Thank you to our new Patrons: DeathClan1980, Leroy, Drake Blazer, Mridk, Jose, Destin Woods, Isaiah, Soren Britt, AbsoluteZero and Oprea Andrei George! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 790: Progress in Detoxification – The Soul Pearl on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! It's called 'Douluo: Martial Soul White Tiger, I Am the White Emperor of Heaven!' As always, Patrons will have unrestricted access to all of my stories including futures ones!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
This battle was a life-or-death struggle with no room for retreat, so the Six Paths of Pain didn't hold back from the very beginning.
"Summoning Technique! Boom! Boom! Boom! ——"
Kisame Hoshigaki's body had been modified into the Animal Path. With a press of his hands, thick plumes of smoke erupted in succession.
Giant Drill-Beaked Bird, Giant Rhino, Giant Centipede, Giant Multi-Headed Dog…
All the summoned beasts were extraordinarily large. Though they couldn't compare to the colossal summons of the Sannin, they were still terrifying. Moreover, these summoning beasts shared common traits—black rods and Rinnegan eyes.
Though it was expected, the deep-rooted primal fear of giant creatures still caused many of the present jonin to tremble.
"Calm down! Stick to the plan!"
Kakashi's calm voice rang out, causing some of the shaken ninjas to feel a pang of shame. However, they quickly adjusted their composure.
When it came to observational abilities in the ninja world, the Byakugan was unrivaled.
Due to the recent power shift in Konoha, Hyuga Hiashi realized that if the Hyuga clan failed to demonstrate its value to the newly appointed Hokage, they might fade into obscurity in the ninja world.
Thus, in this battle, Hiashi set aside the outdated and restrictive rules of the main house and decided to personally join the front lines.
"Byakugan!"
Before the battle began, Kakashi had already distributed intelligence about the Six Paths of Pain. Among this information, details about one particular summoning beast were especially critical.
Upon spotting the stealthy summon lurking in the shadows, ready to strike, Hiashi frowned. He hadn't expected such an eerie invisible summon to actually exist.
"Target locked. Relay the intel from my mind."
As Hiashi spoke, a Yamanaka clan ninja standing beside him placed a hand on his shoulder and formed a single-handed seal.
Though they couldn't fully share Hiashi's 360-degree field of vision, they now understood the strengths and weaknesses of the enemies present.
Due to special circumstances, the current heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio weren't at the front lines. Instead, an elite squad composed of other talented clan members had come to assist.
Unlike those teams where veterans led rookies, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio truly excelled in mutual support.
"Ninja Art: Super Size Technique!!!"
In an instant, several towering giants appeared on the battlefield, wielding massive weapons and clashing with the summoned beasts.
"Ninja Art: Shadow Bind Technique!!!"
The coordination between the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was a lifelong mutual understanding. The moment the giants restrained the summoned beasts, a Nara jonin bound them in place with shadow techniques, rendering them immobile.
Contrary to what some might assume, the "pig" in the Ino-Shika-Cho trio didn't refer to the rotund Akimichi clan but rather the Yamanaka clan. This nickname wasn't due to any perceived foolishness or gluttony—it was also a tactic to confuse enemies unfamiliar with the Ino-Shika-Cho dynamic.
{T/N: 'Ino' means 'pig' or 'boar'}
In terms of raw ability, the Yamanaka clan's Mind Transfer Technique and memory extraction jutsu were among the most bizarre, which also meant these techniques had a high learning threshold.
Though the Yamanaka clan lacked the brute strength of the Akimichi or the genius-level intellect of the Nara, they excelled in mastering intricate jutsu.
"Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique."
A stubborn Yamanaka Jonin attempted to take control of one of the bound summoned beasts, only to confirm what the intelligence had stated—the summoned beasts were merely puppets under someone else's control. The Mind Body Switch Technique was useless.
"Fool! Stick to the plan and don't act on your own!"
The leader of the Yamanaka contingent scolded the young ninja harshly, though his hands moved swiftly without pause.
"Sealing Technique: Four-Limbs Heavy Seal!"
The same commands echoed repeatedly as the massive summoned beasts were instantly sealed in place by this specialized technique designed to immobilize physically powerful foes.
This seamless teamwork took less than ten seconds. The once-fearsome army of summoned beasts was rendered completely incapacitated.
From the shadows, Nagato Uzumaki furrowed his brow. Though he hadn't anticipated his intelligence being leaked, the rapid neutralization of one of his major forces felt suspiciously odd.
But with the battle underway, Nagato had little time to dwell on it.
The Six Paths of Pain were now all engaged.
The strongest, Deva Path, was naturally tied up with Kakashi, the strongest fighter. Ordinary ninjas stood no chance against him without effective countermeasures.
The Asura Path was pitted against Uchiha Fugaku. Its futuristic attacks were too much for regular shinobi to handle.
The Naraka Path and Preta Path faced off against Hyuga Hiashi and Might Guy, who had now freed themselves from their previous engagements.
The Human Path was left to the experienced perennial genin Maruboshi Kosuke.
The Animal Path…
It had been taken out almost immediately after summoning the beasts. The summoning technique required large, conspicuous movements, leaving it vulnerable to attack without any chance to retaliate.
Fortunately, the Six Paths of Pain were merely puppets controlled by Nagato. Even though the Animal Path was disabled, as long as Nagato maintained the summoning technique, the connection wouldn't break.
However, the summoned beasts were now entirely incapacitated.
Nagato's expression darkened. These beasts were no longer reliable.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
As the summoning technique was dispelled, the beasts officially retreated. Unless Nagato emerged victorious, there would be no time to address their issues.
"Don't underestimate me, Konoha!"
With the loss of the relatively insignificant Animal Path, the remaining five Paths of Pain became even swifter and more agile.
The remaining Paths stayed close together, resulting in intense combat concentrated in a small area. Ordinary Konoha Jonin couldn't even approach.
Seeing that the enemy matched the intelligence he had received, Kakashi immediately issued an order.
"Guy!"
Might Guy, still locked in close combat with the Preta Path, grinned widely, revealing his signature gleaming white teeth. He then leapt backward, giving a thumbs-up.
"Leave it to me, Kakashi! Now is the time for the flames of youth to burn brightest!
Eight Gates: Gate of Wonder—Open!!!"
A surge of chakra rippled through the air. The previously somewhat comical Guy now turned crimson, emitting blue steam from his body.
From the shadows, Nagato instinctively sensed something ominous.
During the earlier skirmishes, the Konoha shinobi seemed to have figured out the Preta Path's abilities and avoided using chakra-based ninjutsu. Aside from Uchiha Fugaku maintaining Susanoo while restraining the Asura Path, the rest relied primarily on taijutsu.
"Behold! This is a rare super finishing move!"
Fully prepared, Guy spoke in a low tone as he formed hand seals.
"Daytime Tiger!!!"
A ferocious white tiger materialized and surged toward the Preta Path, which was still locked in combat with Hyuga Hiashi.
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow