Nagato Enters the Fray

Itachi turned, his Mangekyō Sharingan locking onto Obito.

"All Six Paths of Pain are out of action, and the Temple has the other Akatsuki Organization members pinned down. Do you still think you can turn this around?"

"The battle isn't over yet."

Obito looked up at the dark sky.

"Help has arrived to deal with Ren."

Itachi followed his gaze.

A figure was plummeting through the thick storm clouds.

The figure fell so fast that he pierced the clouds in the blink of an eye.

Rain was forced aside, leaving a straight trail through the downpour. The surrounding air shrieked with the force of his descent.

"That's..."

In the distance, Kasumi Uchiha looked up, and her expression changed sharply.

"Someone's falling from the sky!"

The Temple Squad Members stopped what they were doing.

On the other side, Kakuzu, Sasori, and Kisame looked up as well.

The Temple Squad Members had been driving them back, but now they felt pressure from the falling figure that far surpassed Kage Level.

Sasori sent Hiruko several steps backward, its metal tail spike plunging deep into the ground.

"That Chakra..."

Kisame hoisted Samehada onto his shoulder, his smile vanishing completely.

"It's stronger than the Six Paths of Pain were."

"It's Nagato."

Obito's voice carried through the rain.

"He's come himself."

As he spoke, the figure reached the air above the battlefield.

It was a red-haired man.

He wore a black robe patterned with red clouds. He stood tall on two sound legs, nothing like the gaunt figure in the wheelchair.

Nagato let his hands hang at his sides, his purple Rinnegan surveying the battlefield below.

On the ground, the six Pains lay amid mud and rubble, most of their black Chakra Receivers broken.

Nagato's gaze passed over the puppets and settled on Ren.

"Uchiha Ren."