Arc 1Konoha in the Rain

Nagato recruited Orochimaru to help him gain power and launched an assault on Konoha to obtain Uchiha blood samples and stolen scroll pages. The attack left Kakashi and Guy injured, Minato pursuing the Pains, and Itachi facing Nagato’s offer concerning his unborn brother Sasuke.

  • Nagato and Konan recruited Sasori’s help to find Orochimaru, then Nagato persuaded Orochimaru to pursue the risky XYZ Plan and gave him a White Zetsu to study.
  • Nagato and Konan entered the Fire Country, where Nagato used Mizuki’s body as a temporary Pain and Konan killed Dingmao of Root to secure two more vessels.
  • Nagato sent the Six Paths of Pain into Konoha during the rain, where Obito confronted Pain Rin and Kakashi and Might Guy fought the invading Pains.
  • Pain Rin incapacitated Kakashi, the Asura Path battled Might Guy, and Obito carried Kakashi away as the invaders continued through Konoha.
  • Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza discovered that the Human Path could absorb their techniques, while Minato confronted it after the Scroll of Seals was stolen.
  • Minato recovered most of the stolen scroll but lost several pages, then pursued Pain Rin with Bunta until Nagato used Breakpoint Resumption to rescue her.
  • The Naraka Path infiltrated the Uchiha compound and escaped toward the shrine, while the Deva Path confronted Itachi and collected his blood.
  • The Deva Path asked Itachi whether he wanted Nagato to take care of his unborn brother Sasuke, leaving Itachi alarmed.
Chapters 1–25 Vol. 1 Read

Ch. 1Where Dreams Begin!

Lin Feng awoke as Nagato during Yahiko’s death and fought to survive Hanzo and Danzo’s ambush. He awakened Adamantine Sealing Chains, drove off Hanzo’s forces, and faced Obito across the rain-soaked battlefield.

  • Lin Feng realized he had taken over Nagato’s body as Yahiko died and vowed to change Nagato’s fate.
  • Nagato rescued the bound Konan and escaped Hanzo’s explosive trap, but a blast wounded his forehead.
  • As Hanzo and Danzo’s forces attacked, Nagato awakened Adamantine Sealing Chains and killed many of their fighters.
  • Hanzo escaped with a substitution technique, while Danzo fled earlier; Nagato then fixed his gaze on Obito and challenged him to come down.

Ch. 2Mediation! A New Direction...

Nagato negotiated a year to mourn Yahiko before cooperating with Obito, while secretly planning to find Orochimaru and build enough strength to resist him. As Nagato collapsed from his injuries, Obito decided to force the Demonic Statue ritual after the year was up.

  • Obito appeared before Nagato and Konan, presented Yahiko’s death as proof that the Shinobi World was rotten, and urged Nagato to join the Eye of the Moon Plan.
  • Nagato agreed with Obito’s view but asked for a year to mourn Yahiko, and Obito reluctantly granted him that time.
  • Nagato and Konan left with Yahiko’s body as Obito vowed to force Nagato to summon the Demonic Statue and perform the sacrifice ritual in a year.
  • Nagato decided he needed Orochimaru’s help to gain strength and secure leverage against Obito.
  • Nagato collapsed into Konan’s arms after confirming his plan.

Ch. 3Ten Days Later!

After awakening from a ten-day coma, Nagato inherited Lin Feng’s memories and chose to pursue his own path while protecting Konan. He encountered Jiraiya without revealing they were alive, then captured a White Zetsu who could lead him to Orochimaru.

  • Nagato woke after ten days and ten nights unconscious, having dreamed through Nagato’s life and inherited his shinobi abilities.
  • Nagato sealed the cave with a Five-Seal Barrier so Konan could rest safely, then went out to find food.
  • Nagato saw Jiraiya investigating the report of their deaths but left without revealing himself, deciding to follow a different path from his teacher’s wishes.
  • Konan woke, ate the food Nagato brought, and promised to support his decisions despite knowing they might oppose Jiraiya’s hopes.
  • Nagato sensed a White Zetsu hiding in the cave, pulled it out with his Rinnegan, and prepared to use the Human Path on it.

Ch. 4Animal Path, the Unexpected Candidate!

Nagato explained Madara’s betrayal to Konan, secured a year to prepare, and turned Yahiko into the Deva Path of his Six Paths of Pain. After finding Orochimaru’s whereabouts in White Zetsu’s memories, Nagato decided to make Rin his Animal Path.

  • Nagato defeated the White Zetsu sent to monitor him, stored its corpse and soul with the Naraka Path, and told Konan he had gained greater control of the Rinnegan.
  • Obito learned that his clone had been taken out and ordered White Zetsu to keep away from Nagato for a year.
  • Nagato told Konan that Madara had allowed Hanzo and Danzo to attack them, then revealed he had negotiated a year to prepare for a possible confrontation.
  • Nagato and Konan visited Yahiko’s remains, and Nagato used the Six Paths Technique to revive him as the Deva Path.
  • Nagato explained that he needed five more bodies, identified the Animal Path as a priority, and chose Rin as its candidate after reading White Zetsu’s memories.

Ch. 5Harmless and Innocent!

Nagato and Konan turned Rin into the Animal Path and traveled to the Land of Wind to question Sasori about Orochimaru. They ambushed Sasori in his Hiruko puppet, and the battle continued as Nagato’s paths used coordinated tactics to expose him.

  • Nagato and Konan found Rin’s shell coffin, and Konan prepared her body for the Naraka Path to turn her into Pain Animal Path.
  • Nagato, Konan, and Rin flew toward the Land of Wind, where Nagato planned to ask Sasori about Orochimaru’s whereabouts.
  • Nagato’s group encountered Hiruko in the desert, and Sasori mistook them for Hidden Sand Village pursuers and attacked Pain Rin.
  • Sasori struck Pain Rin with Hiruko’s tail spike, but Nagato revived her with the Naraka Path while the Deva Path kept Sasori occupied.
  • Pain Rin used the Giant Chameleon to restrain Hiruko, and the Deva Path launched Shinra Tensei at Sasori.

Ch. 6The Person I'm Looking For Is...

Nagato and Pain Rin fought Sasori, who used the Third Kazekage puppet, until Nagato subdued him with the Asura Path. Nagato spared Sasori and revealed that he was searching for Orochimaru.

  • Sasori revealed his human puppet of the Third Kazekage and attacked Deva Path Pain and Pain Rin with iron sand.
  • Pain Rin summoned Deva Path Pain to counter Sasori’s attacks, and the pair destroyed the Third Kazekage puppet with their combined abilities.
  • Sasori deduced that the Pains were human puppets and found Nagato and Konan watching from a distant hill.
  • Sasori charged Nagato, but Nagato used the Asura Path to restrain him and threaten him with a mechanical cannon.
  • Sasori conceded defeat, and Nagato told him he wanted information about Orochimaru.

Ch. 7Hot Spring Time

Nagato learned from Sasori that Orochimaru had taken in Yakushi Kabuto, who could lead them to Orochimaru, and arranged to meet Sasori at Heaven-Earth Bridge. Nagato and Konan stopped at a hot spring inn, where Pain Rin faced an awkward choice of bath, and Nagato later found Konan in the courtyard.

  • Nagato told Sasori that his pursuit of eternal death mirrored Orochimaru's pursuit of eternal life, prompting Sasori to reconsider his views.
  • Sasori revealed that Yakushi Kabuto was his agent and that Kabuto was near Hidden Grass Village, then agreed to help Nagato find Orochimaru and set a meeting for three days later.
  • Nagato asked Sasori about hot springs, and Sasori directed him to an inn beside the Difen River.
  • Nagato used the King of Hell to transform the Third Kazekage's Human Puppet into a temporary Asura Path of Pain.
  • Nagato and Konan reserved South Maple Hot Spring, where Pain Rin wondered whether to use the men's or women's bath.
  • Unable to sleep, Nagato went to the courtyard and found Konan there in a thin inner robe.

Ch. 8The Heaven-Earth Bridge Rendezvous

Nagato discovered a way to briefly redirect chakra from Pain to his original body, then send it back, and began training to master the technique. Three days later, he and Konan hid near the Heaven-Earth Bridge as Sasori met Yakushi Kabuto, who revealed he was acting on Orochimaru’s orders and attacked Sasori.

  • Nagato asked Konan to help him find a way for his original body and Pain to use their abilities together, and a fight with her inspired his Breakpoint Resumption idea.
  • Konan bandaged Nagato’s injured cheek, and they agreed to leave for the Heaven-Earth Bridge the next morning.
  • Three days later, Nagato and Konan hid in the woods while Sasori waited for Yakushi Kabuto at the bridge.
  • Kabuto appeared, told Sasori that everything had gone as Orochimaru expected, and slashed at him with a hidden Chakra Scalpel.

Ch. 9Giant Snake's Pupils!

Sasori attacked Orochimaru at Heaven-Earth Bridge, but Orochimaru’s arrival was met by Pain and three mysterious helpers. Orochimaru recognized Pain as a surviving child from the past and charged for his Rinnegan, only to be blasted away by Shinra Tensei before summoning a creature to fight back.

  • Sasori captured Kabuto with chakra threads, but Orochimaru rescued him with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands and the Kusanagi Sword.
  • Orochimaru deduced that Sasori had turned the Third Kazekage into a Human Puppet, and Sasori revealed that three mysterious helpers had accompanied him.
  • Sasori recognized Pain’s Third Path as his abandoned Third Kazekage puppet, then withdrew and challenged Orochimaru to surpass his art.
  • Orochimaru recognized Deva Path Pain and lunged to take his Rinnegan, but Pain repelled him with Shinra Tensei.
  • Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to stand back, then used the Summoning Technique as Pain’s Three Paths approached.

Ch. 10Thank You for Letting Me Keep My Dignity...

Nagato’s Paths defeated Manda and trapped Orochimaru with Black Rods, then Nagato revealed that the Rinnegan belonged to Uchiha Madara. Orochimaru abandoned his attempt to seize Nagato’s eyes and chose to pursue the truth instead.

  • Pain Rin provoked Manda into attacking, then used summoned beasts and Deva Path Pain’s Banshō Ten'in to pin Manda’s jaws with Rhinoceros’s horn.
  • Manda warned Orochimaru that he would not need live sacrifices from him, then vanished as Orochimaru fled under cover of a Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu.
  • The Asura Path fired missiles that blasted Orochimaru into a crater, while Nagato revealed that Black Rods hidden among the Iron Sand had immobilized him and stopped his escape technique.
  • Orochimaru tried to reach for Nagato’s Rinnegan, but stopped when Nagato named Uchiha Madara as the eyes’ true owner and offered him a chance to pursue greater truths.
  • Orochimaru gave up the Rinnegan, and Nagato privately felt relieved that he had not needed to forcibly enslave him.

Ch. 11Nagato and Orochimaru!

Nagato told Orochimaru and Kabuto how Madara’s plan had shaped his life, claiming an awakened eye technique called Ayakashi let him see a future he could change. He began negotiating with Orochimaru for a pair of Rinnegan, but had not yet finished stating what he wanted.

  • Nagato caught Kabuto eavesdropping, then allowed him to remain for the conversation after warning him to keep it secret.
  • Nagato recounted Madara’s survival after the Valley of the End, his acquisition of Hashirama’s power, and the plan that led to Nagato receiving the Rinnegan.
  • Orochimaru asked how Nagato had escaped Madara and Obito’s control, and Nagato claimed Ayakashi had shown him a future without his intervention.
  • Orochimaru asked Nagato to describe that future, but Nagato withheld the details and asked what he could obtain from Orochimaru to change it.
  • Nagato began requesting a pair of Rinnegan, but the chapter ended before he completed his demand.

Ch. 12Blueprint!

Nagato revealed his plan to create a second body that could awaken the Rinnegan, then fuse its power with his current body through Orochimaru’s research. He also tasked Yakushi Kabuto with finding a way to make Madara’s Rinnegan truly belong to Nagato.

  • Nagato explained that a new body with his appearance and consciousness, Senju cells, and Uchiha bloodline could awaken the Rinnegan.
  • Nagato told Orochimaru he wanted both bodies to develop separately and eventually have their powers fused, despite the immense risks.
  • Orochimaru recognized the plan’s dangers but agreed to pursue the XYZ Plan, while Nagato warned him to be ready to die for it.
  • Nagato asked Yakushi Kabuto to research how to make Madara’s Rinnegan belong to Nagato in its very existence.
  • Nagato vowed not to let Uchiha Madara reclaim the Rinnegan placed in his body.

Ch. 13A Detailed Plan!

Nagato and Orochimaru planned how to cultivate a new body for Nagato using Hashirama and Uchiha cells, while Orochimaru began studying a White Zetsu corpse for a way to obtain the cells unnoticed. Nagato left with a plan to gather Uchiha samples from up to five people and a summoning contract linking him to Orochimaru.

  • Nagato told Orochimaru that Madara's cultivated Hashirama Cells were stored in the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, but worried that summoning it would alert Obito.
  • Nagato shared a White Zetsu corpse and information about the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Ten-Tails, and Orochimaru agreed to study whether White Zetsu's long-distance communication could be blocked.
  • Orochimaru said Nagato's new body could awaken its own Sharingan and that serum samples from up to five people could establish blood ties for future Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan transplants.
  • Nagato asked how to obtain a sample from an unborn child, and Orochimaru said he could use a blood sample from the mother.
  • Nagato gave Orochimaru a one-way Animal Path summoning contract, and Orochimaru signed it before Nagato invited him and Kabuto to the bathhouse.

Ch. 14Southern Dream

After finding Orochimaru, Nagato invited Sasori to join him in Amegakure after he defeated Hanzo and decided that he and Konan would next target Konoha’s Uchiha clan. That night, Konan woke from a troubling dream and wondered whether she should accept Nagato if he truly had feelings for her.

  • Nagato thanked Sasori for helping him find Orochimaru and invited him to Amegakure in six months, but Sasori said he would consider working for Nagato if he replaced Hanzo.
  • Nagato told Konan he would defeat Hanzo while the demigod was still powerful, to avenge Yahiko’s death.
  • Nagato told Konan that he and Orochimaru had reached an agreement and that they would next target the Uchiha clan of Konoha for blood samples.
  • Nagato and Konan crossed into the Fire Country and camped for the night.
  • Konan woke from a dream, pretended to be asleep when Nagato checked on her, and wondered whether to accept him if he had romantic feelings for her.

Ch. 15A Door to the South

Nagato and Konan traveled to Woodflower Ferry, where Konan struggled with unsettling feelings after a dream while Nagato quietly cherished his affection for her. Their dinner and failed attempt to visit a hot spring left Nagato flustered when Konan wished for a quiet soak with only one or two people.

  • Nagato noticed Konan's dark circles and asked if she had slept poorly, while she indirectly asked whether his old head wound had bothered him.
  • Nagato and Konan reached Woodflower Ferry after disguising themselves, leaving the three Pains in the forest outside the town.
  • Nagato invited Konan to a grilled fish restaurant, where they shared a meal and he covered her soup-soaked paper clothes with his robe.
  • Nagato and Konan found the hot spring inn crowded, so he suggested postponing their visit.
  • Konan said she preferred soaking quietly outdoors with one or two people, making Nagato recall that Pain Rin had once entered the women's bath with her.

Ch. 16Southward Conquest in Sight!

Nagato and Konan encountered young Iruka and drunken Mizuki at an inn, where Mizuki harassed Konan before Iruka stopped him. The next morning, Nagato killed Mizuki and turned his corpse into a temporary Human Path Pain as he and Konan prepared to find two more substitutes.

  • Nagato and Konan found that only one room remained at the inn, but Mizuki claimed it for himself despite Iruka's objections.
  • Mizuki tried to touch Konan, but Iruka stopped him and apologized to her on his brother's behalf.
  • At dawn, Deva Path Pain ambushed Mizuki in the forest and pierced his heart with a Black Rod.
  • Nagato and Konan arrived, and Nagato said they needed to increase the number of Pains for their next operation.
  • Nagato used Mizuki's body as a temporary Human Path Pain and asked Konan to help find two more substitutes.

Ch. 17Turbulent Undercurrents!

Konan killed Dingmao after he assassinated a Hidden Sand Village ninja and stole documents tied to the Fourth Hokage, while Nagato prepared to use the rain to perceive Konoha. As Minato investigated Iruka’s report that Mizuki was missing, Itachi sensed something strange in the rain and an ominous figure appeared in the Uchiha compound.

  • Dingmao of Root killed a Hidden Sand Village ninja, took the Fourth Hokage’s documents, and prepared to destroy the body.
  • Konan ambushed Dingmao and killed him, while Nagato identified the two corpses as temporary vessels for his Preta Path and Naraka Path.
  • Minato looked after pregnant Kushina at home until Iruka arrived, worried because Mizuki had not returned to the village.
  • Nagato used Rain Tiger at Will Technique to control the rain and sense everything it touched across Konoha.
  • Itachi watched the rain with unease while his mother called him inside, and he resolved to protect her and Sasuke.
  • A black vortex brought an ominous figure into the Uchiha compound, where he looked up at the rain with his Sharingan.

Ch. 18Break into Konoha!

Nagato launched an invasion of Konoha using the Six Paths of Pain, while Kakashi and Might Guy pursued one intruder and Minato prepared to respond. The chapter ended when Uchiha Obito confronted Pain Rin and asked whether she was Nagato and what she intended in Konoha.

  • Nagato and Konan chose to begin the assault during the rain, and the Six Paths of Pain entered Konoha and split up to cause disturbances.
  • Kakashi detected multiple intruder scents and ordered the other ninja to spread out while he pursued one intruder alone.
  • Might Guy joined Kakashi, urging him to act alongside his friend as they ran after the intruder.
  • Minato learned that multiple intruders might be inside Konoha, left Iruka to guard Kushina and her unborn baby, and headed out.
  • Pain Rin sensed Kakashi and Guy approaching and considered calling on the Asura Path for help.
  • Uchiha Obito appeared before Pain Rin and asked whether she was Nagato and why she had entered Konoha.

Ch. 19Hair-Raising Terror!

Nagato rejected Obito’s attempt to control his actions, and the Six Paths of Pain began fighting Kakashi and Might Guy in Konoha. Kakashi wounded Pain Rin but stopped short of killing her, then recognized the face beneath her mask and was overcome with terror.

  • Nagato told Obito that Konoha’s destruction of his home gave him reason to act as he pleased before their planned alliance, while Konan stood by him.
  • Obito accepted Nagato’s defiance and vanished as Kakashi and Might Guy arrived; the two split up to pursue Pain Rin and the Asura Path.
  • Might Guy opened the Gate of Pain and attacked the Asura Path, which countered with Iron Sand and a barrage of missiles that engulfed him in explosions.
  • Kakashi chased Pain Rin and pierced her shoulder with Chidori, deliberately avoiding her vital organs and urging her to surrender.
  • Pain Rin’s mask fell away, revealing her face to Kakashi; he recognized her and screamed in terror.

Ch. 20Worthy of...

Pain Rin defeated Kakashi, while Might Guy battled the Asura Path through Konoha’s southern district and protected a child from falling debris. As the Asura Path withdrew and Obito left with Kakashi, Shikaku Nara confronted an invader in the rain-soaked northern district.

  • Pain Rin struck Kakashi, summoned the Yata Crow, and left him unconscious without taking his Sharingan.
  • The Yata Crow spotted Might Guy’s attack, allowing the Asura Path to counter with a head laser, and Obito found Kakashi and carried him away.
  • Might Guy opened the Sixth Gate and clashed with the Asura Path’s anti-aircraft cannon, while their attacks devastated nearby houses.
  • Might Guy tried to save a child from a collapsing wall, but Iron Sand propped up the debris; after the battle’s firepower ceased, the Asura Path vanished.
  • Obito left Konoha, and the medical team confirmed Kakashi was not in mortal danger.
  • In the northern district, Shikaku Nara emerged from a utility-pole shadow and identified a rain-walking figure as an invader.

Ch. 21What Was Coming Had Come...

Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza confronted a mysterious enemy who absorbed their techniques and escaped, prompting suspicion that he was a puppet. After the enemy stole the Scroll of Seals, Minato arrived to stop him as Nagato watched from outside Konoha.

  • Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza attacked the mysterious man, but Inoichi's Mind Body Switch Technique failed and the man absorbed Shikaku's Shadow Binding Technique.
  • The man drained Choza's stored calories, kicked him away, and escaped into a dark alley; Shikaku told Choza not to pursue him.
  • Shikaku and Inoichi suspected the enemy was a puppet and sent a report about his abilities to Hiruzen and Minato.
  • Hiruzen ordered Minato to capture the invaders alive, and Minato hurried to the warehouse after a Chunin reported that the Scroll of Seals had been stolen.
  • Minato confronted the man leaving the warehouse with the Scroll of Seals while Nagato watched from a mountain outside Konoha.

Ch. 22Can Those Who Should Leave Really Get Away?

Minato confronted the Human Path, whom he believed to be Mizuki, and stopped Pain from taking the Scroll of Seals, though the Yata Crow escaped with several pages. The Human Path self-destructed to conceal Pain’s secrets, leaving Minato grieving for his companion and preparing to pursue the retreating enemy.

  • Minato recognized the Human Path as Mizuki and suspected he was Sasori, then attacked him with a Rasengan.
  • The Human Path tried to pull Minato’s soul through touch, but Minato escaped using Flying Thunder God and discovered the enemy’s ability required contact.
  • The Yata Crow carried the Scroll of Seals into the air, but Minato retrieved the scroll after the crow tore away several pages from its final volume.
  • Minato chose to confront the Human Path rather than pursue Pain Rin, and the Human Path detonated the Explosive Tags on his body.
  • Minato escaped the explosion, mourned the destruction of Mizuki’s body, and began a Summoning Technique as the Yata Crow fled.

Ch. 23Minato, Pain Rin, Attack and Defense Battle!

Minato and Bunta pursued Pain Rin as she fled Konoha with a fragment of the Scroll of Seals, battling her summons and explosive attacks. Pain Rin crashed near the village wall, where Minato confronted her and struck toward her mask with a Rasengan, but the result shocked him.

  • Minato summoned Bunta to help catch Pain Rin and recover the stolen final section of the Scroll of Seals.
  • Pain Rin used a Hellhound and a Hell Crab to attack Bunta, but he defeated both summons with his strength and Water Gun.
  • Pain Rin's Yata Crow fired explosive eggs at Bunta, and Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to move them clear of the blast.
  • Bunta dodged the bombs, then hurled his blade through the Yata Crow, forcing Pain Rin to fall beside Konoha's wall while clutching the Scroll fragment.
  • Minato confronted the wounded Pain Rin and charged with a Rasengan to reveal the face beneath her mask, but something startled him.

Ch. 24Glad to Meet You...

Minato failed to stop the masked girl from taking the Scroll of Seals fragment, while Nagato and Konan escaped with it and continued their attack on Konoha. The Deva Path located Uchiha Itachi, and the chapter ended with him greeting the boy in the rain.

  • Minato realized the masked opponent had vanished through a summoning-like technique and rushed toward the fighting elsewhere in Konoha.
  • Nagato explained that he had used Breakpoint Resumption to rescue Pain Rin and recover the Scroll of Seals fragment, then planned for the Naraka Path and Deva Path to close in.
  • The Naraka Path infiltrated the Uchiha compound, used genjutsu to learn that Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Fugaku were absent, and escaped toward the shrine as Uchiha Yashiro's group confronted him.
  • The Deva Path found Uchiha Itachi and greeted him beneath the rain-soaked eaves.

Ch. 25Itachi, Do You Want...

At the Uchiha compound, four-year-old Itachi offered himself as a hostage to protect his family, but Deva Path Pain secretly collected his blood and revealed that he knew about the unborn Sasuke. He left Itachi fearing what he would do to the child.

  • Itachi deduced that Deva Path had come for Fugaku and offered to become his hostage if Deva Path spared his family.
  • Deva Path entered the dark living room and reflected on Itachi's later choices to massacre his clan and manipulate Sasuke.
  • Deva Path cut Itachi's forearm, collected his blood, and told him to bandage the wound himself.
  • Deva Path said Itachi was not Fugaku's only son and asked whether he wanted him to take care of unborn Sasuke.
  • Itachi widened his eyes in alarm as lightning illuminated Deva Path's chilling smile.
Arc 1 of 8