The Heavenly Screen began to play.
[TOP 10: Sage Naruto vs. the Six Paths of Pain]
[The rankings are in no particular order; the numbers only indicate sequence]
[Main character: Konoha Ninja Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. I always keep my word. That's my ninja way.]
[The Six Paths of Pain: the gods of the Land of Rain and leaders of the Akatsuki. Those who do not know pain will never know peace.]
Kakashi stared at the Heavenly Screen in shock. It was Sage Mode! This was a legendary and powerful Ninjutsu that only Lord Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, and his teacher, the Fourth Hokage, could master. Once Sage Mode was activated, the user's strength would increase enormously. Not only would every aspect of their physical abilities be enhanced, but their ordinary Ninjutsu would also become far more powerful.
The Third Hokage stood by the window, gazing at the images playing in the sky, his heart filled with worry and unease. He frowned deeply. After a while, he slowly turned to face the Anbu members and said gravely, "Notify Kakashi immediately. Tell him to protect Naruto." The Anbu members promptly accepted the order and left.
On the Heavenly Screen, the scene gradually unfolded, revealing the Six Paths of Pain and Konan outside Konoha.
The Six Paths of Pain—the Deva Path, Asura Path, Human Path, Animal Path, Preta Path, and Naraka Path—were six corpses, each possessing different abilities. Their eyes were vacant, yet they exuded an oppressive presence, like messengers from hell.
Konan stood quietly to one side, sheets of paper fluttering around her as though ready to turn into deadly weapons at any moment.
On the Heavenly Screen, images continued to flash, showing them discussing how to capture the Nine-Tails. Their plan was detailed and meticulous, as though everything was under their control.
Pain said, "From now on, let the world feel pain." The Animal Path was thrown into the sky above Konoha and easily infiltrated the village, summoning the other five Paths. The six scattered and caused widespread destruction in a short time. Struck by this sudden invasion after a long period of peace, Konoha's civilians panicked, while the ninja began searching for the enemies and fighting back.
But against the powerful Six Paths of Pain, ordinary ninja were simply no match. The Human Path absorbed ninja souls, searching for information about the Nine-Tails. The Anbu immediately reported intelligence on the enemy to the Fifth Hokage. Tsunade realized that the Akatsuki had come, and the words of Sage Fukasaku, the toad who had brought news of Jiraiya's death and intelligence on the Akatsuki, instantly came back to her: I hope that child is the Child of Prophecy. Tsunade immediately sounded the emergency alarm and sent word for Naruto to return.
Faced with the many wounded left by Pain, Tsunade quickly summoned a large number of slugs and began treating them. The scene shifted to the Deva Path about to kill Iruka. Kakashi appeared just in time, and the two sides began a fierce fight.
The Heavenly Screen showed Kakashi's attacks all being repelled, while the Asura Path came to support the Deva Path. The Deva Path drew Kakashi in with Banshō Ten'in, and the Asura Path attacked, only to discover that he had struck a Lightning Clone. Other ninja came to help, but the Deva Path sent them all flying with Shinra Tensei. The Deva Path then "killed" Kakashi. The Asura Path turned to Choji and fired a missile at him. Kakashi, his lower body trapped under the rubble, suddenly raised his head and told Choji to run and report the intelligence to the Hokage. He then used the last of his Chakra to activate Kamui and absorb the missile.
Elsewhere, fierce battles continued to unfold. Various ninja fought the six Paths to the death, each using their own Ninjutsu and special techniques to contend with the powerful enemies. Among them, Konohamaru displayed astonishing strength. Skillfully using his Ninjutsu and intelligence, he successfully defeated the Human Path and won the battle.
While the other Paths were being held off by the ninja, Pain obtained information about the Nine-Tails. He knew full well that the Nine-Tails' power was vital to his plan. Without hesitation, Pain used the Summoning Technique and vanished from Konoha in an instant, leaving shock and chaos behind him. His departure caught the other ninja off guard.
Only the Deva Path remained, facing off against Tsunade and her companions.
Under the astonished gazes of Tsunade and the Anbu, the Deva Path flew rapidly into the sky above Konoha. His figure traced a dazzling arc through the air, as though the entire world was shaken by it.
His voice thundered through the sky: "Feel pain! Contemplate pain! Accept pain!" The voice carried an endless oppressive force that could not help but inspire fear. The Deva Path continued, "Those who do not understand pain cannot understand true peace! I will never forget Yahiko's pain..." His words revealed profound grief, indignation, and resolve. Tsunade and the Anbu stared wide-eyed as the Deva Path rose higher and higher above Konoha, feeling an unprecedented pressure. Suddenly, the Deva Path pressed his hands together and chanted, a tremendous power gathering around him. "From now on, let the world feel pain!" The Deva Path's furious roar sounded like a bellow from hell, shaking everyone to the core.
As his words fell, a massive shockwave spread outward from him in all directions. Like a raging sea, it destroyed everything in its path. Konoha's buildings could not withstand the tremendous force and collapsed one after another.
The force was so powerful that houses were overturned, trees were uprooted, and streets were torn to pieces. The once bustling Konoha was reduced to rubble in the blink of an eye. Amid the ruins, Sakura knelt alone on the ground, her eyes filled with despair and helplessness. Her voice trembled with tears as she called out again and again, "Please, Naruto!" It was as though this were her last hope and the only thing she could do.
Suddenly, rousing music rang out from the Heavenly Screen, as though setting the stage for the spectacular scene to come. Then a thick cloud of smoke slowly dispersed like a thin veil, revealing what was hidden within. What appeared before everyone's eyes were several enormous toad summons!
They came from Mount Myōboku, and every one of them possessed an astonishing size and immense power. Some stood while others crouched, radiating an awe-inspiring majesty. And in the middle of these toad summons, standing atop Gamabunta's head, was Naruto Uzumaki in Sage Mode! His eyes gleamed sharply, giving him an extraordinary air.
The Third Hokage stood on high ground, looking up at Konohamaru on the Heavenly Screen. His figure looked especially small against the sky, but his courage and determination were profoundly moving.
Watching Konohamaru's heroic figure, the Third Hokage felt warmth well up in his heart and could not help exclaiming, "My grandson has grown up!" But when his gaze shifted to Konoha, reduced to rubble by the Deva Path, his mood grew heavy in an instant. The once bustling streets had been destroyed beyond recognition; the buildings had been reduced to broken walls and ruins. The Third Hokage's heart filled with anger and pain. This was the Konoha he had protected all his life, and he could not accept that it had been damaged so badly. He stared wide-eyed, his fists clenched and his whole body trembling.
He could not believe that what he saw was real—that his Konoha could suffer such a devastating blow. His voice suddenly turned stern. "Notify the Anbu immediately and have them find out who those people are! And notify Jiraiya and Tsunade at once. Tell them to hurry back to the village. Say that I... I'm not going to make it!"
Beneath the Heavenly Screen, Jiraiya stared wide-eyed at the familiar figure. The outline, the distinctive hairstyle—everything told him that the man who had destroyed Konoha up there was his student, Yahiko!
But how could that be? Hadn't Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan died long ago? Memories of his time with them flashed through Jiraiya's mind, their laughter as vivid as if it were yesterday. He could not believe his eyes. This had to be an illusion, or some powerful Genjutsu. But weren't those Nagato's Rinnegan? Jiraiya's lips trembled slightly as he murmured, "Yahiko... and Konan... weren't they dead? What on earth is going on?" His voice drifted away on the wind.
Tsunade and Shizune slowly walked out of the gambling establishment, their hearts unusually heavy. Tsunade stared at Konoha on the Heavenly Screen, an indescribable anger rising within her. Her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, had founded this village himself, and it carried countless memories and the glory of their family.
Yet Konoha was now unrecognizable, so badly devastated that Tsunade felt as though her heart were being cut to pieces. She could not help thinking of her younger brother Nawaki, the young, vibrant ninja who had given his precious life for Konoha. There was also her lover, Dan Katō, who had tragically fallen in battle. Tsunade clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms as blood seeped between her fingers. Her breathing quickened, and rage burned in her chest.
"What on earth happened?" Tsunade's voice trembled. "Why did Konoha end up like this?" Shizune stood silently beside her, understanding how Tsunade felt. Tsunade took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions. She knew anger would not solve anything; the most important thing now was to return to Konoha.