Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 74: Stepping over ants without crushing them is a difficult task to master (15 first subscription requests)
The noisy, dense rain sounds from the outside world were shut out.

Upon entering this space, an eerie silence descends upon it.

It wasn't completely silent, but rather as if one were sinking into the depths of a thick, viscous liquid, where the passage of time became blurred and indistinct, filled with a more primal and indescribable atmosphere.

What made Nagato feel most uneasy and uneasy was the omnipresent "sense of being watched".

He could clearly feel that every inch of this space was filled with a cold, ancient, and extremely malicious will.

The shadowy outlines in the mist resembled pupils, coldly watching him, the uninvited guest, but upon closer inspection, they were empty.

"who are you?"

Nagato's questioning voice carried far into the distance, seemingly endless, as if the place were boundless.

So he frowned, started walking, and chose a direction to go.

As Nagato drew closer, he felt as if he were walking step by step into the sea from the beach, the heavy pressure gradually engulfing his chest, making him feel uneasy and suffocated.

at this time.

tick.

A drop of blood fell to the ground beneath Nagato's feet, yet it seemed to ripple across the surface of water, the crimson color gradually staining his vision.

He finally saw the sea of ​​blood beneath his feet, everything before him was filled with black and red.

But amidst the black and red hues, countless pale skeletons piled up before Nagato's eyes, forming a mountain of corpses he gazed upon.

On that jagged throne made of piled bones, a figure sat quietly, one hand casually resting on a pale skull, the other hand lazily propping up his chin.

He didn't even open his eyes fully; his eyelids were half-closed, and his thick eyelashes cast shadows in front of his eyes.

"you……"

Nagato looked up at the figure atop the mountain of corpses, and instinctively opened his mouth upon seeing the face.

However, the person slightly raised their eyes and looked down at Nagato.

"..."

Silence, a deathly silence, yet more intimidating than any words.

That gaze was more than just "seeing"; Nagato felt his soul and essence being dissected and examined bit by bit by that gaze, a feeling that made one's soul tremble with fear.

He hadn't felt this way in a long time since he had mastered the Rinnegan.

The last time was when Yahiko died in front of him, and he felt that utterly real weakness and powerlessness.

At that moment, under that condescending gaze, Nagato experienced that feeling again, and he finally realized a fact.

"Within Hanzo's body, there exists something that must never be touched."

Under that threat and unease that came from the depths of her soul, Nagato almost subconsciously averted her gaze and lowered her head, but she also felt a deep sense of humiliation and resentment.

He is "Pain," he is "God," yet he is so cowardly.

Who exactly is this guy?!
The untouchable being in Nagato's eyes was naturally Hyuga Kumokawa, who resided deep within Hanzo's soul, and this scene did not surprise him.

Even after being resurrected by Kabuto Yakushi using the Impure World Reincarnation technique, Nagato, whose mental state was almost completely worn down by the Gedo Mazo and the Rinnegan, still looked sickly.

Now that he's on his home turf, he's just fish on the chopping block.

He is the master of everything here, the sole law of this space.

Hinata Kumokawa shifted his gaze, as if he had seen a slightly novel antique, only to find it to be a poor-quality item, leaving him speechless and bored.

"Whether you die or he dies, it doesn't matter." He lowered his eyes, his voice low and slow, with a hoarse, metallic quality: "For the sake of these eyes, I'll spare you this time, but there will be no next time."

Nagato snapped out of his shock, abruptly raising his head with a grim expression. He looked at the figure atop the mountain of corpses and said in a deep voice, "Why are you looking at those eyes instead of me!"

These Rinnegan eyes are clearly his; he was born to be a "god" who leads the world to peace, and he will nurture peace amidst suffering.

However, almost the instant the words were spoken, Nagato suddenly saw the corner of that face twitch slightly upwards.

That wasn't a laugh, but a very subtle, contemptuous annoyance.

"Humph."

Just one syllable.

It contains no real content, yet it is a thousand times, ten thousand times more terrifying than any words.

Hinata Kumokawa finally raised his eyes, his deep blue pupils swirling like eddies beneath a calm sea, taking away all of Nagato's courage.

Hinata Kumokawa once again simulated and reproduced the full power of the Tenseigan.

Looking down at him from those superior eyes, Nagato felt for the first time a sense of insignificance that came from the depths of his soul, a sense that felt incredibly unfamiliar and even stung his very soul.

That wasn't the gaze of a human looking at another human, nor even the indifference he showed when he considered himself a "god" towards those "mortals." It was more like he was looking at an "object."

Hinata Kumokawa's gaze was no longer scrutinizing, but rather fixed on something.

Nagato felt that everything about him—his form, soul, thoughts, and even his very existence—had been completely seen through and nailed to the spot by that gaze.

"Who do you think you are?"

Hinata Kumokawa's voice was cold and deep, carrying a cruel and impatient understanding: "It is nothing more than a lowly vessel used to hold those eyes."

"Without these eyes that don't belong to you, you would be nothing more than a weak ant."

As soon as he finished speaking, Hyuga Kumokawa raised his arm and extended his index finger, freezing Nagato's soul in place. The finger pointing at Nagato's face then gently slid down.

puff! !
A silent, invisible stillness descended, and his right arm, like a disassembled building block, suddenly separated and broke off from his shoulder.

But it's not over yet.

Hinata Kumokawa made another light stroke.

puff!

The left leg is separated from the torso.

*Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!*
Several cracks appeared on Nagato's spirit body, his limbs and torso separated, yet strangely suspended in mid-air, making him look like a disassembled puppet.

Some shimmering white particles drifted from the severed limbs.

"what!!"

The pain, originating from the very soul, was terrifying. It felt as if everything—muscles, skin, bones, and even the brain—was being shredded, causing Nagato to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

It seemed that because of the decadent music created by Nagato with wails and fear, the hoarse voice that entered Nagato's ears finally carried a hint of pleasure.

"Cherish the rest of your life that you have not had before," he said softly. "It is difficult to control the force when stepping on ants without crushing them."

"Remember, if you ever step into this place again, no matter whose pawn you are, I will crush you."

As soon as the words were spoken, the entire space seemed to come alive, no longer the previous calm and deathly stillness. The shadows in the fog transformed into a fierce wind, and the sea of ​​blood beneath their feet began to surge and undulate.

Nagato's shattered soul was roughly kneaded by a force, and several invisible chains tightly bound him and pulled him out.

(End of this chapter)