Shinra Tensei

As Guo Wang silently called out in his heart, an invisible repulsive force erupted around him. The three White Zetsu felt as though a massive mountain had slammed into them. Their pallid skin split open, and they screamed as they flew backward, crashing heavily into the rain-slick tree trunks.

"Impossible! How could you use that technique?"

One White Zetsu, clearly the leader, had already lost half his body to the black insects. Yet with his one remaining eye, he had still witnessed Guo Wang kill three White Zetsu without forming a single hand seal.

He could never forget that technique. After all, no one in the world had been with the Rinnegan longer than his original body.

"Not bad. It seems to have a lot of room for development."

After using the technique, Guo Wang felt a stabbing pain in his right eye and couldn't help closing it. But a thread of crimson blood had already seeped through the gap in his eyelid, trickling down like a bloody tear.

"This is a Dojutsu unique to the Rinnegan. You have only a Sharingan—even if you've awakened the Mangekyo, you still couldn't use this technique."

The remaining White Zetsu were all subdued by Root's shinobi before they could react. Their expressions were identical.

Shock and disbelief!

The White Zetsu had few memories left of the mythic age, but everything about the Rinnegan was engraved in their minds. They would never forget it.

Guo Wang had stood still, raised a hand, and sent every White Zetsu who had attacked him flying. They had seen that only from the Sage of Six Paths and Uchiha Madara.

That was...

"Shinra Sei!"

After using the technique, the name suddenly surfaced in Guo Wang's mind. His body, already far from its best, began to undergo a transformation he couldn't understand. It seemed like evolution, yet also like being pushed beyond its limits.

No, there was one other person who had used it!

At that moment, the last White Zetsu suddenly remembered.

Not long ago, after Yahiko's death, Nagato had accepted the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and awakened the Rinnegan's true power. When Hanzo and Danzo's men fired thousands of Kunai and Shuriken at him, he had used this technique to protect Konan.

"Could it have been back then..."

Before he could piece the clues together, his vision went dark. A torrent of black insects poured out of his orifices and hollowed out his body in the blink of an eye.

"Did we leave anyone alive?"

Guo Wang took the white cloth offered by one of his subordinates and wiped the blood from his right eye before covering the precious Mangekyo with its bandage again.

"Sorry, Lord Danzo. We're still in enemy territory. If we take prisoners, our movement will be greatly slowed."

After Aburame Torune's insects finished eating all the White Zetsu and returned to his body, they sent their host a lively, excited feeling. His Chakra, which had been greatly depleted by the secret technique, actually overflowed after the insects reentered him. The unprecedented sight left him feeling a trace of regret over his merciless actions.

"That's a shame. I have a feeling those clones were hiding some very useful secrets."

Seeing that even the three White Zetsu killed by his Shinra Sei had been eaten down to their hair, Guo Wang let go of his regret.

He gently touched his right eye. A spark of excitement stirred deep within him, along with an indescribable wariness.

He had originally underestimated this world's energy system. After all, the Danzo he had taken over had a tarnished reputation, but his strength had placed him among the most powerful figures in the world, second only to the handful of leaders known as the Kage. Yet Guo Wang had taken over someone like him with ease. The other five Kage surely couldn't be much stronger.

But that pair of Rinnegan, and his own Sharingan, now evolved into a Mangekyo, had made Guo Wang sense an aura he had only encountered in the Dao Realm's most exalted holy lands.

That was the Dao, the Law, the rules—the power to wield the world's most fundamental forces.

Even if he had arrived at full strength, without knowing what he was dealing with, facing these so-called Dojutsu would likely have ended in disaster.

"But soon, I'll unravel every mystery behind this world's power."

Thinking of the true ability of his Mangekyo, Guo Wang couldn't wait to return to Konoha and unleash its perfect Dojutsu.

"Torune, go on ahead and tell Orochimaru to come get me."

To avoid being ambushed during the vulnerable adjustment period after taking over Danzo, Guo Wang had searched his memories and found Root's strongest subordinate.

He was a true genius, and one of the strongest people in the world.

In terms of strength, the original Danzo probably couldn't keep Orochimaru in check without help from his subordinates.

"Lord Orochimaru? But isn't he on the battlefield in the Land of Earth?"

Aburame Torune was startled by the order. Though he was utterly loyal to Danzo, he wasn't willing to disregard the bigger picture for one person's sake.

In this Shinobi World War, Konoha was fighting four nations alone. The most difficult fronts were against the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth. If Orochimaru, a pillar of Konoha's forces, were pulled away, the entire Konoha defense line might collapse.

"You're behind the times. Minato destroyed Kannabi Bridge behind the Tsuchikage's lines. Without that vital supply route, even Ōnoki won't be stubborn enough to keep fighting Konoha."

"Minato!"

At the name, a brilliant golden flash crossed Aburame Torune's mind, and he couldn't help sighing from the depths of his heart.

"We really are getting old..."

He hadn't finished speaking when he suddenly stopped, glancing at Guo Wang with some embarrassment. In the past, his old leader had hated promising young people most of all. He had hoped Konoha would have no successors, so that when the Third Hokage stepped down, he could fulfill his dream and become Hokage.

"Orochimaru... All my efforts on his behalf have gone to waste."

After reviewing the recent events in Danzo's memories, Guo Wang gave a cold snort. Aburame Torune, who knew the inside story, immediately took his leave.

However, they encountered no more attacks on the way, which was a relief to Guo Wang. When Orochimaru arrived later, he even teased him about it.

Land of Rain!

At the High Tower where Akatsuki was based, the iron doors opened, and three figures in black uniforms patterned with red clouds entered. The one on the left, wearing a white Whirlpool Mask, spoke approvingly.

"I told you so."

Half of Nagato's body sat within the machinery. His deep purple Rinnegan glimmered faintly, and his expression was resolute.

"Yes. I finally understand."

"The selfish desire to maintain peace will lead to war. To protect love, hatred will inevitably arise."

"In this cursed world, true peace does not exist."

Hearing this, Obito and Zetsu knew their mission was complete. The Rinnegan's host had finally set foot on the path laid out for him.

"Exactly."

After speaking softly, Obito's right eye began to warp the space around it, drawing his body in like a vortex. Zetsu's two halves closed together like green leaves before sinking into the ground.

Only Konan remained. With a cold expression, she walked to Nagato's side.

Now, she had only him!