Explosions echoed without end.
In the sky, clouds of smoke constantly burst forth.
The scene was intimidating.
But the shadow clone evaded with agility, sustaining little damage.
"Deidara, come back," Sasori called out, raising his head to the two figures engaged in aerial combat.
The blond youth with a high ponytail retorted indignantly, "I haven't finished off this guy yet!"
"Fool!" Sasori snapped, "The purpose of the shadow clone has already been fulfilled."
"It's delayed us long enough."
"Soon, the real Naruto Uzumaki will arrive."
"Do you want to face him alone?"
Deidara gritted his teeth, a look of frustration on his face, as he commanded his clay bird to descend.
Turning back, he saw the golden clone standing aloof in the sky, no longer pursuing, merely watching them coldly.
"This guy really intends to trap us in the Land of Rain!" he cursed as soon as he landed. "If it weren't for this wretched weather, I would have dealt with him already."
Sasori gave him a sidelong glance, merciless in his rebuke, "And this is only a shadow clone."
"Who knows how many he's left along the Rain Country's border."
Deidara fell silent, clenching his fist tighter.
He was hailed as a "prodigy" from a young age.
But now, he couldn't even effortlessly defeat a mere shadow clone of that person.
"Report to the leader," Sasori said slowly.
In the Hidden Rain Village.
"Even you two can't break through his shadow clones?" Kisame asked, not sounding too alarmed. "This is indeed problematic."
"He's single-handedly keeping us pinned in the Land of Rain."
Uchiha Itachi said nothing.
"We can't stay cooped up like this forever," Deidara shouted, his initial bravado somewhat subdued. "This is no different from being imprisoned."
No one else spoke.
Silently, they let the youngest one probe the leader's response.
The orange-haired man's expression remained calm, "Although the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails has upset our plans."
"But—"
"Now that things have reached this point..."
"Then let's keep moving forward, smashing everything that stands in our way."
Konan looked at him.
"No matter how strong the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is," Pain spread his hands wide, his tone and expression both icily indifferent, "he is still just a human. You cannot compare to a god!"
"It's time to let this world taste the flavor of pain."
Deidara whispered, "Is the leader going to make a move himself?"
Pain did not respond.
He merely glanced around, "Konan, you stay here."
"The village needs you."
"I'll stay with you." She shook her head resolutely, "Even if I leave the village, I'm fine."
Uchiha Itachi spoke up, "Let me stay."
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has strong resistance to illusions; I won't be of much help."
Pain looked at him, "Is that so?"
"Then Itachi stays and guards the village."
"The rest of you will move with me."
At the temporary hideout.
Jiraiya followed Naruto's gaze in the same direction, but could neither see nor hear anything: "What's going on over there?"
"There are two people trying to leave the Land of Rain without my permission," Naruto gestured dismissively, his tone calm.
Jiraiya's heart tightened, "Aren't you going over there?"
"My shadow clones have stopped them," Naruto shook his head, "Once they realized they couldn't break through the barrier immediately, they backed off again."
Jiraiya nodded, his tone heavy, "Looks like they're getting restless."
Naruto chuckled.
Living in the Spirit World for so many years taught him that the greatest gain was patience; time and lifespan were not luxuries to him.
He continued with his experiments.
Jiraiya lent a hand; while he didn't understand "human experimentation" well, he was deeply versed in ninjutsu.
As fate would have it.
In less than an hour, several powerful chakras approached.
"Master Jiraiya, they're here." Naruto put down his instruments and washed his hands as he spoke.
Jiraiya's expression turned grave.
Unlike Naruto, he couldn't maintain such a calm demeanor; he stormed out in a hurry.
From within the Land of Rain, a group of people made their way towards them.
Leading the group was a man with orange hair tied up in a high ponytail.
Four others followed him, three men and one woman.
"Konan!" Jiraiya instinctively called out, recognizing one of them.
The woman with blue-purple hair stared intently at him. "Jiraiya-sensei, it's surprising to meet you here."
"Is Konoha here to help as well?"
"No," Jiraiya shook his head. "The 'Rain Village' and the 'Rinnegan' reminded me of you all, so I came to take a look. I didn't expect it would really be you."
He gestured towards the man with the high ponytail in the center. "Since Konan is here…
then you must be Nagato?"
"Your appearance has changed a lot, but those eyes…"
"And what about Yahiko? Where is he?"
"It seems you have indeed run into some growth issues. What exactly happened?"
The man with the ponytail responded, "This has nothing to do with you, Jiraiya-sensei.
Our target is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Even if it's you...
standing against me will lead to your death without hesitation or mercy."
"Leave."
Jiraiya shook his head, chakra stirring within him, "You should know Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son.
There's no way I'd let you lay a hand on my pupil's child."
The man with the high ponytail raised his hand, "Is that so, Jiraiya-sensei?
What a pity, you will be my enemy."
During this exchange, the door of the room behind them swung open again.
Naruto stepped out, "Jiraiya-sensei, he's not your student.
This is just a puppet."
Jiraiya was taken aback and turned to look at him.
"Not showing your true form?" Naruto continued, "Even after leaving the village, you still choose to hide?"
The man with the high ponytail spoke, "Such impressive sensory skills.
Able to discern even the state of life and death?
However, even in this form, defeating you is not a problem."
He formed hand seals.
Thick white smoke billowed, and five figures emerged.
They, much like the male with a high ponytail, all had orange hair and several black stakes embedded in their faces.
"Naruto Uzumaki, you'll regret not running away when you sensed my presence." One of the summoned men spoke, "Now, you have no chance to escape."
Jiraiya was stunned.
His eyes were fixed on the man who had just spoken.
The familiar hair color, the familiar face.
"Yahiko?" His voice wavered, "Are you the leader of the Akatsuki?"
"Why is the Rinnegan on you?"
"Where's Nagato?"
Naruto interjected a reminder, "He's just a corpse, too."
"Yahiko is already dead," the orange-haired man stated, "before you now is 'God' Pain!"
Jiraiya gritted his teeth, "What happened to you all?"
"Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto began, "do you remember what you were thinking earlier?"
Jiraiya paused, glanced back at him uncertainly, unsure why Naruto was saying this now.
Was he referring to his intent to gather intelligence in the Rain Village?
"These six are all puppets made from corpses," Naruto whispered, "but the way they're controlled isn't by chakra strings. Did you notice those black substances on their faces?"
"When he used the summoning technique, those black substances vibrated, receiving chakra from afar."
Jiraiya immediately understood, "Nagato is controlling them from a distance?"
"I see."
"I'll leave this to you then."
He vanished in a flash.
"Not so fast!" Konan stepped aside, waving her hand; her palm and sleeve extended, turning into sheets of paper that morphed into a narrow barrier, trying to block Jiraiya.
But just as it extended, scarlet flames flickered simultaneously.
"Destructive Art 31: Red Flame Cannon."
The paper barrier was blasted open with a large gap, flames burned, black smoke filled the air.
Konan turned back.
Her eyes flashed with a golden light, filling her vision.
"Your opponent is me." Naruto was now in front of her, "Let Jiraiya-sensei do what he wants to do."
Pain spoke, "It's alright, Konan."
"There are others in the village as well."
Not only Uchiha Itachi.
Another figure introduced himself as "Madara Uchiha."
"The real wielder of the Rinnegan hasn't arrived, and Uchiha Itachi is absent too," Naruto's gaze swept over the group, "Just you guys?"
"Madara Uchiha won't be here either?"
Pain's tone grew tense, "You seem to know quite a bit."
"Even about his existence."
"Once I've captured you, I'll take you to meet him."
"Attack!"
At his command, Konan leapt into action, brandishing paper-thin spikes that glinted with a deadly sheen, aimed right at Naruto.
Naruto reached out.
Two fingers caught her attack in mid-air. No matter how much force Konan applied, she couldn't push her attack closer.
"It's been a while since I've fought someone seriously," Naruto raised one hand, looking past Konan to the six men behind her, "Show me more of the Rinnegan's abilities."
With that hand, he formed a seal.
Konan's eyes widened, and she quickly retreated.
But the technique Naruto formed wasn't an offensive jutsu.
He merely recalled his shadow clones scattered along the border.
His presence grew vastly more imposing.
Chakra expanded, an overwhelming aura pressing outward.
Deidara was startled.
What was this feeling?
His body suddenly felt so heavy.
On Sasori's body, the puppet creaked under the strain.
Kisame, wary, didn't draw the Samehada from his back, though it thrilled at sensing Naruto's chakra.
Instead, he formed a seal.
"Water Style, Great Explosive Water Shock Wave."
A massive torrent surged from his mouth, flooding the area in an instant.
But—
Naruto immediately leapt into the sky.
Pain rose into the air as well, while Konan unfurled paper wings behind her, taking flight.
Deidara threw clay, which turned into a large bird, carrying him and Sasori.
The remaining five bodies, lacking flight abilities, slowly floated to the surface in the water.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Two figures darted out from the forest, leaping high into the air, and Naruto caught them, placing one on each shoulder.
(End of Chapter)