However, saying it like that might not be entirely accurate, since the Six Paths of Pain were already dead.
They were merely being controlled by those strange black rods that maintained their bodily functions. What Natsuro destroyed was precisely their bodily functions, making it impossible for them to be controlled through the black rods.
So, while their bodily functions were still present, it couldn't be denied that they were already dead.
At this moment, Deva Pain looked at Natsuro and said,"Your Swift Release can't be used indefinitely, can it?"
"You guess?" Natsuro narrowed his eyes in response.
"I suppose your body can't withstand such speed for long." Pain seemed to be confirming his own speculation.
He continued, thinking aloud, "If you could use such speed without limits, then I would probably have already been defeated by your Rasengan, just like the other four Pains."
Staring at Natsuro, he continued, "But, I am still standing here."
"Couldn't it just be that I wanted to chat with you for a bit?" Natsuro asked.
"You once told Jiraiya-sensei that after defeating me, you would go to my real body for answers. That means you should be able to sense the chakra transmitted through the black rods and know where my real body is. So, there's no reason for you to stay and talk with me," Deva Pain analyzed before speaking.
"Impressive." Natsuro did not deny it this time. His opponent had deduced so much from just a few words. It was true, he couldn't use his Swift Release techniques continuously at the moment.
Deva Pain fell silent. But even if he figured it out, so what? He was the only Pain left. What could he do now?
Banshō Ten'in (Universal Pull)? Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push)? Even though Natsuro couldn't use his Swift Release, Instantaneous Steps, his speed was still absurdly fast. Locking onto his position was nearly impossible.
At this moment, Deva Pain felt a sense of powerlessness, as if none of his abilities could work.
It was the first time he had experienced this feeling.
But this wasn't surprising. Just because Deva Pain hadn't felt it before didn't mean the issue didn't exist.
The Rinnegan's abilities were simply on too high a level. Against enemies who hadn't reached the super Kage-tier, the difference in power was absolute.
Even though this weakness had always existed, it never showed itself because the gap was so insurmountable.
But now, facing Natsuro, every weakness of the Rinnegan was being exposed.
Although the Six Paths of Pain could act and attack together, their abilities could not be used simultaneously.
This was different from controlling puppets. Puppets' abilities were inherent to their mechanisms, so they could activate different techniques just by pressing a switch.
However, Pain's abilities were transmitted from Nagato's Rinnegan to each body. Nagato could not use multiple Rinnegan abilities at once, meaning that aside from taijutsu, the six Paths of Pain couldn't truly cooperate in battle.
The result of this inability to coordinate and use multiple abilities at once was that the Rinnegan's overall threat level was drastically reduced.
If it were Nagato himself, he could use all his abilities at once, and his combat power would rise significantly, even if he had difficulty moving his legs.
Deva Pain looked at Natsuro and finally formed a hand seal, preparing for a final desperate move.
Raising both hands toward the sky, a massive black sphere appeared above.
As the black sphere emerged, the ground trembled and cracked apart.
Natsuro could feel the immense gravitational pull from the black sphere. In the next moment, his body wavered slightly.
The ground beneath him fractured and rose toward the sphere in the sky.
"So this is Chibaku Tensei?" Natsuro was amazed. As expected of the Rinnegan, this power was truly formidable.
He glanced toward Jiraiya, and in a flash, appeared beside him.
"Jiraiya-sensei, you should head back first. I'll take care of him and find you later," Natsuro said.
"Sorry for the trouble," Jiraiya did not refuse. This level of battle was beyond him. Whether it was Natsuro's Instantaneous Steps or the terrifying force in the sky, he simply could not intervene.
Jiraiya looked at Deva Pain with a heavy heart.
Then, Natsuro used Flying Thunder God to teleport Jiraiya away. As for himself, he couldn't leave.
If he dared to leave, Deva Pain would have no hesitation in dropping Chibaku Tensei onto Konoha.
"RAAHHHH!!!"
At that moment, Deva Pain let out a furious roar, and his chakra surged violently.
With his shout, the gravitational pull from Chibaku Tensei intensified.
However, this time, Natsuro didn't resist the pull, nor did he attempt to attack him directly. Under this powerful gravitational force, dealing with Deva Pain was too difficult.
Even the Flying Thunder God marks he had left behind were being pulled toward Chibaku Tensei, making it impossible for him to use them to teleport close to Deva Pain. But Natsuro had no intention of solving this by defeating Deva Pain.
Today, he was going to break Chibaku Tensei with his own power.
As he was drawn toward the black sphere, Natsuro's expression remained calm.
A metallic sphere materialized before him. In the next instant, lightning crackled around his body, and magnetism surged to its peak.
Since there was an immense gravitational force ahead, he would simply use it to his advantage, he didn't even need to aim himself.
Natsuro extended his hand and flicked his finger towards the metallic sphere that was rotating yet maintaining relative stillness with him.
In the next instant, a streak of lightning-infused energy shot toward the massive, stone-encased Chibaku Tensei in the sky.
"Ninjutsu Railgun!!"
This time, the Railgun was not only enhanced by electromagnetic force but also by the gravitational pull of Chibaku Tensei, making it even faster.
And the speed of the Railgun directly translated into its power!
Almost instantly, the lightning-infused streak of energy slammed into Chibaku Tensei, triggering a massive explosion across its surface. However, the sphere itself did not shatter.
It seemed that a single Railgun was not enough to break apart Chibaku Tensei, a result well within Natsuro's expectations.
But Natsuro did not hesitate. If one Railgun wasn't enough, then he would fire multiple!
The reason he didn't use Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu was because breaking through a single point was the most effective strategy. Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu dispersed attacks too widely to achieve this.
So instead...
Multiple metallic spheres materialized around Natsuro, while the lightning surrounding him grew so bright it was like sunlight.
Then, multiple streaks of energy fired toward Chibaku Tensei in rapid succession. As soon as one hit and caused an explosion, another immediately followed, striking the exact same location before the previous explosion had even dissipated.
This continued until the fourth Railgun finally blasted through all the layers of stone surrounding Chibaku Tensei.
And then, the fifth Railgun shot forth, directly piercing through the original black core of the sphere.
"Urgh—!"
At the exact moment the black sphere was penetrated, Deva Pain coughed up a massive mouthful of blood, as if he had suffered a devastating blow.
At the same time, Natsuro suddenly felt his body lighten as the immense gravitational pull disappeared. He slowly descended toward the ground.
Meanwhile, the enormous sphere of earth and trees in the sky, which had once seemed immovable, finally began to crumble, its fragments tumbling toward the earth.
Of course, some of the debris also hurtled toward Natsuro.
However, the moment any rock or tree came near him, it was instantly pulverized into fine dust, dispersing harmlessly into the air.
At this moment, Natsuro turned his gaze to Deva Pain, who was now kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath as if his very soul was escaping from his body.
Natsuro spoke calmly, "That should be your final technique, right?"
Deva Pain didn't respond. He just kept panting heavily.
"Looks like you've lost." Natsuro said flatly, before stepping forward toward him.
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Currently on Chapter 352 - Sasuke's Rinnegan