Airborne!!

"So fast!" Konan formed the hand seal for the Dance of the Shikigami as she watched Shisui rapidly closing in!

Most of Konan's later techniques required no hand seals... but she was still young at this point!

"At this distance, Paper Transformation... I can make it!"

Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan perceived every detail. "A technique that turns the body into a physical medium... in terms of chakra nature, this is a transformation of Yang Release."

I have to stop her...

I'll use that move!

While charging, he formed a seal with one hand and extended his right palm through the air!

—Lightning Release: Lightning Hang Palm!

"Crackle...!"

Azure lightning spread from Shisui's palm in branching tendrils, latching onto Konan's body before it had fully transformed into paper...!

"Ah...!" Konan let out a pained cry. "Damn it, my body is paralyzed. I... can't complete the Paper Transformation...!"

With Lightning Hang Palm in hand, Shisui leaped into the air. A dim glow flickered in his Mangekyō Sharingan as Yin Release chakra rapidly focused into the "left eye" shielded by his left hand!

"After this Kotoamatsukami, this left eye won't be usable for decades. So I'll take you back to Konoha and make you reveal every last detail about yourself!"

"Take this...!"

"Bang!!"

Suddenly... Konan vanished before his eyes!!

"What...!?"

Red light flickered in Shisui's pupils as he abruptly turned around... only to see Konan appear out of thin air beside the Animal Path!

"That masked woman can summon 'people'?"

Konan was slumped on the ground, her body still paralyzed!

This is my chance!!

Still unwilling to give up, Shisui twisted around and charged at Konan again...!!

He was too fast. In the blink of an eye, he was already upon her... "Crackle!" Branching lightning once again spread from his palm!!

"Ungh!!" Konan tried to struggle to her feet, but her legs would not obey her. She urgently said, "Only the Deva Path can deal with him!!"

"No, Pain's battle is already over." A murky voice came from beneath Pain Rin's mask as she swiftly formed a hand seal with her small hands.

—Summoning Technique!

"Bang!!" Amid the descending white smoke appeared... Nagato!!!

A layer of light covered his palm as he seized the incoming lightning and yanked it back. Even the lightning in Shisui's palm was torn away and completely absorbed in an instant!

"What!?" Startled, Shisui abruptly stopped and retreated!

"Whoosh!"

But Nagato raised a hand, forcing Shisui's body to lunge forward!

"Crack!" Nagato grabbed Shisui's right hand and violently twisted his wrist over. His impassive Rinnegan ignored the ocular power of Kotoamatsukami and stared directly into Shisui's eyes as he said angrily, "Don't get carried away, brat!"

"Boom!" "Whoosh!" Shisui formed a seal with one hand and breathed fire point-blank, only for it to be absorbed point-blank a moment later!

"He really can absorb ninjutsu, just like that guy who was taken out earlier!"

—Asura Path!

"Clack!" A mechanical arm emerged from Nagato's shoulder and clamped onto Shisui's right shoulder blade, delivering an Overlord Twist!!

"Crack...!!!" Shisui's entire right arm was twisted clean off!

"Arghhhhh...!!"

The excruciating pain of flesh and bone being torn apart made his pupils contract sharply. But in that life-or-death instant, he endured the agony, drew his blade with his left hand, and stabbed at the man before him!

"Whoosh!" Nagato's Rinnegan flashed open, and repulsive force erupted. The ninja blade shattered, and Shisui's blood-spattered body flew backward like a kite with its string cut!

Shisui crashed heavily onto the ground, every bone in his body feeling as though it had come apart!

The skeletal Susanoo protecting Fugaku collapsed with a roar!

Though it sounded slow, everything had happened in a flash!

"Shisui!!!" Fugaku struggled to his feet despite his own injuries and ran toward Shisui at full speed!

Konan... looked at the tall back before her, her eyes flickering.

He could clearly have had the Deva Path come to my rescue, but Nagato exposed his true body just to protect me...

That rage he could not suppress... was not something so-called reason could control.

Nor was it something right and wrong, good and evil, could shake.

She was no lovestruck young girl, so she understood perfectly well.

This was a kind of "favoritism" that surpassed friendship, something on an entirely different level.

Nagato, he really... feels that way about me...

Ignoring Fugaku as he rushed past, Nagato looked at Shisui's blood-dripping severed arm in his hand. "We've gotten everything we needed. There's no need to keep dragging this out."

I really was a little impulsive just now.

Forget it. What's done is done.

"Shisui, bear with it...!!!" Fugaku removed his forehead protector and put it in Shisui's mouth for him to bite down on. Then he took out a tourniquet and began bandaging the wound on his severed arm.

"Urrghhhh...!!!" Shisui clenched his teeth hard, cold sweat streaming down his face.

Then Nagato's ghostly warning drifted over from the distance.

"Don't reveal a single word about what happened here today. Otherwise, the Uchiha clan will face utter destruction. I mean it."

"Huff, ha, huff, ha..." Shisui's unfocused eyes struggled to maintain their focus as he stared at the blurry red-haired figure in his vision and demanded, "Who exactly are you? And what exactly is your purpose?"

A meaningful smile curled Nagato's lips. "Heh. Maybe someday in the future, you'll find out."

He turned and helped Konan to her feet, glancing behind him from the corner of his eye.

"Out of my personal appreciation for you, I'll give you a piece of advice. Uchiha Shisui, keep your eyes well guarded. A person who plays with crows should be careful not to have his eyes pecked out by them."

"Until we meet again..."

"Whoosh!" Nagato swept his sleeve, stirring up a storm... and when the blurred air became visible once more, everything had vanished without a trace.

Only... the devastated land of Kikyo Mountain bore witness to the brutal battle that had just taken place.

Of course... it had only been brutal for Fugaku and Shisui.

Shisui's consciousness gradually faded as he tightly gripped Fugaku's shoulder guard.

"Uncle Fugaku, after we return, please don't tell the Hokage or the clan... anything about that man!"

Fugaku said, "Are you afraid of his threats?"

Shisui shook his head firmly. "No, it's more than his overwhelming strength... I have a strong feeling that he definitely knows certain truths—truths that concern the survival of our Uchiha clan!"

After saying that... Shisui lost consciousness.

The autumn wind after the rain carried a faint, chilling edge.

"Actually, I've had that feeling too."

Fugaku murmured as he swept his gaze across the desolate Kikyo Mountain, as though trying to etch every blade of grass and tree here into his eyes.

He put a soldier pill into his mouth and helped Shisui up.

"This is probably a place I'll never come to again!"

Konan followed Nagato, her gaze complicated.

Before the battle, I had been the one to suggest fighting alongside Pain.

Although I helped Nagato obtain Fugaku's blood.

I also became a burden to him during the battle.

My current strength was too weak. I was not enough to become a pillar supporting Nagato.

I... have to become stronger.

Determination filled her beautiful eyes.

"Nagato..."

As though he had already guessed what she wanted to say, Nagato said, "Do you want to learn that technique?"

Konan nodded. "Yes, the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags and the Night Netherworld Spider Lily."

Nagato pondered. "The Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags are manageable, but as for the Night Netherworld Spider Lily... the training requirements for the ninjutsu version are far too harsh. Konan... I'm afraid you won't be able to endure it."

Forbidden Technique: Night Netherworld Spider Lily. From the moment one formed the training seal, one could not sleep for an entire year. If one fell asleep, all previous effort would be wasted, and one would never again be able to train in this technique!

"Swish!"

Without hesitation, Konan formed the training seal and calmly said, "Then from now on, I need to get used to the night."

"Alright." Nagato smiled faintly. "I'll stay with you."