Fierce!

"Whoosh!"

Pain's Human Path ripped Yun Zhiyi's soul from his body, and the soulless corpse collapsed at his feet!

This sight... made the surrounding Hidden Cloud Village shinobi choke in an instant!

"Damn youuuuu!!!"

But their first reaction was not fear of that horrifying ability, but... shared fury against a common enemy!

"Bastard! Die!"

All manner of ninjutsu flew toward Pain's Human Path!

Whoosh!!

At that moment... the Preta Path flashed into place, deploying a Sealing Jutsu Barrier that absorbed the ninjutsu!!!

But while it absorbed the initial wave of ninjutsu... it could not absorb the slashes swung by the Hidden Stone shinobi charging in with blades!

"Gotta say, Hidden Cloud Village's unity is seriously impressive!"

"Whoosh!" Pain's Human Path formed hand seals, and his body sank straight into the ground!

Pain's Preta Path leaped forcefully upward, evading the first wave of slashes before forming hand seals with both hands!!

—Ninja Art: Camouflage Concealment Technique!

His figure... vanished into camouflage right before everyone's eyes!!

"What...!?"

"That's... Earth Concealment Technique and Camouflage Concealment Technique! Damn it, those are all Hidden Stone's specialty techniques!!!!"

"Hey... look closely. The enemy who fired those missiles earlier is also wearing an Iwagakure forehead protector!!!"

Everyone's eyes involuntarily focused on the Asura Path!!!

"Click!" "Click!"

—Asura Barrage!

At that moment, the Asura Path stood on the mountainside, its arms transforming into machine guns as it rained a slanting barrage downward in flashes of muzzle fire!

"Arghhhhh...!!" In just an instant... the five Amegakure shinobi at the front were shot down!

"Long-range ballistic attacks from Mechanical Armor? Since when did Iwagakure master this kind of technology!!?"

Dodai had no time to think. He bellowed, "Earth Release shinobi, form a defense! Everyone else, fall back and stay alert! Those two enemies could launch a sneak attack at any time!!!!"

The Hidden Cloud Village shinobi proficient in Earth Release stepped forward one after another, forming hand seals at the same time!!!

—Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!!!

"Boom!!!"

The earthen wall rising before them temporarily blocked the barrage... "Crack!" "Crack!" But under the continual bombardment of missiles fired from the grenade launchers protruding from the Asura Path's shoulders, the wall was on the verge of collapse!!

At that moment, Dodai formed hand seals, strode forward, and slammed both palms fiercely onto the ground!

—Lava Release: Rubber Wall!!!

"Gurglegurgle...!!!"

Fluid rubber surged from the ground before his palms, rolling forward with bubbling sounds and pressing tightly against the back of the Earth-Style Wall, reinforcing it and finally barely holding the assault back!!

The Hidden Cloud Village shinobi cried out, "Oh!!! Just as expected of Dodai!!!"

"This is all I can do. From here on, I leave it to you, Lord Raikage!"

Dodai turned back.

He saw... that man, the Fourth Raikage, A, rising from before his father's grave with tears not yet dry on his face. He roared, "Get the hell out of my way! I'll tear those Hidden Stone bastards apart with my own hands!!!!!!"

"Lord Raikage is making his move!!!"

"Move aside!!!"

The Hidden Cloud Village shinobi hurriedly scattered!!

"Raaaah!!"

"Crackle!!!!"

Violent Lightning Release chakra cloaked A's burly body!!

"That kind of chakra..." Even Konan, who was not a sensory shinobi, was shaken.

It was not that this chakra was truly stronger than Nagato's... it was simply incredibly flamboyant and explosive to the senses, impossible to ignore.

Nagato said, "Lightning Release Chakra Mode grants the Raikage unmatched speed and strength, as well as a powerful body capable of taking any attack head-on."

"His father, the Third Raikage, had attained an even greater mastery of this mode. Setting speed aside, at least in terms of attack power and defense, he was more formidable."

Konan said, "Is that why you chose him for the Asura Path?"

Nagato said, "There are only two main criteria for selecting the Asura Path. First, a relatively strong and burly body, so it can house more Asura weaponry. Second, powerful explosive force and defense, allowing it to effectively threaten enemies at close, medium, and long range."

"The Third Raikage fully meets both criteria. Moreover, the Lightning Release Chakra Mode he possessed can further enhance the Asura Path's weapons. By my estimate, as an ability wielded by Pain, it may surpass the original body!"

Konan revealed a startled expression. "Pain can... surpass the original body?"

Nagato smiled. "Of course, that only applies to the exceptional strength of a single Path's ability. My original body can use all Six Paths abilities at once and switch freely between them. That is an advantage Pain can never possess. In overall combat strength, I will always surpass Pain."

"Boom!!!!"

A threw a powerful punch as he charged forward!!! That plain, unadorned fist of lightning blasted a gap through the defense formed by the Rubber Wall and Earth-Style Wall with a single strike!!!

After breaking through the gap, his small, round eyes glared furiously at the Asura Path hanging on the mountainside!!!!

The Asura Path greeted him from above, "Hello, Thunder Boy."

"Boom!!" The Raikage's airborne punch was his answer!!!

"Boom!!!!"

The mountainside shook, sending rocks tumbling down!!

After the Asura Path landed, it tore off its upper robe.

"Let's play with Thunder Boy!!"

"Gurglegurgle!!" Its entire body writhed as it sprouted three heads, six arms, and a saw-like tail!!

Dodai shouted, "Fourth Raikage, be careful! The enemy's body structure is abnormal!!"

"Hmph!" The Raikage snorted, twisting his neck left and right with "crack" and "crack"...!!!

"Boom!!!!"

The next second... he shattered the ground beneath his feet, and his arm, like a plow blade, viciously hooked around Pain's Asura Path's iron neck!!!

"Don't underestimate the Raikage!!!!!"

—Lariat!!!!!

The pupils of Pain's Asura Path suddenly contracted. "So fast, truly so fast. Even with the Preta Path's eyes watching from the shadows, there was no way to evade it...!!!!!!"

"Boom...!!!"

Driven by the Raikage's arm, the Asura Path's back slammed heavily into the mountainside. "Crack!" "Crack!" Its mechanical body began collapsing from the neck downward!!!

"Clang!!!"

At that moment... the serrated teeth on the Asura Path's tail coiled around the Raikage's neck!!

"This is bad... Lord Raikage's neck has been wrapped by those steel saw teeth!!"

"Don't worry. That won't be enough to break Lord Raikage's Lightning Release Armor!"

As Dodai spoke, he turned toward the side. "C... did you sense it?"

Beside him stood ten-year-old C, the man who would later serve as one of the Raikage's guards alongside Darui in the original story.

He was currently a Genin being trained as a sensory shinobi.

C closed his eyes and concentrated. "Yes. Although... I'm still nowhere near as skilled as Senior Yun Zhiyi, I can sense that the enemy hidden with camouflage is... is approaching Lord Raikage from behind!!"

Dodai shouted, "Lord Raikage!!! The enemy wants to launch a surprise attack from behind!!!!!"

"Hm!?"

The Raikage shot a glance behind him, sweeping his arm backward...!!!

"Whoosh!!"

Pain's Preta Path was forced to reveal itself and rapidly retreated...!!!

"Thunder Boy's subordinates are quite capable too!"

A said coldly, "Hmph. Once I deal with this one in front of me, you and that other guy hiding underground will be next!!!"

"Bzzzzzz...!!!"

The sound of rippling caught A's attention!!

He turned his gaze back and saw that light was surging within the open mouth of Pain's Asura Path!!!

The Hidden Cloud Village shinobi cried out, "Point-blank range!?"

—Asura Path: Mouth Laser!!!