“Shinra Tensei!”
Just as Jiraiya had expected—
The instant his hand burst from the earth and seized the Deva Path’s right ankle, an enormous spherical field of repulsive force erupted outward.
BOOOOM—!
The ground collapsed beneath them.
Still buried underground, Jiraiya was crushed by the invisible force and sent flying backward through the soil, completely unable to control his own body.
Yet his expression did not change.
A piece of information from Naruto’s future memories flashed through his mind.
[The Deva Path’s weakness:
After using either attraction or repulsion, there would be an interval of at least five seconds before the technique could be activated again.]
At that exact moment—
Shhk!
A length of steel wire tore through the ground beneath the Deva Path’s feet.
As Jiraiya was hurled away, he pulled sharply on the wire clenched in his hand.
Snap!
The steel wire instantly wrapped itself around the Deva Path’s body, binding his arms and torso.
He planted it while he was still underground…
Even after realizing what had happened, the Deva Path’s expression remained unchanged.
The Naraka Path stepped forward with a black chakra receiver in hand, preparing to sever the steel wire.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya rolled across the ground before landing on his feet.
The two Great Toad Sages upon his shoulders immediately formed hand seals.
“Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!”
Oil and fire merged.
WHOOOOOSH—!
A raging dragon of flame tore across the battlefield, rushing toward the restrained Deva Path and the advancing Naraka Path.
The Preta Path immediately stepped in front of them.
He spread both hands—
And created a chakra-absorption barrier.
The roaring inferno vanished into his palms.
However, concealed within the flames was a row of kunai coated in razor-sharp Wind Release chakra.
They followed directly behind the fire.
At almost the same moment, the Asura Path launched another barrage of missiles.
“Too slow.”
The Deva Path spoke coldly.
“Shinra Tensei.”
BOOM—!
A tremendous repulsive force erupted from his body.
The steel wire binding him snapped apart.
The Wind Release kunai and missiles were caught by the repulsive field and hurled back toward Jiraiya at even greater speed.
However—
“You’re the slow one.”
Jiraiya disappeared.
His Sage-enhanced body moved so quickly that it left behind little more than a fleeting afterimage.
He slipped past the returning missiles and kunai.
In less than a second, he had already appeared directly in front of the Preta Path.
Jiraiya’s fist shot forward.
The Deva Path immediately leaped several meters backward.
The Preta Path barely managed to tilt his head aside.
Jiraiya’s fist missed his face by the smallest possible distance.
Or so it seemed.
BAM!
A portion of the Preta Path’s cheek suddenly caved inward.
His entire body was violently knocked off his feet.
“Frog Kata!”
Even if the physical fist failed to connect, the natural energy surrounding Jiraiya’s body extended beyond his limbs.
An opponent who could not perceive natural energy would never be able to judge the true range of his attacks.
“You seem rather confident in the physical strength granted by that form…”
A voice sounded directly beside Jiraiya.
“…Jiraiya-sensei.”
The Asura Path’s face was almost touching his own.
Its head had transformed.
Three faces now stared at Jiraiya from different directions.
The face in front wore a smile.
The one on the right was twisted with rage.
The face on the left remained cold and emotionless.
Click-clack-clack-clack!
The smiling Asura Path’s body began undergoing a rapid mechanical transformation.
Its two ordinary arms twisted around Jiraiya’s arms.
At the same time, additional mechanical limbs tore through its cloak and reached toward Jiraiya’s body.
Jiraiya immediately retreated.
However, he was a fraction too late.
One of the mechanical arms wrapped firmly around his left forearm.
The Asura Path’s face rotated.
The emotionless face now stared directly at him.
A brilliant light began shining from every seam in its mechanical body.
Jiraiya’s eyes widened.
Don’t tell me—!
In that brief instant, he activated his defensive technique.
“Needle Jizō!”
His white hair rapidly expanded, wrapping around as much of his body as possible.
Then—
BOOOOOOM—!
A small mushroom cloud rose above the forest.
…
The smoke slowly began to clear.
Jiraiya crouched upon the ground, his entire body covered in wounds.
His clothes had been reduced to scorched rags.
His left arm had been torn off at the elbow, and blood poured freely from the stump.
Fukasaku and Shima lay motionless upon his shoulders, seemingly unconscious.
“Haa… Haa…”
Jiraiya breathed heavily.
His injuries were severe.
He was already approaching the limit of how long he could maintain Sage Mode.
He raised his head and looked ahead.
The Asura Path lay naked upon the scorched earth, its mechanical body burned completely black.
Even so, its Rinnegan remained wide open, staring directly at him.
“To think you’d resort to self-destruction…”
Jiraiya forced himself to breathe steadily, desperately trying to regain even a fraction of his strength.
However—
“You aren’t the only one capable of using smoke as cover, Jiraiya-sensei.”
Pain’s voice came from behind him.
The Preta Path wrapped both arms around Jiraiya from behind.
It locked his arms against his body, leaving him unable to move.
The Deva Path and Naraka Path emerged from their concealed positions ahead.
The Naraka Path approached the fallen Asura Path.
He reached down, gripped the long mechanical saw blade protruding from the Asura Path’s back, and tore it free.
Then he brought his hands together.
The Asura Path’s broken body vanished.
A short while later—
It reappeared beside him.
Completely restored.
Not even a single burn remained upon its body.
So that’s the Naraka Path’s resurrection ability…
Jiraiya could only watch.
The Naraka Path held the massive saw blade in both hands.
The Deva Path raised a black chakra receiver and pointed it directly at Jiraiya.
Then, from an unknown hiding place, the Human Path appeared beside him.
Its emotionless eyes looked down upon the captured Sannin.
“Will you choose to have your soul torn from your body…”
The Human Path slowly raised one hand.
“…or will you choose—”
Behind Jiraiya, the Preta Path began frantically absorbing his chakra.
“Oh?”
Even in such a desperate situation, Jiraiya somehow managed to laugh.
“So I’m still allowed to choose?”
His eyes turned cold as he stared at the Deva Path.
At Yahiko’s face.
“The Nagato I remember was a gentle and thoughtful boy.”
Jiraiya’s voice became quieter.
“He was nothing like someone who would say such things.”
“…”
The Deva Path said nothing.
…
Somewhere within a tall tower in Amegakure—
A skeletal young man with long red hair sat upon an enormous chair.
His body was so thin that he appeared almost inhuman.
Thick strands of hair concealed his eyes and most of his face.
When he spoke, his voice contained nothing but coldness.
“When we needed you most, you never came to tell us these lofty ideals.”
His words were transmitted through the Deva Path.
“What meaning is there in saying them now, Jiraiya-sensei?”
Nagato’s voice grew colder.
“You should simply accept your death.”
“This world has already decayed beyond salvation.”
“A world that has never experienced true pain cannot possibly understand the meaning of peace.”
His bony fingers tightened against the armrest.
“And so, I will become a god.”
“I will make the entire world experience pain so profound that it reaches the very marrow of their bones.”
“When that happens…”
Nagato’s hidden eyes stared into the distance.
“…the soil in which true peace can take root will finally exist.”
“A god…?”
Jiraiya gave a bitter smile.
“Pain… and peace…”
Regret and guilt appeared within his eyes.
Behind him, the Preta Path continued absorbing his senjutsu chakra at a terrifying rate.
“That is correct.”
The Deva Path’s Rinnegan became even colder.
“With these eyes, I am a god.”
“And you…”
He pointed the black receiver at Jiraiya.
“…will die by the hand of a god.”
“That…”
Jiraiya’s lips curved into a strained smile.
“…is one thing I refuse to accept.”
He stopped resisting the Preta Path’s absorption.
Instead—
Jiraiya began forcefully circulating every trace of senjutsu chakra within his body.
Then he deliberately poured it into the Preta Path behind him.
The surrounding Pains immediately noticed something strange.
The Preta Path’s facial features began to change.
Its skin swelled.
Its nose widened.
The face of the man gradually transformed into that of a toad.
“Senjutsu appears to be dangerous even for the Rinnegan…”
The Human Path reached out.
“But this ends now.”
Its hand closed around the top of Jiraiya’s head.
THUMP!
Jiraiya’s heart violently contracted.
Something that had belonged to him since birth was being torn away from his control.
His vision blurred.
His consciousness began to drift into the distance.
That thing was—
His soul.
…
The Ninja Academy
Shikamaru let out an enormous yawn.
Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes as he wandered lazily past the rear entrance of the classroom.
He was still wearing the same lifeless expression as always.
However, something inside the otherwise empty classroom caught his attention.
Naruto was sitting alone at his desk.
He appeared to be studying something.
Shikamaru stopped.
Naruto had been acting strangely for the past several days.
That slight change made Shikamaru curious enough to enter the room.
“Hey, Naruto.
Our outdoor lesson is about to start, so hurry—”
“Eh?”
Shikamaru leaned closer.
“Three Hundred Fundamentals Every Shinobi Must Know?”
His dead-fish eyes widened slightly.
“Naruto, since when did you start reading Academy textbooks?”
“Ah… Huh?!”
Naruto jolted awake as though he had been caught doing something shameful.
The instant he realized it was Shikamaru, he hurriedly stuffed the scroll into his schoolbag.
Then he snapped angrily—
“Why don’t your footsteps make any sound?!”
“Huh?”
Shikamaru stared at him with an exaggerated expression.
One eye was opened wide.
The other narrowed suspiciously.
Naruto gradually became uncomfortable under his gaze.
He scratched his cheek.
“I just thought…”
His voice softened.
“If I really want to become a proper shinobi, then this stuff is probably important too.”
“You…”
Shikamaru’s expression turned thoughtful.
“You really have changed.”
“Ahaha… You think so?”
Naruto laughed awkwardly, then immediately changed the subject.
“Come on!
Let’s go to the outdoor lesson!”
He grabbed his bag and hurried past Shikamaru.
Shikamaru remained standing in the classroom for a moment, watching Naruto’s retreating back.
His eyes narrowed.
Something had definitely happened to him.
…
“Just to be safe…”
The Deva Path flicked both hands.
Two black chakra receivers shot through the air.
Pshk!
Pshk!
The rods pierced the two seemingly unconscious toads upon Jiraiya’s shoulders.
They continued forward and pinned the two toads against the Preta Path standing directly behind him.
The Preta Path’s transformation accelerated.
Its flesh rapidly hardened.
Gray stone spread across its face and body as it gradually turned into a petrified toad statue.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya’s soul continued struggling against the Human Path’s chakra.
However, his consciousness was still slipping farther and farther away.
Then—
Every remaining Path of Pain, including the Deva Path, suddenly froze.
For one brief instant, their concentration faltered.
That single instant was enough.
Poof!
Poof!
The two toads impaled upon the black receivers vanished in clouds of white smoke.
They had been decoys.
Behind the Deva Path—
The ground split open.
The real Fukasaku and Shima emerged from underground, their palms pressed together.
Jiraiya had endured everything for this moment.
He had deliberately bought them enough time to gather an enormous amount of senjutsu chakra.
The two Great Toad Sages opened their mouths.
“Sage Art: Toad Duet!”
An overwhelming sound wave, empowered by a tremendous quantity of natural energy, erupted across the battlefield.
It swept toward the five Paths of Pain like a hurricane and a tidal wave combined.
The sky seemed to overturn.
The earth appeared to collapse.
In an instant—
The five Pains found themselves trapped inside a vast genjutsu prison.
Within reality, their bodies lost all strength and collapsed upon the ground.
“Haa… Haa…”
Jiraiya fell to one knee.
“Cough—!”
He coughed up a pool of blood.
“Are you all right, Jiraiya-chan?!”
Fukasaku and Shima continued maintaining the genjutsu with all their strength, but their eyes were filled with concern.
“I’m fine.”
It was an obvious lie.
Still, Jiraiya tore a strip from his ruined clothing and wrapped it tightly around the stump of his left arm.
Once the bleeding had slowed, he staggered toward the fallen Deva Path.
He stopped before Yahiko’s body.
For a long moment, Jiraiya merely stared down at that familiar face.
His eyes lowered.
He said nothing.
Several breaths passed.
Then Jiraiya crouched and took the black chakra receiver from the Deva Path’s hand.
Without hesitation—
He drove it into his own right shoulder.
Pshk!
Pain shot through his body.
At the same time, his senjutsu chakra surged backward through the black receiver.
Jiraiya closed his eyes.
He traced the foreign chakra flowing through the rod.
Followed its direction.
Searched for the source controlling the Six Paths.
Then—
His eyes opened.
“So that’s where you are…”
Jiraiya pulled the black receiver from his shoulder and threw it aside.
He stood.
Then he turned toward a tall tower rising from the depths of Amegakure.
The sky had grown dark.
Visibility through the endless rain was poor, and the distant structure could only barely be seen.
However, Jiraiya now knew with certainty.
Nagato was inside that tower.
The rain continued to fall.