Even With Such Power

Shinra Tensei, this power, was not used solely for defense.

With the input of Chakra.

The range and intensity of the repulsive force would also experience a terrifying growth.

At least in the early stages of the ninja world.

This was a seemingly unsolvable technique, and one of the few capable of altering entire topographies, even destroying all of Konoha in one go.

When brought out, it was definitely at a heart-shaking level.

Even Itachi Uchiha, upon sensing that terrifying power descending from the sky, changed his expression slightly and used Earth Release at the very first moment, taking Kisame Hoshigaki to hide deep underground.

Beginning from the center.

The invisible force field destroyed large swathes of forest bit by bit.

Just like casually ruining a painting with a brush, the bald ground appeared jarringly out of place amidst a green map.

The visual effect was quite startling.

However, for Shen Mo, this degree was just a drizzle.

What he found rather interesting was that Nagato actually decided to defeat him.

This was the first person in this world to have such a thought.

Yet it was also understandable.

Given Nagato’s wish, it was impossible to fulfill unless he defeated everyone in this world, because what he wanted was despair; as long as there was any hope of defeating him, the so-called end of war through pain was a joke.

That would only breed more pain and hatred.

Even so.

Shen Mo had no intention of actually stepping out; right now, he felt a bit like a demon king looking at a hero, and he was more curious about how far Nagato could go toward this goal.

After all.

He had to face those increasingly powerful chest openers first—this was a path destined to be unachievable and filled with even greater despair.

At this moment—

Under the might of the Super Almighty Push, the entire terrain had completely changed.

The massive blank patch of ground stood bare within the forest.

If it rained.

A beautiful lake might just be added to this forest.

Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha crawled out from the dirt, looking at such a scene with expressions of shock on their faces.

Too strong.

It was almost comparable to the destructive power of Rasa’s sandstorm that they had witnessed, yet Rasa had obtained his power from that mister, and Pain had caused this level of destruction in just a few short seconds!

This was the strength of the leader of the Akatsuki Organization.

Pain Heavenly Path slowly descended from high in the altitude.

Having executed such a ninjutsu, he still looked as though there were no changes in his expression.

"How is it, this power?"

The tone of Pain Heavenly Path seemed extremely relaxed.

Though in truth, Nagato as the main body was already panting heavily, these two people in front of him could not see that.

"If it were in the past ninja world, perhaps the leader could already be called the strongest of the contemporary era." Itachi Uchiha raised his head to look at Pain Heavenly Path, fell silent for a moment, and then continued, "But now, not necessarily."

"Even with such power?" Pain opened his hands, as if displaying everything around them.

"Even with such power!" Itachi Uchiha added weight to his tone and repeated the exact same words.

Yet the meaning of his words was completely different from Nagato’s.

Kisame Hoshigaki also nodded, saying:

"Leader, although I don’t want to dampen your spirits, it’s hard to imagine the existence of that lord without experiencing it firsthand."

Pain’s move indeed surpassed the skills they had drawn.

Put into the jars, it would surely be an epic purple-tier skill.

However—

What they experienced was not just the skills Nagato saw, but also the knowledge, items, and power from another world, which was enough to represent the truth of Shen Mo’s words.

To that mister.

They were merely fish staying inside a tiny fishbowl; even if they were sharks, what of it?

They would never know what kind of terrifying creatures existed in the true ocean.

Nagato’s fists were already clenched tightly.

He was not stupid.

The attitudes of Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki were enough to show that even such power was still not enough in their eyes.

Although he still possessed Planetary Devastation.

The tier was the same.

Nagato recalled once more the dragon stretching thousands of meters that had once appeared in Sunagakure according to the intelligence reports.

Pressure continued to surge up.

"Let’s go." Nagato ultimately controlled Pain Heavenly Path to say, "Return to headquarters first. For a period of time hereafter, all missions are suspended. I will recall everyone until we gather enough information before discussing further."

Right now, he urgently wanted to consult with Uchiha Madara.

If that man truly was Uchiha Madara.

Then as a legendary figure, perhaps he would have a way.

However, before that.

He needed to keep a close eye on these members of the Akatsuki Organization, including the rest of them; after all, collecting the Tailed Beast still required their strength.

Neither Itachi Uchiha nor Kisame Hoshigaki raised any objections. On the surface, they looked as though they had been shaken by Pain.

In reality.

They merely held their own motives and did not want to leave the Akatsuki Organization.

Meanwhile, high in the altitude.

"Let’s go, we’re heading back too." Shen Mo raised his head to glance at the moon, then smiled at Ikaros, "This truly is a fulfilling day."

Hikari, who had already closed her eyes on his shoulder, half-opened her sleep-filled eyes upon hearing that they were returning, and let out a feeble sound.

"Meow."

It was as if she was urging Shen Mo to hurry up.

She was truly exhausted.

After all, she had spent the entire day resting on Shen Mo’s shoulder, eating small dried fish without any space for activities.

She was almost turning into a mere ornament.

In a flash, Shen Mo brought them back to his small room, then tenderly scooped Hikari up to place her in her own little nest, tucked her in with her small blanket, washed up casually, and fell fast asleep just like that.

Yet during this night.

Across the entire world, countless people lay awake all night.

Various members of the Akatsuki Organization suddenly received urgent messages.

Large and small ninja villages held emergency meetings.

Orochimaru was discussing his next steps.

Even Konoha, serving as the vortex’s center.

Remained brightly lit all the same.

The world had undergone a massive change; it might be an opportunity, or it might be a disaster, but no one could escape it—they could only face it.

By the late hours of the night.

Somewhere in Amegakure, Pain Heavenly Path sat in a high place, gazing down at the village covered by the rain.

He let the rain soak his body.

Konan stood behind him, doing the same.

The two of them coincidentally used no shelter, bathing in the rain just like that to cherish the memory of the same person.

–Yahiko.

"Whenever it’s like this, I feel like the three of us are still together," Nagato murmured while looking at his own hands.

His consciousness, Yahiko’s body, and Konan.

Konan hesitated for a moment.

Still, she said, "The news coming from Konoha is that their Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, seems to have been resurrected."