Chiyo, struggling beneath the crushing weight of the gold dust, flashed a fierce gleam in her clouded old eyes.
As a politician who had lived through three Great Ninja Wars, she keenly seized upon a sliver of hope in this desperate situation.
Since these mysterious people had just wreaked havoc in Konoha, they were undoubtedly mortal enemies of Konoha!
The enemy of an enemy was a friend!
"Wait!"
Ignoring the blood at the corner of her mouth, Chiyo raised her head and screamed hoarsely at the godlike figure high above.
"You up there!"
"Since Minato Namikaze is your enemy as well, Sunagakure can join forces with you!"
"As long as you stop, the Land of Wind is willing to commit its entire military force to help you slaughter these Konoha higher-ups right here!"
Empowered by chakra, Chiyo's voice pierced through the wind and sand filling the sky.
She stared fixedly at Pain in midair.
Trying to find even a trace of hesitation or deliberation in those pale purple eyes.
However.
She was disappointed.
The Deva Path looked down at her from above. There was no mockery in those Rinnegan, no hesitation—only the utter indifference one showed toward insects beneath one's feet.
"God has no need to ally with mortals."
Pain slowly raised his right hand, then pressed it down sharply.
"Shinra Tensei!"
That hollow, lifeless voice echoed through the raging wind.
An invisible, irresistible force of terrifying repulsion erupted from Pain like a tidal avalanche!
Because Nagato's main body had already reached a critical limit in both chakra and strain after using Super Shinra Tensei in Konoha, the range of this Shinra Tensei was nowhere near as outrageous as the one in Konoha.
But for the dense, defenseless Sunagakure army below.
It was still an overwhelming catastrophe!
The air was