"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!!"
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!!!"
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!!"
The three Uchiha unleashed Fire Release in unison, their flames roaring toward the Asura Path, Animal Path, and Naraka Path.
Meanwhile, Hoshigaki Kisame blocked the Preta Path, and Kiyosuke alone stood against both the Deva Path and the Human Path.
"Mere mortals dare to challenge a god? What foolish arrogance!"
Deva Path Pain's expression was as lifeless as ever as he spoke his usual self-righteous words.
"Shinra Tensei!!"
Kiyosuke braced his stance, forcing himself to stand firm against the repulsive force of Shinra Tensei.
As he held his ground, he smirked.
"So this is it? I thought you were something special. Turns out you're not that impressive after all."
"You're no ordinary man, Asakawa Kiyosuke!"
Pain's gaze sharpened. As expected, this man was nothing like his previous opponents—far more dangerous, living up to the title of "the man who could rival the God of Shinobi."
"But… you are still beneath a god! Shinra Tensei!!"
He increased the force, pushing Kiyosuke back several steps.
"Tch. That's all you've got?"
Kiyosuke's fingers curled into a fist.
Flames erupted around him, his strength surging. His eyes blazed crimson as he thrust both hands forward—tearing open the invisible wall of repulsion with brute force.
Pain's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Impossible! You ripped through Shinra Tensei?!"
"You're finished!"
Kiyosuke's body burst into flames as he charged straight through, clashing directly with the Deva Path.
The Human Path joined in, thrusting his black receivers to restrict Kiyosuke's ability to fight in elemental form.
"Banshō Ten'in!"
A powerful suction force pulled Kiyosuke toward them. The Human Path lunged, thrusting a black rod along his predicted trajectory.
"Die!"
But just before it struck, a hole of living fire opened through Kiyosuke's chest, letting the black rod pass harmlessly through.
He reformed behind the Human Path, grabbed his face, and unleashed a stream of fire—burning his head to charcoal in an instant.
"You're next."
He pointed at the Deva Path, mimicking Dio's dramatic pose.
...
Elsewhere, Jiraiya and Naruto had already entered Sage Mode.
Obito appeared beside them.
"I'll send you in. Be careful."
"Got it."
"Kamui!"
With that, Obito warped the two into his Kamui space and reappeared near Nagato's location—where Konan stood protectively beside him.
They were about to engage in a battle of ideals, while the fight outside was left to Kiyosuke and the others.
...
Kiyosuke continued his battle with the Deva Path, but when his opponent suddenly retreated at high speed, Kiyosuke barely reacted in time.
He shrugged, not interested in chasing, and turned his attention to the fight between Kisame and the Preta Path.
Both fighters possessed chakra-absorbing abilities—the Preta Path through the Rinnegan, and Kisame through his great blade, Samehada.
Swinging Samehada with savage strength, Kisame laughed.
"This has been a fun partnership, but sorry, Leader. The Fifth Mizukage-sama ordered me back to the village."
After so many years undercover, he could finally return. The thought filled his shark-like heart with joy.
Kirigakure might be different now, but it was still his home.
The Preta Path muttered quietly,
"Hoshigaki Kisame… So you and Uchiha Itachi were both spies. I should never have listened to Obito and let you into Akatsuki. Damn it, I was careless."
Everyone he'd trusted was dead—what remained were traitors and infiltrators. The realization left him seething.
"Kisame-san, need a hand?"
Kiyosuke approached, speaking calmly.
"Much appreciated!"
Kisame grinned, his sharklike face looking even more terrifying when he smiled.
The air around them suddenly grew scorching hot. Kisame knew that meant Kiyosuke was about to attack.
A second later, the ground quaked violently. Kisame was secretly awed—had Asakawa Kiyosuke's power grown this much? Terrifying.
Even the three Uchiha turned their heads toward him.
"It's not me," Kiyosuke explained. "Someone's about to unleash a big one."
He looked up.
A small black sphere hung in the sky, radiating a tremendous gravitational pull. The earth and stones around them were drawn upward—and so were they.
"Chibaku Tensei!!!"
Deva Path Pain's voice roared from above.
So that's why he had retreated earlier—he'd been preparing this.
Standing atop a rising slab of stone, Itachi stared at the black core.
"Kiyosuke! Shisui! Sasuke! Kisame! Aim for that core!"
As he spoke, a half-bodied crimson Susanoo formed around him, its armor gleaming as magatama spun in its hand.
"Got it!"
Kiyosuke grasped a fiery spear, ready to hurl it.
"As expected, your perception never fails," Shisui said with a smile as a green Susanoo materialized beside him, also preparing its Yasaka Magatama.
Sasuke summoned his own Susanoo—every nerve screaming in pain.
That was the price of using the Mangekyō Sharingan. His entire body felt as if it were burning, demanding enormous chakra to sustain the form.
Itachi and Shisui were already accustomed to it, but Sasuke was not. The agony was unbearable.
Unlike his brother and Shisui, his Susanoo didn't use the Yasaka Magatama for ranged attacks. Instead, it drew a bow, forming an arrow of black flame.
He aimed at the core.
"Yasaka Magatama!!"
"Yasaka Magatama!"
"Kagutsuchi!"
"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!!!"
The five attacks fired simultaneously, converging upon the black sphere—and shattered the Chibaku Tensei in a brilliant explosion.
As rocks and debris rained from the sky, Kiyosuke exhaled.
"That technique eats through chakra like crazy. Even without using Super Shinra Tensei, that alone's enough to drain him dry."
Only someone like Nagato, a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, could withstand the Rinnegan's burden.
That's precisely why Madara had chosen him—because the Uzumaki's immense life force and chakra reserves prevented the eyes from devouring their host.
A normal person would have been sucked dry long ago.
The Naraka Path used its power to revive the Human Path that Kiyosuke had killed.
Once again, all six Paths of Pain gathered together, guarding the entrance to the cave.
Kiyosuke and his allies didn't plan to go inside—within, a battle of beliefs was already underway between Jiraiya, Naruto, and Nagato.
But before that could be settled, Kiyosuke intended to wipe out every last one of Pain's bodies.
He snorted coldly and charged forward.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Centered on the Deva Path, a shockwave blasted outward, flinging Kiyosuke through the air.
This time, Pain said nothing further—he simply fought with all six bodies at once.
He no longer had the luxury of words.
All his remaining focus was devoted to the battle inside the cave—where Nagato's ideals were being shaken to their core.