Chapter 226: Who Gave You Permission To Touch My People?
The declaration was simple, yet it carried a chilling oppression that made one’s heart and soul tremble.
Natsuhi’s pupils contracted slightly; this sense of oppression, she had only seen on Lord Shura and Lord Hikari.
But compared to the two lords, the person before her had an even more arrogant air of superiority.
She endured the discomfort, injecting chakra into the engraving on the back of her right hand to transmit intelligence, while issuing another warning: “Withdraw from the Land of Stars immediately! Or state your true intentions! Otherwise, we will apprehend you according to the Star Country security laws!”
“Apprehend… a god?” Deva Path’s voice had no inflection, as if hearing an utterly ridiculous yet trivial remark.
No need for more words.
Almost the instant Deva Path’s words fell, the burliest one nearby, with a bald head and obvious mechanical modification characteristics—Asura Path—suddenly moved!
His movement was less a charge and more like a cannonball strike!
The ground under his feet exploded into a small crater, his body propelled by terrifying monstrous strength straight toward Natsuhi and the other three, his fist swinging out with a shrill sonic boom in the air!
“Peacock Myōhō: Tiger!”
Natsuhi reacted extremely quickly, her hands forming seals at blinding speed, powerful purple chakra surging out instantly to form a ferocious roaring chakra tiger in front of her, boldly meeting Asura Path’s iron fist!
Boom—!
The violent clash of chakra erupted in a muffled roar.
Purple chakra fragments scattered, Natsuhi’s Peacock Myōhō trembling violently from the punch; she herself staggered back several steps before barely dissipating that terrifying force, a trace of blood spilling from her mouth.
“Teacher!” Chiyo cried out.
“Such strong power…” Natsuhi was horrified inwardly; her Peacock Myōhō, renowned for integrated offense and defense, had nearly been broken by a single strike!
“Damn it!” Shita Junhito roared, charging from both sides alongside Murahashi Hazuki, kunai and shuriken aimed straight at Asura Path’s seemingly bulky body.
Yet their attacks on Asura Path only produced clinking sounds, not even leaving a scratch.
Asura Path ignored them entirely, his other arm suddenly deforming, launching several missiles glowing with chakra, locking onto Natsuhi!
“Watch out!” Natsuhi dodged rapidly, the missiles grazing past her body and exploding into scorched craters on the ground behind.
“Don’t hurt Teacher Natsuhi!” Chiyo’s Blood Dragon Eye opened wide, emanating crimson light.
The eye power of the Blood Dragon Eye surged toward Asura Path like a tide, attempting to control it with illusion technique, then turn its blood into a bomb with the Blood Dragon Eye.
However, the scene Chiyo expected— the enemy falling into illusion— did not appear.
Her mental power, upon touching the opponent, felt as if it had entered a cold, dead, lifeless space!
“How is that possible?!” Chiyo grunted, her petite body shaking violently, her face instantly turning pale.
“He… there’s no blood flowing in his body! No emotions! Not even… life!”
Even more terrifying, when she tried to forcibly peer into those Rinnegan eyes, a force far more terrifying than her Blood Dragon Eye backlashed!
“Pfft—” Chiyo spat out a mouthful of blood, the backlash of her illusion technique being forcibly broken causing her vision to blacken, nearly collapsing to the ground.
“Chiyo!” Shita Junhito rushed forward to support her.
“I… I’m fine…” Chiyo wiped the blood from her mouth, her eyes filled with incredulous terror.
Those eyes…
What kind of monster is that?
Chiyo forced herself to warn: “Teacher… he… he’s… a puppet!”
Nagato coldly observed through Asura Path’s perspective.
This Star Ninja female jonin had decent strength, but only at ordinary jonin level.
The girl with the dojutsu bloodline limit had strange abilities, reaching near special jonin strength via her bloodline limit, but still too weak.
The other two were just ordinary chunin cannon fodder.
Asura Path alone was enough to crush the field.
The battle was overwhelmingly one-sided.
Asura Path rampaged like a tiger among sheep, unleashing endless mechanical weapons— monstrous strength punches, missiles, laser beams— putting Natsuhi and the others in constant peril.
Natsuhi’s Peacock Myōhō barely held the defense, blocking most attacks, but Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki were repeatedly blasted away by shockwaves, accumulating countless wounds.
Chiyo’s bloodline secret technique had minimal effect against absolute power and Pain’s eerie “non-living” constitution.
“Bastard!” Chiyo was punched flying, crashing heavily by the riverside, splattered with mud and water.
She struggled to rise, looking at the approaching Asura Path and the three coldly watching enemies behind—like they disdained to act— a surge of humiliation and anger welled up.
She bit her wrist hard, blood gushing out.
“With blood as the catalyst, water as the form…” Chiyo formed hand seals, the river water mixed with her own blood boiling violently, surging skyward!
“Blood Dragon Technique!”
Three massive blood dragons, four or five meters thick, formed entirely from blood and river water mixed together, roaring into existence with a pungent blood scent and powerful chakra fluctuation; no longer targeting Asura Path, but lunging straight at the ever-motionless, leader-like Deva Path!
The blood dragons’ momentum was astonishing, plowing deep furrows in the ground wherever they passed.
Yet facing this ferocious strike, Deva Path merely lifted its gaze slightly, the Rinnegan still calm as a placid well.
It slowly raised one hand, aiming at the oncoming roaring blood dragons.
“Almighty Push!”
The indifferent voice rang out.
Buzz—!
An indescribable terrifying repulsion erupted centered on Deva Path!
The air was compressed to the extreme then violently pushed away, forming a visible transparent force field barrier!
The three massive blood dragons shattered upon contact with this invisible barrier, like crashing into an insurmountable chasm!
The blood water forming their bodies disintegrated in an instant, collapsing with a splash into a rain of blood.
The repulsion’s aftershocks continued, hurling the frontline Chiyo and the supporting Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki away like fallen leaves in an autumn gale!
“Wah!”
The three screamed as they crashed to the ground, covered in mud and their own blood, bones aching as if scattered, struggling unable to rise for the moment.
Asura Path advanced with heavy steps toward the fallen Natsuhi, arm deforming with dangerous glow, preparing the final blow.
Despair flashed in Natsuhi’s eyes; she tried to gather chakra, but found her reserves exhausted from the earlier defense.
At this critical moment!
A green figure appeared silently like a ghost at the battlefield’s edge, then shot forward at a speed imperceptible to the eye!
Straight toward the apparent leader, Deva Path!
The timing was exquisitely precise— right in the brief, negligible gap after Deva Path used “Almighty Push”!
“Hm?” Nagato, through Deva Path’s view, caught the rapidly approaching green flash carrying sharp killing intent.
Deva Path had just used the technique and could not immediately use Almighty Push again to block.
Human Path and Animal Path moved instantly beside it, like the most loyal guards, swiftly crossing to block in front of Deva Path!
Cling! Cling!
The crisp sound of kunai clashing rang out.
Human Path precisely parried the assailant’s ninja sword with a hand blade; Animal Path formed seals to summon.
The assaulting figure missed the strike, retreating instantly without pause, landing in front of Natsuhi and revealing itself.
It was Shisui Uchiha, with short black hair, wearing a Konoha green vest, face dusted with travel yet eyes sharp.
Even his forehead bore a Konoha headband.
Shisui glanced at the gravely injured Natsuhi and the three young fallen ninjas in the distance, brow furrowed.
“Mr. Shisui?!” Natsuhi recognized him, surprise mixed with hope in desperation.
“Stopped and started along the way, happened to be nearby, heard the commotion and came over.” Shisui was concise, his three-tomoe Sharingan locked deadly on the four enemies ahead, especially those eerie Rinnegan.
“These guys… very strong, extremely strong.” Even Shisui, famed from the Third Great Ninja War, had never seen such a bizarre group.
“Unexpected,” Deva Path’s cold gaze swept over Shisui: “Konoha’s ‘Shisui the Teleporter’, appearing here.”
Shisui’s heart jolted; the opponent knew him?!
“Uchiha Clan, with Star Ninja, or rather, with that so-called ‘Shura’, what is the relationship?” Deva Path’s voice was flat, yet carried a hint of interested inquiry.
The Uchiha Clan, Konoha’s largest ninja clan, was one of the obstacles to Nagato’s revenge on Konoha; after cooperating with Obito posing as “Uchiha Madara”, he naturally gathered much intelligence on the Uchiha Clan.
He paid considerable attention to the clan’s current strongest, Shisui Uchiha.
Shisui did not answer; the opponent’s immense strength and eerie eyes reminded him of ancient legends about the Sage of Six Paths.
His hands formed seals rapidly.
“Phantom Body Flicker Technique!”
In an instant, dozens of Shisui clones appeared on the battlefield, real and fake indistinguishable, each carrying sharp killing intent, launching simultaneous attacks from all directions on Human Path, Animal Path, and Deva Path!
Blade light flashed, kunai whistled through the air, the assault like mercury pouring!
Natsuhi mustered a breath, casting Peacock Myōhō again; purple chakra turned into tentacles and blades, assisting from the side to disrupt Pain’s sight and movement.
Facing the overwhelming assault, Human Path and Animal Path moved swiftly to block, their taijutsu no less skilled, precisely parrying or dodging every attack.
Deva Path stood in place, Rinnegan slowly turning, as if analyzing each clone’s chakra flow.
“Useless.” Deva Path spoke indifferently, Rinnegan having seen through real and fake: “Before the eyes of a god, all illusions are delusions.”
It suddenly raised a hand, aiming toward Shisui’s true body and Natsuhi behind him.
“Almighty Push!”
Powerful repulsion erupted again!
Shisui’s countless phantom clones shattered and vanished like bubbles in sunlight.
Shisui’s true body barely crossed his short sword in front before being struck by an irresistible immense force!
Bang!
Shisui flew back like a severed kite, crashing heavily beside Chiyo, throat sweetening as he spat blood.
He felt his organs displaced, utterly horrified inwardly: “What the hell is this ninjutsu?! Impossible to resist!”
He smoothly pulled up the seriously injured Chiyo, retreating rapidly to regroup with the struggling Natsuhi, Junhito, and Hazuki.
“Thank you.” Natsuhi gasped to Shisui, face pale.
Then Natsuhi ordered Shita Junhito: “Junhito, take Chiyo and Hazuki and withdraw first; this is no fight for you!”
The opponent’s strength far exceeded Natsuhi’s imagination; in one round, with just one acting, Chiyo and Hazuki were gravely injured— only Junhito’s sturdy physique kept his wounds lightest.
“Teacher! We’re not leaving!” Shita Junhito gritted his teeth; though battered, limping, he refused to retreat.
Murahashi Hazuki stubbornly tried to stand, moving toward Natsuhi’s side.
Shisui panted slightly, staring at the four unscathed figures regrouping opposite, waves of shock in his heart.
The enemy’s power far exceeded his expectations!
And four pairs of legendary Rinnegan!
With his current strength— elite jonin level after losing Mangekyo Sharingan— even going all out, he couldn’t force them to get serious?
Deva Path stepped forward slowly, Rinnegan looking down on the battered group like judgment.
“The ants’ struggles are meaningless. Feel pain.”
It raised its hand again, seeming to end this boring battle.
At this moment—
A sudden change!
On the backs of the right hands of Natsuhi, Chiyo, Shita Junhito, and Murahashi Hazuki, the engraving runes usually hidden under the skin suddenly erupted in intense dark red light without warning!
Vast, scorching chakra full of violence yet endless vitality surged from the engraving like a volcanic eruption, instantly sweeping through their bodies!
“This is…?!” Natsuhi stared in shock at the glowing engraving on her hand.
Wherever this powerful chakra flowed, intense pain receded rapidly, deep wounds healing at visible speed, exhausted stamina recovering swiftly, even internal hidden injuries smoothed over!
Chiyo’s pale face instantly flushed red; she felt the Blood Dragon Eye’s burning pain and backlash soothed by this warm, powerful force.
Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki’s wounds scabbed and fell off, revealing new skin.
In mere seconds, the four’s injuries miraculously healed!
Their condition even better than before the battle!
The surging dark red chakra flickered like tangible flames on their body surfaces, bringing unparalleled power.
“Lord Shura…” Natsuhi murmured, instantly understanding: distant Lord Shura in Star Capital had received her intelligence report, transmitting power remotely via this mysterious “engraving chakra network”.
In the distant dense forest, Nagato’s true body— sharing vision through Six Paths of Pain— suddenly widened its eyes, coughing violently: “Cough… cough cough! This chakra…?!”
Konan immediately looked at him with concern.
Nagato’s heart filled with shock.
Through Pain’s perception, he clearly saw the near-tangible vast chakra emanating from the four!
This power…
Astonishingly similar to the chakra conduction method he used when controlling Six Paths of Pain via receivers!
But more direct, more efficient!
Moreover, this dark red chakra…
Seemingly endless, giving a terrifying oppression like facing a Tailed Beast!
Yet slightly different, seemingly more violent and dark?
A faint ripple appeared for the first time on Deva Path’s eternally cold face, Rinnegan staring fixedly at the boiling dark red chakra flames on Natsuhi and the others.
“This is… what?”
The battlefield situation reversed instantly.
Bathed in dark red chakra flames, Natsuhi and the three had fully recovered, state back to peak.
The surging external chakra not only healed their bodies but brought unprecedented power.
Oyakushiro Chiyo felt the surging power within, Blood Dragon Eye glowing red again— this time more solid, prior backlash pain fully soothed.
She cried out delicately, hands forming seals, nearby gravel trembling slightly.
Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki exchanged glances, seeing shock and rekindled fighting spirit in each other’s eyes.
They gripped kunai tightly, assuming combat stance; the dark red chakra leaping on their skin made them feel inexhaustible strength.
As a jonin, Natsuhi sensed it most clearly.
This chakra was powerful and violent, yet unusually docile under her control, faintly merging with her own Peacock Myōhō chakra.
She took a deep breath, purple chakra surging again— but now wrapped in a faint dark red glow, appearing even stranger and stronger.
Shisui Uchiha half-knelt on the ground, wiping blood from his mouth, shocked at the transformed four beside him, then looking at his own empty hand back.
He didn’t have that mysterious engraving and couldn’t receive this power’s gift.
Earlier, Deva Path Pain’s “Almighty Push” had given him a not-light internal injury, and at this moment he could only barely suppress it.
“Shura’s power…” Shisui’s eyes were complex.
This method of remotely transmitting massive chakra was something he had never heard of!
The fluctuations in Deva Path Pain’s eyes slowly calmed, the Rinnegan still cold and indifferent, but with a bit more regard.
He slowly spoke, his voice transmitting through Yahiko’s body, carrying a hint of probing: “Interesting trick. But this chakra… is nauseating. It seems the so-called ‘Shura’ is no ordinary person either.”
He raised his hand, aiming at the menacing four: Natsuhi, Chino, Junhito, and Hazuki. “However, in the face of god’s power, it is still futile.”
“Whether it’s futile or not, we’ll know after trying!” Natsuhi responded coldly. With confidence, she took the lead in launching her attack. “Peacock Myōhō: Thousand Feather Arrows!”
Purple chakra wrapped in dark red glow condensed into countless dense arrows, shooting toward the four Paths of Pain like a storm of wind and rain, with speed and power far surpassing before!
At the same time, Oyakushiro Chino pressed her hands to the ground: “Blood Secret Technique: Crimson Restraint!”
From the ground under the feet of Asura Path, Human Path, and Animal Path, countless tentacles condensed from blood suddenly burst out, swiftly wrapping toward their legs!
This time, the blood was mixed with that dark red chakra, greatly enhancing the binding force.
Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki also flanked from both sides, sometimes using ninjutsu, sometimes throwing kunai with explosive tags, seeking opportunities to interfere.
After receiving Dark Nine-Tails’ chakra through the engraving, even Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki, who originally only had chunin-level strength, briefly erupted with power comparable to jonin!
Facing this coordinated enhanced assault, Asura Path took the lead, its mechanical arm smashing fiercely into the ground, shattering quite a few blood tentacles.
Human Path and Animal Path also dodged or blocked the chakra arrows respectively.
Just as Deva Path Pain was about to use Almighty Push again to repel everything, Natsuhi had already anticipated it. The attack seemed fierce but was actually paving the way for follow-up changes.
“Mr. Shisui!” Natsuhi shouted.
Uchiha Shisui, who had been waiting for the right moment, endured his injury. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly. Though not Mangekyo, his dynamic vision and insight were still top-tier!
He seized the extremely subtle pre-motion of Deva Path Pain raising its hand, as well as the instant when the other three Paths were temporarily held back!
“Fire Style: Majestic Dragon Fire Technique!”
A massive fire dragon roared out from Shisui’s mouth, not directly attacking Deva Path but sealing off its possible evasion routes!
And at that very moment, Natsuhi unleashed her brewed killing move: “Peacock Myōhō: Dragon!”
The massive purple chakra dragon head condensed before her had its fangs dyed with thick dark red glow, letting out a deafening roar, tearing through the air, and fiercely biting toward Deva Path Pain!
The power far surpassed any previous attack!
Nagato calmly analyzed the situation through Deva Path Pain’s Rinnegan.
The opponent’s coordination, tactics, and sudden power boost had indeed exceeded his expectations.
“Interesting.” Nagato muttered to himself. Under his conscious control, Deva Path Pain did not choose to take it head-on but slightly sidestepped.
Bang!
The massive chakra beast head nearly grazed Deva Path’s clothing corner as it slammed into the ground, blasting out a deep pit, with mud splashing.
However, just as Deva Path Pain dodged the main attack and its movement slightly stalled, Uchiha Shisui, who had been moving at high speed seeking an opportunity, moved!
He pushed Body Flicker Technique to the extreme, like green lightning, thrusting straight toward Deva Path Pain’s back!
Speed at its utmost!
But the Six Paths of Pain shared vision!
Almost at the same moment Shisui moved, Asura Path on the flank suddenly whipped out a mechanical chain like a venomous snake, striking toward Shisui’s unavoidable path!
Human Path also abandoned blocking the arrows, fearlessly pouncing toward Shisui, trying to block with its body.
Shisui’s pupils contracted. Forced to change thrust to sweep, his short sword severed the chain, while he kicked away the oncoming Human Path, but the best moment for the assassination had already passed.
Deva Path Pain slowly turned around, its Rinnegan indifferently gazing at Shisui, who was within arm’s reach.
“Good tactics, unfortunately.” Deva Path Pain slowly raised its hand.
“Universal Pull!”
A powerful suction force suddenly acted on Shisui!
Shisui only felt his body lighten, uncontrollably pulled by an invisible force toward Deva Path Pain!
He hurriedly thrust his short sword into the ground to anchor himself, but the ground under the suction was plowed open like tofu, creating a deep trench!
Just as he was about to be sucked into Deva Path’s hand, Natsuhi hurriedly controlled Peacock Myōhō’s chakra tentacles to wrap toward Shisui’s waist, trying to pull him back.
Chino also manipulated blood tentacles to wrap around Shisui’s ankles.
The two forces clashed violently. Shisui hung in midair, as if about to be torn apart, in agony.
“Struggle! Suffer!” Deva Path Pain commented indifferently, slightly increasing the power of Universal Pull.
Crack!
Natsuhi’s chakra tentacles broke first!
Chino’s blood tentacles also shattered one after another!
Shisui was once again accelerated toward Deva Path!
“Summoning Technique!”
At that moment, the silent Animal Path Pain formed hand seals with both hands and slapped the ground!
White smoke exploded, summoning a massive winged chameleon-shaped summoned beast. Its long tongue shot out like a whip at astonishing speed, not attacking anyone but precisely wrapping the Universal Pull-tugged Shisui and yanking him fiercely in the opposite direction!
Pfft—!
Shisui felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. The chameleon’s tongue surprisingly had barbs, deeply embedded in his flesh!
Two massive forces used his body as the fulcrum, nearly tearing him apart!
“Urgh!” Shisui couldn’t help letting out a pained grunt, his face instantly turning pale.
“Mr. Shisui!” Natsuhi cried out in alarm, but was powerless to help again.
Deva Path Pain looked at Shisui suffering in the force tug-of-war. There was no pity in its Rinnegan; instead, like conducting some experiment, it spoke again. Its voice transmitted through the hum of Universal Pull, striking straight at Shisui’s heart:
“Konoha’s ‘Shisui the Teleporter’, why betray the village that raised you and join this group of rogue ninja in their hypocritical nation?”
“What has the ‘Shura’ you serve given you? Power? Authority? Or… a vague, illusory fantasy of so-called peace?”
“Look at this land. The so-called ‘rebirth’ is just a sandcastle built on military conquest and blood. Old nobles slaughtered, new order established by violence, seeds of hatred already sown, just waiting to sprout. How is this different from the Ninja World’s millennial cycle?”
“Is this the peace you seek? Betraying your past to cling to another, even more powerful violence machine?”
Deva Path’s speech was slow and steady, yet every word struck at the heart, trying to shake Shisui’s will.
Shisui gritted his teeth, enduring the sharp pain, but images of what he had seen these past few days in Ghost County and Land of Swamps involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
The unprecedented light of hope on those commoners’ faces, the homes rapidly being rebuilt, the fairly distributed land policies…
Everyone living in peace and contentment, helping each other, full of hope for the future, anticipating even better lives!
Completely different from Konoha High Council’s suspicion toward Uchiha, Danzō’s conspiracies, and the pure destruction brought by this self-proclaimed “god” before him.
“You… what do you know?!” Shisui squeezed out through clenched teeth: “Shura… he gives the commoners… hope to break their shackles!”
“Hope?” Deva Path Pain’s voice carried a hint of mockery: “Hope is precisely the breeding ground for greater pain. When this false hope shatters, the pain becomes even more profound. Only by experiencing ultimate pain can one truly understand peace.”
Its Rinnegan seemed to flash with a trace of compassion, yet ice-cold and piercing: “Just like the pain you are feeling now. This is the shortcut to understanding.”
“Nonsense!” Natsuhi rebuked angrily as she condensed chakra again.
“Peacock Myōhō: Twin Wings!”
Massive purple chakra wings formed, carrying dark red glow, slashing fiercely toward the chameleon’s tongue!
At the same time, Chino cast the blood secret technique again. New blood tentacles burst from the ground, wrapping toward Deva Path Pain’s legs, trying to disrupt its technique.
Meanwhile, the massive chameleon’s body blurred, its tail splitting off a small snake head!
The newly split small snake head whipped out, precisely smashing Chino’s blood tentacles, then tightly wrapping Shisui.
Deva Path Pain ignored Natsuhi’s attack, powering Universal Pull again!
Rip—!
A teeth-grinding tearing sound rang out!
Shisui let out a suppressed scream, blood spraying wildly from his left shoulder!
The chameleon’s tongue barbs had brutally torn off a large chunk of his flesh, even exposing the white bone!
And due to this sudden sharp pain and force imbalance, he was fiercely accelerated by Universal Pull toward Deva Path Pain!
Deva Path Pain’s ice-cold hand remotely aimed at Shisui’s head.
“Feel the pain.”
“Ponder the pain.”
“Accept the pain.”
“Understand the pain…”
Just as Shisui was about to be grabbed by Deva Path Pain’s head, a change occurred again!
On the back of Shisui’s right hand, which had been empty, a dark red engraved rune suddenly appeared without warning!
This newly appeared engraving was like a red-hot brand iron, emitting blinding light!
Immediately after, a far more massive, purer, and more violent dark red chakra erupted!
Solid dark red flames instantly enveloped Shisui’s entire body!
“What?!” Nagato, through Deva Path Pain’s view, let out a truly shocked voice for the first time!
This power…
Far exceeded the total given to those four earlier!
Moreover, the nature of this chakra…
Filled with ultimate darkness and destruction, yet carrying a majestic oppressive momentum!
Hum—!
The powerful dark red chakra brutally dispersed the binding force of Universal Pull!
Even instantly shattering the approaching chameleon tongue!
Shisui hovered in midair, wrapped in blazing dark red chakra flames. The horrific wound on his left shoulder crazily healed at a visible speed in the glow.
He slowly raised his head. His Sharingan eyes temporarily turned eerie dark red, with complex patterns flashing in the pupils.
Shisui felt the surging, never-before-experienced power in his body. An ice-cold, violent killing intent uncontrollably surged to his heart, his gaze locking onto Deva Path Pain below.
An ice-cold, majestic voice seemed to cross space, faintly echoing in the sky above the battlefield through this dense dark red chakra, clearly entering everyone’s ears, especially Deva Path Pain’s:
“Who allowed you… to touch my people?”
The voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried a soul-trembling oppression.
