Obito Moves In For Nagato's Timely Rescue

However, all of a sudden, it turned out that Nagato attempted to confuse his opponent, and then five of six of Nagato's avatars strangely disappeared in gusts of smoke from atop the building, while Nagato surreptitiously concentrated all of his chakra onto his Deva Path alone and then attempted to push Toneri all the way to the lake surrounding the Amegakure near Konan's stack of explosives.

They were created through Konahs' "Paper Person of God Technique". Konan devised this ninjutsu to defeat the one she believed to be Uchiha Madara by overcoming his powerful space-time ninjutsu. The idea behind it was inspired by Hanzou of the Salamander who once disguised his explosive tags to ambush Nagato. Over time, Konan prepares at least thousands upon thousands of explosive tags, if not billions upon billions, with her abilities and hides them within her chosen battlefield to detonate at the opportune moment and start several minutes' worth of continuous chain-like explosions. It was her strongest technique. She was a true middle Kage-level shinobi.

His Deva Path was able to manipulate gravitational force to attract and repel targets. That power has already resided in Yahiko, Nagato's deceased friend, as the central figure of the Six Paths of Pain. In battle, its abilities grant the perfect type of offensive and defense and are undoubtedly the most powerful of the Paths overall. It shows the most dramatic increase in its destructive power when Nagato focuses all of his chakra into this one Path, just as he currently attempted to do from the get-go, and its greatest ability cannot be performed without being close enough to him, which it currently was as his real body was just a few meters away in the nearby chamber high in the tower.

Konan immediately stepped back, closer to Nagato's real position, their plan was to escape as soon as their enemy gets engulfed inside the sea of her paper bombs. Then she was to take Nagato and fly away. They were never prepared to fight for real from the beginning. It was all just their trick.

Nagato was sure that none of his other paths would work on opponents with some much chakra. Only his Deva Path, his strongest one, could prove to be useful against him and he focused on it. Now, Nagato was sure that it could even destroy an island if he turned serious, not to mention push this person just a few kilometers away into that pit of explosive clones, creating an opportunity for them to escape. Nagato utilized a technique called the Shinra Tensei to try and push him back out. He also used as much chakra as possible while also focusing all of that energy only on one person.

However, Nagato and Konan turned dumbfounded because Nagato didn't even manage to move Toneri one step from his position in the air. Instead, the entire top of their got demolished in some kind of aftershock from Toneri's own gravitation push he used to dispel Nagato's repulsion assault. In fact, Toneri's move was so fierce, that half of the buildings inside the Amegakure got blown away. Nagato's fragile, nearly skeletal-like body was now fully visible, sitting on some kind of mechanical chair full of various chakra rods used for his transmission, while Konan moved back to protect him while also changing her face to one full of distress for her village and also for Nagato and herself.

"You're really weak. You're at least two levels below me currently. This is not even one percent challenging. That human Neji Hyuga now probably has a hundred times stronger gravitational ability than you, just like me. Hiashi Hyuga was also many times stronger than you. Well, at least they have similarly noble blood to mine though still inferior. However, you who call yourself a God, are truly a fly to me! You're one step above an ant if it will make you feel better...", Toneri recounted.

In his mind, he already accepted Neji's, now-famous, classification of the Six-Paths levels of power which was above the Kage level. He mentioned it in Konoha right after he defected and it spread. Maybe this funny-looking mortal really entered the early Six Paths territory, however, he was still two levels below them, who were late Six Paths both, at least. Not to mention that Toneri would soon fuse with his ancestor's energy vessel, then he feels like he could kill mortals such as that one in front with just a simple wave of his hand, "Does every cat and dog really names themselves as 'Gods' in this world now...? Then this world really went to hell as I thought...", Toneri now spoke what he truly felt. Then he remembered how legendary those eyes were supposed to be. They failed that.

"Is this really the Rinnegan? No, I don't know how you acquired this Rinnegan, however, from what I know, you should be able to at least put up a fight against me now. You just made this kind of lightweight attack and you already don't have much chakra left. Not to mention manifesting your Rinnegan's special ability, you probably don't know what that is...", Toneri knew many things about various Otsutsuki high-level powers from his ancestral treasury full of various ancient information.

"Anyways... They are good eyes, it's just that you're a waste, so I will be taking them together with me!", Toneri suddenly held his up and did a squeezing motion, preventing both Nagato and Konan from moving anywhere with his gravity control. Konan's expression was teary and full of despair, mostly for Nagato, while Nagato's own looked as if frozen in time. Toneri then made a large whip made of his Truth-Seeking Orbs substance and slashed it toward their bodies faster than lighting. He knew that Rinnegan manifested many different tricky abilities for close-range fights, therefore, he decided to end the two from a distance with his one-hit kill Truth Seeking Orbs material attack.

However, out of blue, all three people in the vicinity were stunned, as a masked man appeared out of the spatial vortex beside Nagato and Konan, picked them up, and moved them away from the whip to a safe distance still on the top of this ruined tower. Nagato and Konan were wide-eyed both at the man's speed and at the fact that he decided to help them. The complete Zetsu also emerged from the metallic material and stood right beside the three of them, 'Thankfully I arrived on time...',

Previously, while they all extracted the One-Tails from its jinchuriki, Nagato suddenly stopped the whole process saying that there was some kind of mishap in his chakra transportation technology happening and that he would soon correct it and be right back. However, Obito immediately got a bad feeling about it and after a small period of contemplation, he decided to come there personally and check what he was doing with Zetsu. He then witnessed the former scene and saved them fast.

"Hoh? A space-time ability? Not bad...", Toneri looked at all of that and exclaimed. However, he was still unfazed by the sudden arrival in front. He was mainly intrigued by the ability that the masked man showed. For all he could tell, that wasn't even the Rinnegan, but usually inferior Sharingan. But that space-time ability was truly extraordinary at first glance. Space-time abilities were usually trademarks of the full members of the Otsutsuki clan, and he didn't expect such a watered-down descendant to awaken it. His luck could then be comparable even to him who had those genes of theirs expressed so well, 'Maybe I should make a mechanical puppet with his eyes...?', Toneri immediately got an idea and thought a little greedily. He also occasionally started to think about what would happen if those full Otsutsuki beings really come to this place in the future. Then maybe his plans would be over. That's why he was also so interested in that new kind of power-up.

"Who are you? What is your purpose?", Obito asked, all of a sudden, while looking at his unearthly appearance, focusing on the same eyes he previously saw on Neji just recently. Those majestic, bright-blue spinning eyes. This person looked strangely similar, but also way different than Neji in his mind. It's as if this person was simply born exalted while Neji worked hard and plotted a lot to acquire his current powers. He was also perplexed by the sheer amount of chakra he possessed too.

Black Zetsu was burning with killing intent inwardly while looking at that person and his eyes too. It reminded him of Hamura right at that moment when he sealed his mother away for centuries with his twin brother. His chakra footprint was also close to Hamura's. He wanted this person to die fast.

"Yes, you're worthy of knowing about me, earth-dwelling shinobi. My name is Toneri Otsutsuki of the Otsutsuki clan on the Moon. Currently, I'm walking forward in my fated journey of bringing salvation to this world and you humans. I'm going to build it all back better. That is my dream and purpose and also of my clan. But, in the short term, I'm looking to take away those interesting eyes of yours...", Toneri responded. He felt like it was time for the world to know of his transcendent self and his purpose. It was the first time that he ever introduced his noble self to someone and it felt great. He thought that his existence should be known now that he lived all of his life in seclusion.

'It's as I thought...', Black Zetsu hissed in anger, 'The Moon... The Otsutsuki clan? Rabbit Goddess's clan...?', Obito, surprisingly, wasn't offended by his words and he was more interested in knowing about him further. Judging by his short introduction, Obito already deduced half of his nature, 'He probably wants to destroy this world and then rebuild it all back on his own terms. I must admit, this is even more extreme than my plan. But, it's also a valid goal...', Obito analyzed in a moment,

'However, it's in an essence against my own Eye of The Moon project, therefore, this individual is a very big threat. If there was no that goal of his, then I could've let him live on the Moon, outside of my Eye of the Moon plan, in peace. But now that he has his own purpose, he is my great adversary.'

Obito also knew about the Sage of Six Paths from Madara, however, Black Zetsu recently mentioned to him that Hagoromo in fact had a lesser-known twin as well who was the progenitor of the Hyuga clan and some other mysterious clan on the Moon. It seemed to him that this young-looking Toneri was part of that clan and that it was simply called the Otsutsuki clan from Kaguya's surname. He currently knew more or less about all the history below the level of Kaguya, however, what information lay above Kaguya, he didn't know. And Black Zetsu told him that he and Madara also didn't know as well. However, he always had a feeling that they might have hidden something. He was also aware of the God Tree and the Chakra Fruit that supposedly made Kaguya so omnipotent.

'This person must be dealt with immediately! It's pity that Nagato is such a waste, he couldn't even last a move. But that's expected, after all, he is just a container for Madara's Rinnegan. There is no way that his body could ever accept it as his own. He also doesn't have enough chakra to use it in a really meaningful way despite being an Uzumaki member.', Obito thought that he was even chosen by Madara as his container because of that Uzumaki heritage with a body full of chakra and vitality. However, he now didn't plan to use his Rinnegan to revive the real Madara from the dead later. He was now the Madara. He was the one who was going to save this world and bring everlasting love.

"Toneri, let's leave it at this today. What problem do you have with these two in the first place? They are my subordinates.", Obito suddenly spoke confidently. Nagato and Konan flinched however they had no strength now to try and disprove Obito's words. Nagato just clenched his fists tightly, till his nails pierced his flash. However, he promised himself that he will increase his strength in the near future and get back at this masked guy once again. He was now certain that the other person got his other eye somehow, after being so close to him, therefore, he was really stronger than him now.

"No, if they are your subordinates, then it's even worse. If they stole my Gedo Statue on your orders, then it makes you my deadly enemy, mortal...", Toneri stated his case and was now ready to make a move against him at any moment. In his mind, today the matter regarding the Gedo Mazo should be over. He had more important things to deal with afterward. There was no more mercy on his part. "So that's how it is...", Obito's only visible eye fleshed with a dangerous light as well after hearing that. The Gedo Statue was the crucial element of his Eye of The Moon's plan. There was no compromise on that. Without it, there was no creation of his ultimate, perfect heaven for everyone.

And, right in the next instant, part of his mask broke, and a dangerous dimensional portal started forming right on Toneri's head. Toneri's weirdly disturbed head got an interested expression, as he activated his cyan Tenseigan Chakra Mode and survived the deadly long-range attack with success. "Teleportation, long-range spatial twisting ability, what else have you got?", Toneri smirked next.

'So all users of that dojutsu have those distinctive Chakra Modes? But, only of different colors?', Obito pondered. He wasn't that surprised by Toneri's speed as Neji also demonstrated it before, 'Then how about this one...?', Obito thought as he suddenly transported himself even closer than before to Toneri and then tried his short-range, even swifter, version of his twisting portal attack.

However, Toneri, who was still in his Tenseigan Chakra Mode, easily dodged the attack, once again, with his sheer, enchanted thought processing, reflexes, and pure body speed, and this time, counterattacking as well. He made a sword out of his Truth-Seeking material and swung it right toward Obito, already appearing in front of him. Nevertheless, Obito turned intangible and Toneri's sword easily passed through his body. Obito then returned back to normal, made a piece of sharp wood from his body, and slashed back at Toneri who now had a really surprised look on his face as he stopped that attack with his gravity. Thereafter, he tried to encase the entire Obito with his gravity, but then the man already entered his own Kamui dimension, and in the next instant got back to his previous position beside the complete Zetsu, Nagao, and Konan who all wore dumb looks on their faces. Both Toneri and Obito were shocked by each other's strengths at the moment.

'He's definitely Neji, but with way more chakra, and who can pose really great threat to me and test the limits of my intangibility, if he catches me off guard...', Obito ruminated in surprise and respect.

Meanwhile, Toneri also had a similar expression and thought process, 'Such all-around, great spatial ability. This is simply fascinating. Weird intangibility, instantaneous spatial vortex attacks, teleportation... This kind of opponent must be defeated with both tactics and brute force together.'

'I could make him exhaust all of his chakra and then kill him... However, I feel like that is nearly impossible...', Obito tried to think of some ways in order to defeat this very powerful adversary.

'I could test the limits of his intangibility's duration, even If I needed to draw some meteors as well. However, there is no need to waste those powers anymore when I'm just about to fuse with them. I should power up, and then come back for them again!', Toneri also strategized his course of action.

"You're lucky, you got to live for a while longer!", Toneri chuckled coldly and swiftly went on his way

Obito looked at this and let out a long sigh of reveal inside before speaking in a bossy kind of tone, "Nagato, Konan, let's resume the sealing process right away. Other members are waiting already. You don't have to worry about your chakra, I will use more chakra of mine in order to compensate for yours. We will do it on time planned.", Obito looked at them as if he was their new leader and vanished with Zetsu who also turned to give them a last funny look. From this day, Obito was the new secret leader of the Akatsuki, and they can't do anything against it. He even saved their lives. Konan looked at frail Nagato in concern while he looked blankly at the empty space in gloominess.