Return to Amegakure

When Nagato agreed to enter his alternate dimension, Obito visibly relaxed, but Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed.

That sinister-looking fellow was the one Nagato was most wary of.

No one knew what Black Zetsu really was. He spoke in a muddled, erratic way, as if he were out of his mind. One moment, he claimed to be a consciousness split off from Kaguya; the next, he said he was Kaguya's child. In short, he could be called the greatest mastermind in the world—and the one Nagato found most troublesome.

If he could, Nagato would have liked to kill him as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there was currently no way to destroy him in this world.

Sealing Jutsu was useless. Like Kaguya, Black Zetsu might well be immortal. Even the most powerful Sealing Jutsu would gradually weaken over time, so it was only a matter of time before he broke free. More importantly, no one could be sure how many Black Zetsus there were in this world.

Just because they had only seen one Black Zetsu, could they really conclude there was only one in the whole world?

"Konan, let's go. We'll head back to Amegakure first." Nagato shook his head, unwilling to waste his energy on Black Zetsu, who clung to them like a stubborn plaster. After releasing the Summoning Jutsu on the Lizard and Cerberus, he directed the Six Paths of Pain toward Obito.

At such close range, Nagato could still control the Paths even without Black Receivers on them. They just couldn't use the Rinnegan's abilities.

"Nagato, are you leaving?" Katsuyu's voice sounded in his mind. "What about your training?"

"Don't worry. I can sense the Natural Energy outside now, so I can continue training in Senjutsu anywhere. If you're worried about Tsunade, you can have one of your split bodies come with me."

"Hmph. That was what I was planning to do anyway."

"Really? Why not just join the Akatsuki, too? Before long, the world will be thrown into chaos. All the schemers will crawl out of hiding. You can feel it too, can't you? The Otsutsuki are up to something again. You'd be safer with me in Amegakure!" With the Akatsuki short on members, Nagato felt like he was worrying himself sick over recruitment. If he could lure Katsuyu's main body to Amegakure, the possibilities were too wonderful to imagine.

"Even if the world falls into chaos, it has nothing to do with me," Katsuyu replied calmly. "I can split into billions of bodies. No one can do anything to me."

Nagato: "..."

He closed his eyes helplessly, dark lines practically hanging over his head.

He suddenly remembered how this slug had stubbornly counted all six hundred billion of Konan's Explosive Tags.

He shook his head helplessly. This slug was ruthless; her skill points had probably all gone into survival. After learning the Senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest, Nagato knew all too well that there was probably no one in this world who could do anything to Sage Katsuyu. Her ability to survive was simply too strong.

At a loss for words, Nagato waved a hand and let Obito draw him and the Paths into the alternate dimension. As he left, he reminded Obito, "Don't forget the two prisoners."

As soon as he finished speaking, Nagato, Katsuyu on his shoulder, and the Paths vanished. Konan followed, then Tsunade and Hinata were absorbed into the alternate dimension one after another. Once Obito had drawn himself in as well, Zetsu was the only one left at the scene.

The place was empty. Even Katsuyu's split bodies had disappeared.

"Huh? Did they forget something?" White Zetsu looked around. When he saw that he really was "alone" in the green mist, his eyes widened.

"Let's walk back ourselves..." Black Zetsu's voice held a note of dismay. He felt completely ignored.

White Zetsu's expression turned to shock. He finally understood what had happened.

"I haven't gotten on yet! I haven't gotten on!" he shouted at the empty air, as if he could yell Obito into coming back to give him a lift.

"Shut up and move!" Black Zetsu scolded him, then closed his eyes. The two folded their aloe-like leaves together, burrowed back underground, and activated the Mayfly Technique.

Whether Obito had left Zetsu behind on purpose or not, when he used Kamui for the first time to begin transporting everyone, Nagato noticed that one half-black, half-white man was missing from the group.

But... he said nothing. Wasn't it a good thing to be rid of one of them? Everyone seemed to accept the situation without comment. No one mentioned that Zetsu had been left behind.

"Is this an alternate dimension?" As soon as they entered the pitch-black space, with nothing beneath their feet but a single white cube, Katsuyu spoke from Nagato's shoulder, sounding surprised. Why was this alternate dimension so much like Nagato's?

Tsunade's right eye widened as well. With her mouth sealed, she couldn't speak, so she could only show her shock with her gaze.

"We're starting. We'll need several trips to get everyone back to Amegakure," Obito said.

Perhaps he was deliberately hiding his true strength. Obito used Kamui several times before he finally brought everyone back to Amegakure. The steady drizzle still fell over the village.

For Nagato, the journey to Konoha to capture the Nine Tails and the return to Amegakure felt like a lifetime had passed. In reality, according to the normal flow of time, only a few days had gone by since he left the village.

Everything remained just as it had been when he left. Amegakure seemed unchanged.

Of course, that was only because he was still alive. Otherwise, Obito would already have been celebrating his victory.

"Summoning Jutsu."

After returning to Amegakure, Nagato led everyone to the spacious underground base without a word. The first thing he did was summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Like a sinner who had endured endless torment, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path emerged from underground, its seven strange eyes open and its mouth—stripped of its lips—agape.

With a series of rumbles, it exposed everything above its chest.

Its hands, bound in chains, were raised before its chest, as if it were gazing at its own palms with its nine strange eyes. Its fingers were spread wide, palms facing the sky. It also looked as though it were snarling at the heavens, its expression twisted. Its face seemed flayed, with muscles exposed, and its lipless mouth revealed its gums. The sight was especially eerie and horrifying.

When something so enormous suddenly appeared, the shock and fear it inspired were immense.

Its colossal upper body radiated a vast, indescribable aura of misery and suffering. Everyone narrowed their eyes, their hearts heavy.

The Konoha shinobi stared wide-eyed, horror and shock plain on their faces. Even Katsuyu, an ancient being, exclaimed in amazement, "So it's this thing."

From her tone, she seemed to know where the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path came from.

Strictly speaking, this was also the "first time" Nagato had seen the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path with his own eyes. What could he say? His first impression was that it was disgusting and unsettling, and then he felt the full force of its power.

He thought that if he had taken the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path with him to Konoha, the Paths might not even have had a reason to lose. If handled well, it could probably have sucked up the Nine Tails as easily as slurping noodles. He didn't believe the statue, in its current state, would have been unable to withstand the Chakra of half the Nine Tails.

"As expected, there's no Eight Tails Chakra inside."

Nagato closed his eyes and sensed what was inside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. To him, it was still a lifeless vessel. It possessed immense vitality, but that vitality was dead, existing only as energy.

The seven Tailed Beasts inside it showed no signs of merging. Even so, the life force emanating from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was already terrifying. Its presence was deeply uncanny, like a dead thing that could come to life at any moment.