So This Was Uchiha... Yoru?

Amegakure

Steady rain fell from the cloud-choked sky, like an endless lament, softly tapping against the ruined eaves and muddy streets.

The whole village was submerged in a world of cold gray, and the air itself was thick with moisture and a heavy, oppressive killing intent.

A streak of purple-white lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, illuminating a solitary figure.

Uchiha Yoru stood with his hands behind his back, his hair tips and coat hem stirring in the wind. Purple light flickered faintly in his eyes through the curtain of rain.

Just then—

Six figures flashed into place between him and Nagato, lining up to form a grim barrier.

Their eyes were nearly identical: indifferent, emotionless, like six walking corpses—the Rinnegan.

Their Akatsuki uniforms, black with red clouds, swayed slightly in the rain, exuding a cold aura.

"The Six Paths of Pain?" Uchiha Yoru's gaze narrowed slightly. He murmured the words, then let out a cold laugh, his voice openly mocking. "You're using puppets against me? Nagato, do you think so little of me?"

The Six Paths of Pain didn't move. Only Deva Path Pain slowly stepped forward, his voice as emotionless as a machine:

"You're too dangerous."

"Using the Six Paths against you alone is a perfectly reasonable decision."

Uchiha Yoru lifted his head slightly. Raindrops slid down his stern face, falling onto the mocking smile at the corner of his mouth. His gaze was cold, and his tone carried a trace of disdain:

"Dangerous?"

He shook his head, his scornful smile deepening. "No. You're just afraid."

"You've played god for so long that even you believe it..."

He raised his eyes, his gaze as cold as frost. His low voice rumbled through the air like thunder:

"Unfortunately, you're nothing but a pathetic man clinging to a machine just to stay alive."

At that moment, the air seemed to freeze.

The next second—

"Perfect Susanoo."

BOOM!!!

The sky exploded, and an invisible force tore through the curtain of rain.

Purple chakra surged like a vast ocean. A colossal figure rose from behind Uchiha Yoru, its translucent armor gleaming with an eerie light. Its mask looked down upon the battlefield like a judge.

Nagato and Konan's pupils contracted sharply. Susanoo's massive form bore down on them, leaving them almost unable to breathe.

It was even larger and more imposing than they had imagined a Perfect Susanoo could be.

Deva Path Pain's gaze turned icy. Without hesitation, he raised a hand:

"Shinra Tensei!"

BOOM!!!

A mountain-like shock wave swept toward them. The ground throughout Amegakure trembled, buildings crumbled like paper before the invisible force, and the air shrieked like shattering glass.

Facing the overwhelming pressure, Susanoo crossed its arms in front of Uchiha Yoru to shield him.

BANG!!!

The force surged like a raging tide, but it only made Susanoo's body ripple slightly. It hadn't suffered the slightest damage.

The ground split open, leaving a deep fissure. Thick smoke billowed into the sky, but Uchiha Yoru remained motionless, standing tall with the majesty of a god.

Nagato's pupils contracted slightly, shock rising in his heart.

"Shinra Tensei... was blocked just like that?"

Before he could recover, Susanoo stepped forward, raising its sword. The blade flashed through the sky!

"Get back!!"

Konan rapidly spread her paper wings and soared into the sky, her figure streaking away like a beam of light.

The Six Paths of Pain reacted swiftly. Animal Path summoned a giant bird and carried Nagato's real body into the air, while the others scattered in all directions.

BOOM!!!

Susanoo's great sword came down. The buildings on the ground were cleaved in two like sheets of paper, and the entire area seemed to be torn apart by a gale.

"Banshō Ten'in!"

Deva Path Pain shouted furiously and thrust out a hand. In an instant, more than a thousand pieces of rubble nearby were pulled toward him, forming a massive ball of wreckage that hurtled toward Susanoo like a meteor.

Uchiha Yoru didn't even look up. He merely said, "Foolish."

Susanoo swung its sword, splitting the enormous ball apart. The debris scattered like dust.

Just then, Konan looked down from the sky, her face as cold as ice.

She spread her arms. Countless sheets of paper, sharp as a thousand blades, swarmed densely across the battlefield.

BOOM!!!

The papers were Explosive Tags.

In an instant, the world seemed to turn into a sea of fire! The tags exploded one after another, the blasts rolling in waves like the tide.

The other Paths began to move as well. Asura Path's mechanisms fired missiles and lasers, pouring a dense barrage down on Susanoo like a rainstorm.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM—!!

Explosions rang out without pause, fire and thunder intermingling, but the colossal purple war god still stood in place, as though the attacks were nothing more than tickles.

Animal Path followed close behind, summoning a giant three-headed dog, a one-eyed rhinoceros, and other monsters. They charged at Susanoo with savage roars.

But before Susanoo, they were as insignificant as ants.

Uchiha Yoru merely waved a hand coldly.

"Slash."

Susanoo's great sword came down, cleaving the one-eyed rhinoceros in half. Blood and flesh flew everywhere!

The three-headed dog instinctively split apart to evade, but Susanoo's blade was impossibly fast. In the blink of an eye, it had cut them into a heap of bloody scraps.

A rain of blood spattered across Susanoo's armor, only making it seem more imposing.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Deva Path Pain still refused to give up. He flung both hands wide.

A powerful repulsive field tore through the air and instantly surged toward Uchiha Yoru.

"Truly foolish." Uchiha Yoru murmured scornfully, a cold purple glint flashing in his eyes.

Susanoo's blade suddenly rose high, purple flames burning as the air trembled.

Every inch of chakra along the blade radiated a searing light, as though the will of a god had descended.

Deva Path Pain's Shinra Tensei continued to rage, its tremendous force bearing down on Uchiha Yoru. Yet Susanoo's blade fell without hesitation.

"BOOM!"

With a deafening crash, Deva Path Pain's repulsive field proved as fragile as paper before that force.

The air shook again. In an instant, a powerful wave of destruction swept through the area, and Nagato's Shinra Tensei was completely shattered.

The next moment, Susanoo's great sword struck directly at Naraka Path, its cold blade racing forward like lightning, carrying an irresistible pressure.

"Thud!"

Naraka Path didn't even have a chance to struggle before the blade tore through him. His body was cut into pieces in an instant, blood and flesh spraying into the air and falling like scattered meteors.

Konan looked down at the scene from above, cold sweat covering her face, helplessness and despair filling her eyes.

She watched Naraka Path's body turn into a pile of fragments. Feeling the irresistible power radiating from Uchiha Yoru, she felt as though a boulder had settled on her heart.

"Nagato..." Konan murmured. "We... can't stop him..."

Nagato kept his gaze fixed on Uchiha Yoru. His expression was stern, his eyes filled with shock and fury he could barely conceal.

He clenched his teeth, and a trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth.

He had already been low on chakra because of the chakra needed to sustain the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Now, this battle had drained a great deal more.

"So this is Uchiha... Yoru?"