On the third day after receiving the Anbu codename "Lun," Su Ye was given a mission directly by Gen: track down a clue connected to the Akatsuki.
"Three days ago, traces of Pain's Deva Path chakra were detected near the border of Takigakure." Gen pushed an encrypted scroll toward Su Ye. "You need to infiltrate the outskirts of Takigakure and confirm the source of the chakra. If you find any Akatsuki members, don't engage. Report back immediately."
Su Ye opened the scroll. His Rinne Sharingan instantly scanned the chakra fluctuation diagram inside. That force carried an intense repulsive quality, exactly like Pain Deva Path's Shinra Tensei. His heart tightened, and he asked gravely, "Do I need backup?"
"Anbu missions are better kept secret from as many people as possible." The fox mask's surface glinted coldly. "Your Rinnegan is your greatest trump card. Remember, come back alive."
Night fell, and Su Ye was already lying in wait in the forest outside Takigakure. He used the Transformation Technique to turn into an owl and, under the cover of darkness, scanned the village below with his Rinne Sharingan's night vision. Takigakure's defenses were much weaker than Konoha's, but its chakra-sensing arrays were unusually dense, clearly guarding against something.
Suddenly, a familiar wave of repulsive chakra erupted from the direction of the water tower in the center of the village! Su Ye's gaze sharpened, and he flew toward it at once. Only when he got closer did he spot three people standing around the tower. One wore the Akatsuki's black cloak with red clouds and a Pain mask with the Rinnegan painted on it. He raised a hand and unleashed Shinra Tensei, repelling every Takigakure shinobi who tried to surround him.
"It's Pain Deva Path!" Su Ye was stunned. He was just about to use Heavenly Hand Power to retreat and report back when the two people behind Pain suddenly moved. One was short and wore a black hoodie. The instant he formed Hand Seals, countless sharp black tendrils burst from the ground. The other was a hulking man wielding a giant axe edged with wind blades, which he swung at Pain's back!
"This isn't infighting within the Akatsuki... They're hunters?" Su Ye's pupils contracted. His Rinne Sharingan analyzed the two men's ninjutsu: the black tendrils were a derivative technique of Earth Grudge Fear, while the axe's wind blades carried the aura of a Kekkei Genkai from the Land of Earth.
At that moment, Pain Deva Path suddenly turned around, his Rinnegan contracting sharply. "Mere insects dare defy a god?" The repulsive force of Shinra Tensei erupted, flinging away both the black tendrils and the giant axe. But the short shinobi strangely merged with the ground, then emerged beneath Pain's feet and pressed both hands against his calves. "Earth Grudge Fear: Soul Absorption Technique!"
Pain's chakra was drained at a furious rate, and a crack appeared in the Rinnegan mask he wore. Seizing the chance, the hulking man leapt up and swung his giant axe at Pain's head with a roar of rushing air!
"Stop!" Su Ye could no longer hold back. He used Heavenly Hand Power to switch places with the giant axe in the hulking man's hands. The axe abruptly appeared in Su Ye's grip, while the hulking man's momentum carried his swing past its target, revealing a Root tattoo on his chest!
"Someone from Root?" Su Ye was shaken to the core. His Rinne Sharingan fixed on Pain, the Earth Grudge Fear shinobi, and the Root operative. He suddenly understood: this hunt was Danzo's scheme. He meant to use Root to eliminate Pain, then frame Takigakure.
Pain Deva Path had clearly sensed that something was wrong too. His Rinnegan turned toward Su Ye, and his voice was icy. "Who are you?"
"Anbu of Konoha. Codename Lun." Su Ye tossed the giant axe to the ground and formed Hand Seals. "Now, all three sides stand down. Otherwise, I'll expose everything you've done."
The Earth Grudge Fear shinobi emerged from the ground and sneered. "A Konoha lapdog dares meddle in Root's business?" He slapped both hands against the ground, and even more black tendrils burst out beneath Su Ye's feet.
Su Ye's gaze sharpened as the pale-purple Tomoe of his Rinne Sharingan spun rapidly. "Banshō Ten'in!" Powerful attraction instantly pulled all the black tendrils toward him. Then he used Heavenly Hand Power to switch places with a distant boulder, flinging the tendrils against it.
At the same time, the Root operative's giant axe came at him again, while Pain unleashed Shinra Tensei in sync. Su Ye took a deep breath and pushed his Rinne Sharingan's abilities to their limits. First he used Kamui to suck the giant axe into another dimension, then he used Heavenly Hand Power to switch places with Pain Deva Path!
Pain suddenly appeared within the Root operative's attack range and took the giant axe squarely in the shoulder. His Rinnegan mask shattered completely, revealing Nagato Uzumaki's true body beneath it! Su Ye appeared where Pain had been and narrowly avoided the repulsive force of Shinra Tensei.
"You..." Nagato's eyes filled with shock. He could sense that Su Ye's Rinnegan shared the same origin as his, yet also possessed the strange traits of a Sharingan.
Su Ye gave him no time to think. He shouted to all three sides, "Danzo wants you to destroy each other so he can reap the benefits! Join forces now, and you still have a chance to get out!"
The Root operative glanced at the wounded Nagato, then at Su Ye's Rinnegan. A trace of hesitation crossed his eyes. The Earth Grudge Fear shinobi only sneered. "Why should I trust someone from Konoha?"
At that moment, the sound of many footsteps came from the distance. A large force of Takigakure shinobi had arrived. Su Ye knew they couldn't afford to delay any longer. He shouted to Nagato and the Root operative, "Believe me or not, I'm leaving!"
With that, he used Kamui to transport himself and the giant axe he had sent to the other dimension back to the Konoha Anbu base. All that remained were a stunned Nagato, a wavering Root operative, and the Takigakure shinobi force on the verge of attacking.
Back at the base, Su Ye immediately found Gen and told him everything that had happened. After listening, Gen's expression beneath the fox mask grew grave. "Danzo has already reached into the Akatsuki... It seems Konoha's waters run deeper than we imagined."
Su Ye looked at Gen and asked gravely, "What should we do next?"
Gen fell silent for a moment, then said slowly, "Your mission isn't over. Find out how Danzo is connected to the Akatsuki and Root. This time, you may have to venture deep into the enemy's den."
Su Ye's gaze hardened. He knew the turmoil sparked by the Akatsuki had only just begun. And his Rinne Sharingan would play a crucial role in the maelstrom ahead.
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