A Rinnegan failsafe that not even Obito was aware of had activated.
*It seems I'll have to help you after all, Obito.*
Nagato's vision plunged into darkness as searing pain erupted from his eyes. He lost not only control over them but his sight as well, feeling as if they were about to be ripped from their sockets.
A failsafe hidden even within the Rinnegan!
Obito had used Nagato's eyes to summon the Gedo Statue and was now cutting off his access to it. The statue, once manifested, roared like a famished beast.
"Groooaaar…"
"Gah!" Nagato cried out, his eyes aching as his chakra was siphoned away into the statue. He collapsed to the ground in agony.
"Nagato!" Konan cried out in alarm, caught completely off guard by this hidden contingency.
Apparently finding the ranged absorption too slow, the Gedo Statue extended a black chakra rod. The rod materialized in the air, its tip gleaming menacingly as it shot toward Nagato. Konan commanded her paper to intercept it, but the black rod pierced through her defense with ease.
Just then!
*Whoosh!*
Two figures suddenly appeared beside the Sword of the Loving Shinobi. It was Minato, who had used the Flying Raijin Jutsu to transport himself, Jiraiya, and the two toad sages all the way from the Land of Rain, across the Land of Fire, to the Land of Whirlpools. The immense distance had completely drained Minato's chakra reserves. Seeing no immediate crisis, he sat down cross-legged and began to recover his strength, keeping the Nine-Tails sealed for now.
Enduring the immense pain, Nagato sensed someone approaching. Though he could no longer see, he turned his head and listened. "Master… is that you?"
Konan, at his side, replied, "It is. Don't worry."
Jiraiya didn't have time for pleasantries. The moment he saw Konan, a great weight lifted from his heart. He had finally received her signal and arrived in time.
"Don't be afraid, Konan, Nagato. I won't let you fight alone again!"
As he spoke, Jiraiya stamped his foot and leaped forward from beside Konan. Perched on his shoulders were the two great sages, Fukasaku and Shima.
"Pa, was that the Body Flicker Technique just now?"
"And what in the world is that monster?!"
Jiraiya's face had transformed, now bearing the distinct markings of Sage Mode, with red pigment around his eyes and warts on his nose.
"Sage Art! Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!"
Jiraiya rapidly gathered nature energy in the air, forming a Rasengan in his palm that was larger than his own body. He thrust it forward, slamming it into the incoming chakra rod.
*Crack!*
The chakra rod was instantly shattered. With a final push, Jiraiya completely disintegrated it, and the Gedo Statue ceased its attack.
The turmoil in Nagato's Rinnegan intensified, and blood began to stream from his eye sockets. Konan quickly helped the staggering Nagato to his feet. "Nagato, what do we do now?"
He had thought only his heart was controlled by a curse mark, but now his eyes were bound as well.
In a fit of rage, Nagato viciously dug his fingers into his own sockets and ripped his eyes out. With a pained grunt, he held the two eyeballs tightly in his hands. The Gedo Statue, having lost its connection, froze. Its colossal form grew still, becoming completely motionless.
His face twisted in agony, Nagato roared, "Damn these eyes! They've deceived me for so many years!"
*Madara Uchiha! Let's see how you like this!*
Nagato's hands clenched, preparing to crush the eyes. Obito, who had been reveling in his success just moments before, watched this scene unfold in horror.
"Nagato, you dare!" he shouted, immediately trying to use his ocular power to sever Nagato's arms.
But it was too late.
As Nagato's fist tightened… for a split second, Obito felt his own heart stop. An immense power erupted from the Rinnegan in Nagato's hand, a self-defense mechanism that had been triggered. It unleashed a powerful repulsive field. Everyone nearby—Minato, Konan, Jiraiya—was blown away by the impact. The force also saved Nagato from Obito's impending attack. The Rinnegan glowed brightly in the air for a moment before dimming and falling toward the water.
At that moment, Zetsu shot out of the water, catching both eyes. He glanced back at the Gedo Statue. Realizing they couldn't damage it anyway, he used a substitution jutsu to merge back into the water and escape.
Nagato, having taken the brunt of the repulsive force, coughed up a mouthful of blood. His fingers were mangled, his bones shattered. Several broken ribs had pierced his internal organs. He barely managed to press his hands together, and a faint healing power began to flow… Clenching his jaw, Nagato first straightened his fingers, then placed his hands on his chest and began painstakingly setting his own bones.
If it weren't for the physical enhancement from the Hashirama cells, he never would have survived that Almighty Push at point-blank range.
Konan had transformed into paper at the first sign of trouble, so her injuries were minor. Minato's reflexes were lightning-fast; the instant Nagato was sent flying, he had already teleported behind Jiraiya in the distance.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
After destroying the chakra rod, Jiraiya returned to Nagato's side. He shot a glance at Minato. *Only you could possess such reaction speed and the ability to use the Flying Raijin Jutsu,* he thought. But this was no time to settle old scores.
Just as Nagato was thrown back, a book had fallen from his person.
*The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja*.
Jiraiya's heart skipped a beat. To think that Nagato had carried this book with him all these years. A wave of warmth washed over him, followed by a heavy sense of responsibility.
"Nagato, Konan! I will get you both out of here safely!" Jiraiya declared with conviction.
Konan immediately began relaying everything she knew about Obito. "The man we're facing is Obito. His Sharingan has…"
Though he was too far to hear her words, Obito could guess she was exposing his secrets. His heart sank. Why was Jiraiya here? And who was the other man? Could it be… the Flying Raijin Jutsu? No, that was impossible. That man was dead. It must be a Reverse Summoning. He hadn't expected Nagato and Konan to have made such preparations.
Obito had successfully summoned the Gedo Statue using Madara's failsafe, but now he discovered it wouldn't obey him. With the chakra rod destroyed and the Rinnegan taken by Zetsu, the statue had fallen into a dormant state. Even as a half-formed figure rising from the sea, its presence was overwhelmingly oppressive.
Obito had been confident, believing he could use Nagato's Rinnegan for a final gambit. Now he realized this method could also be used to restrict Nagato's own use of the eyes. Fortunately, Nagato had ripped them out himself. If he hadn't, the entire plan might have been ruined. A shiver of fear ran down Obito's spine. He was relieved that Zetsu had been the one to retrieve them.
He had long heard of Jiraiya's ability to use Sage Mode. The situation had reached a stalemate. Even with the Rinnegan secured, Nagato and Konan knew too much. The best course of action was still to eliminate them. Nagato was severely wounded, and Konan was no threat as long as he didn't fall into one of her traps.
"Today, I think I'll see for myself what this Toad Sage is capable of." Obito's gaze turned cold. He had never truly faced Jiraiya in battle and had no measure of his true strength. The outcome of this fight would determine whether he could eliminate them here and now.
"Nagato, are you all right?" Jiraiya asked, his eyes fixed on Obito, using only his peripheral vision to check on his student.
Nagato had just finished resetting a rib that had punctured his lung. He spat out some bloody phlegm and began healing himself. "I'm fine. I know some medical ninjutsu. I'm treating my injuries now. Please, buy me some time."
Konan breathed a small sigh of relief and continued explaining Obito's abilities.
Jiraiya also let out a breath, realizing how quickly things had changed. The top priority now was to protect Nagato. Although Nagato was attempting a new form of healing, Jiraiya had a general idea of how long it would take. He was beginning to understand why Hashirama Senju was revered as a god; it was likely that few things could ever pose a mortal threat to him.
As he continued to apply his healing jutsu, a strange expression appeared on the eyeless Nagato's face. He looked bewildered, tilting his head from side to side as if seeing something peculiar. No one else noticed.
What was happening?
After gouging out his eyes, Nagato's world was suddenly filled with ethereal figures formed of chakra. The person in front of him was clearly Master Jiraiya, and the one over there must be his junior, Minato… He was utterly confused, unable to comprehend this new power he had acquired. Finally, he sighed and stopped looking around. Whatever it was, being able to see again was a blessing.
After briefing Jiraiya on the enemy's abilities, Konan stared at the massive, motionless figure in the distance. It stood like a giant sculpture amid the waves, its skin rough like tree bark, its hands bound. Nine closed eyes were arranged across its head, and a dozen stone-like pillars protruded from its back. Fortunately, Obito couldn't control it freely yet, or their situation would be far more perilous. This was the culmination of years of effort and an indispensable tool for their enemy's future plans. Her gaze toward it grew sharp and unforgiving.
With her master here, their chances of escaping safely were high. If she wasn't mistaken, the one recovering his strength was her legendary senior, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Once he was back at full power, they could retreat instantly.
Konan's heart settled, and she began focusing on recovering her own chakra. The jutsu she was about to use would consume all of her energy.
Nearby, Minato was also slowly replenishing his chakra while observing the enemy. He sighed, looking at what had become of his former student. He had no intention of asking how this monster had come to be. Kawasaki had warned him not to get involved. Given the current circumstances, Minato had no plans to attack. The priority was Nagato's severe injuries. The best strategy was to wait until his chakra was fully restored and then retreat together. Next time, he would have to ask Kawasaki for more details.
Jiraiya did not act immediately. He had no intention of clashing with Obito just yet. From Konan's information, he knew this opponent was incredibly difficult to handle. It would take a continuous assault lasting over ten minutes, or the support of both sages, to land an effective blow. With Nagato now blind and badly injured, Jiraiya remained by his side, vigilant against any potential attacks.
Obito's eyes swirled into a vortex, locking onto his target. The two toad sages on Jiraiya's shoulders fell silent. They had already been briefed on how troublesome this opponent was. He possessed an instant teleportation technique that made him nearly impossible to catch, and his attacks were devastating. Evasion was their only option; they couldn't let their guard down for even a moment.
Suddenly, Fukasaku's long tongue shot out, wrapping around Nagato and pulling him out of harm's way just as Obito attacked. Obito's heart grew colder. So, much of his intelligence had already been leaked.
At the same time, Jiraiya crouched down, hardening his silver hair into countless needles. "Sage Art: Needle Jizō!"
In an instant, his white hair shot forward like a gale, moving with incredible speed. But Obito's attack had only been a feint. The moment his space-time ninjutsu was dodged, he immediately became intangible. Jiraiya's countless needles passed harmlessly through his body.
Jiraiya's expression tightened. *He can become intangible that quickly?*
"Lord Fukasaku, Lady Shima, I think it's time we tried that technique."
The two toad sages nodded grimly, surprised by the opponent's skill. They both puffed out their cheeks, and a chorus of frog croaks began to emanate from them, weaving through the air like a song.
Obito, having narrowly avoided the needles, was now wary of attacking rashly. Seeing the two toads begin to sing, his vigilance intensified. He knew the sages' genjutsu would take time to activate.
Jiraiya formed hand seals, preparing to use a summoning jutsu. But Konan stopped him. "Master, please look after Nagato. Don't attack."
"Konan, what are you doing?" Jiraiya asked, startled.
She turned and gave him a smile. "Trust me, Master."
Konan had already considered what she would do if she had to face Obito. Though she had successfully ambushed him with her paper ninjutsu before, it had only cost him one Sharingan. Obito remained fearless because, outside the range of her explosive tags, she was powerless against him. With Dual Kamui, he could retreat at any time.
Konan's gaze was fixed on the massive Gedo Statue in the distance. Since this was the source of all their suffering, she would be the one to end it.
Paper wings sprouted from her back, and she flew toward the Gedo Statue.
Seeing Konan act alone, Obito sneered. He formed hand seals while using his Sharingan to twist space, creating a spiraling vortex. His chest swelled, and he unleashed a massive torrent of fire.
"Fire Style: Blazing Tempest!"
A serpent of rotating flames spewed from Obito's mouth, forming a massive, swirling inferno that swept toward Konan. Paper ninjutsu was notoriously weak against fire.
Though he didn't know what Konan was planning, Jiraiya chose to trust her. The two toad sages continued their croaking song. Jiraiya's hands moved through a rapid series of seals, and a surge of chakra erupted from him!
"Sage Art: Water Vortex!"
Enhanced by Sage Art, a massive waterspout rose up around Konan, shielding her completely. Fire and water collided, filling the air with a thick cloud of steam.
Obito narrowed his eyes, surprised that Jiraiya had nullified his Blazing Tempest with a single water jutsu. The amplification from Sage Mode was truly powerful.
As the relentless croaking continued, Obito suddenly felt a jolt. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself trapped within a translucent, gray cube.