Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

"Too slow!"

A faintly disdainful voice echoed as Akira's figure erupted in a burst of lightning, vanishing from sight amidst an invisible gravitational pull.

Unlike Shinra Tensei, Banshō Ten'in has a gradually intensifying effect. When Nagato used it against Kakashi during the attack on Konoha, Kakashi initially resisted but was eventually overpowered as the gravitational pull strengthened, drawing him in.

Akira, however, had anticipated this. Right from the start, he unleashed his power to break free from the pull of Banshō Ten'in.

Seeing Akira disappear without a trace, Deva Path's expression darkened. His opponent was not only incredibly fast but also a seasoned fighter. Unlike himself, whose mastery over the Six Paths techniques was not yet perfected, Akira exploited this weakness.

Atop a mountain peak several miles away, Obito stood with Zetsu, gazing toward the battlefield.

"Zetsu, what's the situation over there?" Obito asked in a deep voice.

With the Byakugan present on the battlefield, Obito couldn't get too close himself. But Zetsu could evade detection, even by the Byakugan.

"It seems Nagato is at a disadvantage," Zetsu replied with a faint smile.

"At a disadvantage?" Obito narrowed his eyes. "Is Akira really that strong?"

Zetsu shrugged. "His speed is impressive, and Nagato's command over the Six Paths isn't quite refined. Plus, his battle experience is limited. At this rate, Akira will take him down."

"Madara-sama, are you planning to intervene?" Zetsu's voice turned gruff as Black Zetsu spoke up.

"No rush. Let Nagato struggle a bit," Obito chuckled. "Besides, Deva Path isn't weak. Akira won't be able to defeat him that easily."

"When the time is right, I'll step in, just to keep Nagato's ambitions in check," Obito added, his voice firm.

Elsewhere on the battlefield Juro, Kaori, and Shiga were struggling against three massive summoned beasts, barely holding their ground.

Of the three, Kaori was in the best condition. With her Byakugan and skill in taijutsu, she deftly navigated the beasts' relentless attacks.

Juro, on the other hand, was faring poorly. Lacking the physical strength to withstand such heavy attacks, he already bore several injuries. Shiga was managing slightly better, but the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird's swift aerial maneuvers kept his insects from keeping up. Meanwhile, the Animal Path, wary of Shiga's insects after an earlier encounter with the Hellhound, was keeping its summoned creatures well out of reach.

BOOM!

A massive crab swung its colossal claw, smashing through the ruins around them. Debris scattered as the giant claw struck downward toward Juro and Kaori.

"Damn it... I can't dodge in time…" Juro's heart raced as he saw the huge shadow fall over him.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"

A cold voice rang out as an invisible air projectile blasted toward the descending crab claw, knocking it off course.

CRASH!

The claw slammed into the ground, sending tremors through the earth. The Animal Path, perched atop the giant crab, was now exposed in front of Juro.

"An opening!" Amidst the dust and debris, Juro's eyes gleamed as he quickly formed a seal.

"Mind Body Switch Technique!"

In an instant, his consciousness projected into the Animal Path's mind.

"Got you!" Juro felt a surge of triumph.

But his elation was short-lived. A moment later, his vision blurred, and he found himself in an eerie place made of black and purple lines. Overhead, a pair of giant Rinnegan eyes stared down coldly.

"W-what is this…"

Suddenly, a vast, chilling presence surged from the Rinnegan, crushing his will with overwhelming power. Before he could react, his mind was shredded to nothingness.

Outside, Juro screamed in agony before collapsing to the ground, completely drained.

"What just happened?" Kaori's eyes widened as she took in the scene.

Just then, two massive crab claws raised once more, aimed directly at Juro's fallen body. Kaori moved to help him, but her instincts kicked in, and she leapt back just in time.

CRASH!

The enormous Drill-Beaked Bird dove like a spear toward where Kaori had been moments before. The impact shook the earth, sending a thick cloud of dust into the air.

Through her Byakugan, Kaori could see that Juro had been reduced to a bloodied pulp, unmistakably dead.

"This is bad…" she muttered, a deep dread settling in her chest.

Then she sensed something amiss, and her gaze shifted toward where Akira and Deva Path were fighting. A massive shift was occurring in the sky above them—dark clouds were swirling, and lightning crackled in ominous arcs as a vortex of energy began converging above the battlefield.

In the heavens, the storm clouds roiled, as if some dreadful creature lurked within them, unleashing thunderous roars that sent tremors through Kaori's heart.

"The heavens are shifting…" she shouted, immediately retreating.

Nearby, Shiga heard Kaori's warning and quickly followed suit, putting distance between himself and the battlefield.

Now standing on a high ridge, Akira looked down on the Deva Path, sparks of lightning flickering around him as his gaze turned cold.

"This should be enough. Let's see if the power of the storm can bring down this Path."

With that thought, Akira raised his right hand.

"Realm of Lightning!"

Zzzzzt!

The air crackled as blue light surged from his hand, merging with the swirling black clouds above.

BOOM!

In an instant, torrents of lightning cascaded down, each strike crashing toward the Deva Path. Within moments, the entire area became a domain of lightning, blindingly bright and fiercely charged.

From several kilometers away, Nagato's eyes widened as a sense of foreboding gripped him. His opponent was using the natural storm to amplify his power—an unimaginable level of devastation awaited.

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