MTLNOVEL Chapter 480: Ch.480 Who Are They?
Uchiha Shinji and his group's decisive retreat added a layer of intrigue to the already complex battlefield.
Even the Third Hokage, seasoned by multiple Shinobi World Wars and rich in battlefield experience, found the situation increasingly opaque.
Nagato's side was in a similar bind.
The intense battle with the mysterious person's forces had not only cost him the Six Paths of Pain but also drained much of his Rinnegan dojutsu.
Though Nagato had mostly recovered and still held several trump cards, the situation was too convoluted. The mysterious person's forces hadn't been fully eradicated, the five great ninja villages' alliance was close at hand, and Obito's faction posed a threat. Thus, he refrained from aggressive actions.
Konan glanced at Hidden Leaf's ranks, her gaze lingering briefly on Jiraiya, before turning to Nagato. "Nagato, now's not the time to confront the five great villages. Let's withdraw!"
"Hm!"
Nagato nodded.
Konan formed hand seals, and countless paper sheets converged around Nagato, forming paper wings on his back.
Without looking back, Nagato and Konan flew from the battlefield.
The wooden cart Nagato had used was destroyed by the mysterious person during their clash in the 'Kamui Dimension.'
As Nagato and Konan withdrew, Itachi and Juzo Biwa, farther from the battlefield, followed suit.
Since their retreat closely followed Shinji's group, the ninja village alliance hesitated to pursue Nagato, fearing Shinji's group might turn back and reignite the conflict.
"How long until Cloud and Rock's allied forces arrive?"
The Third Hokage asked, his face grim.
A communications ninja, wiping sweat from their brow, replied stiffly, "The latest report said thirty minutes!"
Tsunade shook her head. "Too late!"
"Sigh!"
The Third let out a heavy sigh.
This had been a prime opportunity to crush Akatsuki and the 'Upper Ranks,' but no one expected Akatsuki's numbers to exceed projections.
Especially 'A' and 'B's two complete 'Susanoo,' which were deeply intimidating!
On their side, Hidden Sand's forces were nearly crippled from prolonged battles, with even the Fourth Kazekage gravely injured. Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock's forces were delayed, leaving Hidden Leaf and Hidden Mist's combined strength insufficient for victory.
"Just let them escape like that?"
Asuma was reluctant.
Jiraiya's gaze, however, remained fixed on the retreating Nagato and Konan, lost in thought.
In moments, no Akatsuki members remained on the battlefield. The 'Upper Rank' ghosts had also vanished after the 'Infinite Castle' was destroyed.
The ninja villages could only assign trackers to follow Akatsuki and begin cleaning the battlefield.
In the Kamui Dimension.
Zetsu, standing beside Obito, said, "I had to dig through the soil for ages to recover them!"
"Thanks for the effort."
Obito replied absently, his gaze settling on the six corpses lined up before him.
Undoubtedly.
These were the Six Paths of Pain Nagato had lost in the 'Infinite Castle.'
When Nagato's 'Super Shinra Tensei' obliterated the 'Infinite Castle,' the Six Paths fell onto the battlefield, buried by the subsequent shockwave.
Scanning from 'Human Path,' 'Animal Path,' 'Preta Path,' 'Asura Path,' to 'Naraka Path,' Obito's eyes finally rested on 'Heavenly Path.'
He knew the significance of the 'Heavenly Path' to Nagato.
The other five were expendable, replaceable tools to Nagato, but the corpse crafted into the 'Heavenly Path' was something he truly valued.
This was why Obito had instructed Zetsu to discreetly recover the Six Paths from the battlefield.
Then, Obito's gaze shifted to the remnants of the silver spear piercing the 'Heavenly Path'!
Nagato's 'Super Shinra Tensei' had not only destroyed the 'Infinite Castle' but also damaged the Ω-grade restraint device binding the 'Heavenly Path.'
Zetsu stepped forward, extracting the broken half of the Ω-grade restraint from the 'Heavenly Path.' "I've never seen anything like this. It doesn't seem chakra-driven."
Obito took the damaged restraint, examining it closely before confirming, "This spear was launched by that mysterious person?"
Zetsu shrugged. "Yeah, that guy took out Nagato's 'Heavenly Path' with one hit. If it had struck Nagato himself or you, the consequences would've been dire."
Obito, a former ninja academy slacker, clearly couldn't decipher the Ω-grade restraint's intricacies. Handing it back to Zetsu, he asked, "Can it be repaired?"
"Very difficult!"
Zetsu shook his head.
For a non-chakra-driven, heavily damaged precision device like this, even Zetsu—let alone the ninja world's top technicians—would struggle to repair it.
"A pity."
Obito felt a twinge of regret.
If the Ω-grade restraint could be restored, it would be a decisive trump card when confronting Nagato in the future.
Shifting thoughts, he asked Zetsu, "What about Moryo and Shinno?"
Zetsu grinned. "Oh, they've broken free! Right now, they're probably rampaging in Hidden Grass Village!"
Moryo and Shinnoweren't bound by Ω-grade restraints but by standard ones.
Against Moryo and Shinno, now the Zero Tails Jinchuriki, these restraints could only hold them briefly. Soon after the mysterious person left, the two broke free. Unable to find the mysterious person, they were wreaking havoc in Hidden Grass Village.
Obito's face hardened as he ordered, "Tell them to withdraw immediately. The five great villages are converging on the Land of Grass, watching closely. If they're caught, no one can save them!"
"Relax, they're not stupid!" After a pause, Zetsu added, "What do you make of 'A' and his group?"
At the mention of 'A,' Obito's expression grew serious. Even setting aside the others, 'A' and 'B's complete 'Susanoo' alone were enough to make him wary.
But reflecting on 'A's group's actions and their near-total lack of interaction with Nagato throughout the battle, Obito grew suspicious. "Why do I feel like they aren't Nagato's people?"
"Not Nagato's, and not ours—so who are they?"
Zetsu was baffled.