Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 394 Konoha Crisis 3

This was a scene of utter devastation, littered with shattered buildings and charred remains. Kakashi Hatake stood amidst these ruins, his face grim and tense as he faced the Deva Path of the Six Paths of Pain. He knew that this enemy had once defeated Jiraiya, possessing unimaginable strength. However, as a Konoha ninja, he could not afford to back down.

Kakashi gripped his kunai tightly, leaning slightly forward, ready to attack at any moment. His eyes were firm and sharp, revealing his determination and courage in the fight. Despite facing such a powerful enemy, his conviction made him fearless.

Pain stood silently, his cold gaze fixed on Kakashi. He exuded a powerful aura, as if he controlled the entire world. Kakashi knew the vast difference in their strength, yet he still charged towards Pain without hesitation.

In this life-or-death struggle, Kakashi displayed unwavering fighting spirit and indomitable will. He used all his strength to counter every attack from Pain, while simultaneously seeking an opportunity to retaliate. Although he knew he might lose, he would never give up easily. Because he represented not only his personal honor, but also the dignity of Konoha Village.

Pain felt no worry or fear at Kakashi Hatake's appearance; on the contrary, he felt a surge of joy. As a member of Akatsuki, he had naturally heard of Kakashi, this elite ninja of Konoha. Kakashi's name was renowned throughout the ninja world; his strength and fame had spread far and wide. As one of Konoha's top combatants, Kakashi must possess much important intelligence, including information about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Therefore, Pain believed that if he could defeat and capture Kakashi, he might be able to obtain valuable information about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki from him. This would make their mission to find the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki much easier and also strengthen Akatsuki. Therefore, Pain was filled with anticipation for the battle with Kakashi; he was confident he could defeat this elite Konoha opponent and obtain the crucial intelligence.

However, Kakashi Hatake's attack was unusually fierce and swift, catching Pain somewhat off guard. Nevertheless, he remained calm and confident, believing he could easily handle the attack.

Just then, Kakashi Hatake suddenly unleashed the Lightning Blade, a powerful ninjutsu that gathers lightning in his hand to form a sharp blade, inflicting massive damage on the enemy. Pain, realizing the power of this attack, immediately used Shinra Tensei to send Kakashi flying.

But Kakashi Hatake didn't give up. He adjusted his stance in mid-air and launched another Lightning Blade attack on Pain. Pain was forced to use Shinra Tensei repeatedly to defend, and the two engaged in a fierce battle.

In this battle, Kakashi Hatake demonstrated his strength and skill as a Konoha technician, and Pain gradually realized that he was not an easy opponent. However, Kakashi was not strong enough to pose a threat to him; capturing him to obtain information about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki would not be so easy.

Pain knew he carried a heavy responsibility, and obtaining information about the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki was a crucial part of that. However, despite his desire to obtain the information he needed from Kakashi Hatake, he understood that Kakashi's desperate attack made it virtually impossible. Kakashi was clearly determined to protect the secret to the death, refusing to divulge a single detail. Realizing this, Pain decided to show no mercy, unwilling to waste any more of Kakashi's precious time.

When the second Pain arrived, Kakashi Hatake's heart sank. He knew that the chances of stopping the attack were slim. However, as a loyal ninja, he wouldn't give up easily. Even against a powerful enemy, he would risk his life to buy time, giving Konoha more opportunities to deal with the crisis.

Kakashi gripped his sword tightly, his eyes resolute and determined. He knew this might be his last battle, but he was fearless. He would use his strength to buy as much time as possible, giving Konoha more time to prepare.

On the battlefield, Kakashi engaged in a fierce battle with Pain. He used various ninjutsu and tactics to try and slow Pain down. Despite Pain's immense strength, Kakashi, with his excellent combat skills and unwavering will, repeatedly withstood Pain's attacks.

As time went on, Kakashi's injuries worsened, but he persisted in fighting. His eyes remained filled with determination, as if telling Pain, "I won't let you succeed so easily!"

Thanks to Kakashi's tenacious resistance, Konoha finally gained precious time. The villagers began an emergency evacuation, while the ninjas quickly organized themselves to prepare for Pain's attack. Kakashi, however, remained on the battlefield, holding the last line of defense, protecting Konoha with his own life.

Kakashi Hatake's chakra was rapidly depleting, nearing its limit. He felt his body growing heavier, each breath feeling like a life-or-death struggle. Just when he thought he was about to collapse, footsteps and shouts came from afar—the reinforcements had finally arrived!

The Akimichi clan's force surged like a powerful torrent; their figures were tall and imposing, each radiating a formidable aura. They swiftly charged into the battlefield, launching their attack without hesitation.

Mecha Pain was completely unprepared for the arrival of this team, and he was caught off guard by the sudden attack. The Akimichi clan's secret technique, "Expansion Technique," unleashed astonishing power, their bodies instantly expanding into enormous giants, swinging their mountain-sized fists and smashing them towards Mecha Pain.

Mechanical Pain tried to dodge, but his speed was far inferior to the Akimichi clan's attack. The enormous fist, carrying unparalleled power, struck Mechanical Pain hard, producing a dull thud. Mechanical Pain's body was sent flying, parts scattering everywhere, before finally collapsing to the ground, completely incapacitated.

Pain twisted his body abruptly, dodging the Akimichi clan's sudden attack with incredible speed. His gaze swept coldly over his surroundings, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

As more Konoha ninja arrived, Pain's brow furrowed, and a grave expression appeared on his face. He knew these Konoha ninja were the village's elite, and their strength should not be underestimated. However, his primary mission in Konoha was not to confront them directly, but to find and capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—Naruto Uzumaki. For him, time was life, and not a single moment could be wasted.

Pain silently devised a plan, knowing he had to find Naruto as soon as possible to complete his mission. However, faced with the numerous Konoha ninja before him, he had to temporarily set aside his search for Naruto and focus on dealing with the current situation. After all, if he couldn't break through the Konoha ninja's defenses, he wouldn't be able to continue investigating Naruto's whereabouts.

In this tense moment, Pain's eyes revealed unwavering determination. He secretly vowed that no matter the cost, he would complete his mission and bring back the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. At the same time, he was also considering how to use his abilities and skills to quickly break the current stalemate and buy more time and opportunities.

After discovering this through the Six Paths of Pain, Nagato, who was behind the scenes, initially didn't want to expend too much chakra on Konoha ninjas. After his battle with Hyuga Kanan, he had already become much more restrained, not wanting to waste too much chakra on irrelevant individuals. After all, each time he expended a large amount of chakra, he was depleting his life force. Before fulfilling Yahiko's dream, he needed to be able to endure for a longer period until true peace was achieved!

However, Konoha's current attitude and determination made Nagato realize that he needed to demonstrate a sufficiently strong deterrent to Konoha in order to achieve his desired goals. Only then would Konoha truly value their power and seriously consider reaching some form of compromise or cooperation. This deterrent needed to be expressed not only in words but also demonstrated through concrete actions. Therefore, Nagato decided to take a series of more aggressive measures to ensure that Konoha fully recognized the threat they posed and ultimately made concessions. Of course, Nagato understood that this might trigger a larger-scale conflict, but he believed it was a necessary price to pay; only through this method could Konoha truly feel their power and determination.

Facing the Akimichi clan ninjas attacking again, Pain no longer worried about wasting chakra and went all out. He spread his arms wide, facing the Konoha ninjas attacking from all directions, and softly shouted, "Shinra Tensei!"

An incredibly powerful repulsive force erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption, rapidly spreading outwards from him. This force, like a raging torrent, was fierce and powerful, surging forward without any resistance. The Konoha ninjas who had initially charged forward with such ferocity were instantly and mercilessly blasted away by this spreading force. Like fallen leaves swept by a gust of wind, they scattered in all directions, falling to the ground in a disheveled and pathetic state.

However, Kakashi Hatake, who had been fighting Pain for some time, was constantly analyzing intelligence. As a ninja with outstanding combat wisdom, Kakashi Hatake began gathering intelligence as soon as he started fighting his opponent.