At this moment Jiraiya was unaware that the man who had suddenly appeared before him was merely one of the Six Paths of Pain.
Nagato did not immediately choose Deva Path Pain to deal with Jiraiya, but instead chose Animal Path, who was skilled in Summoning Techniques.
"Although your appearance has changed a lot, those eyes... it really is you, Pain, Nagato!"
Jiraiya looked at Nagato with great disappointment. If Nagato was going down the wrong path step by step, then he, as his teacher, actually bore a great responsibility.
"It seems you're not heading in the right direction. What have you been through all these years? Why have you become like this?" Jiraiya said to Nagato with a look of regret.
[Mei Terumi: Okay, the truth is out. The person who killed Hanzō was probably Nagato, and Jiraiya's purpose in infiltrating Amegakure was to investigate Nagato.]
[Tsunade: You Jiraiya, are you an idiot? You dared to infiltrate the enemy's lair all by yourself? Do you really think you're a hero?]
[Jiraiya: Pain is capable of dealing with Hanzō. Rather than putting others in danger, it's better for me, as his mentor, to handle this personally.]
[Jiraiya: Besides, I believe Nagato isn't that kind of person. Maybe Nagato and I can catch up.]
[Tsunade: Didn't you see the mysterious man has already attacked you? You really are...]
At this moment, Tsunade had things to say but couldn't express them. Having experienced too many separations and deaths, she no longer wanted anyone to leave her.
Jiraiya was well aware that Tsunade was worried about him, but he knew that his decision to infiltrate Amegakure alone in the future must have its own reasons.
[Jiraiya: Don't worry, Tsunade, I trust my student.]
[Nagato: I... I should believe in myself too.]
[Yahiko: What? Nagato? Why are you acting like a thief? Yes, you can't assume it's you just because that person in the picture has the Rinnegan.]
Before Yahiko could say anything more, the Animal Path of Pain in the scene had already begun to attack.
The Animal Path coldly looked at Jiraiya: "You don't need to know, after all, you're just an outsider."
"You've changed, Nagato!"
Clearly, the Animal Path was unwilling to continue wasting words with Jiraiya, and put his hands together in prayer.
"Summoning Technique!"
The Animal Path summoned a spirit communication array, and a gigantic Crab Boss emerged from it, the crab being more than ten times larger than a typical spirit beast.
Jiraiya could only take the opportunity to dodge the summoned beast's attacks, as the giant crab kept spewing out Utakata.
Jiraiya hadn't expected his disciple to find his weakness so quickly; he truly lived up to his reputation as his student.
Seeing that the Utakata's cleansing properties caused all the Toad Oil to flow out of Konan's body, Konan instantly broke free from Jiraiya's restraints.
"Konan, you should retreat first. Let me fight Jiraiya- sensei."
Then Pain waved his hands, and the giant Crab Boss attacked Jiraiya again.
However, Jiraiya and immediately sensed the summoning beast within the Utakata.
Jiraiya immediately used his signature Ninjutsu, the Wild Lion's Mane Technique, where countless strands of hair continuously bound the crab summoning beast. With a Jiraiya exertion, Crab Boss vanished into thin air.
Jiraiya then launched an attack, and the Animal Path, now without its summoning beast, was the perfect target. In an instant, the Animal Path was tightly bound.
"Nagato, I have a few questions for you!" Jiraiya had many questions he wanted his student to answer.
Where is Yahiko?
Unfortunately, the Animal Path reacted as if to a complete stranger upon hearing this name. Who is Yahiko? What does he have to do with me?
"There really was such a guy. He's long dead, you know." Despite being the best of friends, the Animal Path as if he were a complete stranger.
"So, Nagato isn't really you, is he?" Yahiko looked at the shy-looking Nagato, who didn't resemble the person in the picture at all.
Even if Yahiko doesn't want to admit it, the relationship between the person in the picture and Konan, plus those Rinnegan, make it clear that it's Nagato.
"Nagato, is our friendship really going to end like this? Is our friendship going to capsize like this?" Yahiko said helplessly.
Nagato was also completely bewildered. "I, Nagato, am utterly loyal. How could I possibly speak of my good brother like this? Someone must be impersonating me and trying to frame me. Yes, it must be that old bastard Danzo who Danzo me."
Another pot has been placed on the head of an unknown Pot Kage, but it doesn't matter, it's all for Konoha.
Jiraiya was shocked by Nagato's words. "You two were best brothers back then, and now you're judging your best brother like this?"
Besides, didn't you say when you were little that you would protect Yahiko and Konan forever, and never let them get hurt no matter what?
Why did you become like this? The you from before.
"It's nothing. I was just too naive before. People always die in war, and it's only through death that I can grow."
Why would you say that? What exactly happened?
"Ignorant and foolish people only grow into human beings after experiencing pain; they will grow in both their actions and thoughts," Nagato said calmly to Jiraiya.
"So you think giving up on your feelings for your friends is what you call growing up?" Jiraiya shouted anxiously.
"Teacher, you are just a mortal. Mortals cannot understand the thoughts of gods. I became a god long ago after experiencing boundless pain!"
Jiraiya had absolutely no idea what his student was talking about; he was just being incredibly immature.
"That's right, from a mortal to a god!"
[Ōnoki: Alright, alright, this kind of chuunibyou tone... Jiraiya should take your apprentice to see a doctor sometime, I mean, the kind that affects the brain.]
[Ōnoki: Please go see a doctor, I'm not kidding.]
[Obito: Nagato, you're not kidding, are you?]
At this moment, Yahiko also had a serious expression, and looked back at Nagato had an innocent look on his face.
Hmm, although it looks fine on the outside, there might really be a problem inside. I heard that Jiraiya, Princess Tsunade's friend, has unparalleled Medical Ninjutsu in the Shinobi World. I'll take Nagato to check it out another day.
However, it's possible that Princess Tsunade has never been known to treat neurological diseases. Perhaps we should ask Orochimaru, another friend of Jiraiya's master, about this.
At this moment, Yahiko's gaze towards Nagato held a hint of concern.
Nagato was terrified by Yahiko's shifting gaze, sometimes lost in thought, sometimes fixed on him. "Wait, is Yahiko having some kind of serious illness? Why is he looking at me like that?"
"But once he becomes a god, his actions will be from a divine perspective. You are just a mortal, and you will not understand what I am saying!" Nagato continued to preach.
"What exactly do you want to do?" Jiraiya asked about their actions in capturing the Tailed Beasts.
"It is God's responsibility to bring an end to this world filled with war!" The Animal Path seemed to be describing a beautiful future to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya simply didn't understand. What did this have to do with collecting the Tailed Beasts? Were the Tailed Beasts hindering your efforts to build a peaceful world?
The Animal Path being trapped by the Wild Lion's Mane Technique remained completely calm, showing no sign of panic despite being trapped.
"Since you're going to die anyway, telling you won't make a difference!"
Nagato slowly began to explain the method for achieving world peace, "Using the sealed Tailed Beasts, we will create a new forbidden technique. With just one use of that Ninjutsu, even a great nation can be destroyed in an instant! It is this powerful forbidden weapon."
[Fourth Raikage: Eight Yashiro, I don't care how you treat him, but if you dare touch Killer B, I'll teach you a lesson.]
[Yugito Nii: Lord Raikage, I am also Jinchūriki.]
[Dodai: Lord Raikage means that anyone who dares to harm the people of Kumogakure must bear the consequences.]
Yugito Nii Dodai's explanation, Yugito temporarily believed what the Raikage had said.
[Yahiko: How could that be? Why would our Akatsuki collect that stuff? You can't eat it.]
[Killer B: Yo, eight Yaru, Gyuki aren't food, yo!]
[Yahiko: Sorry, sorry, slip of the tongue.]
[Obito: That's right, who would be so bored as to try and capture a Tailed Beast? It sounds like they'd rather just steal my Sharingan.]
Poor Obito didn't see what was happening when he said that, and with two loud thuds, a big bump instantly appeared on his head.
"Ouch!!"
Orochimaru and Tsunade watched Obito's reckless behavior speechlessly. Did he really not know that Kushina was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?
In other words, Kushina was biased towards Obito. If you tried saying that to Kakashi, he'd probably get a lot more bumps on his head.
Secret Technique