Chapter 422: The Deal and the Journey
With those words, the other six Paths of Pain sprang into action.
Asura Path's body opened up, revealing machine guns and cannons, firing at the ninjas rushing in to provide support.
Animal Path summoned an array of creatures: the infinitely splitting dogs, the water-release-capable Hell Crab, the invisible Chameleon, the flying and bomb-dropping Eight-Span Bird, the stone-like Panda, and the gigantic Centipede, Rhino, and Bull.
These eight summoned beasts were all massive in size and could rival the creatures summoned from the three great sanctuaries.
Each one of them required several teams of Jonin to hold them off from their killing spree.
In fact, if the Anti-Konoha Alliance didn't gather their forces, they wouldn't be able to withstand even one of these beasts.
The other six Paths of Pain guarded Tendo Pain, acting as protectors and support.
Their abilities were not combat-oriented; moving with Tendo Pain was their best strategy.
Tendo Pain scanned the chaotic Anti-Konoha Alliance and used chakra to amplify his voice across the battlefield:
"From now on, those who throw down their weapons and surrender will live. The rest... will die!"
After speaking, Tendo Pain turned to Mei Terumi and Chiyo, asking seriously:
"Can we talk now? To avoid unnecessary sacrifices and ensure peace in the future."
Mei Terumi and Chiyo fell silent at that moment.
The eight summoned beasts rampaged through the Anti-Konoha Alliance like unstoppable forces.
The tens of thousands of troops had lost much of their combat effectiveness after the devastating Super Shinra Tensei.
Over ten percent were dead, more than half were wounded, and those who survived had little chakra left.
Among them, only the Chunin and Jonin could still fight.
Most of the others were ordinary Genin.
They didn't have the earth-shattering power of the Six Paths Naruto or Six Paths Sasuke.
Many of them didn't even possess the determination of Naruto and Sasuke.
In their lives, they simply went to school, became ninjas, and completed missions assigned by their village.
By their twenties, they got married, had children, and led a peaceful ninja life.
Stripped of their ninja status, most of them were just ordinary people in this world.
Faced with an insurmountable enemy, they no longer had the courage to face their foes head-on. They were either too fearful or simply wanted to survive and return to their families and friends, so they gave up resisting.
Kunai, shuriken, scythes, and katanas dropped from their hands.
Pain kept his promise. The summoned beasts merely brushed past or hovered overhead, no longer committing unnecessary slaughter.
Tendo Pain asked again:
"What do you think now?"
Mei Terumi and Chiyo remained silent.
Should they abandon their resistance?
Should they surrender?
They had lost too much in this war — who would compensate them?
Amegakure? The Akatsuki? Konoha?
Who would willingly cut a piece of their own flesh to feed their former enemies?
They would be content if they were not harshly demanded to compensate for the losses after the war.
But...
Was that possible?
Suddenly, the six Paths of Pain sensed something and vanished, as if nothing had happened.
Chiyo and Mei Terumi exchanged confused glances.
Looking around, they found that the eight giant summoned beasts had also disappeared.
Still, they remained vigilant, as did everyone else, even those who had surrendered.
Unexpected changes were the most terrifying, especially for those who were planning to surrender.
Meanwhile...
Elsewhere, in an underground location, the true body of the Six Paths of Pain, Nagato, was gazing solemnly at Obito, who had suddenly appeared.
"So, you've come after all."
Obito said, "You have something that doesn't belong to you. I'm here to reclaim the eyes that are rightfully mine."
Konan stepped in front of Nagato. "Those eyes don't belong to you, Uchiha Obito!"
Hearing his former name, a flicker of surprise passed through Obito's eyes.
But at this point, that identity didn't matter to him anymore.
Besides, he could guess where Nagato and Konan had learned his name.
"So, do you want to return the eyes to their rightful owner? Uchiha Madara has already appeared on the battlefield and is on his way here."
As Obito spoke, he moved, phasing through to reach for Nagato's Rinnegan.
Nagato's legs were crippled, and the Rinnegan had drained much of his life force.
Since summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Nagato had been relying on it to sustain his life.
The Demonic Statue only obeyed the possessor of the Rinnegan.
Obito knew that all he needed was to take the Rinnegan from Nagato.
Everything he wanted, he would obtain.
His objective was crystal clear.
Konan knew she couldn't stop Obito. She turned into countless sheets of paper, moving with Obito's intangible body.
The papers, mixed with explosive tags, constantly threatened Obito's life, but his goal remained unchanged.
Just as Obito's hand was about to touch the Rinnegan, the explosive tags detonated, and the Six Paths of Pain appeared.
Tendo Pain immediately used Shinra Tensei to repel Obito and the explosion.
Asura Path stood in front of Nagato, providing constant physical protection.
The explosive tags detonated in succession.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The intense explosions continued one after another.
As Konan wondered why Obito didn't absorb the explosive tags but chose to endure them, the smoke from the explosion cleared.
Obito's figure was no longer there. As Konan and Nagato grew wary, Obito appeared behind Nagato, severing the connection between Nagato and the Demonic Statue.
At the same time, Obito kicked the chair Nagato was sitting on, causing Nagato to fall helplessly to the ground.
The Six Paths of Pain reacted swiftly. Tendo Pain used Shinra Tensei again, attempting to blast Obito away.
But Obito had already entered his intangible state. He walked over to Nagato, reaching for his Rinnegan.
"Little girl, you don't want him to die here, do you?"
"Without the Demonic Statue providing him chakra to barely sustain his life..."
"Those eyes that don't belong to him will only drain his life."
"If we remain at a stalemate, he's as good as dead."
Konan said, "Your intangibility can only last five minutes…"
Obito interrupted, "Do you dare bet that he can hold on for five minutes?"
Konan took a deep breath, realizing that things had unfolded just as she and Nagato had anticipated.
Obito's Kamui and intangibility were too powerful. The strange space-time ninjutsu was something Konan could barely manage, but...
Nagato, being crippled, couldn't.
Konan had no choice but to act according to the worst-case scenario, choosing to give up the Rinnegan, just as she had advised Nagato earlier.
It was a forced decision.
If it came to the point of no return, this was the only option.
But as Konan made up her mind, she hadn't forgotten to leave a backup plan.
The underground chamber began to transform, turning into countless sheets of paper, each marked with the word "explosion" on the back.
Everything in the chamber had turned into explosive tags!
Konan said, "You can take Nagato's eyes, but... if you dare harm him, we'll perish together!"
Obito looked deeply at Konan. "Killing you doesn't benefit me, does it?"
In the end, before Madara arrived, Obito took Nagato's Rinnegan.
At the same time, the sun mark on Konan's palm healed all of Nagato's injuries.
His once-dull red hair became vibrant again, his bright eyes returned, and his emaciated body regained its strength...
Nagato had regained all the attributes of a normal person.
Konan watched silently, unsure whether to feel joy or sorrow.
Yes, this was a transaction.
When Nagato spoke of others being puppets, of them being unable to control their destiny...
They, too, were helpless.
Giving the Rinnegan to Obito while Haneda healed all of Nagato's injuries was the content of this deal.
Nagato looked at Konan, whose eyes were filled with complex emotions, and softly said:
"When this war is over, and Haneda fulfills his promise, let's go on a journey, Konan."
"Okay."