181-185

Chapter 181: Crows... 

Nagato's brow furrowed, a sense of displeasure settling over him. Orochimaru's stubbornness irritated him, making his grand performance feel foolish. Love that goes unrequited doesn't last... Just like the absence of Orochimaru's pained screams, Nagato felt something was missing. 

Konan watched the sickly Nagato in his wheelchair, turning her head slightly. She couldn't bear to look anymore; she felt tormenting others like this wasn't right. If he was going to kill him, he should just do it. What was the point of prolonging the torment? Especially since... this person was their teacher's comrade. This kind of action made her deeply uncomfortable. 

--- 

"Konan... why did you turn away? Do you think I'm a pervert too?" Konan's slight movement naturally didn't escape Nagato's notice. Nagato instantly felt rejected, which seemed to sting his fragile spirit. Others could act like that, but this was Konan! Irritated, Nagato spoke, his words a little harsh, though not truly his intention. He had just won a major battle and purged his inner circle. He was elated, like he'd downed several jars of fine sake, feeling slightly tipsy. He wasn't paying attention to his words. As the victor, he wanted Konan to be as happy as he was. 

--- 

"Rumble..." 

The massive sphere in the sky let out another thunderous roar, growing almost twice its size again. Its diameter had now reached tens of thousands of meters. 

"Itachi..." Orochimaru, half-dead on the ground, finally spoke, his voice hoarse. The pain he'd endured earlier had rapidly dehydrated him, every muscle in his body clenching against the searing agony. Nagato, who had been looking at Konan, now turned to Orochimaru, who lay there like a dead dog. His voice was soft, yet filled with complex emotions. This made Nagato pause. 

--- 

Other scenes flickered in Nagato's mind... He must have been this sad when Yahiko died, too. At this thought, Nagato suddenly snapped out of it. He no longer wanted to torment this man who had already suffered so much. A black receiver aimed at Orochimaru's heart. 

--- 

"Caw... Caw, caw, caw..." 

Just as the black receiver, like a javelin in Nagato's hand, was about to pierce Orochimaru's heart... a few caws echoed from the sky. This made Nagato pause slightly, a memory vivid in his mind. These crows were so annoying! Nagato launched his black receiver without hesitation, aiming at the crows, ready to eliminate them. He hated crows, hated their cries. 

--- 

But when he looked up, he froze. The sky was a bloody red... and gradually, black specks appeared... They were crows. Nagato couldn't feel happy watching the crows he'd hit plummet. "Caw... Caw, caw..." Crows... they were all crows, damn it! In an instant, that dazzling giant sphere high in the sky lost its brilliance. Crows circled in mid-air, blackening the sun. At first glance, the crows were like a swarm of locusts, too numerous to count. 

--- 

"Get lost! Shinra Tensei!" Nagato, a sudden terror in his heart, unleashed Shinra Tensei. And it was an ultra-high power Shinra Tensei; he had a terrible premonition. This feeling was really bad. In an instant, crows rained down like raindrops... But Nagato froze. The crows that hit the ground vanished. After the repulsive force swept through... the crows returned. The sky grew redder. 

--- 

One crow landed on Nagato's wheelchair, its eyes calmly staring at him. Nagato saw no fear in the crow's eyes. "Who is it? Who are you? What kind of genjutsu is this? Why am I caught in a genjutsu...?" Nagato panicked, his words jumbled. 

Orochimaru stared blankly at the crows, lost in thought. Could it be the person he was thinking of? Konan gazed at the red sky, finding it incredibly beautiful. Those ominous crows, crows filling the sky, looked strangely beautiful. On the shattered stones, the broken ground, the uneven mountains... without realizing it, crows had settled everywhere. Their eyes calmly watched Nagato... just watched. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of eyes, just watching Nagato, not making a single move. 

--- 

Nagato instinctively manipulated his wheelchair to escape. These annoying crows were disgusting. He didn't want to stay there for another second. And the three Paths of Pain who had been guarding where Kakashi left also seemed to receive a summons, rushing quickly towards Nagato. The wheels of the wheelchair got stuck on a large rock. Nagato, lost in thought, almost fell off his wheelchair. But his expression and gaze froze. 

"Itachi! Get out here!" Nagato realized the crucial point. There was no way this was a coincidence; Itachi had to be behind this. 

--- 

Nagato again manipulated his wheelchair, moving towards Orochimaru lying on the ground. A black receiver slowly grew longer in his hand. "I'll count to three. If you don't come out, your comrade will die..." Nagato said calmly, certain of his victory. After suspecting he was under a genjutsu, his initial panic subsided. After all, he hadn't fallen victim to genjutsu since activating the Rinnegan. Suddenly feeling like he was under a genjutsu, it was natural to panic. It was his first time... If he, a god with the Sage's eyes, the Rinnegan, were to fall under genjutsu, one could imagine how powerful his opponent must be. 

--- 

"One..." 

"Two..." 

"Ah..." 

Just as Nagato's eyes sharpened, preparing to stab Orochimaru's heart, a flat, soft voice, yet like a clap of thunder, echoed in Nagato's ears. Nagato stared blankly at the black receiver taken from his hand... and fell silent. 

"You're really not dead? Why aren't you dead? How is this possible?" Nagato was stunned, then followed with a triple question. The Rinnegan wouldn't lie to him... He had truly seen Itachi buried with his own eyes! 

--- 

Konan watched the crows beside Nagato turn into smoke. A figure, shimmering with silver light yet dressed in ragged, beggarly clothes—Itachi—slowly walked out, his silver-gloved hand grasping the black receiver in Nagato's hand, taking it away. And Orochimaru, upon hearing Itachi's voice, immediately passed out. The ground beneath him was already stained crimson. He lay in his own pool of blood, his hair disheveled, covered in dirt. Before losing consciousness, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Itachi's okay! Thank goodness... Now I'm just embarrassed." 

--- 

Noticing Orochimaru had passed out, Itachi moved, appearing beside him. He gently pulled the black receiver from Orochimaru's body. The silver light from his hand flowed into Orochimaru, and his injuries quickly began to mend. 

Chapter 182: Konan Makes Her Move 

Itachi paid no mind to Nagato, simply focusing on pulling the black receivers from Orochimaru's body. The colossal snake phantom coiling around him, with its piercing golden eyes, stared coldly at Nagato, its tongue flicking in and out. An ordinary person, sensing the snake's intimidation and the rhythmic flick, would have long since had their legs turn to jelly. Unfortunately, facing them was Nagato. He simply didn't care for such petty tricks. Nagato was surprised to see Itachi effortlessly pull out his black receivers, because ordinary people couldn't even grasp them. If they did, their Chakra would be suppressed. And a ninja without Chakra... 

"You should leave. Don't come back. Don't ruin my plans." Nagato calmly stated, seeing that Itachi had already healed Orochimaru's injuries and a pile of black receivers lay to one side. It was as if he had fought to his satisfaction and no longer wished to continue. In reality, with three of the Six Paths of Pain out of commission, and unable to trap Itachi, there was no point in continuing. If he kept fighting, he might even be overturned. 

"Leave? No way. You're coming with me." Itachi slowly shook his head, looking down at the uneven ground, not even glancing at Nagato. Nagato was as good as air. 

Nagato heard Itachi's words and subtly shook his head, saying nothing. This brash young Itachi, as arrogant as ever... Hadn't he learned his lesson from earlier? Feeling the ample Chakra within him, Nagato's heart remained unperturbed. Seeing Itachi create a Shadow Clone to carry Orochimaru away, Nagato showed no intention of stopping them, instead his eyes gleamed. Did this mean Itachi's Flying Thunder God couldn't transport others? Or perhaps he hadn't reached the level where it could? Or was Itachi simply not planning to run this time? Nagato's mind raced, considering many possibilities. And if his guesses were correct, it seemed quite advantageous for him. 

"Konan, if you don't want to fight, go far away for now, to avoid getting caught in the crossfire..." Nagato turned, seeing a faint crimson stain at the corner of Konan's mouth, and spoke softly. It seemed he was hinting at something. Hearing Nagato's words, Konan froze. Nagato was... 

"I'll stay and help you..." Konan softly replied, unable to abandon Nagato. 

Hearing Konan's words, Nagato nodded in satisfaction. Everything was under control. The relationship with Itachi was so tense, and Konan's inaction had made him displeased. After all, they were comrades. Although he didn't really need Konan's combat power, showing some intent was better than being completely spaced out the whole time. He was even worried he might accidentally kill Konan himself. 

"Itachi, what was that technique just now? Why couldn't I see through it? Was it a Genjutsu?" Nagato asked with interest, watching Itachi's Shadow Clone walk away with Orochimaru on its back. He wasn't in a hurry at all; Itachi's technique had a time limit, and the longer it dragged on, the better... In the end, that massive sphere in the sky would be Itachi's final resting place. 

"Just a little trick." Itachi shook his head, not bothering to explain. He had actually fallen unconscious again inside the Planetary Devastation (Chibaku Tensei) and suffered severe injuries. That was why Nagato was so sure Itachi was done for. During the second wave, Itachi had endured the agonizing pain, like nails piercing his brain, and consumed his already dwindling mental energy. He activated Sage Mode, which also pushed his mental strength beyond its potential. After all, Flying Thunder God required a considerable amount of mental energy, Chakra, and physical energy. This was also why he hadn't fully mastered the Flying Thunder God. 

And those myriad crows filling the sky were merely Crow Clones he created with Sage Art Chakra, similar to creating snake phantoms. They were infused with Sage Art energy and other factors, making them incredibly convincing. As for the red in the sky, the red clouds, they were intimately connected to the red giant snake phantom coiling around his body. As for why it was so massive, with Sage Mode, he didn't lack Chakra. And this technique didn't consume much, just a sprinkle. 

Looking at the three remaining Pains and Konan by Nagato's side, Itachi's eyes glinted with silver light, his Mangekyo Sharingan, with its inverted silver snake pattern, paused slightly. This kind of fight... Konan shouldn't participate... He didn't really want to fight women; it didn't feel honorable. Besides, Konan likely carried a significant number of explosive tags. Combined with her Dance of the Shikigami, she could easily deceive his eyes. For a moment, Itachi was a little troubled. What was he supposed to do...? This was quite a headache... 

There were still Deva Path, Preta Path, and Asura Path left. With the addition of the puppets, Nagato's power would increase significantly. After all, he could use the abilities of the Six Paths of Pain himself, and they were all present. This was essentially fighting nine Pains at once... 

Itachi steeled himself and threw out half of his remaining Flying Thunder God kunai. Ten kunai flew wildly through the air, like Naruto's "Fairies Scattering Flowers" technique. In some ways, Itachi's "Fairies Scattering Flowers" wasn't as good as Naruto's throws. After all, Naruto could perfectly avoid all targets, not hitting a single one. Itachi, who only hit bullseyes, would find it a bit difficult to miss people. 

Looking at Itachi, who glowed with silver light, had the red giant snake phantom around him, his robes tattered, his body bruised and bloody, and who then resorted to another dirty trick, Nagato felt a touch of helplessness. With a thought, the Asura Path bristled with laser cannons, all locking onto the flying kunai. Konan's hands produced a pile of paper tags, which danced and transformed into numerous kunai. They looked fragile and powerless, flying towards Itachi. Itachi saw this and didn't stop. His finger bones rapidly grew from his ten fingertips, as if the bones broken from his internal injuries earlier were now being squeezed out of his body. And this time, it was a modified version of the Eight Trigrams Palms: Heavenly Spin... 

Only he knew that he could only use Flying Thunder God at close range maybe one more time. His mental energy was already depleted. Otherwise, he would have simply used Flying Thunder God to escape the Planetary Devastation, rather than going through the arduous effort of escaping with Sage Mode. The bone bullets infused with Sage Art seemed quite powerful. Of course, compared to All-Killing Ash Bones, they were a bit underwhelming. The huge membrane that rose in front of the Preta Path rippled slightly. It looked like the bone bullets had penetrated, but in reality, they hadn't moved the membrane a single inch. After all, Nagato's true body was there, with an absurd amount of Chakra, naturally operating at full power. The explosions from the machine guns in the air didn't faze Itachi. However, the countless paper shuriken flying at him made Itachi feel a slight headache. But that was just a thought, a visual effect. A massive Wood Style hand burst from the ground, effortlessly grabbing the flying paper shuriken and slamming them fiercely towards the group. 

Watching the immense power of the Wood Style hand, Itachi felt a touch of satisfaction. Indeed, true men still wield Wood Style. And Wood Style was incredibly fun... The membrane trembled, beginning to deform. However, its foundation wasn't damaged; it merely swayed with the wind... 

Chapter 183: The Ultra Shinra Tensei That Decides Fate 

Compared to the fierce fighting just moments ago, this battle felt a bit more relaxed, almost casual. The enemy had the numbers, and Itachi's condition wasn't great, so he was playing it safe. After all, if he got caught off guard, a storm of attacks would surely follow. 

Seeing his Wood Style Giant Hands get bombarded and negated like mere basic attacks, Itachi felt a slight irritation, but he didn't rush. He planned to test the waters some more, observe their combat style, and try to end the fight quickly. Though he called it "testing the waters," the ground was still shaking violently. 

So, the Preta Path loves to absorb attacks, huh? The ground quickly split open. Itachi summoned a thirty-meter-tall Wood Style Bodhisattva. This Bodhisattva had four arms and looked like a wrathful Vajra. With an overwhelming offensive, it smashed down hard on Nagato and the others. Its fists even carried Sage Mode energy, making it incredibly terrifying. 

Nagato was speechless at Itachi's move. What the heck?! The Deva Path didn't hesitate, immediately unleashing a Shinra Tensei. What kind of attack do you even try to counter this with? 

--- 

That giant fist alone looked horrifying. Itachi felt a slight ripple in his heart as he saw the Deva Path activate Shinra Tensei. This time, he was going to be a tough guy against Nagato, enduring everything head-on. Usually, when he saw Shinra Tensei, he'd chicken out and teleport dozens of miles away with the Flying Thunder God. But the circumstances wouldn't allow it now, and he needed to test the true power of Shinra Tensei himself... Of course, this also stemmed from the fact that he'd taken one hit and didn't die. He understood that while the move was powerful, he was no ordinary person anymore. 

--- 

A brilliant red light erupted from his body, accompanied by swirling giant snake illusions that rapidly solidified. "Bang!" Sand and stones flew everywhere, and the horizon was flattened by another few tens of centimeters. The ground where they stood became a crater. Itachi's Stage One Susanoo was covered in cracks, and the giant snake looked somewhat withered, as if it couldn't handle it. Itachi only felt a dull ache in his chest. 

It's feasible... It proves it can be blocked... Although it looked like it barely held up, and was a bit clunky. But if he could block it, this battle would be much easier. 

--- 

Seeing that Itachi was fine, and the Wood Style Bodhisattva in front of him was riddled with cracks, Nagato silently calculated how much power he had used for the Pain attack. If it exceeded half its full power, then he could withdraw; there was no point in continuing the fight. After all, Shinra Tensei was his ultimate move. If his ultimate move was useless, then what was there to fight for? 

Despite being covered in cracks, the Wood Style Bodhisattva continued its assault on Nagato and the others. Nagato's face darkened. The Asura Path's missile, filled with destructive power, wasn't enough against this level of Wood Style. This was really frustrating. 

--- 

Itachi had no intention of letting this opening go to waste. A powerful red glow erupted from his body, and the Mangekyo pattern in his eyes spun ominously. Soon, a giant about two hundred meters tall appeared on the ground. The giant wore armor, wielded a great sword at its hip, and had wings on its back, appearing incredibly majestic. Its awe-inspiring aura continuously surged towards Nagato and the others. The seemingly huge Wood Bodhisattva from before now looked like an infant... barely steady from the wind generated by the running Susanoo. 

--- 

Itachi saw this scene and, after a thought, rapidly transformed his chakra. The Wood Bodhisattva's body quickly pulsed, its injuries healing as its size rapidly increased. Itachi simultaneously controlled two giant "henchmen" to attack Nagato and the others. Fighting one opponent made him seem a bit dull, but in a group fight, these large armored constructs became incredibly fierce. The Preta Path blankly released its chakra-absorbing membrane, its face expressionless, showing no fear. 

--- 

"Come on... keep blocking... what will you use to block this?" Itachi crossed his arms. The two-hundred-meter-tall, broad-shouldered Susanoo giant and its hundred-meter-tall Wood Style Bodhisattva henchman charged at the group with murderous intent. Every step caused the ground to shake violently, the already heavily suppressed and iron-hard ground cracking beneath their feet. 

Konan, seeing this, felt a flicker of panic. She thought about her own abilities... and suddenly felt incredibly useless. Useless? Fly? Konan detached from the main group and flew into the sky. What good was being huge? We'll just fly up; let's see how you attack then. A frustrated Konan thought angrily. All she could do was throw paper shuriken, and Itachi clearly wasn't holding back at all. He just wanted to crush her into a pulp! 

--- 

Nagato, seeing Konan's action, reacted immediately. Controlling his gravitational pull, he and his three puppets also floated into the air, though their speed was a bit slow. The Preta Path's chakra-absorbing membrane was compressed by the immense wind, flickering like a candle in the wind, swaying violently. Even its face was contorting. The giant "little fists" finally arrived, and the few figures floating in mid-air looked like tiny ants. They struggled to resist the two combined, crushing blows from the four-armed giant. 

"Wham! Bang!" After the first strike, cracks appeared in the membrane, and a huge impact sound resonated. Nagato's face changed instantly. So powerful! At this thought, he abandoned the Preta Path and Asura Path, letting them fall below. Bringing two extra bodies would only hinder their speed. This ability, though powerful when he used it alone, became quite unwieldy when carrying others. After all, this wasn't true flight. 

--- 

The second strike came, not bothering with the two discarded puppets. Itachi, meanwhile, pulled a great sword from the Susanoo's wing, charging it up. How could he possibly give up such a rare opportunity? He had already gained the upper hand in this battle. His spiritual energy had broken through, along with his personal bottleneck, leading to the appearance of his Complete Susanoo, clad in the Utsu-Tengu armor, and the powerful Susanoo carved with a giant snake. With abundant Sage Mode chakra, it was hard for him to lose. 

Furthermore, Nagato seemed unable to summon the Gedo Mazo, which left him slightly troubled by this powerful armament. He had no counter. 

"Bang!" A more powerful crushing blow than the first was withstood by the membrane personally released by Nagato. The four-armed Bodhisattva stomped its feet towards the fallen Pain bodies. And an even more powerful strike, an ultra-long great sword, cleaved down... The sky seemed to split in two, wind and thunder roaring, a massive slash mark appearing... Carrying a blow capable of easily severing mountains and peaks, it descended upon Nagato's head. It made Nagato's scalp tingle. Even with an energy shield, it felt as though his face was being pierced by the sharpness of the weapon. His cheeks, his entire body, felt as if they were being cut by a sharp blade. How could he block such an attack? 

"Ultra Shinra Tensei!" Nagato's life-or-death, full-power Shinra Tensei appeared. This was Nagato's first time using it with his main body... His life force rapidly faded, and the color drained from Nagato's face. As he used it, he swiftly pulled Konan, who was flying not far away, towards him with gravity. If Konan were to be hit by this Shinra Tensei, she would be annihilated into a blood mist in basically zero point zero something seconds. 

Chapter 184: Tsukuyomi 

"Bang!" 

That massive blow was absorbed by Nagato's seemingly frail body. The Perfect Susanoo was repelled over ten meters, practically sent flying backwards, its body riddled with cracks and on the verge of collapsing. This was the true power of the Rinnegan. This was the gap between a Sage and a mortal. 

"Pfft..." 

Compared to Itachi, who was perfectly fine inside the diamond-shaped crystal at the Susanoo's forehead, Nagato coughed up a large mouthful of blood. It was the first time Shinra Tensei had caused a recoil. Its surging repulsive force had always been unstoppable, but this time, facing off against each other, the powerful attacks of both men startled the clouds into scattering. The earth itself was scarred by huge chasms—those were the cracks. 

--- 

Itachi looked at the disheveled Nagato and suddenly smiled. The diamond-shaped crystal enclosing him also cracked and dissipated with his relaxation. It turns out that the Susanoo's most durable, body-protecting diamond crystal had long been overwhelmed, only maintained by Itachi's violent chakra. 

"What are you laughing at? Is this your trump card?" Nagato, his mouth and the front of his robe stained with blood, spoke faintly. His clean white teeth were also splattered with gore. 

--- 

Itachi remained with his arms crossed, looking down at the ground where the Wood Style Bodhisattva, like a little brat, had turned into wood chips. And the Asura Path and Preta Path? It seemed like nothing was left of them. Just as Itachi finished his survey, the tottering Susanoo finally gave way, collapsing like a skyscraper. It was too damaged; Itachi's chakra couldn't repair it fast enough. 

Seeing Itachi lose his balance and fall, Nagato's eyes lit up. A perfect opportunity! He extended one hand, and a powerful gravitational pull emerged, ready to repeat his old trick. 

--- 

As his body flew backward, Itachi wasn't too flustered. After all, Nagato had just used Shinra Tensei; without it now, pulling him in was practically an invitation to defeat. He looked at Konan behind Nagato, her face pale. The injuries from Obito's surprise attack hadn't healed, and she had also been affected by some of the residual shockwaves. Things were looking grim for her now. Especially Konan's eyes, like a wilting flower, filled Itachi with a strange sense of regret and heartbreak. This was regret and heartbreak for something beautiful about to fade away. Itachi looked calmly at the beautiful Konan as he flew backward. A small idea gradually formed in his mind... 

--- 

If the fight continued like this, Konan looked like she wouldn't survive. It would be a shame if she died... The distance should be enough, right? Itachi mused inwardly. When he thought of something, he acted decisively. His left Mangekyo began to spin, the swirling silver snake within it beautiful, like a work of art. To stare into it was enough to make one lose their composure. 

"Tsukuyomi..." Itachi's voice was like a devil's whisper. Konan's face showed surprise, then immediate shock, and then her body simply vanished into thin air... 

--- 

"What did you do?!" Nagato, looking at the rapidly approaching Itachi with one hand extended and the other holding a black receiver, saw Konan disappear behind him and his face changed dramatically. Holy crap, Konan was gone, right under his nose! Nagato, furious, rapidly extended his black receiver. I'll stab you to death! 

"She's just gone to a safe place. You couldn't protect her, and I simply don't want her to die," Itachi said calmly, looking at the quickly extending black receiver. The idea was improvised but put into practice; only a fraction of a second had passed in the outside world. 

--- 

Hearing Itachi's words and remembering Konan's reluctance to attack Itachi earlier, Nagato believed him. He believed there must be some hidden reason between them, and that Itachi wouldn't harm Konan. At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief. Now he had nothing to worry about. 

However... 

Itachi actually said he couldn't protect Konan. That really pissed him off! The gravitational pull intensified rapidly; he was eager to poke a few holes in Itachi. 

--- 

Just as Itachi was about to reach Nagato, a large number of bones suddenly erupted from his body, encasing him like a porcupine. As the black receiver approached, Itachi's bone-spiked arm swung out, deflecting the black receiver. Itachi's speed increased slightly, and he charged at Nagato. Itachi's figure rapidly grew larger in Nagato's eyes. But Nagato remained unfazed, as if he didn't care about Itachi at all, utterly dismissive. With Konan no longer by his side, he had no more baggage and could fight without restraint. 

--- 

After being deflected, the black receiver immediately broke and fell downwards. Nagato's hand revealed several cannon barrels. They looked similar to the Asura Path's missiles, but the chakra they contained made Itachi wary. 

"Eat this sliding tackle!" The bone spikes, imbued with Sage Mode chakra, looked ordinary, but anyone who underestimated them would pay a heavy price. "Whoosh." Missiles flew out, locking onto the flashy Itachi. The projectiles exploded, and a huge roar erupted, making Itachi's ears ring, as if he were going deaf. As for the immense damage from the explosion, Itachi curled his body and bravely withstood it with his bone spikes. 

Nagato looked at Itachi, who seemed to be fighting through layers of enemies, unfazed. His eyes were calm. Surging chakra erupted from his body, soaring into the clouds, making hearts tremble. This powerful energy surge seemed to want to shatter the very heavens. In the sky, white clouds within tens of thousands of miles were shattered by Nagato's oppressive aura, revealing the cloudless firmament. 

--- 

Itachi watched this scene, muttering inwardly. He wondered if such a powerful Shinra Tensei could be released again so soon. His Susanoo couldn't be used for a short while, so how could Shinra Tensei be this fast? Although Itachi's mind was racing with various thoughts, he didn't dwell on them. At a time like this, distraction meant a swift death. 

He aimed for Nagato's head and, using the gravitational pull, delivered a fierce kick. A transparent membrane appeared... Although the membrane was squeezed almost to distortion, it remained as stable as ever. Nagato's hand slowly extended, seemingly wanting to touch Itachi's handsome face through the membrane. 

--- 

Itachi, wanting to get close, hadn't used any other techniques and was now stuck by the enhanced Universal Pull, unable to move much. At this moment, he felt like his Dead Bone Pulse wasn't working. Every time he used it, he'd get unlucky... And it was extremely ineffective, like it had no purpose at all, which was absurd. Actually, it was still somewhat useful, for example, his bones were much harder. And if his bones were shattered, he could still control them and push them out of his body, which was still quite cool. 

--- 

Nagato's pale hand rapidly grew larger in Itachi's vision. Nagato's hand movement was slow, but time wouldn't stop... Itachi looked at Nagato's palm, and a dizzying sensation actually spread through his mind, as if he were hallucinating. This sent alarm bells ringing in his head. 

"Damn it! No, I don't like men!" Itachi blurted out, his tone slightly cowardly. He guessed that Nagato was playing another trick. This was completely off the charts. 

Chapter 185: The Unconventional Tsukuyomi Space 

Nagato used the Human Path's ability... Itachi felt himself getting dizzy, almost being sucked away by Nagato... As for what that was... it was his soul... his soul was about to be ripped from his body. That was seriously messed up... And at that moment, Itachi suddenly realized he had absolutely no defense against jutsu that directly attacked the soul. Back then, it was a good thing he didn't let that old geezer Hiruzen Sarutobi use the Reaper Death Seal, or he might have been a goner, chatting it up with Minato inside the Shinigami's belly. 

Seeing Itachi's slight panic, Nagato's eyes lit up... This was... this was Itachi's weakness! Sure enough, even the strongest people had blind spots... And Itachi's soul seemed incredibly fragile? Was it a side effect of the previous battle? Or was it always like this? Nagato's mood instantly became as refreshing as eating a frozen watermelon while basking in air conditioning on a summer day. This was the joy of battle... the satisfying feeling after solving a difficult problem... 

Nagato's hand got closer and closer, making Itachi feel like his brain was about to crash. His thoughts flickered on and off, making it impossible for him to properly strategize an escape. Nagato hadn't used this technique until now, and Itachi had genuinely forgotten that Nagato possessed such an absurd ability. Wasn't the Human Path supposed to subdue a person first, then control them, extract their soul, and gain information? How could Nagato use it so ridiculously...? Of course, this was also because Nagato hadn't fought much before, and his displayed abilities were varied. However, compared to powerful techniques like Almighty Push, his other abilities weren't particularly noticeable. 

"Tell me where Konan is, and I might spare your life." Nagato's voice was a soft hum, yet it struck Itachi's heart heavily. But Itachi was stunned for a moment. His brain was still a bit slow... especially during a fight, it was a bit lacking. 

"Uh, I don't want to say." Itachi replied, now relaxed, with a hint of mockery... 

"You're asking for death!" Nagato, seeing Itachi's stubborn refusal and continued arrogance, quickened his arm. But then, Nagato froze... "Flying Thunder God? Why didn't he use it earlier?" Watching Itachi, who had just been restrained, vanish, Nagato was confused and bewildered... What the heck was going on? This was outrageous. Did he have to play tricks on him? Showing off like that? 

"Brat! Ah! I'm going to kill you!" The moment Itachi entered the Tsukuyomi space, he was startled by Konan's piercing voice. But then, he was utterly dumbfounded... Konan was bound by invisible chains, suspended in mid-air... The kind of binding pose you only saw in action movies... This made Konan burn with shame and anger. Especially since she seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force... Her pose was utterly humiliating... 

Itachi was stunned by this sight... Who could resist this...? Damn, this space isn't exactly 'proper'... Itachi, who had never captured live people before, felt like he had opened up a whole new world. This was amazing... Ahem, this was incredibly embarrassing... "Uh, I did this to save you..." Looking at Konan's flushed, captivating face, her eyes seemed to be pulling his soul away. Itachi suppressed his rising urges. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Looking at Konan's alluring pose and her voluptuous figure, he forced himself to explain. 

"Save me? Is this how you 'save' me?" Itachi's gaze felt like a pair of invisible hands. The parts of her body exposed by her embarrassing pose... began to feel hot under the psychological effect... as if they were being... Konan's heart fluttered with a strange sensation; she couldn't stay calm anymore. She couldn't maintain her icy demeanor. 

Konan twisted her lithe waist, instantly making Itachi's eyes go wide, utterly useless. "This is too stimulating..." Itachi thought, looking at that deep, white abyss. A certain fullness further stimulated Itachi's fragile heart. Itachi quickly turned his back, not daring to look anymore. He felt a warmth in his nose. The ice queen looking like this was just too hot. He was afraid he couldn't keep his composure. If he got a nosebleed like that pervert Hiruzen Sarutobi, he'd be utterly disgraced... 

It was incredibly difficult for Itachi, this virgin, to resist such temptation. If it weren't for the guiding light of his righteous heart, he might have truly made a mistake... Especially with Konan struggling, dripping with sweat... soaking her clothes... outlining her figure. You understand... 

"What are you mumbling about? Speak up! Is this really how you're 'saving' me?" Konan asked again, her voice softening as she felt a bit better with Itachi's back turned. Her sense of humiliation also lessened. "Uh... that's just how it is... You can't participate in my fight with Nagato anymore. I don't want to hurt you..." Itachi said softly, not turning around. No one could tell if he was being honest or just making it up... 

"How's Nagato...?" Hearing Itachi's words, Konan's heart trembled, but then she asked with concern. If something happened to Nagato, where would she go? 

"He's not dead..." Konan's concerned words made Itachi feel a pang of jealousy. He didn't know why, but he felt this uncomfortable sensation. He didn't quite understand it. He just didn't want to hear such words from Konan. 

"Can you let me down first? I feel really uncomfortable..." Hearing Itachi's words, Konan calmed down, her eyes narrowing slightly. Nagato still needed her, even if it was dangerous... They were comrades; she could never abandon Nagato... 

"I'm sorry, but this is actually the first time I've used this ability to save someone... I haven't quite figured out how it works yet..." Konan's words cleared Itachi's mind. His soul had almost been ripped out earlier, leaving him a bit muddled. What kind of things was he even thinking about...? Itachi inwardly chastised himself for his actions... 

"Huh?" Konan was initially bewildered by Itachi's words, then her expression changed... This little pervert... What did he mean, "the first time used to save someone"? Did that mean he used it for something else before? Thinking about her bound pose... Konan vaguely imagined Itachi with a lewd smile. And in this very space, there was a victim... And all the victims were beautiful women... She felt a strange, inexplicable disappointment towards Itachi. This confused Konan a bit. What did Itachi's chaotic private life have to do with her? 

"Actually, I've only used this space twice..." "The first time was to catch a snake... so I didn't know it would be like this... and you're the second guest..." Itachi was silent for a moment, seemingly realizing that his previous words might mislead Konan, so he gently explained. And Itachi's words once again reached deep into Konan's heart. Don't forget... This was the Tsukuyomi space, a Dojutsu merged with Kotoamatsukami... Itachi clearly forgot, or he wouldn't have said so much... Because, this was the domain of the Talk-No-Jutsu! Here, his Talk-No-Jutsu might be even stronger than Naruto's... 

Hearing Itachi's explanation, Konan's heart eased, and she was satisfied with Itachi's response. He was so quick to explain; could it be that he was worried she would misunderstand? Konan fell into self-reflection... 

"I'll figure out how to release you once I get back..." After a moment of silence, not hearing Konan's reply, Itachi said softly... 

"Please, come back safely..." "If you can, please don't kill Nagato..." Konan heard Itachi's words and felt a surge of worry. Her inexplicable feelings for Itachi, which had been subtly growing, were amplified many times over in this space. But then she regretted what she said. If Itachi came back safely, wouldn't Nagato be done for...? So after saying it, she bit her lip and spoke again. She was greedy; she wanted both of them to be safe.