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"You have dishonored the title of the Legendary Sannin."
Such a rebuke was indeed severe. Although one couldn't know Tsunade's thoughts, at least, in the eyes of the vast majority in the shinobi world, the title of Sannin was the greatest achievement of Tsunade's life so far.
To point at someone's greatest achievement and declare them unworthy of it, even to have dishonored it—that was clearly a great insult.
However, immediately after, a black rod appeared in the Deva Path's hand.
"Although I believe you have dishonored the title of Sannin, presumably, you can no longer hear it."
Tsunade was presumably already dead.
"But..."
The Deva Path raised the black rod, aiming it at Tsunade's pale neck.
"Your combat abilities disappointed me, but your medical abilities truly surprised me. If it were someone else, I believe two shots from the Asura Path would certainly be lethal. But you are different. The near-instantaneous healing ability you just displayed makes me suspect you might still be clinging to life. Let me eliminate that possibility."
Facing this person who, like Jiraiya, was one of the "Legendary Sannin," the Deva Path's words were uncharacteristically many. Unlike usual, the Deva Path today seemed somewhat talkative. Why? Perhaps thinking of Jiraiya through Tsunade? Or perhaps recalling the time when, as a child, he, along with Konan and Yahiko, found the Sannin, and when Orochimaru wanted to kill them, it was Tsunade and Jiraiya who stopped Orochimaru—that act of mercy?
No one knew what the Deva Path was thinking. But the Deva Path's hand showed no hesitation. The black rod stabbed down fiercely.
Not far away, a burst of white smoke appeared.
—Reverse Summoning Jutsu!
At this moment, Jiraiya was finally summoned by the toad!
The reason for the slow summoning was that the toad had completely failed to anticipate that Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, would be defeated so quickly. The entire toad was dumbfounded. Only after recovering did it hurriedly summon Jiraiya.
After all, Tsunade's hemophobia occurred during the Great Shinobi Wars. During such times, matters like this naturally had to be kept secret, secret, and more secret. Otherwise, if the enemy knew one of your top combatants became incapacitated at the mere sight of blood during battle, the game was over.
After the wars, the hemophobia wasn't a big deal anymore. Revealing it wouldn't matter much, especially since Tsunade had already left Konoha. However, because it was kept so highly confidential during the wars, very few people knew. And those few wouldn't casually speak of it. Although revealing hemophobia after the wars wouldn't pose great danger, it also offered no benefit. Why do something without benefit?
Thus, the matter of hemophobia was buried, practically unknown. A mere toad certainly wouldn't know.
However, the white smoke, or rather Jiraiya's appearance, wasn't the most astonishing. At this moment, the place people's eyes were most focused on was still where the Deva Path stood.
Because...
"Dishonored the Sannin? Why don't you try it?!"
A fist smashed fiercely into the Deva Path's face. His entire face was instantly twisted. Being directly struck in the head by such terrifying super-strength absolutely did not lead to a good outcome!
In the next instant, the Deva Path's entire body was sent flying to the distance at a speed completely invisible to normal eyes.
"BOOM!"
A huge plume of dust rose. His head was covered in cracks. If not for the black rods inserted into his head and the chakra within maintaining it, Kagaya believed the Deva Path's head would have been blown apart by Tsunade's punch.
This was super-strength capable of shattering Susano'o. Blocking it with a human body? Impossible. Even the Raikage wouldn't dare to tank it.
Meanwhile, Tsunade slowly stood up. Indeed, the Asura Path's blasts, which could easily kill others, had not killed Tsunade. As a descendant of Hashirama, although she hadn't inherited his monstrous regenerative power, she was still beyond ordinary humans. Coupled with Tsunade's medical ninjutsu, which ranked among the best in shinobi world history, killing her was truly difficult.
But that wasn't the main point. The point was—she could move!
Had she overcome her hemophobia?
In the distance, Kagaya narrowed his eyes slightly. His black pupils slowly turned blood-red.
In Kagaya's vision, the chakra within Tsunade's body was still unstable. Moreover, Tsunade still seemed to be trembling slightly.
Exerting strength was still very difficult for her! The symptoms of hemophobia were still present! The earlier display was just a momentary outburst!
But she had begun to overcome it, hadn't she?
At the very least, she could now muster strength!
Although it was still very difficult.
Kagaya guessed that the Deva Path's words—accusing Tsunade of dishonoring the "Sannin"—must have provoked her. That was likely the trigger for Tsunade beginning to overcome her hemophobia.
So, the saying "villains are defeated by their own verbosity" wasn't without reason.
However, although the Deva Path was a villain, aside from Naruto, probably no one could make the Deva Path "defeated by verbosity."
The Naraka Path quickly arrived behind the Deva Path. The King of Hell emerged from behind the Naraka Path and swallowed the Deva Path in one gulp.
By the time Tsunade, trembling, stood up, the Deva Path had also emerged perfectly intact from the mouth of the King of Hell.
Tsunade had begun overcoming her hemophobia. And then? So what? Even if Tsunade was just beginning to overcome it now, even if Tsunade were in perfect condition, could she defeat Pain and his group?
At most, it would be a draw.
The Deva Path—or rather, Nagato—was too strong. There were few opponents for him in the entire shinobi world. Even within the Akatsuki, a gathering place for monsters, no one dared claim they could defeat the Deva Path.
After stepping out from the King of Hell's mouth, the Deva Path's expression was placid, as if nothing had happened. Tsunade's punch had caused him no impact, neither physically nor mentally.
"You can still move? That punch just now truly let me feel your astonishing power."
Tsunade's eyes widened as she looked at the completely unharmed Deva Path.
"What is going on?"
That punch just now, she had used considerable force. So why could this person stand up completely unharmed? Shouldn't he be dead?
Tsunade didn't understand what had happened. But Tsunade knew this person absolutely couldn't have healed himself. That left only one possibility...
Tsunade looked at the Naraka Path beside the Deva Path. It had to be this person!
Others couldn't see the King of Hell; even Kagaya couldn't see it. For now, only Pain and his group themselves could see the King of Hell. So Tsunade had no idea what happened. She could only guess the Deva Path's recovery was related to the Naraka Path.
"Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh..."
The Asura Path, the Preta Path, the Animal Path, and the Human Path all disengaged from their opponents and gathered beside the Deva Path.
Six faces pierced with black rods looked coldly at Tsunade, as if looking at a dead person.
The reason for suddenly gathering was that the true major enemy had arrived!
Long white hair, distinctive red markings, and a grin—Jiraiya had arrived at Tsunade's side.
"Are you alright?"
Tsunade nodded. "I'm fine."
"You're forcing yourself."
"I am not."
"You are! Alright, rest for now. Leave the rest to me."
Tsunade and Jiraiya locked eyes deeply. Tsunade wanted to help, but ultimately, she sighed.
"They are very strong. Be careful."
Jiraiya shifted his gaze from Tsunade's face to Pain's group in the distance.
"I will be. And... the Rinnegan, is it? Seeing it again is truly astonishing."
Meanwhile, in a very well-hidden cave some distance away, a person whose lower half was trapped within a massive device suddenly opened his eyes. Within the sockets were Rinnegan, identical to those of Pain and the others.