"Dead?!"
"And... a god!?"
Jiraiya was stunned, his mind refusing to accept what he was hearing. "Nagato, what happened to you? You weren't like this before..."
He remembered clearly the boy who had sworn with tears in his eyes to protect his friends. But now, Nagato had turned Yahiko's corpse into a puppet. What could have happened in the years he was gone?
"I'm fine now," Pain's voice drifted over, carrying a hint of reminiscence. "The old me experienced war and death, gaining pain sufficient for growth and transcendence."
"Painful pain for growth and transcendence?" Jiraiya repeated softly, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
Pain, the Deva Path, slightly raised his eyes. "That's right. Ignorant and naive children, after experiencing pain, will grow into adults. Whether in words or deeds, or in thought, they will undergo a leap in growth."
Jiraiya frowned. "So, turning your friend's body into a puppet is what you call growth?"
"Master, as a mortal, of course you wouldn't understand."
The other five Paths surrounding Jiraiya instantly vanished, reappearing to encircle him from all sides.
"Ready to make a move?" Jiraiya shifted into a fighting stance, ready to attack at any moment.
But the Pains didn't attack yet, allowing Pain to continue speaking. "And I, after enduring immeasurable pain, surpassed the limits of mortals, constantly growing stronger. I can think what mortals cannot think, and do what mortals cannot do. Therefore, it's normal that you, as a teacher of mortals, don't understand me."
Jiraiya, referred to as a mortal, pursed his lips with complex emotions. "Nagato, I never imagined you'd become so obsessive..."
Pain ignored his words, instead glancing at Konan ahead. Upon receiving the instruction, Konan's body rapidly disintegrated into white paper, reforming behind Pain.
With Konan no longer obstructing him, Pain raised his right hand, palm facing Jiraiya, and began his final incantation.
"In this shinobi world, mortal lives are as worthless as weeds. Just like you, teacher, the more you lose, the more you crave; the weaker you are, the more you depend on others. No matter how hard you try, it's all ultimately futile."
"But I am different."
With that, Pain closed his eyes, his expression sacred and solemn. "Having transcended everything, I am now..."
"—Transformed from mortal to god!"
"As a god, my responsibility is to bring new life, to bring peace, to this corrupt and chaotic world! Jiraiya-sensei, for the birth of this new world, offer your life as a salute!"
Pain suddenly opened his eyes. A powerful surge of chakra emanated from his right hand.
"Shinra Tensei!!!"
Whoosh—!!!
A terrifying repulsive force tore through the air, creating a howling gale in mid-air, striking directly at Jiraiya's body.
Jiraiya reacted instantly. His white hair stood on end like a hedgehog, covering his entire body.
Needle Jizo!
Bang!
The moment the hardened hair came into contact with the repulsive force, it sent the Sannin flying backward at high speed.
"What kind of ninjutsu is this!?"
Jiraiya had initially thought it was a wind-style jutsu like the Wind Release: Gale Palm. But he hadn't expected the howling wind to be just a side effect; the irresistible repulsive force was the real attack!
Realizing this, Jiraiya quickly plunged his hair into the ground, trying to stop his backward momentum. Instantly, the hardened white hair carved several furrows in the ground, sending countless pebbles flying. The next moment, his backward momentum stopped.
However, not because of the hair plunging into the ground, but because someone had grabbed him from behind!
This was the Preta Path!
"Not good!" Sensing the enemy behind him, Jiraiya immediately activated his chakra, causing his white hair to explode into spikes.
But the next second, all the chakra he had activated surged into his back like a whale drinking water!
Sealing Technique Absorption Seal!
This is the ability of the Preta Path of Pain—it can absorb the chakra of anything it touches!
"How could this be!?"
Before Jiraiya could even react, flames erupted beneath the feet of the Asura Path of Pain, propelling him forward. A sharp blade extended from his right hand, hurtling towards Jiraiya's bound body like a missile.
Whoosh!
The blade pierced his body!
Jiraiya, only able to twist slightly, barely dodged a fatal blow. His ribs were pierced through. The blood that splattered instantly formed a summoning circle on the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom!
Jiraiya, along with the Preta Path and the Asura Path, were enveloped in smoke, and three enormous toad figures appeared within it.
However, at the very moment Jiraiya summoned, the Animal Path clapped its hands together.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three summoning arrays emerged, spewing smoke. The next second, a hellhound with fangs and sharp teeth, a Yatagarasu with a sharp beak, and a rhinoceros the size of a small mountain burst out of the smoke. They all pounced on the giant toad figure within the smoke.
"Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro, please buy me some time, I'm counting on you!"
Within the smoke, Jiraiya stood atop a giant red toad, his hands clasped together. This red toad, with a giant pipe dangling from its mouth and a short sword at its waist, was Gamabunta. On either side of it stood Gamaken, one purple and one green. The purple-red Gamaken held a shield resembling a pot lid in his left hand and a harpoon covered in spikes in his right. The emerald-green Gamahiro carried two long swords on his back. The two toads, one purple and one green, were standing on top of the ninja's person, having just captured him and wounded him—the Preta Path and the Asura Path.
Before the three toads could even speak, they were entangled by the Animal Path summoning beast that suddenly appeared before them.
Meanwhile, the Preta Path, suppressed by Gamaken, began absorbing the toad's chakra. The Asura Path, suppressed by Gamahiro, unfolded like a machine, revealing numerous cannons that fired missiles!
"Damn it, Jiraiya, what have you done to deserve this?"
Gamabunta forcefully slashed at the hellhound biting at him, and waved his hand to block a missile aimed at his face. After only a few exchanges, bleeding from his body, Gamabunta shouted angrily.
"This is the dangerous organization I told you about, Akatsuki."
"Gamabunta, it'll take me a few more minutes to summon the two sages and cast Sage Mode. Could you stall for time..."
Jiraiya's words were cut short by Pain's voice from behind. "Just as Menma predicted, you can summon toads to buy time before casting your Sage Mode. Although it won't be of much use, just in case, we should take care of our teacher, who knows everything, quickly."
As he spoke, a powerful suction force, unlike any other, appeared. Jiraiya, who was only guarding against the suction force, was instantly struck. He stumbled as he was thrown forward.
A sharp black rod slid out from under Pain's sleeve and was grasped in his hand. The next moment.
Splat!
Blood splattered! The black rod pierced through Jiraiya's chest, leaving a gaping hole.
"I've caught you too!"
Jiraiya, who had released his hands to form a Rasengan the instant he was pulled in, spat out mouthfuls of blood. He raised his hand and unleashed the prepared Rasengan towards the head of the Deva Path.
However, before it could hit, two flashes of cold light streaked past him. Immediately afterward, a severed arm, glowing with the light of a Rasengan, flew into the sky. Simultaneously, another black rod pierced through Jiraiya's throat.
It was the remaining Human Path and Hell Path, who hadn't yet made their move!
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