206-210

*Chapter 206: Kimimaro and Konan's Business, Part 2*

"Quite sturdy, huh."

Kimimaro was surprised when his kick only made the bull kneel instead of creating any visible wounds.

It seems its large size wasn’t just for show.

But that was all.

If Kimimaro couldn’t easily deal with a summoned beast now, he would consider himself a failure.

One kick wasn’t enough? Then let’s go for another one!

Thud!

This time, the bull’s roar was much weaker, and there was even a hint of fear.

The third kick followed swiftly.

Now, the roar was filled with nothing but terror and pleading.

"Looks like that should do it."

Satisfied, Kimimaro withdrew his right foot and turned to Konan.

"Konan-senpai, this should be enough, right?"

Konan: "..."

Finishing off a summoned beast just one tier below Gamabunta with only three kicks shocked Konan.

It seemed she had underestimated Kimimaro’s strength.

"Fast and powerful... It seems Nagato underestimated him."

Konan concluded in her mind.

Just with that speed and power alone, he could contend with Kage-level opponents.

Not to mention, Kimimaro had several strange techniques up his sleeve.

"That’s enough, I’ll take care of the rest."

Sheets of white paper flew out from Konan’s body, attaching themselves to the bull.

In no time, the bull was completely covered in white paper.

Kimimaro lightly tapped the ground with his toes, landing next to Konan.

Black symbols appeared on the paper, and soon both the paper and the bull disappeared without a trace.

"Konan-senpai’s technique is really convenient," Kimimaro commented.

"Your strength is also quite impressive. I saw your medical ninjutsu before and thought you specialized in that field, but I didn’t expect you to be so fast and strong as well.

With your abilities, it seems like you wouldn’t need to fear Orochimaru. So why join the Akatsuki? What are you after?"

Konan’s gaze turned cold as she scrutinized Kimimaro.

These were things Tobi had already noticed, but she wasn’t aware of them until now.

After all, the information flow between their groups wasn’t shared.

Both sides had always been wary of each other.

Nagato didn’t trust Tobi much, and Tobi only saw Nagato as a tool.

Both wanted to use each other, maintaining a delicate balance.

"You’re very sharp, Konan-senpai. I didn’t expect you to see through me so quickly."

Kimimaro didn’t seem flustered about being exposed. Instead, he smiled faintly.

Sheets of paper flew from Konan’s body, swirling in a spiral around both her and Kimimaro.

Even Konan’s body turned to paper, ready to disassemble at any moment.

*Dance of the Shikigami*—Konan’s signature technique that allowed her to evade most physical attacks.

"What are you planning?"

"Konan-senpai, there’s no need to be so cautious. I have no ill intentions towards the Akatsuki. At most, I’m just interested."

"You think I’d believe such nonsense? If you don’t explain yourself properly, don’t blame me for using force."

The paper started flying faster, signaling Konan’s readiness to strike.

If Kimimaro didn’t clarify his intentions, she wouldn’t hesitate to defeat him and present him to Nagato for interrogation with the Human Path.

Seeing Konan’s readiness for a fight, Kimimaro spread his hands, looking slightly helpless.

He wasn’t afraid of Konan, but he preferred to avoid meaningless conflict.

"Alright, simply put, I want to cooperate with the Akatsuki."

"Cooperate?"

Konan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, cooperate."

"The Akatsuki has no need to cooperate with someone with ulterior motives. Our current strength is more than enough to achieve our goals."

Konan was testing him.

She knew Nagato didn’t trust Kimimaro, and this was a good opportunity to probe his true intentions.

If they could find out what he really wanted, they could plan accordingly.

If the opportunity arose, they might even be able to have him heal Nagato’s legs.

"Of course, with the Akatsuki’s current power, no village would dare underestimate you. Capturing the nine-tailed beasts isn’t out of the question.

But my goal isn’t related to your plan to capture the Tailed Beasts. I want to deal with that masked man who calls himself Uchiha Madara."

"Are you talking about Madara?"

Hearing Kimimaro mention Uchiha Madara made Konan tense up.

If there was anyone Nagato feared despite calling himself a god, it was that masked man, Uchiha Madara.

He was too mysterious. Though they hadn’t fought, his mastery of a strange space-time ninjutsu made him untouchable.

That alone made him seem invincible.

Because of this, both Nagato and Konan were wary of him.

At least until they could figure out his space-time ninjutsu, they wouldn’t confront him directly.

Moreover, for now, they shared the same goal—capturing the nine-tailed beasts.

"Yes, a man who’s still alive after a hundred years. It’s fascinating. I want to uncover his secret."

Kimimaro’s tone was reminiscent of Orochimaru’s, making Konan feel like she was talking to Orochimaru himself.

She even suspected that Kimimaro might actually be Orochimaru in disguise, having used his Living Corpse Reincarnation.

But instead of voicing this, she asked, "How do you know about Madara? Who told you?"

"It was Uchiha Itachi. You should know, Itachi’s brother, Uchiha Sasuke, is currently with Orochimaru. Sasuke is still useful to him. I used Sasuke as leverage, and Itachi told me many things, including about Madara."

Kimimaro had already prepared this explanation. No matter how Konan questioned him, he had a response ready.

Even if she went to ask Uchiha Itachi, he wasn’t worried.

After all, he had indeed discussed this with Itachi.

"What’s your plan to deal with him?"

"I want him alive."

"And what makes you think Pain will agree to cooperate with you against Madara?"

"Because Madara is also a threat to your leader. You don’t have anyone you can trust to deal with him, but I can be that person. Even Orochimaru could help you.

You may not care about Orochimaru’s strength, but his research is among the best in the ninja world. He can do a lot for you."

Kimimaro offered another incentive—Orochimaru’s research.

Few in the ninja world were unaware of how valuable Orochimaru’s research was.

Konan fell silent, deep in thought.

But just then, a figure appeared before them.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 207: Pain's Probe*

"Pain!"

Konan was visibly surprised to see him, clearly unaware that Pain was nearby.

However, Kimimaro was not at all surprised, as he had already sensed Pain's presence.

With his current sensory abilities, as long as he remained vigilant, no one in the shinobi world could get within a kilometer of him without his knowledge.

Kimimaro didn't believe that Nagato would feel comfortable with Konan teaming up with him.

The moment he saw Konan, he expanded his sensory abilities.

As expected, he detected Pain's presence not far away.

When Kimimaro pushed his Kagura Mind's Eye to its limits, he even located Nagato's exact position.

Without Konan's "God's Paper Person" jutsu to hide him, finding him wasn’t difficult.

Nagato was guarded by five other bodies, so he was in no real danger.

Moreover, although Nagato's true body had crippled legs, he wasn't defenseless prey.

Pain was here specifically to protect Konan.

As the last person Nagato cared for in this world, he would never let Konan travel alone.

"Can you represent Orochimaru?"

Pain’s voice was icy, and his face showed no emotion.

"Of course. If Orochimaru didn’t support me, he wouldn’t have given me this ring."

As Kimimaro spoke, he revealed his left pinky.

On it was the pale pink ring he had received from Orochimaru, engraved with the kanji for "void."

"It seems Orochimaru planned this."

"Lord Orochimaru had wanted to cooperate with you before, but I wasn’t yet familiar with Akatsuki's strength, so I wanted to join the organization and see for myself.

After spending some time with your members and witnessing their abilities, I now understand why Orochimaru holds Akatsuki in such high regard.

So, on behalf of Lord Orochimaru, I extend an invitation for collaboration."

"Do you think, with my power, I need to cooperate with a renegade like Orochimaru?"

Pain’s voice carried cold disdain.

It was clear he didn’t think much of Orochimaru.

Since becoming Pain, Nagato had developed a sense of pride.

"The strength of one person is ultimately limited. The other members of Akatsuki aren’t loyal to you. If one day you face off against Madara, will they help you?"

Kimimaro's words left Pain in silence.

The Akatsuki of today was no longer the Akatsuki of Yahiko’s time.

Back then, everyone shared the same ideals, united by a common cause.

It was that unity that had made even Hanzō of the Salamander, known as a demigod, fearful enough to resort to underhanded methods to dismantle Akatsuki.

But the current Akatsuki, though composed of stronger individuals, was nothing more than a band of rogue shinobi held together by Pain’s overwhelming force. There was no real loyalty.

The group was secretly divided into factions, always on the brink of splitting apart.

If it came to a confrontation, Pain wasn’t sure who the members would side with.

At best, they might remain neutral.

But Nagato knew that the masked man had his own loyal followers within the organization.

Zetsu and Kisame were clearly aligned with him.

And Uchiha Itachi, too, was unlikely to support Nagato. The best he would do was remain a bystander.

In this scenario, Nagato was at a clear disadvantage.

Even though he had complete confidence in his Rinnegan, the man who claimed the name "Madara" was still a serious threat.

He did need a collaborator.

One outside the masked man's knowledge.

"I do need a collaborator, but do you really think you’re qualified?"

Pain’s tone softened slightly, and Kimimaro knew he had piqued his interest.

Once interest was there, the rest was easy.

"It seems you're not confident in the strength of Lord Orochimaru and myself."

"Orochimaru couldn’t withstand even one of my Shinra Tensei techniques. It’s hard for me to have confidence in you."

"Defeating Lord Orochimaru is indeed not difficult. But killing him, even for you, is impossible. Lord Orochimaru’s strengths do not lie in raw power.

As for strength, I believe I am qualified to be your partner."

Kimimaro stepped forward, his chakra subtly flowing.

"Do you intend to challenge a god?"

Pain’s Rinnegan bore down on Kimimaro, and a terrifying pressure filled the air!

The eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, which had shaped the shinobi world, exuded an awe-inspiring power.

But for Kimimaro, who he was now, mere eye contact wouldn’t be enough to make him submit.

"Byakugan!"

At that moment, Kimimaro did not hold back.

His green eyes turned into the pure white of the Byakugan.

A powerful surge of ocular energy flowed from his eyes.

Though not as intimidating as the Rinnegan, it was enough to resist its invasive power.

"Byakugan? You possess the Byakugan of the Hyūga Clan?"

Pain was genuinely surprised.

"My strength isn’t limited to just these eyes."

Kimimaro smiled faintly.

"Hmph, interesting. But an ordinary pair of Byakugan isn’t enough to make me take you seriously. Now, I’ll show you the price of challenging a god."

As Pain spoke, he glanced at Konan.

In perfect sync, Konan dissolved into a flurry of paper, leaving the battle zone.

Once she was clear, Pain raised his right hand.

"Shinra Tensei!"

A terrifying repulsive force burst forth from Pain's palm.

Centered around him, the force radiated outward.

The surrounding trees were struck by the force, their leaves blown off, their branches snapping.

It was as if a hurricane had swept through!

A wide-scale, indiscriminate attack!

The repulsive force struck Kimimaro, pushing him several meters back.

His legs dug deep trenches into the ground before he regained control of his body.

"So, this is the technique Lord Orochimaru mentioned. Truly powerful."

After taking a hit from the Shinra Tensei, Kimimaro only felt his blood surge within him, but he quickly suppressed it.

“This strike was only at thirty percent power.”

Pain coldly spoke those shocking words.

Just thirty percent of its power was already this terrifying.

No wonder Pain was so confident.

“If that’s all you’ve got, then with the next move, you will die. The dead have no right to negotiate with me.”

“It seems I’ll have to show my true strength to impress you.”

Kimimaro’s smile faded. He knew that this battle was inevitable.

Fortunately, this was not a fight to the death.

There was only one opponent, not all six paths of Pain, which was good news.

But the opponent was the strongest—Deva Path Pain, which was indeed troublesome.

Against Deva Path Pain, ordinary techniques were meaningless.

“Shinra Tensei!”

Pain extended his right hand again, and this time, the Shinra Tensei was at full power, with no restraint.

Boom!

Dust filled the air, and the surrounding trees were uprooted!

In an instant, a ten-meter radius was reduced to ruins.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 208: The First Clash

"Binding Art No. 81! Dankū (Splitting Void)!"

Pain moved quickly, but Kimimaro, who had already prepared, was even faster.

A transparent defensive wall appeared in front of him, blocking the powerful Shinra Tensei.

However, without a chant, Dankū only had one-third of its defensive strength. Under the terrifying repulsive force of Shinra Tensei, it shattered into pieces, dissipating into nothingness.

The remaining force still surged toward Kimimaro, but it no longer posed a threat to him.

With his left hand forming a claw, he slashed at the lingering repulsive force.

"Scattering Soul Iron Claw!"

Golden energy surged from his bone claws, completely shattering the remaining force. Five deep claw marks were left on the ground, marking the power of his strike.

Kimimaro took several steps back before stabilizing himself.

Pain frowned slightly. He hadn't expected Kimimaro to have such abilities.

This was the first time anyone had blocked Shinra Tensei at full power.

Past opponents were either sent flying or killed outright.

Though the transparent defensive wall was shattered, the fact that it had blocked most of Shinra Tensei's power with such a quick defensive move was impressive.

The claw technique was also something that caught Pain's attention.

"Interesting technique."

Pain rarely offered compliments.

"But this won’t be enough."

His outstretched right hand did not retract; instead, his fingers curled into a claw-like form.

"Banshō Ten'in!" (Universal Pull)

After the repulsive force, an astonishing gravitational pull followed!

Kimimaro felt a powerful force pulling him toward Pain from his palm.

He lowered his stance, trying to anchor himself, but it was futile.

In the next moment, he was lifted off the ground and flew rapidly toward Pain.

"What incredible force... So this is Banshō Ten'in? For most shinobi, this would be a sure-kill move. But for me, it's not a threat; in fact, it’s an opportunity."

Kimimaro thought to himself, as sharp bone spikes erupted from all over his body.

"Bracken Dance!"

At this moment, Kimimaro resembled a porcupine.

If Pain continued to pull him in, the sharp and numerous bone spikes would pierce him before he could grab Kimimaro by the throat.

As expected, upon seeing this, Pain frowned slightly.

"A porcupine?"

He muttered softly, and the flow of chakra in his body shifted.

"Shinra Tensei!"

The previous gravitational pull turned into a repulsive force once again, as the five-second cooldown had already passed.

Boom!

Kimimaro’s face changed drastically!

In the span of mere moments, his body was subjected to immense impact from both forces.

It was as if two speeding trucks had collided head-on, with Kimimaro caught in between.

Spurt!

In that instant, Kimimaro spat out a mouthful of blood.

The bone spikes that had just emerged from his body were all shattered!

He was injured.

Even with his incredibly strong body, Kimimaro couldn’t fully withstand the combined forces.

The internal turmoil in his body caused the blood to spill uncontrollably.

Half-kneeling on the ground, the broken bone spikes retracted into his body, leaving his torn clothing making him look rather disheveled.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his right hand.

The injuries weren’t too severe, not enough to hinder the fight.

However, this attack made him realize just how dangerous Pain was.

Even knowing Pain’s techniques and weaknesses, it was still nearly impossible to exploit them in the face of such overwhelming strength.

That was just Shinra Tensei and Banshō Ten'in... What kind of terrifying power would be unleashed by Chō Shinra Tensei or Chibaku Tensei?

No wonder Pain was the pinnacle of power before the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Even a single path of Pain, the Deva Path, was already unfathomably strong.

"Just a little blood? The Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) really does make your body tough."

Pain’s cold voice echoed again.

"As expected of the leader of the Akatsuki... and the legendary Rinnegan. Terrifying indeed. No wonder even Orochimaru spoke of you with fear in his voice."

Kimimaro stood up, a look of admiration and surprise on his face, but there was no trace of fear.

"To fight an opponent like you... This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for. Now, let me see how much stronger I need to become!"

Kimimaro's foot pressed hard against the ground as he suddenly accelerated.

A preemptive strike!

A bone sword shot out from his palm.

"Death Strike!"

Kimimaro propelled himself forward with a spin, the tip of his bone sword aimed directly at Pain.

Pain, however, remained calm. His right hand produced a black rod from his palm.

Clang!

The black rod blocked the rotating sword tip, the thin rod perfectly intercepting the deadly strike.

The constant clash of metal rang out as sparks flew between them.

As Kimimaro’s spinning power dissipated, Pain calmly lifted his leg and aimed a kick at Kimimaro's abdomen.

This kick was not too fast, not too slow, perfectly measured in both angle and force.

However, Kimimaro, with his Byakugan-like perception, had already spotted this incoming attack.

Just as the kick was about to land, he brought his left hand down to block.

Smack!

His left hand caught the kick firmly, and then Kimimaro's hand transformed into a claw, as bone spikes emerged from his palm, attempting to pierce through Pain’s leg.

But Pain quickly withdrew his leg, escaping Kimimaro's trap.

At the same time, a sharp black rod emerged from Pain's left palm, thrusting toward Kimimaro.

Kimimaro could feel the sharp aura even before the rod made contact.

"Getting hit by this wouldn’t be good."

These black rods, made from Yin-Yang Release, could disrupt and seal chakra pathways like pressure points.

If pierced, a shinobi's power would be greatly diminished.

Unless one could overpower the sealing effects with a massive amount of chakra, the fight would be over.

Seeing that things were turning unfavorable, Kimimaro quickly changed his strategy.

Not only did he not retract his bone spikes, but he increased their speed.

Boom!

The bone spikes struck the ground, giving Kimimaro an upward boost, sending him flying into the air.

It was like Goku using his Power Pole in Dragon Ball.

Kimimaro’s sudden ascent caused Pain's attack to miss.

Pain glanced up at Kimimaro, now airborne.

"Such quick reflexes."

In mid-air, Kimimaro spread his fingers.

"White Lightning Finger Blades!"

Ten black bone fingers, coated with the power of white lightning, shot out simultaneously!

Their speed and strength were enough to pierce through solid rock at this range.

"A trivial trick."

(To be continued.)

*Chapter 209: The Celestial Void Mask*

"Shinra Tensei!"

A powerful repulsive force struck, shattering all ten finger bones.

Kimimaro raised his arms to shield himself, absorbing the remaining shock of the force.

After flipping midair, he landed steadily.

"Quite the troublesome technique. Two simple moves, repeatedly used, never fail. Without sufficient power, it's impossible to shake Tendo Pain."

"It seems I can't keep playing around, or I might end up losing my life."

Kimimaro stood straight, his right hand waving as his black cloak with red clouds rustled, shaking off the dust.

He was getting serious.

"Your strength isn't enough to partner with me."

To Pain, Kimimaro's abilities were impressive but comparable to the likes of Deidara.

Such power wasn't enough to be his ally.

His opponent wasn't ordinary; he could very well be Uchiha Madara, the legendary shinobi of the past.

Someone with average strength wasn't fit to be his companion.

"Don't rush; the real battle is just about to begin."

Kimimaro's lips curled slightly as his left hand rested on his forehead.

Suddenly, a terrifying chakra erupted from his body!

Pain's expression changed immediately.

From afar, Konan, who had been watching the battle, was shocked.

"Such powerful chakra, rivaling Pain's. No, the burst of energy even surpassed his! What did he do?"

A horrifying pressure surged from Kimimaro, shooting towards the sky.

An overwhelming aura blanketed the battlefield.

A white, bony mask began to form from Kimimaro's left hand, slowly covering his face.

The smile on Kimimaro's lips grew more audacious.

"Heh heh heh..."

His laugh, cold with a hint of arrogance, sent chills down one's spine.

The other creatures in the Forest of Summoning felt an overwhelming fear.

Their gaze was fixed on the battlefield, but none dared approach.

It was an instinctual fear.

Their intuition told them: to approach was to die.

"This power..."

In the distance, Nagato, lying on a bed, suddenly lifted his head, his Rinnegan eyes widening.

A look of shock flashed across his gaunt face.

"Is this... sage power?"

Sage power!

A legendary force in the ninja world.

The First Hokage’s most powerful technique was Sage Mode.

Decades after his death, Konoha produced another sage user, the Toad Sage Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.

Though Jiraiya's Sage Mode wasn't as powerful as the First Hokage's, it was still among the strongest powers in the current ninja world.

Nagato had only heard of it but never seen it.

Yet the energy radiating from Kimimaro was eerily similar to the legendary Sage power.

So, Nagato could almost be certain—this was Sage Mode.

But it seemed different from the Sage Mode of legend.

"Is this Kimimaro’s trump card? No wonder he feels qualified to negotiate with me."

Nagato muttered, but he wasn’t ready to acknowledge it just yet.

He wanted to see how strong Kimimaro’s Sage Mode truly was.

Back on the battlefield...

Kimimaro lowered his left hand.

His once-handsome face had transformed.

The white, bony mask now covered the upper half of his face, giving him an eerie appearance.

His once pure white eyes now had golden irises.

"Heh heh heh, this feeling... it's truly wonderful!"

Kimimaro, once calm and composed, now sounded manic, as if he were a completely different person.

He opened his right hand, and a new bone sword shot out from his palm, which he tightly gripped.

The Sword Clow Card activated, and in an instant, the white bone sword turned pitch black.

This was Kimimaro’s Sage Mode, though a more fitting name for it would be *Celestial Void Mode*.

Unlike the frog-like transformation of Myoboku Sage Mode or the snake-like transformation of Ryuchi Cave’s Sage Mode, the hallmark of Celestial Void Mode was the mask now covering Kimimaro's face.

Kimimaro called this mask the *Celestial Void Mask*.

In simple terms, it bore some resemblance to the masks from Bleach.

Kimimaro developed this technique by combining Jugo's Cursed Seal power, Tsunade's Yin Seal, and his own Kaguya clan’s Dead Bone Pulse.

It wasn't an easy feat; Kimimaro had spent a long time researching these techniques, and shortly after joining the Akatsuki, he finally merged the three powers together.

However, this was only the initial fusion, far from reaching its full potential.

For instance, he had yet to fully integrate the chakra storage properties of the Yin Seal into the Celestial Void Mask.

If he could perfect it, the mask's power would increase further, and the mask itself would undergo more transformations.

The most crucial point was that the usage time would extend.

Currently, Kimimaro could only use the Celestial Void Mode for five minutes.

Of course, one advantage was that he could enter and exit this mode at will, and the five-minute limit was cumulative rather than needing to be spent all at once.

"Now, let's begin round two."

Whoosh!

As soon as Kimimaro spoke, he charged directly at Pain with the black bone sword in hand.

His speed was so fast that he was upon him in an instant!

Pain barely had time to react before Kimimaro’s face was right in front of him.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Without hesitation, Pain unleashed another Shinra Tensei!

Boom!

Kimimaro, now so close, was blasted away once again.

But unlike before, this time he regained his balance after being thrown less than five meters and rushed back with even greater speed!

"Hahaha! That’s not enough excitement! Again!"

His right hand gripped the sword, raised high, and he slashed down towards Pain's head!

Clang!

The cooldown for Shinra Tensei hadn’t passed yet, so Pain crossed his hands, each holding a black rod, to block the strike.

But Kimimaro's smile only grew wider.

Before Pain could catch his breath, both black rods shattered simultaneously!

"What?!"

This time, Pain was genuinely shocked.

The black bone sword paused for a moment before striking down again.

At the last second, Pain stepped back half a step, narrowly avoiding the blade.

"Is this all you’ve got?"

Kimimaro, wearing his eerie white mask, pressed in close to Pain, swinging the bone sword once more.

His sword strikes were erratic, yet Pain felt an overwhelming sense of dread.

Since defeating Hanzo of the Salamander, Pain hadn’t felt such pressure in a long time.

Facing this fearsome onslaught, Pain could only dodge repeatedly.

His face tensed as more black rods emerged from his palms.

Rod versus sword!

Their clashes sent sparks flying!

But after just three clashes, the black rods shattered once more.

Under the relentless barrage of black sword strikes, even the rods created by Yin-Yang Release couldn’t last long.

The tide of battle shifted drastically!

Kimimaro had taken the upper hand.

"Pain is being pushed back? This... how is this possible?"

Konan watched in disbelief, never imagining she’d witness this scene.

Once that eerie bone mask appeared, Kimimaro seemed like a completely different person.

Not only were his attacks more ferocious, but his entire sword technique had changed.

Before, he fought like a master swordsman, balanced in offense and defense. Now, he fought like a madman, every strike aimed to kill.

What kind of technique was this?

Boom!

Kimimaro delivered a powerful kick, forcing Pain to cross his arms in front of him for defense.

The heavy blow sent Pain flying several meters back.

This time, Kimimaro didn’t pursue. He extended his free left hand, pointing at the airborne Pain.

"Bakudo #30: Mouth Cannon Triple Flash!"

Three golden beams with sharp tips shot out as he moved his left hand, aiming for Pain's hands and waist.

Pain quickly steadied himself, brought his ten fingers together, and slashed out with his hands like blades.

Crack!

Double blades slashed three times, shattering the sharp beams instantly.

But this was just a stalling tactic from Kimimaro.

As he unleashed the binding spell, he had already begun chanting another incantation.

“Creeping emblems of impurity, rebellious talents that defy! Surge, deny, paralyze, and halt the eternal rest! Crawling Iron Princess, the self-mutilating clay doll, unite, rebound, extend to the ground, and know your own weakness! Destructive Art No. 90: Black Coffin!”

As Pain shattered the three golden beams, a black dot appeared beside him.

It quickly spread, dots connecting into lines, lines into surfaces! A black cube formed, engulfing Pain completely.

Darkness fell before Pain's eyes, and he instinctively sensed danger.

“This isn’t good!”

He immediately extended his hands, preparing to unleash Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push)!

But the black blades were faster, attacking from all directions!

“Pain!” Konan shouted, rushing to save him.

The next moment, the black coffin exploded with a loud boom!

Shards flew in all directions, followed by a terrifying shockwave.

Pain’s black robe with red clouds was full of cuts, blood seeping out.

He looked battered, and the icy expression on his face now showed hints of anger.

He was injured.

Yahiko’s body had been hurt.

The rage Nagato felt was unimaginable.

But what shocked him more was the terrifying power Kimimaro had just displayed.

A relentless barrage of attacks, one after another.

That last attack was especially powerful.

If he had been controlling all six bodies instead of just Deva Path, the attack might have destroyed this body entirely.

“Are you okay, Pain?” Konan landed beside him, full of concern.

“I’m fine.”

Kimimaro didn’t continue his attack. Instead, he reached up, removed his bone mask, and let it dissolve into white light.

The maniacal grin on his face disappeared, replaced with a calmer smile.

“I wonder, does this level of strength qualify me to work with you, Pain?”

Having showcased his terrifying abilities, Kimimaro felt it was time to resume negotiations.

Continuing the fight would be pointless.

“You certainly have reason to be proud. I didn’t expect you to have such a combat form. Orochimaru’s power is far inferior to yours.”

Pain gave his assessment of Kimimaro.

Such strength at a young age was truly fearsome.

But Pain wasn’t afraid.

First, because this was just Deva Path. While it was the strongest of the Six Paths of Pain, the remaining five were also formidable.

Even three of the Six Paths working together had troubled Sage Jiraiya, let alone all six.

The true strength of Pain was the combined force of all six bodies.

A single Deva Path could only unleash half of its full power.

Second, he hadn’t used his most powerful techniques yet. He was confident that his Chibaku Tensei and Super Shinra Tensei wouldn’t be easy to counter.

Even Kimimaro in his enhanced state couldn’t withstand them.

Moreover, that form of Kimimaro’s clearly couldn’t last long.

So, Pain still maintained his calm as a powerful opponent.

However, what Pain didn’t realize was that Kimimaro’s true strength was far beyond what he had shown. He had even more terrifying techniques he had yet to use.

“I mentioned before, Lord Orochimaru’s strength lies not in combat but in research. Together, we form a strong alliance to collaborate with you, Pain.”

Kimimaro continued.

“I agree to join forces with you.”

Having witnessed Kimimaro’s power and potential, Nagato finally acknowledged that he was worthy of an alliance.

Such a partner might help him deal with that mysterious masked man.

As for Orochimaru, Nagato never thought highly of him.

He now placed his faith in his own strength rather than in research.

In his eyes, if Orochimaru were truly powerful, he wouldn’t have to hide in dark corners, conducting bizarre experiments.

So, in this partnership, he valued Kimimaro much more.

Orochimaru seemed more like a decoy, a distraction.

Nagato knew their alliance wouldn’t remain hidden from the masked man for long.

Perhaps focusing on Orochimaru would divert some of the masked man’s attention.

But that was a matter for the future.

For now, Nagato was simply preparing for what might come.

Seeing Nagato agree, Kimimaro let out a sigh of relief.

Finally, success.

“A pleasure to be working with you.”

Kimimaro extended his right hand toward Pain.

Pain looked at him and then shook his hand.

“A pleasure to work with you.”

The alliance was sealed!

“Congratulations! You’ve taken a photo with Pain and earned the reward: Universal Pull!”

Kimimaro was thrilled inside, though he didn’t show it outwardly.

Konan was also happy to see the partnership forming.

With Nagato agreeing to work with Kimimaro, she felt hopeful that Nagato might also agree to let Kimimaro help heal his legs.

Seizing the opportunity, Kimimaro extended his right hand toward Konan as well.

“Konan, I look forward to working with you too.”

This time, Konan didn’t refuse.

“Congratulations! You’ve taken a photo with Konan and earned the reward: Explosive Tag Inscription Technique!”

“Since we've decided to work together, there’s something I need your help with.”

Konan said eagerly, though her face remained emotionless.

“As long as it’s within my power, I’d be happy to help.”

Kimimaro smiled.

Konan was about to speak, but Pain stopped her.

“Konan, that matter requires more preparation. We’ll have Kimimaro assist later.”

“Why?”

Konan seemed confused.

“That matter doesn’t require immediate action. If we prepare carefully, the chances of success will be much higher. Doing it now would be too rushed. I promise you, it will be done.”

Pain’s assurance quieted Konan’s questioning.

Once Konan calmed down, Pain turned back to Kimimaro.

“For now, keep our alliance a secret, even from Orochimaru. You’ll continue to work with Sasori and Deidara as before. When everything is ready, I’ll contact you, and we’ll discuss our plans in detail.”

(End of chapter)

Chapter 210: Heaven's Space-Locked Chains

 Pain and Konan left together, taking with them the bull that Kimimaro had just knocked out.  
A perfectly good summoned beast couldn’t go to waste, after all.

 "All set."

 Watching the two leave, Kimimaro thought to himself.

 The cooperation with Nagato was established, meaning his future actions within the Akatsuki would be much freer.

 It was a pity, though, that his newly formed partnership with Konan was already being dismantled.

 Teaming up with Pain wasn’t Kimimaro’s own idea—it was Orochimaru’s.

 Kimimaro thought the suggestion was good and accepted it.

 Now that the initial cooperation was in place, he had received two valuable rewards, which put him in a great mood. 

**Banshō Ten’in!**

 A unique jutsu of the Rinnegan. 

Its power might not be the strongest, but it was incredibly useful.

 Using Banshō Ten’in, retrieving objects from a distance became an incredibly easy task.

 The size of the object being pulled depended on the amount of chakra the user released.

 With enough chakra, you could move mountains and fill seas.

 Though Kimimaro didn’t have the Rinnegan, he could still perform the jutsu on its own.

 After confirming there was no one within a kilometer, he extended his right hand and made a slight pull toward the shattered pieces of a black rod on the ground.

 **Banshō Ten’in!**

 Gravity emerged from his palm, and after a moment of focusing, he captured the black rod fragments, drawing them directly into his hand.

 The slightly unrefined control made the movement seem a little slow, but a hint of joy appeared on Kimimaro’s face.

 This jutsu works. 

All that was lacking was practice.

 Once fully mastered, with the Byakugan’s enhanced field of view, Kimimaro could use Banshō Ten’in even more smoothly than Pain.

 Pain’s Six Paths shared a connected field of view, but the Byakugan provided a full 360-degree, unobstructed vision.

 In that regard, the Byakugan’s vision had the upper hand.

 If Kimimaro wanted, he could control six puppets from a distance to engage in combat, showing extremely high levels of coordination between them.

 Of course, this wasn’t Kimimaro’s style of fighting, and he wouldn’t do it that way.

 After a quick trial of Banshō Ten’in, Kimimaro shifted his gaze to the black rod fragments. 

Even though these rods were just low-level products of Yin-Yang Release, it was Kimimaro’s first time encountering the technique.

 He hadn’t made much progress with the Yin-Yang Release training method he obtained from the stone tablet, but if he could study these fragments, there might be a breakthrough.

 Carefully, he stored the black rod fragments, intending to study them later.

 After finishing, he turned his attention to the Explosive Tag engraving technique he had just acquired from Konan.

 Engraving explosive tags wasn’t anything particularly special.

 If someone wanted to learn, they could find it in many places.

 However, Konan’s ability to engrave explosive tags was far beyond ordinary.

 Her technique of unleashing six billion explosive tags was enough to prove how ridiculous her engraving skills were.

 Six billion explosive tags—whether bought or drawn by hand—was an insane amount.

 To put it into perspective, the entire ninja world had only around one hundred thousand ninjas. If you divided six billion explosive tags among them, each ninja would get six million tags, which was absurd.

 There was no way the ninja world had that many explosive tags in stock.

 That meant Konan must have drawn most of them herself.

 This showed that she had the ability to engrave explosive tags instantly, not one by one, but likely hundreds or thousands at a time.

 What Kimimaro had obtained was a similar ability.

 However, unlike Konan, he didn’t possess Paper Release, nor did he have endless chakra-infused sheets of paper to engrave tags on.

 So, this ability would be somewhat weakened.

 "I may not have Paper Release, but my Shikotsumyaku bones are constantly nourished by chakra. If I engrave explosive tags onto the bones I release, wouldn’t that work too?"

 With this thought, Kimimaro immediately began experimenting.

 He extended his right index finger, and a white segment of bone emerged from his fingertip. The black explosive tag pattern then crawled up the white bone.

 **Whoosh!**

 The bone flew out, piercing a nearby tree. A moment later, **Boom!**, the tree exploded into pieces!

 Kimimaro’s eyes lit up at the sight.

 "This is great."

 Combining the Finger Bullet Drill with an explosion added even more destructive power.

 If he added **White Lightning**, both the speed and power would increase further. 

Of course, that kind of combination couldn’t be achieved easily. It would require more experimentation. 

But for Kimimaro, this wasn’t much of a challenge.

 After testing both techniques, he smiled in satisfaction.

 This battle had been worth it.

 Still, the most significant gain for Kimimaro was testing the combat potential of his **Sage-Void Mode**.

 For now, the Sage-Void Mode was still a prototype.

 Not only was its duration very short, but the power boost it provided also didn’t fully satisfy him. 

Even so, he was 70% confident he could defeat Pain’s Deva Path in this form.

 And that’s considering if the opponent used **Chibaku Tensei** and **Shinra Tensei**. 

If he had wanted to, he could have easily crushed Deva Path just now.

 But he had come to discuss cooperation, not to kill, so he held back and didn’t go all out. 

In a short time, the prototype Sage-Void Mode’s power was sufficient.

 But before the tailed beast capture plan began, Kimimaro planned to fully perfect the Sage-Void Mode. 

He was eagerly looking forward to how strong the complete version would be.

 It would definitely far surpass the current prototype.

 After gathering everything, Kimimaro left the wide, empty Summoning Forest.

 Meanwhile, after Pain and Konan left, they returned to where Nagato’s main body was. 

“You’ve been following me the whole time?” Konan asked as soon as she saw Nagato.

 Nagato didn’t deny it and said, "Yes. I was worried about you. And as it turns out, my worry was justified. Kimimaro’s strength is extraordinary. In the Akatsuki, only Tobi and I can match him. Even Uchiha Itachi might not be his equal. 

"If he truly had bad intentions, you would have been in serious danger, which is something I cannot allow." 

Hearing this, the discomfort in Konan’s heart quickly faded.

 She wasn’t unreasonable.

 “Alright. Since you’ve already agreed to work with Kimimaro and Orochimaru, why not have him treat your legs right away? What are you waiting for? Don’t you trust him?”

 “You’re right; I don’t fully trust him yet. Without full preparations, I won’t let him come so easily.”

 “What else needs to be done? Let me help you.”

 Konan understood Nagato’s concerns, so she wanted to help resolve the matter as soon as possible.

 “No need. Have him come in a month. I’ll make the necessary arrangements. If he can truly heal my legs, my power will rise again. At that point, I’ll become a true god.” 

Nagato’s eyes flashed with a gleam as he spoke.

 If he had a healthy body, he could fully wield the Six Paths of Pain’s abilities. At that point, with offense and defense integrated, he couldn’t imagine anyone in the ninja world who could oppose him.

 Seeing that Nagato had a plan, Konan stopped worrying about the timing.

 “Should we continue monitoring Kimimaro?”

 “No need. With his sensory abilities, not even Zetsu could follow him. I didn’t expect him to possess the Byakugan.

 “This man holds too many secrets. His relationship with Orochimaru isn’t just a simple subordinate-superior dynamic. I underestimated him before.

 “The power he displayed today was unstable. If he fully masters it, he could indeed be a great asset to us.

 “But only if he’s on our side. Otherwise, he’ll become a problem sooner or later.”

 Nagato’s words revealed how wary he was of Kimimaro.

 “I understand,” Konan replied.

 ---