Nagato had always been suppressing the ferocious power within him.
He didn't want his loss of control to unleash this force and hurt others.
Even when killing enemies to protect Yahiko and Konan, he would be overwhelmed with guilt and remorse.
But not anymore.
Because only now had he truly realized just how cruel this world was and how excruciating reality could be.
So…
He was going to destroy everything before him. He would annihilate Hanzo—the hypocrite who called himself a hero!
The towering Gedo Statue loomed over the battlefield like a demonic god, its massive shadow crushing the spirits of everyone present like a mountain.
"What is that thing?!"
"Can we even beat a monster like this?"
The hearts of the Rain ninja wavered.
Even Hanzo, who had experienced two Great Ninja Wars and countless large-scale battles, momentarily lost his composure. The sheer presence of the Gedo Statue was too overwhelming, evoking an innate sense of helplessness.
"Feel the pain!"
Nagato showed no mercy, giving them no time to prepare. The colossal figure of the Gedo Statue moved in an instant, its gigantic fist descending from the heavens like a meteor.
With a deafening roar, the incomprehensible power seemed to tear the ground apart. Under such terrifying force, the earth shattered like tofu.
Every Rain ninja caught under the fist was reduced to pulp, without exception.
Not only that—the shockwave from the impact, laden with dust and debris, violently blasted the surrounding enemies who had narrowly survived the initial strike.
With just one blow, the Rain ninja suffered catastrophic losses!
"So this… is the power of the Rinnegan?"
Hanzo stared at the enraged Nagato and his deep, purple eyes, a trace of fear flickering in his gaze.
This was a man who, years ago, had led the weak Rain Village to declare war against three great nations without once showing such emotion.
If he could obtain such power...
Before Hanzo could finish dreaming of the possibilities, another punch from the Gedo Statue shattered his illusions completely.
When the fist fell, the battlefield was a scene of apocalyptic destruction.
The overwhelming psychological pressure caused many Rain ninja to falter, their resolve crumbling. Some were already on the verge of fleeing.
"Nobody is allowed to run!"
"Don't be afraid! It's just big!"
"Use explosive tags! Blow it up!"
Hanzo quickly issued commands to prevent a total collapse of his forces.
Thanks to his years of leadership, his subordinates were highly obedient to his orders. They steadied their nerves and began throwing a dense barrage of kunai at the Gedo Statue. Each kunai was armed with explosive tags capable of generating powerful blasts.
However, the frenzied Nagato paid no heed to their efforts. He controlled the Gedo Statue's massive arm to sweep across the battlefield.
The explosive tags detonated against the arm, but the damage was negligible—like a scratch on a mountain.
After all, the Gedo Statue was said to be the shell of the Ten-Tails. If a few explosive tags could harm it, it would truly defy all logic.
Faced with an enemy that seemed utterly invincible and a leader hesitant to engage directly, the psychological defenses of the Rain ninja completely crumbled.
As they scattered and tried to flee, Nagato's gaze froze the very air, as if even the atmosphere bowed to his will.
"There's no way… I'll let you escape!"
His expression was maniacal, his pupils shrinking with wild intensity.
In the next moment, several black rods extended from the Gedo Statue, piercing into Nagato's body with a brutal, unrelenting force.
Driven by hatred, Nagato began to recklessly burn through his own life force. His body erupted with a terrifying surge of chakra that flowed through the black rods and into the Gedo Statue.
Fueled by this immense chakra, the Gedo Statue opened its mouth wide. Under the horrified gazes of all present, a grotesque dragon made entirely of chakra burst forth, flying at an astonishing speed.
The overwhelming sense of danger and sheer terror paralyzed the Rain Shinobi. They instinctively tried to flee, but the purple chakra dragon was too fast. Before they could even react, the dragon was upon them.
In an instant, the abyssal maw of the dragon swallowed them whole.
Inside the dragon, their chakra was rapidly drained, leaving their bodies hollowed and lifeless, as if their souls had been ripped away by a demon.
Witnessing this, Hanzo's pupils constricted in fear. The once-mighty "Demi-God" of the shinobi world was so consumed by terror that he abandoned his loyal subordinates without a second thought. With his pride and courage shattered, he used his most prized Body Flicker Technique to flee the battlefield in disgrace.
The massive form of the Gedo Statue was visible even from kilometers away.
"So this is the power of the Rinnegan..." Aburame Tatsuma muttered in disbelief as he stared at the statue that resembled a demonic god.
One could hardly blame him; anyone witnessing such terrifying power would inevitably feel a sense of despair.
"After all, it is said to be the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths," Danzo replied, leaning on his cane, his face betraying a complex expression as he watched the Gedo Statue unleash its wrath.
Danzo had removed his mask, revealing the Sharingan beneath the bandages. The once-brilliant eye had turned gray and lifeless—evidence of the aftermath of using Izanagi.
As one of the ancient forbidden jutsu of the Uchiha clan, Izanagi possessed the power to transform reality into illusion and illusion into reality.
Danzo had used this jutsu to turn his death at Hanzo's hands into an illusion, ensuring his escape.
His motive? To win Nagato's favor in the most dramatic way possible.
According to his system's explanation, the stronger the gratitude and emotions the target felt toward him, the better the rewards—like skill packages—he would receive.
Thus, Danzo decided to go big, staging his own death to deeply impress Nagato and pave the way for future collaboration between Root and the Akatsuki.
As one of the most formidable forces in the shinobi world, the Rinnegan's sheer presence was unmatched.
Except for a few hidden powerhouses like Uchiha Madara and the sealed Kaguya Otsutsuki, hardly anyone could rival Nagato in his prime.
Danzo knew that controlling and guiding the Akatsuki would be a critical step in becoming the ultimate benevolent force in the shinobi world.
"The battle seems to be over, Lord Danzo," Aburame Tatsuma said, pointing at the now-quieting battlefield.
Danzo nodded. "It appears so."
He had already noticed the purple chakra dragon soaring through the air—proof that Hanzo had likely fled in disgrace.
The once-revered Demi-God lacked even the courage to face a formidable enemy head-on. It was truly a pitiful sight.
Time, Danzo thought, was a slow-boiling pot that dulled even the sharpest of warriors.
Then again, wasn't Danzo in the original story much the same? For the sake of the Hokage seat, he had survived the great wars through underhanded means, only to die as an interim leader—a shadow of what he could have been.
But such a fate would not befall him this time.
Danzo's gaze burned with determination as he looked toward the battlefield.
"Do not disappoint me, Nagato."