CHAPTER 182 - 182: YOU ALL COME TOGETHER!

A black chakra rod quietly materialized in the air.

"Bansho Ten'in!"

Deva Path Pain's voice rang out low and cold.

Suddenly, a tremendous, almost irresistible force surged forward.

Just moments ago, under this same overwhelming gravitational pull, even two people working together couldn't stop Naruto from being dragged away.

And now, as the battle resumed, Deva Path wasted no time. He unleashed this unique Rinnegan ability right at the start.

Almost instantly, Uchiha Haru felt the massive suction bearing down on him.

His body began to shift involuntarily, drawn toward the hovering black rod suspended before Deva Path.

But rather than fighting it with brute force, Haru closed his eyes briefly, grounding himself through sheer will. His spirit calmed. His focus locked in.

The sensation of losing control over his body faded almost instantly.

Deva Path's expression twitched.

Why wasn't his proven technique working on Uchiha Haru?

He didn't believe it.

Deva Path concentrated harder, increasing the gravitational pull.

The ground beneath Haru cracked and split. Dust and stone exploded into the air, pulled violently toward the black rod. But Haru didn't move. He simply stood there, calm and unmoved, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

From the sidelines, Might Guy, Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai Yuhi couldn't help but exchange stunned glances.

Their expressions slowly turned to hope.

Uchiha Haru was exactly as powerful as rumored.

A technique that was nearly invincible—one that had crushed even Kage-level ninja—was rendered completely useless against him.

It wasn't just that Naruto might be safe now.

Konoha might actually stand a chance.

Haru tilted his head slightly, studying Deva Path like a curious predator.

No matter how strong a jutsu is, everything depends on who it's used against.

Just like how Uchiha Itachi, when facing someone of equal level, wouldn't casually use his Mangekyō Sharingan: Tsukuyomi.

It wasn't that he didn't want to. But if used carelessly, the technique might fail—and backlash was dangerous. It wasn't worth the risk.

The same logic applied to Bansho Ten'in.

Yes, it could devastate someone like Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, or even most of the world's elite.

But what about when facing Senju Hashirama?

Uchiha Madara?

Could it still dominate the battlefield?

Of course not.

And now, Deva Path was facing someone of that caliber—Uchiha Haru.

Deva Path realized this in an instant.

With no hesitation, he switched tactics.

"Shinra Tensei!"

The suspended black rod was suddenly blasted forward, propelled by a violent shockwave of repulsion.

This chakra rod wasn't just a weapon—it could disrupt the flow of chakra inside the human body. A single stab could disable a shinobi, even if they were elite.

Paired with Shinra Tensei, it became a deadly projectile with crushing force.

That was how Kakashi's kunai, and the combined efforts of Asuma, Might Guy, and Kurenai, had been deflected earlier. The sheer power had sent them all flying.

That's the force now propelling the black rod straight toward Haru.

The rod rocketed through the air, faster than the naked eye could follow.

To the untrained, it seemed to teleport.

But just as it was about to pierce Haru's chest—

His body shattered into flickering phantoms.

The Body Flicker Technique.

Not just any use of it—this was a legendary display, the same technique that earned Uchiha Shisui the title "Shisui of the Body Flicker" during the last Great Ninja War.

But Haru's execution was even more profound.

Multiple afterimages split off in every direction, indistinguishable from the original. No one could tell which was real.

The chakra rod tore through one illusion, then another—until it passed cleanly through Haru's "body," without leaving a drop of blood.

Another clean miss.

Deva Path's frown deepened.

He didn't pause.

"Bansho Ten'in!"

The gravitational force surged again.

This time, Haru stood his ground with ease. The suction wasn't nearly enough to move him.

But Deva Path wasn't targeting Haru.

His real target was the black chakra rod that had just flown past.

In a blur, the rod reversed course—ripping through the air just as fast, but now behind Haru, closing in silently.

Earlier, it attacked from the front.

Now it came from the rear.

A deceptive move.

After surviving a frontal assault, most shinobi would lower their guard. That brief moment of relaxation—just one breath—was often fatal.

"Haru!!" Kakashi and the others shouted in alarm, realizing the danger.

They knew what Deva Path was capable of.

Unless Might Guy opened all Eight Gates—sacrificing his own life—they had no way to stop Pain.

And no one wanted to see Guy make that choice unless all hope was lost.

Haru couldn't be defeated here. He was their only hope.

But Haru simply chuckled.

That weak feint?

Even the others watching had seen through it.

How could it possibly fool him?

Once again, as the black rod neared, Haru's form flickered. His body became a blur, scattering into illusions.

The rod passed cleanly through his chest.

No blood. No impact.

Another phantom.

Another clean miss.

Tendo Pain, who had failed again and again, was visibly growing irritated. He let out a cold snort.

In the next moment, countless black chakra rods materialized in the air, densely packed to the point it was impossible to count them all at a glance.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Suddenly, the black rods shot toward Uchiha Haru at a terrifying speed, like a storm of javelins descending from the heavens.

Tendo Pain's thinking was simple.

So, you can dodge a few rods, Uchiha Haru?

Fine.

Then how about a barrage that fills the entire sky?

Let's see you dodge this.

It was like avoiding a single raindrop—not hard at all. But what if it was pouring rain from every direction?

How do you avoid that?

Kakashi and the others watching the battle from nearby immediately recognized the danger. Their eyes tensed with worry for Haru.

A single black rod is easy to dodge.

But if black rods fill the entire sky... where can you even move?

In an instant, the swarm of black rods closed in on Haru.

But Uchiha Haru's expression remained calm, unfazed.

He activated the Body Flicker Technique, and instantly, a dozen phantom figures burst out around him, making it impossible to tell which was the real one.

The number of black rods, however, was overwhelming—enough to strike every single shadow.

One rod pierced through the chest of one Haru.

A glint of satisfaction flashed across Tendo Pain's face.

Beside him, Kakashi, Might Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai Yuhi all frowned deeply.

But their expressions quickly shifted to surprise—then to relief.

Meanwhile, the satisfaction on Tendo Pain's face twisted into baffled confusion.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Another wave of black rods surged forward.

Once again, they pierced Haru's body.

Yet again, no damage was done.

What... what was happening?

These black rods had filled every direction, striking every possible shadow.

Logically, one of them should have hit the real body.

How could they all miss?

Kakashi, Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai couldn't make sense of it either.

But it didn't matter.

They didn't need to understand.

What mattered was that Uchiha Haru was strong—and the stronger he was, the better it was for them.

Their unease turned into quiet joy.

Haru still looked at Tendo Pain with that calm, mocking gaze.

Did he really think that flooding the battlefield with black rods would make a difference?

What a joke.

If it were that easy to land a hit, then the Body Flicker Technique wouldn't deserve its rank as a forbidden technique.

This wasn't a simple speed-based ninjutsu.

It was high-level space-time ninjutsu, refined to a terrifying degree.

To outsiders, it looked like Haru had created a swarm of afterimages.

But those "phantoms" weren't illusions—they were governed entirely by Haru's intent.

They could all be fakes.

Or they could all be real.

Just now, when a black rod had been on the verge of piercing his true body, Haru had simply turned it into a phantom.

"As far as tactics go... is that really all?"

Haru's voice was light, almost amused as he looked at Tendo Pain.

He wasn't trying to provoke him.

That was simply how he truly felt.

Tendo Pain wasn't strong enough.

At least, not strong enough to stand against him.

But that sentence lit a fire of rage in Tendo Pain.

Each of the Six Paths of Pain possessed unique abilities, and they shared a single vision and consciousness through the Rinnegan.

There was no need for words—they always knew what the others were thinking.

Originally, Tendo Pain had planned to test this so-called prodigy, Uchiha Haru, whom the entire shinobi world had begun to fear.

That's why, during this battle, the other Paths had merely observed.

Kakashi, Asuma, Might Guy, and even Sarutobi Hiruzen had already seen what Tendo Pain was capable of.

They knew the other Paths of Pain wouldn't be weak either.

Their side didn't have a decisive advantage in numbers or power.

So long as the enemy wasn't advancing, there was no need to pick a fight.

Thus, the clash remained a one-on-one—Tendo Pain versus Uchiha Haru.

Everyone else was just spectating.

But now... after several failed attacks, not only had Tendo Pain accomplished nothing—he'd been openly mocked.

That was the last straw.

All six Paths of Pain moved.

The full force of the Akatsuki's Rinnegan-powered warriors descended.

If they moved as one, they were a complete entity—not some cheap trick of numbers.

It couldn't be considered bullying a lone opponent.

As the remaining Pains prepared to strike, the other Akatsuki members watching the battle stirred as well.

They, too, were ready to join the attack on Haru.

But Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai Yuhi, and Might Guy couldn't allow that to happen.

Uchiha Haru was their only hope for victory.

They couldn't let him face this overwhelming onslaught alone.

Even knowing the odds were against them, they stepped forward.

If nothing else, they would fight to delay the Akatsuki.

But before they could act—

"There's no need to intervene."

Haru's voice rang out, calm and firm.

"Even if they all come at me together... I have nothing to fear."

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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones

2nd Bonus Chapter - 400 Power Stones

3rd Bonus Chapter - 600 Power Stones

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