No one even saw Nagato move.
One by one, the Cloud shinobi jonin were blasted backward. The jutsu they had launched reversed midair, collapsing into scattered sparks before they could land.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The thunderous impacts echoed like war drums, slamming into the hearts of the Cloud shinobi and filling them with fear.
Across the ninja world, viewers watching the broadcast were stunned into silence.
"This guy… is he some kind of god?"
"Look at his eyes—those ripple patterns…"
"That's the legendary eye of the Sage of Six Paths… the Rinnegan!"
"The eye of a god!"
"Rinnegan? I've never even heard of it. Isn't the Sage of Six Paths just a myth?"
"That just means you're ignorant. Older clans all have records about him—it's just that some are vague and some are detailed."
Not only the audience, but the Cloud shinobi themselves began analyzing Nagato's abilities—especially those eyes.
They needed information.
Only by understanding his power could they find a weakness.
Only then would they have a chance to win.
"I'll go."
A dark-skinned man stepped forward, blades strapped across his body.
This was the Eight-Tails jinchuriki, Killer Bee.
Usually carefree and playful, he now looked completely serious.
He had no confidence in defeating Nagato.
But he believed he could stall.
Test the enemy. Gather intel.
Then coordinate with A for a finishing move.
That was his plan.
"One-on-one, I can't win," Bee thought.
"But together, we can turn this around."
"Don't act recklessly," the Raikage ordered coldly.
Just a glance was enough for the brothers to understand each other.
One move had already crippled twenty jonin.
Nagato was far stronger than expected.
This wasn't the time for pride.
"Eight-Tails jinchuriki…"
Nagato stepped forward slowly.
"You really don't understand power."
"I've been restraining myself these past two years. My temper's gotten better."
"That last attack? I showed mercy."
"You think you're strong?"
"You think Kumogakure is strong?"
"Even now, you refuse to surrender."
"You still resist like this."
"You truly don't understand anything."
With every step Nagato took, the pressure in the air grew heavier.
His voice carried decades of suppressed anger.
Killer Bee felt his body tense uncontrollably.
Even his swords trembled.
"Can we really win?" he thought.
"Will this plan even work?"
For the first time, doubt crept into his mind.
"Banshō Ten'in."
Nagato raised his hand.
A powerful gravitational force yanked Bee forward.
Bee struggled, barely managing to resist—
"Repel."
"Pull."
Nagato shifted the forces instantly.
Bee lost all balance.
"Gravity… it's a constantly shifting force field!" Bee shouted.
But it was too late.
His body spun uncontrollably in midair.
Like a top.
Higher and higher.
Even with the endurance of a jinchuriki, the violent rotation made him nauseous.
His blades flew from his hands.
He couldn't even fight back.
"Bee!"
The Raikage shouted as Bee crashed down like a meteor.
Boom!
A massive crater formed.
At the bottom lay Bee, barely conscious.
Silence fell over Kumogakure.
Even the Eight-Tails jinchuriki… was helpless.
Did they have any chance at all?
Fear spread like a cold wind through the entire village.
"Bee, get up!"
The Raikage rushed to his side.
"Stop shaking me… I'm gonna throw up…"
Bee finally moved, dizzy and pale.
"Let me handle it now," the Raikage said.
"No… let me try…"
A terrifying chakra surged.
In an instant, a massive beast appeared.
The Eight-Tails—Gyūki.
Cheers erupted.
"It's the Eight-Tails!"
"We can still win!"
"No one can stand against it!"
Nagato just looked on coldly.
"You still don't understand…"
"Only the Eight-Tails?"
"Shinra Tensei… Repulsion Cannon."
He extended one hand.
Boom!
A massive, invisible force slammed into Gyūki.
Like a solid pillar of air.
Boom!
Before anyone could react, the enormous beast was launched into the sky like a cannonball.
Higher.
Higher.
Until it vanished completely.
"Bee!!!"
The Raikage screamed.
Nagato's expression twisted into something almost demonic.
"Do you feel it now?"
"Do you understand pain?"
"This… is pain."
His voice echoed like madness.
"When you hurt others…"
"That pain returns to you."
"That's justice."
"Do you understand now, Raikage?"
"YOU BASTARD!"
The Raikage roared and charged forward, lightning covering his body.
But Nagato was already rising into the sky.
Far above.
"You can't even handle this?"
"You're too weak."
"Even if the Eight-Tails is dead, that's just one life."
"How many thousands have you killed in your wars?"
"Did you ever hear their cries?"
"My Red Sun Society seeks unity."
"We avoid harming innocents."
"If we fought like the Fourth Great Ninja War…"
"You wouldn't even be worth killing."
"This is mercy."
"Do you understand mercy?"
Nagato hovered hundreds of meters above them.
Like a god looking down.
"So answer me."
"Kumogakure—fight?"
"Or fall?"
No one spoke.
The Raikage trembled.
He wanted to fight.
But he couldn't decide for everyone.
"Humans are pathetic," Nagato said coldly.
"You cling to hope until the very end."
"Since you can't choose…"
"I'll choose for you."
"Now… feel true pain."
"Super… Shinra Tensei — Myriad Repulsion Cannon."
A terrifying force erupted.
Boom!
Countless invisible blasts rained down.
The air itself rippled visibly.
Kumogakure shinobi unleashed everything—
Lightning, earth walls, water dragons, wind blades, fireballs—
It didn't matter.
Screams filled the battlefield.
Bodies were slammed into the ground.
Bones shattered.
Blood spilled.
Only the strongest elite jonin could barely withstand it.
Even the Raikage was forced back repeatedly.
His defense held—but just barely.
Blood trickled from his mouth.
Despair filled his eyes.
He regretted everything.
If he had surrendered earlier…
None of this would have happened.
The entire battlefield was a disaster.
Most of Kumogakure's forces were incapacitated.
The audience watching fell silent.
This was what it meant to fight ten thousand alone.
One technique.
And an entire army collapsed.
"Thank god he's not attacking us," leaders from Sunagakure and Kirigakure said in relief.
Even Onoki wiped sweat from his brow.
Nagato descended slowly.
Looking around with cold disdain.
"You should be grateful."
"I held back."
"If our leader—Naruto Uzumaki—had acted…"
"Your village would already be gone."
The Raikage lowered his head.
Finally.
"…Kumogakure…"
"…surrenders."
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