The light inside the water sphere warped into an eerie blue-green.
Naruto panted heavily, his right hand instinctively reaching for his waist. The encrypted communicator was hidden in the inner compartment of his ninja tool pouch. If he could contact Konoha's Root base and order them to attack the Land of Rain while they had the chance, Pain would have no choice but to retreat.
The moment his fingers touched the edge of the communicator, a piercing burst of static crackled through his earpiece.
"Bzzzt—"
Naruto's heart sank.
The signal had been cut off.
"Damn it." He gritted his teeth and pressed the switch several times, but the screen showed nothing but static.
This place was too far from Konoha, across vast seas. It had clearly exceeded the communicator's transmission range. Pain had not chosen this location by coincidence; he had calculated it.
"Are you satisfied now?"
Deva Path Pain's voice came from above.
Naruto abruptly looked up. The Deva Path floated in the water, his Rinnegan staring coldly down at him.
"Those mechanical troops of yours can't save you." The Deva Path raised a hand. "Here, you are alone."
"Banshō Ten'in."
A powerful attraction erupted once more. Naruto's body flew uncontrollably toward the Deva Path as the water spun wildly around him, forming a transparent vortex.
"Commissar!"
More than a dozen figures suddenly broke through the outer edge of the water sphere.
Rock Lee charged at the front, his skin glowing red and the veins on his forehead bulging. The fifth gate, the Gate of Limit, was open. Lee moved at a terrifying speed, leaving a white trail of bubbles through the water as he shot straight at Preta Path Pain.
"We're here!"
Lee's fist slammed into the Preta Path's chest with a dull impact. The Preta Path flew