"As I've gotten older, my strength has really declined considerably."
"Stop!"
"Finish them off with long-range Ninjutsu!"
"Yes, Lord Third Hokage!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately brought out his trump card.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Four Shadow Clones instantly appeared around him.
Together with his original body, they simultaneously began performing Ninjutsu of the five basic nature transformations!
"Five-Element Great Bombardment!"
Suddenly, five enormous dragons representing Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth emerged.
They roared and twisted through the air, baring their fangs and claws as they charged violently toward the gigantic centipede-like Mukade!
The colossal creature was struck head-on.
Its body writhed and convulsed violently under the tremendous barrage.
It couldn't withstand the overwhelming damage.
Before it could even release the entity it had summoned, its enormous body was completely reduced to ash and dust.
"As expected of the Third Hokage!"
"We understand!"
Hiruzen's expression remained extremely serious as he stared at the distant battlefield, where smoke and flames continued to spread.
"Don't let your guard down!"
"The enemy is the leader of the Akatsuki. We must fight with everything we have to protect Konoha!"
"Yes, Lord Third Hokage!"
Hiruzen immediately led the assembled ninjas toward another battlefield.
However, just as they were preparing to launch their attack, Yatagarasu appeared in the sky.
The enormous bird continuously dropped Chakra bombs, indiscriminately bombing the battlefield below.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Projectile!"
Three enormous fire dragons twisted through the air and shot toward Yatagarasu.
But suddenly, a figure descended from the sky and charged straight through the flames with both hands raised.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Hiruzen's powerful Fire Release Ninjutsu vanished directly into his hands.
His palm was like a black hole, swallowing the flames completely.
"Hm?!"
Hiruzen's eyes widened.
"Did he actually swallow my Ninjutsu?"
"Is that his special ability?"
To confirm his suspicion, Hiruzen immediately unleashed an even more powerful barrage.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Projectile!"
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Combination Ninjutsu: Earth-Style Flame Stream!"
A fire dragon and an earth dragon descended simultaneously, launching massive Chakra attacks that merged the two elemental natures.
Yet when they struck Pain, they were completely swallowed and absorbed, disappearing without a trace.
"What kind of ability is that?!"
Several ANBU couldn't help staring in astonishment.
Cold sweat appeared on Hiruzen's forehead.
"It seems he'll be able to absorb any Ninjutsu..."
"Then let's settle this with Taijutsu!"
Hiruzen suddenly swung his staff.
The staff, which had grown as long and hard as diamond, smashed violently toward the Preta Path.
The Preta Path wasn't particularly skilled in Taijutsu.
Although he could absorb Chakra during close combat, Hiruzen's long-range attacks with his staff caught him off guard.
He was forced to retreat temporarily.
BOOM!
The staff slammed into the ground, sending debris flying.
The Preta Path had dodged to the side at the last moment and avoided serious injury.
But Hiruzen immediately understood its weakness.
"Taijutsu really is effective!"
"However, since it can absorb Chakra and Ninjutsu, don't approach it recklessly!"
"Use long-range thrown weapons to support my attacks!"
"Yes, Lord Third Hokage!"
The Preta Path frowned.
"As expected of the former Hokage. He's really not easy to deal with..."
However, at that moment, Yatagarasu seemed to be coordinating with the Preta Path.
The giant bird continuously launched Chakra bombs at the ninjas behind Hiruzen.
Explosions erupted one after another, and flames spread across the battlefield, devastating the Konoha forces.
Hiruzen glanced behind him.
"Hm?"
"It seems to be capable of coordinating with the creatures it summoned."
"Could it be that the bird's eyes have also been transformed into the Rinnegan?"
"Then all of Pain's bodies and the summoned creatures can probably share information with one another..."
"What a troublesome opponent."
Hiruzen tightened his grip on his diamond-hard staff.
"But..."
He glanced at the flying bird before turning his attention back toward the enemy in front of him.
"We have no choice but to fight!"
Yatagarasu was extremely difficult to deal with because very few ninjas in the world could fly.
In Iwagakure, the Ōnoki family could fly using Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique.
In Sunagakure, Gaara's lineage could also fly by manipulating magnetic forces, gold dust, and sand.
But Konoha had very few ninjas capable of flight.
Sai could fly using the birds from his Super Beast Scroll, but he was currently away on a mission with Captain Yamato, Karin, Might Guy, and Team Guy members Rock Lee, Neji Hyuga, and Tenten.
They were in the Land of Water, protecting the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, who was now under the protection of the newly appointed Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi.
At that moment, the first person who came to Hiruzen's mind was naturally...
Uzumaki Naruto!
After developing his Wind Release Chakra Mode, Naruto could use the wind to create wings and fly freely.
Unfortunately, he was currently training at Mount Myōboku.
Moreover, whether Naruto should even be recalled was something that needed careful consideration.
After all, he was already the primary target of the Akatsuki.
At that very moment, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, Fū, was also being closely guarded by ANBU.
"Damn it!"
"Let me out! I can deal with that stupid bird!"
The ANBU immediately stopped her.
"Calm down, Fū!"
"You're already a target of the Akatsuki. The moment you reveal yourself, they'll discover you, and things will become even more dangerous!"
Fū understood what they were saying.
But seeing the entire village of Konoha in crisis while being unable to do anything still made her extremely anxious.
During this period, Naruto and everyone else had treated her like a true friend.
Even the Hokage had allowed her to join Naruto's team and train together with everyone else.
For a girl who had always longed for friendship, this warmth was something she had never experienced before.
She had long regarded Konoha as her second home.
And now...
Her home was being destroyed.
Yet there was nothing she could do.
BANG!
Fū suddenly punched the wall, her entire body trembling with frustration.
"Naruto..."
"If you were here, what would you do?"
At the same time, another ninja capable of flight was moving through Konoha.
Only the upper half of her body was visible.
Behind her were enormous wings made entirely from countless sheets of origami.
With her calm expression and pure white wings, she looked almost like an angel descending from the heavens.
But what she was doing at that moment was more like the work of a demon from hell.
Origami sheets fluttered and danced around her, creating a magnificent and dazzling sight.
Yet those beautiful pieces of paper suddenly wrapped around a Konoha ninja, completely covering his body like a mummy and making it impossible for him to breathe.
Konan transformed the origami into a spear and held its tip against the ninja's throat, ready to strike at any moment.
"Where is Uzumaki Naruto?" she asked coldly.
The origami covering the ninja's mouth temporarily loosened.
He immediately gasped for air.
"Cough... cough... cough..."
"I... I will never betray my comrades..."
"Kill me!"
He shouted those words with what little strength he had left.
Konan remained expressionless.
"As you wish."
The origami spear in her hand was about to pierce his throat.
Suddenly, a sharp female voice came from behind her.
"Where did this troublemaker come from, daring to cause trouble in Konoha?!"
Then came the sound of a dog barking.
Konan turned around.
A fierce-looking female ninja with distinctive markings on her face stood there, accompanied by a huge ninja hound.
Several men wearing sunglasses stood nearby as well.
Countless Kikaichū swarmed toward Konan like a violent whirlwind.
"The Inuzuka Clan and the Aburame Clan?"
Konan was forced to temporarily abandon the captured ninja.
She immediately flew upward, avoiding the swarm of Kikaichū rushing toward her.
"Don't think you can escape."
Aburame Shibi's voice was deep and calm.
He was a man of few words with a stern demeanor.
He suddenly raised both hands.
Even more Kikaichū rose into the sky and rapidly pursued Konan.
The insects quickly surrounded her body.
However, despite completely enveloping her, they couldn't actually harm her.
"Hm?"
Shibi narrowed his eyes.
"She doesn't seem to have a normal physical body."
"It looks like she's made entirely from origami..."
"Is this her special ability?"
Konan suddenly released her Chakra.
The outer layer of origami immediately separated, sending all the Kikaichū surrounding her flying away.
High in the sky, Konan looked down at the ninjas from the two secretive clans.
Her expression remained calm.
"I am an angel sent by God."
"I have come to capture the Nine-Tailed Beast."
________________________________________
⚡ Enjoying the story? Don't stop here!
The adventure continues on Patreon:
👉 patreon.com/Obito_uchiha
🔥 Read up to 50 chapters ahead
📚 Get access to 20+ fanfics with a single membership
Be among the first to experience new chapters weeks before they're released publicly.
Join today and start reading ahead!