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Among the three major combat abilities of ninjas—ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu—taijutsu had long been considered the most useless in the early stages. Only low-tier shinobi would rely on it.
But Might Guy's appearance shattered this perception.
Facing Might Guy, who had instantly obliterated two of his Paths of Pain, Nagato Uzumaki didn't dare to be careless. He immediately unleashed the Asura Path's ultimate ability as a counterattack.
Accompanied by an eerie wriggling motion, the Asura Path transformed from its normal human form into a six-armed Asura clad in mechanized armor.
Though it appeared to be the result of body modifications, this was actually a special summoning technique mediated by the Rinnegan.
Might Guy, having opened the seventh gate, possessed combat power that ranked among the upper echelons of Kage-level fighters. A single Leaf Strong Whirlwind carried enough force to kick apart an entire mountain peak. Yet, despite the ferocity of this attack, the Asura Path withstood it head-on.
"What?!"
Seeing the Asura Path withstand his assault while the ground beneath it was riddled with dense cracks, Guy didn't dare to let his guard down. He quickly created distance between them.
After all, intelligence wasn't static. Having witnessed the bizarre and overwhelming strength of the Six Paths of Pain, even someone as thick-skinned as Guy knew better than to underestimate his opponent.
But Nagato wouldn't let this opportunity slip away.
One of the Asura Path's arms, accompanied by chains, shot out and grabbed onto Guy's right leg.
Might Guy, who had risen to jonin rank purely through taijutsu, possessed unparalleled physical reflexes.
Guy kicked out, deflecting the arm attempting to seize him. But the Asura Path's six arms weren't just for show—they fired out in rapid succession. After a dazzling display of maneuvers, Guy was eventually caught off-guard.
"Damn it!"
Realizing the Asura Path was determined to restrain him, Guy abandoned the idea of retreating and decided to engage it head-on.
"Don't underestimate me! I am the proud Blue Beast of Konoha! Let my youth burn brightly!"
Though the Eight Gates Technique was immensely powerful, it was a short-term explosive forbidden technique. Even Guy's body couldn't sustain such violent attacks consecutively.
But even without unleashing those devastating techniques, Guy's basic attacks in his current state were still terrifying.
And—
His destined opponent had entrusted him with this critical task out of full trust. How could he possibly back down here?
As long as he held out, his comrades would soon come to support him.
With unwavering resolve, Guy engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the Asura Path.
Nagato's eyes gleamed with focus. He could sense that beneath this seemingly rugged man lay a surprisingly delicate heart. But Nagato also wanted to say one thing—
"Don't underestimate me."
As the number of Paths under his control decreased, Nagato's precision in operating them increased.
Though Hanzō of the Salamander's title of "Semi-God" was somewhat exaggerated, after Nagato awakened, he had decisively defeated him in direct combat.
To be honest, though Guy's earlier attacks lacked the overwhelming spectacle of his previous two strikes, they still left the Asura Path's body reeling. At this point, engaging in close combat was no longer viable—otherwise, the Asura Path would be rendered useless in just a few moves.
However, the Asura Path's strengths didn't lie solely in melee combat.
As the Asura Path moved, more and more chains wrapped around Guy's body. Eventually, they completely restricted his movements.
"What?!"
Before Guy could marvel at the Asura Path's skill, one of its arms shifted forms.
"Asura Path: Asura Assault!"
The Asura Path's forearm transformed into a cannon barrel, spinning rapidly as ominous waves of light began to gather—it was a laser cannon.
"Quite the troublesome weapon."
Kakashi, currently locked in battle with the Human Path, stole a glance at the Asura Path's fight during a brief lull. He gave an honest evaluation but showed no trace of worry in his eyes.
Ninja work was never about individual heroics.
"Ninja Art: Shadow Imitation Technique!"
The Asura Path's aim shifted slightly, causing its lethal attack to deviate from its original trajectory, merely piercing through some distant buildings.
Among the seven elemental jutsu systems, Yin Release-derived techniques were the most bizarre and illogical. The Nara clan's shadow techniques, in particular, were infamous for their effectiveness.
Shadows, derived from natural phenomena, could influence reality. In terms of sheer strangeness, they rivaled even the Mangekyō Sharingan, another product of Yin Release.
Unfortunately, the family wielding these techniques was notoriously laid-back, yet absurdly intelligent. Was there anything more infuriating than that?
Tsk!
Nagato clicked his tongue inwardly, almost forgetting about these "ants."
Glancing at the two Paths restraining Guy and Kakashi, a dangerous glint flashed in Nagato's eyes.
"It's time for you Konoha shinobi to pay the price."
Unbeknownst to anyone, the Deva Path, which had vanished earlier, now appeared beside a group of supporting jonin.
Danger!
But every jonin was a battle-hardened elite. Almost instinctively, they unleashed their signature offensive techniques, launching attacks at the Deva Path.
"Foolish—
Shinra Tensei!!!"
A shockwave as powerful as a missile erupted. Faced with such brutal yet overwhelmingly strong force, even jonin couldn't escape unscathed. They were sent flying.
Forces acted reciprocally. Being knocked back alone might not have been fatal for Konoha's jonin, given their resilience. But this was Amegakure—a densely packed village with solid walls behind them. The collision resulted in widespread casualties, and weaker individuals perished instantly under the assault.
"Retreat! This monster is beyond our capabilities. Create distance—don't burden the elite jonin!"
A jonin struggled to his feet and began leading his comrades away.
Though Konoha shinobi valued sacrifice, they wouldn't make meaningless sacrifices. The Deva Path's combat prowess had been clearly marked before the battle—it was no ordinary jonin-level opponent.
But alongside its strengths, the Deva Path's weaknesses had also been noted.
"Now! Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A massive water dragon roared to life, charging straight at the Deva Path.
In that moment, only two words flashed through Nagato's mind: "This is bad." The Deva Path was already sent flying.
As the representative of the Heavenly Realm among the Six Paths of Pain, the Deva Path was undoubtedly the strongest. But no ability was without limitations.
Shinra Tensei's weakness: a five-second cooldown after activation.
And those mere five seconds became the Deva Path's fatal flaw.
Maruboshi Kosuke, who had been remotely restraining the Human Path, had gone underground the moment Kakashi took over the fight, patiently waiting for this very opportunity.
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