After successfully completing the mission to capture the Six-Tails, the three returned to the Akatsuki.
This mission had meant a great deal to Yahiko.
It had been his first real battle since gaining Pero's godlike power.
It had also been his first time crushing everyone in an instant with overwhelming force.
When he had blasted the Water Release unleashed by over a hundred Mist Ninja into vapor with a single barehanded punch, crushing elite ninja he had once struggled against like ants.
An unprecedented sense of pride and satisfaction had erupted within him.
He was no longer weak.
He now had the ability to realize the ideals he had once held.
Although he was nominally the founder and leader of the Akatsuki.
He had been too weak to take control of the entire organization, leaving Nagato and Konan to step in.
Now he felt capable. He could do it again.
With that inflated sense of confidence, Yahiko wandered around the Akatsuki, like an old dog surveying his territory.
He passed the training ground and spotted a figure sitting cross-legged on the grass in the distance, his head hanging dejectedly.
His Akatsuki cloak was in tatters, exposing his body, which was composed of White Zetsu and Hashirama's cells and covered in dust and dirt.
He looked utterly bedraggled.
"Yo, Obito. Just finished getting thrashed by Kakuzu?" Yahiko walked over, a barely perceptible hint of superiority in his voice.
Obito looked up and saw Yahiko. He sighed, flopping backward onto the grass with his limbs spread as he stared at Amegakure's perpetually gray sky.
"Don't even mention it. I feel like I'm completely useless now," Obito said, a hint of dejection in his voice.
"Rin's so strong now. It's laughable that I even said I'd protect her. Now I can barely even see her back anymore."
Obito paused, sounding even more frustrated. "Even that old miser Kakuzu keeps praising Rin's strength every day, and he never forgets to mock me. Says if I don't work harder, I'll end up carrying her shoes. Isn't that infuriating?" Obito punched the grass in frustration.
A flicker of recollection crossed Yahiko's eyes as he listened to Obito's complaints.
Yeah. If it weren't for Pero, what would I amount to now?
Yahiko unconsciously clenched his hand.
"I was the same just a few days ago." He took a deep breath and slowly continued, "But Pero... he gave me new power."
"Uncle Pero?!" Obito sat straight up, his eyes filled with envy. "I'm so jealous. If only I could get power like that. Then I could still protect Rin."
He put both hands behind his head and lay back down.
"But come to think of it..." Obito turned to Yahiko curiously. "Now that you've gained new power, just how strong are you?"
"Are you stronger than Uncle Kakuzu? Stronger than Konan? What about Nagato?"
The barrage of questions caught Yahiko off guard. In his inflated confidence, he instinctively wanted to say "of course," but swallowed the words before they left his mouth.
He only felt that he had grown stronger, but had no clear idea of exactly how strong he was.
"Them? They..." Yahiko sat beside Obito, propping his chin on his hand as they gazed at the sky together.
He answered vaguely, "Nagato has the Rinnegan, so he's already very strong. As for Konan... her strength is somewhat tied to her finances, but her main battlefield these days is the office."
"After all, Amegakure's leader is still officially that guy called Hanzō, but we all know he's just a body Nagato controls."
Obito pursed his lips, apparently dissatisfied with that answer.
Suddenly, inspiration struck him, as though he had come up with an idea.
He slapped his thigh and sat up.
"I've got an idea!" Obito's eyes gleamed with excitement as he said to Yahiko, "You think you're really strong now, right?"
Yahiko nodded, unsure what he meant.
"Then you can go challenge them!"
"Huh? Me?!" Yahiko pointed at himself.
"Fight them?!"
Obito gave him a thumbs-up, flashing a row of gleaming white teeth as he egged Yahiko on.
"Why not just fight them and find out? If you win, you can take whatever missions you want. Won't it all be up to you?"
Yahiko's eyes immediately lit up.
Right. Why don't I go fight them and see?
Yahiko returned the same thumbs-up.
Yahiko eagerly made his way to the Amekage's office.
"Konan, let's spar!" Yahiko pushed the door open and issued his challenge.
Konan was handling paperwork. At Yahiko's words, she answered coldly without even looking up.
"You came here just for that?"
"I don't have time. Besides, I haven't fought in a long time. My combat instincts can't keep up with you fighters. Find someone else."
Yahiko had been flatly rejected, but he was not discouraged. He simply thought Konan had a point.
He turned and went in search of his next target.
He found Nagato at their former secret base.
Bang.
Once again, Yahiko shoved the door open.
"Nagato! Fight me!"
Nagato slowly opened his eyes, his calm Rinnegan studying Yahiko.
He nodded. "All right."
The two went to the training ground.
The instant the fight began, Yahiko gave a low shout.
Golden chakra flames flared up around Yahiko.
At that moment, he felt brimming with power, as though he could kill three... four cows with one punch!
He charged at Nagato as fast as he could.
Yet Nagato simply stood where he was without even moving, his Rinnegan watching Yahiko rush toward him.
His fingers twitched slightly.
Banshō Ten'in!
An irresistible gravitational force seized Yahiko, instantly dragging him toward Nagato.
Shinra Tensei!
A violent repulsive force erupted from Nagato.
As Banshō Ten'in pulled Yahiko over, Nagato simultaneously used Shinra Tensei, making the attractive and repulsive forces act upon each other.
Yahiko felt as though two meteorites had slammed into him from opposite directions.
He flew backward, smashing through the training ground's wall.
He lay amid the rubble and coughed up a mouthful of blood, the flames around his body slowly receding.
Nagato walked up to Yahiko and looked down at him, saying flatly, "You're being rather naive as you are now."
"You have power, but you don't understand how to use it. You fight exactly the way you did when Master Jiraiya taught you three years ago."
"There's no difference whatsoever."
"You're far too arrogant now. That will only keep you from seeing the gap between yourself and your enemies."
Nagato turned and slowly walked away, but his hand quietly rose to his chest as he struggled to calm himself. That guy doesn't fight fair. He was so fast I almost didn't react in time. Looks like I'll have to ask Pero for one too, or I won't be able to keep him in line in the future.
Yahiko lay amid the rubble, questioning his life.
Meanwhile, Pero was basking in the sun above Amegakure, watching everything unfold.
"Interesting. It looks like these 'Kryptonians' created through the Jinchūriki method can't use the bio-electric field."
He rubbed his chin, mentally noting the discovery.
"In other words, they can't be immune to purely physical attacks like I am."
But there probably isn't anyone in the Shinobi World who can hurt them at the moment. I'll find a way to make up for it later.
Before you continue