Simultaneous Transmigration: From Douluo Continent to the Pinnacle

Just then, the curtain of the ramen shop was lifted, and a young figure walked in.

"Konohamaru?" Iruka looked up, somewhat surprised, at the newcomer. "Why are you out so late too?"

"I have something I'd like to ask Iruka-sensei." Konohamaru walked in with a smile, sat down next to Iruka, and casually picked up the teapot on the table to pour himself a cup of water. "It's about Naruto-senpai."

"Naruto?" Iruka was slightly taken aback. "He's resting in the village lately. Why don't you just go find him?"

"Actually..." Konohamaru lowered his head, looking somewhat troubled, "I have something quite important that I want to talk to him about in person, but I can't find him anywhere. I thought that Iruka-sensei usually interacts with Naruto-senpai quite a bit, so maybe he knows where he is, which is why I took the liberty of coming here to ask."

Iruka didn't think much of it. He put down his chopsticks and scratched his head: "Naruto... he should be at the third training ground in the east of the village these days. He goes there to train alone for a while every evening, and then goes for a walk near the Hokage Rock when he comes back at night. If you want to find him, look in those two places; you should be able to find him there."

"I see..." Konohamaru's lips curved into a silent smile. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."

Suddenly, an unusual light shone in his eyes. In that instant, the genjutsu was silently activated; Iruka's pupils abruptly lost focus, his consciousness forcibly invaded by a powerful mental force before he could even react. Although Konohamaru was a descendant of the Sarutobi clan, his genjutsu skills, honed through secret training in the Anbu, had reached a formidable level. Furthermore, he had subtly laid down a guiding spell using the smoke filling the ramen shop as a medium; at that moment, Iruka had absolutely no chance to resist.

"Where is Naruto now...?" Konohamaru murmured in an almost gentle tone.

Iruka struggled for a moment in the depths of his consciousness, but ultimately could not resist the layers upon layers of genjutsu. His lips moved involuntarily, uttering a string of indistinct words: "Hokage Rock... southeast side... under the seventh tree... Naruto... goes there every night... to sit for a while..."

"Thank you, teacher." Konohamaru gently patted Iruka's shoulder.

Then he stood up and slowly drew a kunai from his waist. Ayame's pupils constricted sharply in that instant; she was about to scream, but the kunai had already pierced her throat with incredible speed. Her body went limp and fell backward, knocking over the stool behind her with a dull thud. Uncle Tei turned sharply, witnessing his daughter lying on the ground, his eyes wide with rage: "Ayame—!"

However, Konohamaru didn't give him any extra time. He flashed past like a ghost, his kunai piercing straight into the heart of the old man. The old man's lips trembled as he tried to say something, but his mouth was filled with blood and foam, silencing his voice. His body slid slowly against the counter.

Iruka's eyes flickered slightly within the manipulated illusion, as if he vaguely sensed the dramatic changes around him. He tried to move, but the genjutsu suppressed him completely. Konohamaru walked up to him, looking down at his mentor who had once taught him with a gentle smile, his face devoid of any other expression.

"Teacher, do you know why I want to kill you?" Konohamaru asked softly.

Iruka's body trembled violently, as if trying to break free of his restraints. However, Konohamaru did not wait for his reply. The kunai first pierced Iruka's right palm, slamming him onto the table, then his left hand, and then his abdomen. Each strike precisely avoided vital points, yet the excruciating pain washed over Iruka's remaining consciousness like waves. Blood gushed from the wounds, staining Iruka's green vest a deep crimson.

Konohamaru put away his kunai, taking one last look at Iruka's eyes, which had finally regained focus from the genjutsu. Those eyes held no fear, no anger, only a profound sadness and pain. Konohamaru slightly turned his head, then walked out the back door of the ramen shop, his footsteps disappearing into the night wind.

A few breaths later, an orange figure suddenly rushed into the ramen shop's doorway.

"Iruka-sensei!!"

Naruto's voice stopped abruptly the moment he saw the pool of blood. He stood in the doorway, his pupils contracting sharply. His gaze swept over the lifeless man lying on the ground, over Ayame pinned to the wall, and finally settled on the blood-soaked figure by the table.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto rushed over and knelt beside Iruka, his hands trembling as he tried to press on the bleeding wounds. "Sensei! Hang in there! I'll call the medical team right away!"

Iruka's eyelids trembled slightly, his gaze straining to focus on Naruto's anxious face. He opened his mouth, his voice as weak as a candle flickering in the wind: "Naruto... quick... quick, hide..."

"Teacher! Don't speak! You'll be alright!" Naruto's voice was already trembling with tears. He pressed his palms against the wounds with all his might, but blood continued to seep out from between his fingers, as if it could not be stopped no matter what.

"Konohamaru..." Iruka used the last of his strength to utter those twisted yet clear words, "Konohamaru is going to... kill you... Quick... run..."

His pupils slowly dilated, and his head slumped limply to one side. His still-functioning hand gently touched Naruto's wrist, like a teacher patting a student's shoulder one last time, before falling completely silent.

"Teacher Iruka..."

Naruto knelt on the spot, the body in his arms rapidly losing its warmth. His hand was still pressed against the blood-soaked vest, his gaze fixed on Iruka's peaceful face. Suddenly, he stopped crying. His voice was no longer choked, nor trembling. He simply held the corpse quietly, like a boy embracing the last harbor he once possessed.

The wind blew in through the tattered curtain of the ramen shop, carrying the faint sounds of fighting coming from the distant village.

He gently put Iruka down and stood up.

At that moment, the blue light in his eyes became as calm and dark as the deep sea.

Smoke and fire filled the village of Konoha.

The Six Paths of Pain attacked Konoha Village simultaneously from six directions. The terrifying repulsive force of Shinra Tensei instantly destroyed a large area of ​​the village entrance, with houses collapsing and crumbling like building blocks. Pain, the Deva Path, hovered in mid-air, his cold gaze from the Rinnegan looking down at the panicked villagers below, like a god looking down on ants.

"Don't run around! Everyone to the shelter!" Kakashi's voice boomed through the street. He appeared on a rooftop, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, the Lightning Blade flashing brightly in his palms. "Jonin, follow me—hold off the enemy! The rest of you, evacuate the villagers!"

Nara Shikaku was already standing on another rooftop, his hands forming hand seals as he directed the deployment of the Anbu and Jonin: "First echelon, left flank! Second echelon, right flank! Medical team, stand by in the rear!" He paused, his gaze falling on the figure hovering in the air in the distance, his heart sinking, "He really came... Pain."

Hinata Hyuga darted through the crowd, her Byakugan piercing through the ruins to spot the hidden enemy figures. A paper clone exploded in her hand. She calmly turned around, striking out with her palm, the chakra of her Gentle Fist precisely sealing the pressure points of the Pain clone. She remained as polite as ever, but compared to a year ago, her movements carried a new composure and decisiveness.

Neji intercepted the Preta Path on the other side, his white aura from the Rotation Heaven deflecting all attacks. Rock Lee darted through the ruins like a meteor, the dust storm whipped up by the Leaf Village Whirlwind sweeping away all enemies on the street. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio operated like well-worn gears, Ino's mental transmission, aided by the Yamanaka clan's meticulous calculations, delivering tactical instructions from both sides to every Jonin's mind at lightning speed.

After the initial chaos, Konoha quickly organized a defensive line. However, the power of the Six Paths of Pain was ultimately too terrifying, not to mention the elusive Kisame Hoshigaki, who wielded Samehada and darted across the battlefield, devouring the chakra of Konoha ninjas like a hungry shark.

"This won't do..." Jiraiya appeared on a rooftop, his expression grave as he gazed at the suspended figure in the distance. This wasn't his first time facing Pain, but it was likely the most difficult. He took a deep breath, his right hand forming a hand seal, summoning Gamabunta: "Looks like tonight's going to be a tough battle."

Meanwhile, deep in the dense forest southwest of Konoha Village, another battle was silently brewing.

Uchiha Yao's figure passed through layers of shadowy trees, stopping before the vine-covered cliff face. His gaze calmly swept over the disguise before him, and he raised his palm, pointing a finger at the invisible spatial barrier. The barrier, made of paper, rippled from his fingertip, slowly shattering like waves on water. The stone wall suddenly cracked open, revealing a deep, dark tree hollow behind it.

The layout inside the tree hollow was simple yet orderly. An oil lamp cast a dim, yellowish light on the table. Nagato sat on a stone chair, his legs thin and gaunt from years of wear and tear. Behind him stood the support of the Spectral Outer Path Golem, countless black rods embedded in his back, forming a life-sustaining conduit system. Konan stood beside him, her pale purple clothes reflecting the lamplight, her gaze like an unsheathed sword.

"Who goes there?!" Xiao Nan's paper instantly transformed into a thousand pieces, pointing warily towards the cave entrance.

"No need to be nervous." Uchiha Yao's voice was calm and composed, as if he were entering a friend's home. He sat down opposite Nagato, looking him in the eye through the oil lamp. "I've come simply to have a talk with you."

Nagato stared at him silently. His Rinnegan eyes were devoid of any emotion, like a bottomless lake. After a long while, he slowly spoke: "Uchiha You. I've heard of you. From another world's Konoha, powerful enough to devour tailed beasts at will."

"Sit down," Nagato gestured to Konan. "He said he just wants to talk."

Konan didn't take away the thousand sheets of paper in her hand, but she didn't make any further moves either. She stood behind Nagato without leaving his side, like the most loyal root in that tree hollow.

"You know why I'm here." Uchiha Yao didn't beat around the bush. "I want Konan to come with me."

The air in the tree hollow seemed to freeze the moment those words were spoken. Nagato remained silent, his gaze deepening slightly. Konan's paper senbon rustled softly, her voice as cold as ice: "My life belongs only to Akatsuki, to Nagato. You can talk until the heavens break, but I will not go with you."

"I knew you'd answer that way." Uchiha Yao's tone remained calm. He glanced at Nagato, "But what I'm curious about is, Nagato, what do you think?"

Nagato remained silent. Moonlight slanted in from the cave entrance, dividing his face into two halves of light and shadow. He glanced at Konan beside him, his gaze complex: "Konan and I have been through too much together. Her fate is her own decision. But if your goal is to take her away to weaken Akatsuki, then I will not stand idly by."

"You misunderstand. I have no interest in weakening Akatsuki." Uchiha Yao chuckled softly, raising his head, his eyes faintly gleaming with the light of his reincarnated Rinnegan. "I just feel that Akatsuki's path won't lead to the destination you desire."

Nagato's gaze finally stirred: "Oh?"

"You inherited Yahiko's will, wanting to establish a world that could maintain peace through the intimidation of the Tailed Beasts." Uchiha Yao's voice was clear and slow, as if each word had been refined. "But Yahiko's peace was built on trust in humanity. After you were torn apart by hatred, you replaced trust with power, maintaining balance with fear. But have you ever considered—how long can peace maintained by fear last? What will the ninja world become when that power that can instill fear in everyone falls?"

Nagato did not answer. He stared intently at the flickering flame of the oil lamp, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

"My world has experienced the same division and hatred," Uchiha Yao continued. "I chose a different path—to end all conflict with absolute power and establish a true unified order. I devoured the Tailed Beasts not to collect weapons, but to concentrate all power in one person's hands, eliminating the possibility of anyone using the Tailed Beasts to wage war again."

He paused for a moment: "The Rinnegan is indeed very powerful, but its power is ultimately inherited. It gives you the ability to change the world, but it doesn't give you the direction to change the world. You yourself know that you won't succeed on this path."

The tree hollow remained silent for a long time. Nagato's head was bowed, his thin figure appearing particularly lonely in the lamplight. Konan's hands clenched slightly, but she ultimately remained silent. After a long while, Nagato spoke in a hoarse voice: "Are you saying these things because you want my approval?"

"No." Uchiha Yao stood up, his gaze calm as he looked at Konan. "I just want her to see a real choice with her own eyes. It was your own choice to protect him, to protect his doomed path. I won't force you. But I will leave the purpose of my visit here. If one day you understand, you can come find me."

He turned and walked towards the cave entrance. Nagato's voice sounded behind him: "Are you sure I'll fail?"

"Yahiko's will led you to establish Akatsuki, but the peaceful world you envision was never what Yahiko truly desired. You're merely using his name to comfort yourself." Uchiha You didn't turn around. "Nagato, you can fool the world, but you can't fool yourself."

……