"Nagato, what's wrong? You don't look so good."
In the dense forest of the Land of Grass, Konan had been keeping an eye on Nagato. Noticing the change in his expression, she asked softly.
"Nothing."
Nagato shook his head, though there were things he couldn't bring himself to say.
Whether it was Jiraiya entrusting Kitagawa Minamoto to place flowers for Yahiko, or Minamoto's words, "Would Jiraiya mourn for you?"
Both had struck a deep chord in his heart.
Especially since, after just one battle, Kitagawa Minamoto had uncovered far too much about him.
Minamoto had even deduced his true condition, sending chills down Nagato's spine.
"I must find a way to eliminate you!"
Nagato roared inwardly. From afar, the Animal Path pressed its hands to the ground.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
In an instant, three plumes of white smoke erupted simultaneously. From within the smoke, three massive figures emerged!
One was a giant Yatagarasu, screeching as it soared into the sky. Another was a hellhound with three snarling heads. The last was a colossal bull, its sheer weight causing the ground beneath it to crack.
"Animal Path, huh."
Seeing the enormous summoned beasts, Kitagawa Minamoto raised an eyebrow.
He had to admit, these creatures were indeed troublesome. After all, he didn't have any summoning beasts of his own to counter them.
But...
Buzz—
Purple Electricity surged across Minamoto's body. In the blink of an eye, he charged forward!
In Sage Mode, both Jiraiya and Naruto were capable of taking on the Six Paths of Pain. And Minamoto? He was the fusion of "Intel Minamoto," "Healing Minamoto," and "Homecoming Minamoto"—a trifecta of perfection.
"Most importantly, I am the meta!"
Moo—
The colossal bull let out a deafening roar and charged at Minamoto, its massive hooves shaking the earth with every step.
But Minamoto timed his move perfectly, leaping gracefully into the air. At the same time, the White Fang short blade in his hand, crackling with dazzling lightning, slashed downward!
Slash—
In an instant, the bull's massive head was severed cleanly.
If Kakashi could use Purple Electricity to cut through the Nue's tail, Minamoto could do it even more efficiently!
Using the bull's head as a springboard, Minamoto leapt upward just before it dissipated into smoke. His hand formed a seal mid-air.
"Sage Art: Yin Release - Water Severing Wave!"
By now, Minamoto had fully mastered the use of Yin and Yang Release, incorporating them seamlessly into his techniques.
While "Ōtsutsuki Minamoto" from another timeline might have used physical manifestations like black rods or blades, Minamoto now preferred to channel his power through ninjutsu.
Clang—
The high-pressure water jet collided with the sharp beak of the giant bird, producing an ear-piercing metallic screech!
Screech!
Under the immense force, the bird let out a pained cry. In the next moment, its beak was shattered and sent hurtling to the ground.
The bird, along with its severed beak, crashed heavily into the earth. Seizing the opportunity, Minamoto landed on the bird's wing and propelled himself forward once more!
The crash of the giant bird caused a minor earthquake, sending dust and debris flying everywhere.
But amidst the swirling dust, the three-headed hellhound leapt into the air, its leathery wings flapping ferociously as it lunged at Minamoto.
"Sage Art: Yin Release - False Darkness."
Raising his left hand, Minamoto unleashed a barrage of violent purple lightning, which condensed into sharp spears of electricity. Guided by his Chakra, they shot forth like a storm.
The three-headed hellhound was torn apart mid-air, unable to even split into smaller versions of itself before crashing into the ground. Its massive body pinned the bull and bird beneath it!
Boom—
The collision of the three summoned beasts caused the ground to quake violently.
And in that moment, Minamoto arrived directly in front of the Six Paths of Pain. His blade was already poised to strike at Pain and Raiga Kurosuki!
"What kind of monster is this?"
Raiga Kurosuki's eyes widened in disbelief. Three massive beasts had been so effortlessly dealt with?
And this kind of Lightning Release and Water Release—he had never seen anything like it!
"Hmph!"
Pain's expression darkened at how quickly Minamoto had broken through. But he quickly regained his composure, directing the other Paths to prepare for battle.
As Minamoto landed, Pain immediately commanded the Animal Path to act again.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom—
A stone-armored panda appeared, blocking the path ahead. At the same time, the hellhound split into multiple smaller versions, charging ferociously at Minamoto.
"Impressive coordination, but..."
Minamoto chuckled softly. With a sharp swing of his Purple Electricity-infused blade, the distant stone panda began to crumble.
Meanwhile, the hellhounds roared as they closed in from behind. But Minamoto's left hand quickly formed a seal.
"Did you forget what kind of techniques I specialize in?"
Buzz—
Behind him, intricate seals resembling runes appeared in the air. As the seals expanded, the charging hellhounds vanished upon contact!
In an instant, several of the hellhounds reappeared behind Pain, while others seemed to vanish entirely.
"A barrier?"
Pain's expression shifted. The Six Paths scattered immediately, while Raiga Kurosuki cursed under his breath and disappeared from sight.
At the same time, Minamoto hurled a barrage of kunai. Guided by his Chakra, the kunai multiplied mid-air, raining down like a storm.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Tendō Pain reacted swiftly, raising his hand to unleash a powerful repulsive force. The kunai were blown away in all directions.
But his expression suddenly changed. Minamoto had already appeared behind him!
"Damn it, the kunai were a distraction. The summoning beasts must have been marked with seals—when did that happen?"
Pain quickly pieced it together. Minamoto had only engaged the rhino in close combat; the rest had been dealt with using ninjutsu or by letting the beasts block each other.
"Was it during that barrier-like move? Did he mark them then?"
There was no time to think further. Through the Rinnegan's shared vision, Pain saw Minamoto flash to the Animal Path's side!
"Your summoning beasts, huh? Let's see how you handle this."
Without hesitation, Minamoto's short blade slashed downward.
Slash—
The Animal Path's head was severed cleanly, blood splattering everywhere. Before the body hit the ground, Minamoto's hand brushed over it, leaving behind a Flying Thunder God seal for all to see.
With the Animal Path defeated, all the summoning beasts vanished. Minamoto turned his attention to the remaining Paths.
"As I thought, they're just zombie puppets. And Yahiko's body? I already destroyed it once. Looks like you repaired it, but..."
"Do you dare repair this one now?"
His words left the remaining Paths in silence, the Flying Thunder God seal on the Animal Path's body mocking them.
"Maybe I don't know your full capabilities, but here's a friendly tip."
Minamoto flicked his blade, locking eyes with the remaining Paths.
"Concentrated power can shatter stone. Scattered power is worthless."
The energy within Minamoto surged even stronger, his overwhelming presence making Raiga Kurosuki feel suffocated.
Raiga couldn't comprehend how this fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy could be such a monster.
"This guy..."
Nagato's face darkened. The speed at which Minamoto had broken through left him increasingly uneasy.
Glancing at Konan beside him, Nagato took a deep breath, his resolve hardening.
"Even if I have to use that technique, I must protect Konan!"
As Nagato deliberated, Minamoto moved once more.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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