Minamoto Takuya's Negotiation with Nagato

Minamoto Takuya watched the Chakra Dragon pounce at him. After dispelling his Earth Release, he used the Body Flicker Technique to evade it.

He then looked at Nagato, who was panting heavily. Sure enough, whether it was summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path or maintaining the Chakra Dragon, both exacted an enormous toll on him.

After all, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path had previously been drained of its chakra by the Sage of Six Paths to create the Tailed Beasts. To use it for attacks, one had to inject it with an immense amount of chakra. That was why Nagato had nearly been drained into a husk.

"Was someone hiding in the shadows?!" Konan looked toward the black-clad figure wearing a Fox Mask in the distance. This person was not the same Masked Man who had approached them before, yet she had failed to notice him entirely.

After hearing Konan's words, Minamoto Takuya looked at Nagato curiously and asked, "I'd like to know how you found me too. Even the Rinnegan can't see through everything, can it?"

The Rinnegan was indeed powerful, but it was far from invincible. If one observed someone for a long time, like the Crow had done earlier, being discovered was perfectly normal.

But he had only been here for a short while. Even the Rinnegan should not have detected him so quickly.

"Are the Rinnegan's abilities something you can possibly imagine?" Nagato stared coldly at Minamoto Takuya and said in an icy voice.

Had he been at full strength, he naturally would not have feared the other man. But now that he was nearly at the end of his rope, he hoped to frighten him away with the Rinnegan.

Unfortunately, Minamoto Takuya was no stranger to the Rinnegan and was naturally not intimidated. He considered how he had been discovered and quickly reached a conclusion.

"Hmm, when that big fellow behind you was summoned, the shaking earth probably exposed a slight flaw in my Earth Release. That was how you found me, right?"

Nagato fell silent at once. The way he looked at Minamoto Takuya grew even more wary, because the man was right. It had indeed been at that moment that he discovered someone else was hiding nearby.

"Looks like I guessed right." Minamoto Takuya shrugged and spoke casually in that androgynous voice.

His natural voice was male, of course, but he had no intention of letting them identify him by it. Naturally, he had chosen to disguise his voice.

"So what if that's true? Leave, and I can spare your life," Nagato said with a cold snort. As he spoke, the dragon seemed to bare its fangs and claws, roaring threateningly.

"Well, when it had just been summoned, I really would have needed to avoid its edge for the time being. But now, it's nothing more than a paper tiger. It only looks imposing. So tell me, how much longer can you keep maintaining it?" Minamoto Takuya said mockingly as he sized up the dragon.

Nagato fell silent again. Then the dragon that had killed countless Amegakure Ninja finally dispersed. Its very existence was a massive drain, and that pounce at Minamoto Takuya had already been its final attack.

Yet the other man had dodged it. Now, it only increased Nagato's consumption without serving any real purpose. He had originally intended to use the dragon to scare him away.

But the other man was far too perceptive. Nothing he did could fool him.

Minamoto Takuya had not actually been completely certain either. He could not gamble with his life. But since Nagato had threatened him, he could be sure instead.

Because if that dragon still had enough strength left to kill him, Nagato, who had just suffered the pain of losing a friend, would never have threatened him with words. He would have simply used the dragon to kill him.

It could even be said that the dragon could no longer attack at all. That was why Nagato had resorted to threatening him with words!

"So you don't intend to leave?" Nagato's voice grew even colder. The Black Receivers connecting his back to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path snapped, and he detached himself from it, staggering as he nearly fell.

Konan hurriedly supported him. Seeing the injuries on Nagato's legs caused by Hanzo's Fire Style and Explosive Tags, worry inevitably filled her eyes.

"Nagato..."

With injuries like these, the Explosive Tags had detonated right against his body, nearly blowing all the flesh off his legs!

Even the cleverest housewife could not cook without rice. Even the best medical ninja in the entire Shinobi World would likely be unable to heal such wounds.

Nagato shook his head at Konan. Now was not the time to discuss that. He looked at Minamoto Takuya and asked, "What do you want?"

Minamoto Takuya smiled upon hearing that. At last, Nagato was willing to talk. "I'm merely a collector who enjoys gathering strange creatures. I'm very interested in that enormous statue behind you."

As he spoke, he looked at the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. "It looks like nothing more than a stone statue, yet it bears traces of life. Very interesting."

Nagato froze. He had never expected the other man's target to be the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, but he quickly reacted. "You're lying. You were already there long before I summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!"

"I'm not lying, though what you said really is a flaw in my story." Minamoto Takuya sounded somewhat helpless.

"You speak in contradictions. There isn't a shred of truth in your words!" Nagato said coldly. By now, he was secretly squeezing his body for more strength. After all, he was a member of the Uzumaki Clan. If he forced it, there would always be some chakra to draw out.

And now, he finally finished extracting chakra. His eyes widened, and those Rinnegan were exposed before Minamoto Takuya without reservation.

"Universal Pull!"

Nagato's sudden attack... did not catch Minamoto Takuya by surprise. He felt the pull of Nagato's Universal Pull. The suction was certainly there, but... his body did not move at all, as though he had taken root in the ground.

Because he was a ninja who had possessed Earth Release from the very beginning, and the nature of Earth Release was heaviness and solidity. At this moment, he was truly connected to the earth itself.

Nagato's pupils contracted when he saw that Minamoto Takuya had not been pulled over by his Universal Pull. He took a deep breath and shouted as chakra erupted once more, causing the power of Universal Pull to rise again!

At last, Minamoto Takuya moved. It was not that his Earth Release had failed, but rather... the ground beneath his feet cracked under the enhanced power of Nagato's Universal Pull. It seemed he was about to be dragged over.

"Tch. If you're at the end of your strength, then act like it. Let's see just how much chakra you have left!" Minamoto Takuya snorted coldly, formed hand seals, and pressed both hands against the ground.

In an instant, the earth trembled as countless massive rocks erupted from underground, appearing before him.

Did Nagato want to pull him in? Then he could pull these rocks in too.

Minamoto Takuya knew that under normal circumstances, this would be nothing to Nagato of the Uzumaki Clan. It would only require more chakra. But for Nagato in his current state, it was an unbearable burden!