High above Konoha.
On the edge of the Hokage Rock cliff, Shinju stood looking down.
The village at his feet was silent, still asleep.
A faint crackle sounded in the communicator in his ear, followed by Jiraiya's voice, tinged with tension.
"Nagato's chakra signature is fluctuating violently. From the direction of the Rain Village, six powerful chakra sources are heading toward the Land of Fire. We can confirm it's the Six Paths of Pain."
"So… he's finally moving."
Shinju didn't answer immediately.
He raised his hand and pressed a switch on the communicator.
"Shintei's highest-level war mobilization order—effective immediately."
His voice traveled through the chakra communication network Tobirama had built, instantly spreading across Konoha and reaching all the scattered centers of power tied to it.
At the Namikaze residence.
Minato was in the yard, correcting Naruto's shuriken throwing form.
His movements suddenly paused.
Naruto looked at his father in confusion.
Minato turned around, a gentle smile appearing on his face as he reached out and ruffled Naruto's blond hair.
"Naruto, your dad has something very important he needs to do. Today's training ends here."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure became a streak of golden light and vanished from where he stood.
Konoha Hospital, director's office.
Tsunade had just finished an intricate surgery that had lasted ten straight hours and was about to lean back in her chair to rest.
A special communicator on her desk lit up with a red indicator.
Tsunade picked it up and listened to the orders coming through.
The exhaustion on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by a razor-sharp focus.
She threw open the office door and barked to Shizune outside,
"Shizune! Immediately activate A-rank wartime protocol! All medical-nin are to enter top-level standby, right now!"
Konoha Police Force headquarters.
Shisui was in the middle of handing over a mission report to clan head Fugaku.
The communicator at his waist gave a subtle vibration.
Shisui glanced at the message on it and nodded to Fugaku.
"Clan head, I have to go."
Fugaku didn't ask why. In a low, steady voice, he simply said,
"Be careful."
Shisui's body dissolved into a flock of crows that scattered into the sky.
The old Hatake residence.
Sakumo was wiping his short blade with a soft cloth. The metal reflected a cold, clean gleam.
The voice from the communicator made his hand freeze for a moment.
He slid the short sword back into its sheath, stood up, and walked out of the house he had barely set foot outside in years.
Shintei's underground base, deepest modification room.
Kisame was submerged in a massive transparent tank, his entire body wrapped in green nutrient fluid.
The command rang directly in his mind.
His eyes snapped open.
He drove his fist forward, shattering the reinforced glass of the container, and sprang out.
Bones and muscles all over his body crackled like a chain of exploding firecrackers as a torrent of chakra, many times greater than before, surged through him.
He and Samehada were now completely one.
In the center of the command room, Tobirama had both hands pressed to a huge map scroll.
On it, names written in special ink were being locked onto one by one by the glow of Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique).
With a puff of smoke, Jiraiya appeared directly in the command room via Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Reverse Summoning Technique).
From the moment Shinju's order was given, less than five minutes had passed.
Everyone who had received the summons was already gathered on top of the Hokage Rock.
Minato, Kushina, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Tobirama, Sakumo, Shisui, Kisame.
Each name represented the peak of an era.
Each one alone could bring a small nation's hidden village to the brink of collapse.
All gathered together like this, no one would doubt they could wipe out even a great nation's village.
At this moment, they stood side by side, forming a team unlike anything the ninja world had ever seen.
Jiraiya stared at the lineup in front of him. Tsunade stood beside him. Neither of them could hide the shock on their faces.
Two Hokage.
Two genius Uchiha.
Konoha's legendary White Fang.
And a Kisame who had been transformed into a human weapon.
This force, assembled in one place, was enough to overturn the entire balance of the ninja world.
All of them had gathered here, just because of one summons from the boy standing at the very front.
Shinju turned around, his eyes sweeping over each person in front of him.
"Everyone."
"Nagato is preparing to make the world taste pain. In that case, we'll let him understand, first, what true despair is."
He paused for a moment, then continued.
"Kisame, you've only just been accepted into Shintei and you're already being thrown into a battle like this. We'll be going after your former comrades. Does that cause you any… hesitation?"
"No, no!" Kisame answered without a trace of doubt. "Shinju-sama gave me this power, let me accomplish things I could never do before. My goal was always to push my strength to the absolute limit—and only Shinju-sama made that possible. Of course I'll fight alongside you!"
Shinju nodded and went on.
"This battle isn't for destruction. It's for 'salvation.' Our targets are Nagato, Konan, and…"
"…the one who set all of Akatsuki's tragedy in motion."
"Move out."
There was no need for extra speeches.
At his side, Tobirama and Minato stepped forward at the same time.
The two shinobi who stood at the very peak of space-time ninjutsu moved their hands, forming seals at identical speed and rhythm.
Vast chakra erupted from both of them, meeting and colliding in midair before them.
The air began to twist and hum with a deep vibration.
A huge golden space passage tore open reality above the Hokage Rock and slowly unfurled.
Inside the passage, light and shadow spun together, and from the far end seeped a cold, damp presence.
The exact coordinates of the Rain Village had been locked in.
Everyone present watched this scene that defied imagination, and no one spoke.
The members of the legendary army didn't hesitate. They stepped forward, one after another, and walked into the golden passage.
Their figures were swallowed by the distorted light.
Rain Village, atop the high tower.
Nagato sat in his wheelchair, the chakra of the Gedo Statue continuously flowing into him through the black rods in his back.
His consciousness was fully synchronized with Pain Rikudou (Six Paths of Pain).
The Deva Path was leading the other five paths, racing through the curtain of rain as they sped toward Konoha.
His divine judgment was about to begin.
Then, the Deva Path's steps suddenly halted.
Through the Rinnegan's shared vision, Nagato saw it.
The eternally gray sky above the Rain Village was torn open by a massive golden rift.
That rift resembled an eye looking down upon the mortal world, radiating a light that did not belong to this world.
One after another, figures walked out from within that golden rift, emerging to hover over the Rain Village.
They hung there like descending gods, silently gazing down at this village that believed it was about to pass judgment—only to be judged first.
"This is bad. I'm detecting multiple powerful chakra signatures. Konan, we need to get back to the village now. Strong enemies are attacking the Rain Village!" Nagato said urgently.
(End of Chapter)
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