Naruto: An Informant from the Uchiha

Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!

Compared to the half-hearted version used against Jiraiya earlier, this eruption of colossal timber truly showcased the might of Ku's Sage Body.

In an instant, massive trees erupted madly from the ground. Not even rock or buildings could hinder their growth.

GROWL

The Giant Multi-Headed Dog, bound by the enormous trees, howled in pain. Normally, this creature couldn't be killed due to its splitting ability, but the massive trees relentlessly absorbed its chakra until it finally vanished in a puff of smoke.

At the same time, under Ku's control, the trees surged skyward at incredible speed, barely missing the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird flying overhead.

"Where are you looking?"

Ku's voice echoed from above the bird.

BAM!!

A single punch slammed into the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird's skull. The massive creature was sent plummeting towards Tendō Pain.

Boom

Though the bird dispersed in smoke before it could crush Pain, the Naraka Path behind him had already summoned the King of Hell, swallowing the mangled Asura Path for repairs.

Still, the rampaging trees did not cease. They surged forward, sweeping toward the Six Paths of Pain.

Pain raised a hand.

"Shinra Tensei!"

A massive repulsive force shredded the trees and knocked them away. Even Ku, suspended mid-air, had to teleport to the ground to stabilize himself.

"Seriously, cheating abilities like that are just unfair. But even with the Six Paths of Pain, you're not enough to stop me."

As his words fell, and the five-second cooldown ticked away, a new wave of trees burst forth. At the same time, three kunai flew straight at Tendō Pain.

Three? Pain's gaze followed the kunai while dodging the trees. He was clearly watching them closely.

But then.

Ku threw three more kunai. As they collided mid-air with the first set, the trajectories of all six suddenly shifted.

Swish!

Ku instantly reappeared, a blue Rasengan forming in his palm, and he slammed it downward toward Pain.

But just then, a figure leapt in front of Pain. A chakra barrier appeared and quickly absorbed the Rasengan's energy.

'Preta Path, huh?'

"Shinra Tensei!"

The five-second interval had passed, and as Ku prepared a punch, he was blasted away once more.

'I really need to stop trying to be flashy with the Rasengan. Should have just that stuck with my monstrous punches.'

After teleporting back to the ground, Ku's trees surged with ferocity, focusing all their fury on Preta Path.

Deep Forest Emergence was far more effective against large groups of enemies. When it came to smaller, scattered foes, its overwhelming force often lacked efficiency. But when focused-

BOOM!!

The trees rampaged across the battlefield, destroying the ground as they surged toward Preta Path. Isolated and distracted, he was quickly ensnared.

But then—

Swish!

Human Path suddenly broke through the trees and rushed Ku.

Yet, just as he approached, massive roots erupted beneath his feet, binding him instantly.

Splurt!

The trees twisted and crushed Human Path, reducing him to an unrecognizable mess.

But Tendō's cooldown had reset once again.

"Shinra… Tensei!"

This time, the force was even greater, a clear sign of frustration. In an instant, everything within a 200-meter radius was obliterated.

The massive trees, the Flying Thunder God kunai, all were blown beyond the perimeter.

Swish!

Ku's silhouette reappeared once more. The restored Asura Path gathered the shattered corpses of the Preta and Human Path, and the Naraka Path summoned the King of Hell to repair them again.

Watching from the sidelines, Ku sighed:

"Six-on-one, I can accept, but now you're resurrecting and healing? That's just plain cheating."

Pain shook his head calmly:

"The Six Paths of Pain are one. If you cannot overcome even this, you are not worthy to face a god."

Ku sneered:

"A god? I've yet to see one. But I have seen a delusional maniac right in front of me."

He looked around. When both sides had previously evacuated civilians, they were testing each other; now, no one remained. But thanks to the wood-style and Shinra Tensei, no buildings were left either.

Only bare dirt remained.

"Well, since I came all this way…Might as well take a local specialty back with me."

"Wouldn't want this trip to be a waste."

Ku formed the Ram seal again:

"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!!"

Instantly, towering trees erupted from the cleared area. Though Tendō Pain blasted them away again, the five-second interval returned, and Ku's kunai flew again, in tandem with the advancing forest.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Asura Path launched more missiles. Though the explosions set the forest ablaze, the trees just kept regenerating, snuffing out the flames.

Focused on Asura Path, the trees surged in, and then:

Swish!

BAM!!

Ku reappeared and smashed the Asura Path with a punch.

And just before the next Shinra Tensei could land, Ku grabbed the broken puppet and allowed himself to be flung away.

"Pleh."

Spitting dirt from his mouth, his injuries already healed thanks to Sage Body, Ku whipped out a sealing scroll and quickly sealed the remains of Asura Path.

Watching from not far away, Tendō Pain's eye twitched.

"Just taking a local souvenir. Don't mind me."

Ku grinned, and his towering trees continued rising, unrelenting.

Next target: Human Path.

In no time, Human Path was restrained again.

"No point in struggling. You don't feel pain since you're just a corpse, but escaping this level of wood-style? You're not even close."

BAM!

A punch crushed Human Path's skull, the most dangerous one to Ku personally, and with practiced ease, he sealed it in another scroll.

He then turned to his next target: Animal Path, who had been evading ever since losing the Dog and bird to the forest earlier.

Clearly, Nagato knew that giant summons were weak against Wood Style.

Soon, Ku was flung away yet again by another Shinra Tensei, but he returned, no worse for wear.

For someone with a Sage Body, this blast of injuries was trivial and healed in seconds.

But the enemy?

The Six Paths of Pain… had now become One Path of Pain.

"MORTAL!!"

An enraged voice echoed across the battlefield. For the first time, Tendō Pain's expression twisted in fury.

"You've angered a god! A god beyond anything you could ever comprehend!"

"Now… are you ready to witness divine wrath?!"

Ku sensed a dark and ominous chakra rising slowly from the ruined tower in the distance.

He looked up and shrugged:

"Blowing a fuse just because you're losing? That's not how this works. Besides… how many times can you even go all out?"

"I only came to borrow something, no need to take it so personally."

Pain glared back:

"No matter what… even if it costs my life…You will never get Yahiko's body!!"