Aboveground.
Konan looked around. "Jiraiya's presence has disappeared."
The Deva Path said coldly, "I know where he is. They're hiding underground nearby, plotting something..."
Konan asked, "Why aren't you going to catch him?"
"Heh..." The Deva Path chuckled. "There's no need. Let him resist. He's never experienced despair, so he understands nothing. All he does is spout arrogant nonsense..."
"I'll make Jiraiya-sensei understand once and for all that unrealistic dreams and naive talk mean nothing in the face of absolute power..."
Konan: "..."
A few minutes later.
Rhythmic frog calls suddenly rose from underground.
"Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit..."
"Hm? This is..." Pain and Konan looked toward the sound, only to see Jiraiya leap out of the ground into the air, the toads on his shoulders puffing out their cheeks and croaking away.
"Ugh!"
Konan sensed something was wrong and hurriedly warned him, "This sound can immobilize us. It must be genjutsu! The immobilizing effect is getting stronger. We need to shut them up now!"
"I understand!"
The Six Paths of Pain leaped forward, brandishing black rods as they charged at Jiraiya in midair.
"Not even using your abilities? You're underestimating me!" Jiraiya rapidly formed hand seals, puffed out his cheeks, and spat out raging flames. "Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
As the fireball approached, the Preta Path rushed to the front of the group and absorbed the entire fireball into his body.
"It's over. Little tricks won't work! Sensei..."
The Deva Path reached Jiraiya first. With a powerful swing of his arm, he drove a black rod straight into Jiraiya's abdomen.
"Ugh..."
Jiraiya first groaned in pain, but then a faint, triumphant smile actually appeared on his lips.
Poof! A cloud of white smoke appeared. Only then did the Deva Path realize that the target he had attacked was merely