The long-haired man clung to the ceiling. Jiraiya replied with a cold smirk.
[Earth Release: Swamp Hell!]
Instantly, the ceiling transformed into a swamp, trapping the long-haired man inside and leaving him unable to move.
"So it's just you again!" Jiraiya said to Pain.
Just as Pain was about to act, Jiraiya launched his attack first.
"Enough! Stop your summons!" Suddenly, all enemies froze in place. Jiraiya explained, "This genjutsu paralyzes both body and mind. Not one of you can move an inch."
"Master Jiraiya, I never expected you to possess such advanced genjutsu skills," Pain replied.
At this moment, he and his companions were surrounded by four frog warriors, trapped within a cube made entirely of water.
Jiraiya let out another cold chuckle.
"Never underestimate your enemy, no matter who they are. I taught you that lesson years ago, Nagato," he added, a wistful look crossing his face. "Nagato, you've strayed onto the wrong path. I hope you can overcome the pain you bear, instead of letting it drag the world into ruin."
A bitter smile tugged at his lips as he remembered his own words—long ago, he'd predicted he'd train a student who could either save or doom the world.
"Back then, I believed that person was you. *Sighs* Farewell, Nagato."
As soon as he finished speaking, the illusion shattered. Jiraiya drove his massive stone sword through their chests. "It's all over." Then he noticed Shima and Fukasaku coughing.
Fukasaku nodded slightly:
"Singing that song really took a toll on our throats."
Shima rubbed her throat:
"Singing duets with this old man isn't easy. Which is exactly why we never use that jutsu lightly. It leaves you with a sore throat, an aching jaw… and yes, even wrinkles."
Sighing, Jiraiya turned to leave:
"Sorry, but now you'll finally get all the rest you need. I need to find Naruto now. I hope he hasn't gotten into any trouble yet."
"Didn't you just say not to underestimate your enemies, Master Jiraiya?" A strange voice came from behind both Jiraiya and the two elder frogs—but its tone sounded oddly familiar.
Jiraiya turned around, but before he could react, a powerful force slammed him through the wall, launching him out of the hallway and into the waters beyond Amegakure. Biting back the pain, Jiraiya looked up toward the source of the attack.
"Kid, your arm!" Shima peeked from Jiraiya's shoulder, looking downward. Jiraiya's left arm had been cleanly severed at the shoulder.
"What happened?" Fukasaku asked while staring at these new enemies. "They look nothing like the first three… They must've been summoned before we initiated our genjutsu."
Now there were six enemies.
In addition to the three men who had somehow returned from the dead, there were now three more: a bald man lacking a neck, with black receiver devices covering his head; a stout man who looked somewhat older, with spiky orange hair and a black receiver embedded in his face; and a younger man as well, also with spiky orange hair and a black receiver embedded in his face... Furthermore, they all bore the Rinnegan.
"It's time..." said the youngest among them, his voice calm yet commanding. "Let me show you the power of the Six Paths of Pain."
"Six...?" Fukasaku murmured, stunned at the sight before him. "Six? But we just defeated three!"
As Shima eyed Jiraiya's wounds, her voice filled with anger:
"The three newcomers must've used some jutsu to heal the previous ones. But no jutsu has the power to raise the dead! Aren't they still human?"
The youngest one spoke up:
"We are all known as Pain."
"How could six people possess the Rinnegan?!" Jiraiya shouted in disbelief. He took a closer look at one of them. "No... That face... It can't be real. Yahiko? But he told me you were already dead! And your eyes too!"
'Yahiko' stared down at Jiraiya with icy indifference.
"You still think I'm Yahiko? How amusing. Seems only his teacher would remember him. Don't mistake me for him, teacher. Yahiko is dead. Standing before you is Pain, and nothing more."
"Enough of this nonsense!" Jiraiya roared. "How could you all possess the Rinnegan? You didn't have it when I trained you! Who are you really — Nagato or Yahiko? Which one are you?"
"We are Pain," 'Yahiko' simply replied. "We are God!" In unison, they roared and launched their attacks.
##Naruto vs Konan##
"Get out of my way!" Naruto bellowed, swinging his claws and repelling wave after wave of Amegakure shinobi trying to bring him down.
While Sage Mode boosted his strength, speed, and regeneration, pushing his fighting desire to an incredible level, he had given up most of his ninjutsu techniques and the Nine-Tails' protective chakra cloak in return for better control over the Nine-Tails' chakra, thus enhancing his taijutsu attacks.
And though most of his wounds healed rapidly, yet he still felt pain.
Another furious roar escaped Naruto as Konan's Paper Shuriken sliced into his back.
She moved like a sniper, continuously whittling him down under the cover of Amegakure shinobi.
He was no longer fighting those ordinary ninja anymore—those still brave enough to confront him were Pain and Konan's most fanatical followers, ready to pay any price to help their Angel defeat Naruto.
Naruto leapt toward Konan's direction once again, missing the mark entirely—but finally, he grazed Konan with one of his tails, sending her crashing from the sky.
Naruto turned around and saw Konan crashing toward the ground. He knew this was his chance. However, a group of Amegakure shinobi blocked his path, forming a wall of water to buy her more time.
Clenching his teeth, Naruto pulled out the paper shuriken lodged in his body, allowing his fresh wounds to heal faster.
Alright then—if they want me to take on a whole army, so be it. After all, he was the ninja who had once stood alone against an entire nation.
Spreading his arms wide, Naruto gathered [Primordial Sphere of Demon Chakra], then channeled it into his mouth.
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