Chapter 382: Intelligence Supremacy - Conclusion

Thank you to our new Patrons: DeathClan1980, Leroy, Drake Blazer, Mridk, Jose, Destin Woods, Isaiah, Soren Britt, AbsoluteZero and Oprea Andrei George! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 790: Progress in Detoxification – The Soul Pearl on Patreon!

There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)

I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! It's called 'Douluo: Martial Soul White Tiger, I Am the White Emperor of Heaven!' As always, Patrons will have unrestricted access to all of my stories including futures ones!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Maruboshi Kosuke, though not a direct disciple of the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, had inherited his true teachings. His mastery of Water Release techniques was nothing short of divine. 

Moreover, Maruboshi Kosuke was one of Konoha's first "eternal genin," and anyone familiar with Konoha's standards knew just how much weight that title carried. 

Though the Water Dragon Bullet Technique was only a B-rank jutsu, its destructive power was astonishing. 

Thanks to Amegakure's humid climate, this Water Release technique reached an epic level of potency. 

With just one strike, the previously fearsome Deva Path was sent flying into the sky by the water dragon. 

"It's not over yet! Water Release: Water Severing Wave!" 

Maruboshi Kosuke's face was stern. The Water Dragon Bullet Technique, as a B-rank jutsu, required 44 hand seals, while the Water Severing Wave—an A-rank technique—required even more. However, simplifying hand seals was a mandatory skill for those trained under the Shadow of the Sea. 

Though he only had five seconds, it was enough for Maruboshi Kosuke to deliver a fatal blow to the Deva Path. 

After all, the Water Severing Wave was a brutal technique capable of cutting through even the Divine Tree. 

This proved that even a seemingly simple technique, when mastered to perfection, could never be underestimated. 

Under the forceful water blade, the Deva Path was sliced in half and collapsed onto the ground in a sorry state. 

"Yahiko…" 

The Deva Path's perception hadn't faded entirely. Nagato Uzumaki's emaciated body trembled uncontrollably. 

Though the material used for the Deva Path came from Yahiko—a naive, idealistic man with little talent for ninjutsu—this didn't mean Nagato looked down on his dear older brother. On the contrary, it was precisely because of Yahiko's personality that he had opened Nagato's heart, which had been closed off due to childhood trauma. 

"Unforgivable! All of you—die!" 

The Asura Path and Human Path, who had been locked in fierce combat with Kakashi and Guy, suddenly stiffened and collapsed onto the ground. 

"Something's off!" 

Kakashi, ever vigilant, noticed the anomaly but couldn't pinpoint its cause. After all, the intelligence provided by Ye Wen wasn't flawless and likely had some gaps. 

The Deva Path, now able to move only its upper body, emotionlessly spread its arms wide. 

"Super—Shinra Tensei!!!" 

A shockwave far more powerful than before swept outward like an untamed beast, expanding recklessly. In an instant, the entire village of Amegakure was reduced to rubble. 

Drip… drip… 

The Super Shinra Tensei was Nagato's ultimate technique, focusing all of the Deva Path's abilities at the cost of immense strain on his own body. 

Nagato panted heavily, barely recovering. Ignoring the blood dripping from his nose, he urgently worked to restore mobility to the remaining Paths of Pain. 

Fortunately, both the Asura Path and the Human Path—modified from Kakuzu—possessed extraordinary durability. Despite the overwhelming force of the Super Shinra Tensei, their bodies remained largely intact. 

After a quick analysis, Nagato realized that his side had undoubtedly lost this battle. Continuing the fight would be futile. 

Nagato had no sense of honor—he was merely a lingering shadow of Akatsuki. However, the fact that he, who considered himself a god, had been defeated left him deeply dissatisfied. 

This wasn't a retreat—it was a strategic withdrawal. 

"Konoha, mark my words. I will repay this humiliation someday." 

After retrieving the Deva Path's body, Nagato sought out his other trusted companion, Konan. 

Though he hadn't paid attention to Konan's battle due to the intense fighting earlier, Nagato had complete confidence in his partner. After all, her mastery of Paper Release was unparalleled. 

"What a troublesome opponent—to think they've pushed Konan into such a difficult fight." 

Furrowing his brow, Nagato directed the Human Path to provide support and inform Konan of the strategic withdrawal. 

The Four Violet Flames Formation had sealed off all sides tightly, making escape impossible for ordinary shinobi. However, the barrier had one flaw: the sky above was unsealed. And Konan, possessing one of the rare flight abilities in the ninja world, could exploit this. 

As for Nagato himself— 

He was reluctant to leave so shamefully. 

Using the specialized communication ring created through the Rinnegan's power, Nagato contacted Zetsu. 

"Zetsu, stop pretending to be dead. Go collect the blood of Konoha's surviving shinobi. Make sure to get Kakashi's and that thick-browed guy's blood—I want them dead." 

"Got it." Zetsu's voice slowly responded. 

The previous battle had been too intense, leaving no room for Zetsu to intervene. Though Zetsu's combat abilities were lackluster, his strengths lay in infiltration and intelligence gathering. 

However, Nagato's judgment was correct. While ordinary jonin would surely perish under the Super Shinra Tensei, the core group of elite jonin and Kage-level fighters wouldn't go down so easily. 

Still, they weren't unscathed. This was the perfect time to finish them off. 

If not for the severe injuries on his side, Nagato might have gone to collect their heads himself. 

But letting Konoha's shinobi die mysteriously at the hands of Hidan, the madman of the Jashin cult, seemed unexpectedly satisfying. A cruel smile crept onto Nagato's lips. 

"Feel the pain, Konoha." 

Raising his hand, Nagato summoned an invisible lizard through a summoning technique. 

Frowning at the Four-Limbs Heavy Seal restricting the lizard, Nagato simply activated the Preta Path's chakra absorption ability, draining the creature's chakra. After all, all ninja techniques stemmed from chakra—if the source was removed, the effect vanished. 

All of Nagato's summons, like the Six Paths of Pain, were essentially corpses. During battles, they didn't require Nagato's control; their primal instincts were enough to drive their attacks. 

With slight manipulation of the invisible lizard, Nagato prepared to use it to retrieve Hidan. 

"Go." 

After finishing this, Nagato felt utterly drained. This battle had dealt a heavy blow to him. 

"The strong of the ninja world cannot be underestimated. It seems we'll need to proceed more cautiously in the future." 

Closing his eyes briefly to rest, Nagato suddenly furrowed his brow and snapped them open wide. 

"How is this possible?!" 

Amegakure wasn't just modern on the surface—it also boasted excellent underground facilities with vast subterranean spaces. 

After the battle began, Nagato had chosen to hide underground for safety, as did Hidan. 

At this moment, in the underground space, Hidan was dancing awkwardly with a look of profound enlightenment on his face. (°﹃°)

Before him stood a Konoha shinobi wearing the attire of an elite jonin—Uchiha Itachi.

------------------------------------------------------

Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow