want to imprison him in the cemetery barrier."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "And his eyes? Do you want to merge with them?"
"No!" Sasuke scowled in disgust. "You said before that I could avoid eye damage by continuing to train my spiritual arts, didn’t you?"
"Correct." Kaito nodded. "But merging with his ocular power is a shortcut. It’s your choice."
"No, I can do it on my own." Sasuke clenched his fists. "Hurry up and take care of it. I want to get this over with—I don’t want to see him anymore."