SONIC HEROES: THE SERIES
Naruto © Kishimoto
Tomo © Kiba Sniper
Chapter Seventy-One: Pein and Suffering, Part 4
Life was full of twists for Nyrox and his temporary allies. What they had once thought was a victory turned out to be false. Pein has proven to be more of a match compared to anything they had witnessed before. This rare creature had not one, but six individual forms. And to make things worse, he was in possession of the ultimate dojutsu: The Rinnegan. As the parted skies began to form together from the previous attack, the opposite forces stared in terror of The Six Paths of Pein.
"Six..." Nack muttered shaking. "Now there are six of them."
"Eh, it's not really that bad." Xenot said.
"Not that bad!!" Nack screamed. "We could barely beat one of them! How are we supposed to take on six?!"
"Pein may have six bodies, but there are still the three previous ones to remember." Naga noted; staring between the Doton, Katon, and Raiton Paths. "I was able to kill all three of them at once, but they somehow survived."
"One of the other three must have some resurrection ability." Tomo suggested, looking at the Heartless serpent. "Do you think it would be possible to perform the Hydra Technique again?"
"That seems highly unlikely." Kai stated coldly. "Lord Naga was severally drained of his chaos energy by performing that technique. No doubt, he will never be able to perform chaos techniques again."
"So in other words, he's useless." Xenot commented; Kai tossed a dagger, but Xenot dodged. "Hah! Ya missed!"
"Be on guard, my comrades." Nyrox said, keeping his eyes locked on the six paths. "We may have lost most of our prowess during this battle, but we still hold an advantage." His partners looked at the aged master like he was crazy. "Do not forget, Pein has also drained nearly half his power. The earth, fire, and lightning bodies are still recovering."
"So then there's still a chance." Tomo smirked.
"If that is what you believe."
The brave warriors nearly jumped when they realized Pein had broken through their ranks. Futon Pein appeared in the center of the group without them realizing it. The female dingo swiftly held out her hand to call forth a large shuriken of pure wind. Tomo had learned from Kakuzu that wind element techniques were considered the most lethal; able to cut sharper than blades. The group barely had time to jump away before the Futon Path could swing her elemental weapon around. While Kai zipped away from the group, he was barely able to notice a shadow overlapping his. He looked up and dived away before Suiton Pein released a heavy torrent of water from his jaws, crushing the platform below.
"I believe we've just found out what these two can do." Kai said, drawing his three-pronged dagger. He stood back-to-back with Xenot, who was warding off a raging whirlwind with his signature blade. "Why do I always end up meeting with you?"
"I don't know." Xenot shrugged. "Maybe it's destiny?"
"Destiny has a sick sense of humor." Kai stated.
"Stand strong, young ones!" Nyrox shouted.
All of a sudden, the aged fox dropped from the sky with a pure white scimitar in his hands. He landed in front of the Futon Path swung across the female dingo's chest. Unfortunately, moments before he could hit, Futon Pein was cloaked in a sphere of wind and vanished. At the same time, Naga slithered his way across the rooftop and constricted the Suiton Path with his body. He quickly noticed the Suiton Path becoming weaker the longer he stood still. Naga exposed his fangs, ready to kill until the Futon Path appeared and gripped him by his neck. The Heartless serpent released his hold and slithered his way back to his team. A moment later, the original three paths joined at the newcomer's side.
"Guys, they're back." Nack whined.
"We've got nothing to worry about." Tomo smirked, pointing to Nyrox. "Like fox-brat said, they are completely useless."
Unfortunately, that fact was proven false. The Doton Path stepped out of the line, clapping his hands together. Suddenly, he slammed down his palms and created a fracture in the rooftop. The group of six jumped away, splitting into two teams. This made it easier for Pein. The Katon Path formed a series of hand signs and released a massive fireball from his maw. At the same time, the Raiton Path unleashed a surge of electricity from his palm. Thankfully, Nyrox summoned a wall of ice to black the fireball and Kai used his yellow dagger to absorb the lightning. The six rivals jumped back and watched Pein's bodies with utmost confusion.
"I thought you said they were drained of their powers." Naga hissed angrily to Nyrox.
"I...I don't understand." Nyrox said shockingly. "They couldn't possibly have any energy left to fight. After being killed, they should have lost a tremendous amount of power."
"The first three represented fire, lightning, and earth." Kai noted, counting between the six Pein's. "The next two represented water and wind."
"But what about the last one?" Nack asked. At that moment, Inyo Pein jumped from his position, landing behind his fellow paths. "What's the last element?"
"I thought there were only five." Tomo said, trying to remember her lessons with Kakuzu.
"Not many know of the sixth element." Nyrox said wisely. "It is a gifted element that very few warriors are able to control. In fact, it is so rare that not even Master Xehanort and I could learn to control it. The element of balance."
"Balance?" Xenot repeated.
"It is better known as the nature of Yin-Yang." Nyrox explained. "The first one to discover this power was the Sage of Six Paths, who not only began to ninja world, but also created the first form of combat. Legend has it that he existed before the ancient echidna tribes."
"Then the Rinnegan was the true founder of Chaos." Naga said.
"No, Chaos existed long before." Nyrox shook, watching the Inyo Path intently. "The Sage was just the first to learn how to control it. And now that knowledge exists within Pein."
"Why does the world hate us?" Xenot moaned.
Ignoring Xenot's complaining; Tomo carefully watched the Inyo Path's movements. She noticed that as the komodo moved from each path, his hands were glowing with a white aura. She also noticed that after being touched by the Inyo Path, each Pein was suddenly energized. She had discovered their secret.
"I got it!" Tomo exclaimed, alerting her teammates. "I can almost guarantee you that the last body holds the element of balance. Haven't you noticed that the komodo is the only one that hasn't attacked yet?"
"You're point being?" Kai questioned.
"I think the reason he doesn't fight is because he can't." Tomo explained. "I've noticed that when it touches the other Pein's, they have a sudden rush of energy. I'll be you anything that he's the one that regenerated the other Pein's lacking energy."
"That would explain why they can suddenly fight again." Naga hissed. "The sixth body must have a limitless amount of energy and is spreading it between the six paths. It must also have the ability to resurrect the other bodies as well, making him nearly immortal. As long as the komodo remains alive, Pein can never be stopped."
"Then all we need to do is to get rid of him." Nack grinned.
"Easier said than done." Xenot commented. "I've fought people like him before." He suddenly remembered his ultimate defeat at the hands of Sephiroth. "They never leave themselves open unless they have a way to counteract."
"All we need is one straight shot." Nyrox said, grinning lightly. "And I think I have an idea."
Once the Inyo Path had finished replenishing its counterparts, the five paths charged ahead to continue the battle. Nyrox could barely finish explaining his plan before the five Pein's were already upon them. Raiton Pein charged his palm with an electrical current that resembled much like Metal's signature technique. Fortunately enough, Kai was the one to face him and used his elemental dagger to absorb it. Katon Pein gathered a current of flames in his throat and released it through his mouth. Nack barely rolled away and was able to shoot at Katon Pein's shoulder from a distance. Doton Pein slammed his fist into the rooftop, summoning small fragments of rock to strike. Naga's expandable body was enough to allow him to avoid the attack ease.
"How much longer must we keep this up?!" Naga questioned, dodging an avalanche of rocks.
"Only until we can provide enough time to attack." Nyrox stated.
"Yep, we're going to die." Xenot said hopelessly.
"Xenot!!" Nyrox snapped.
"Just saying." Xenot shrugged
While he wasn't looking, the Suiton Path charged at the masked warrior and constricted him from the use of his arms. Suddenly, Xenot was beginning dehydrated. He may have been a shadow, but Xenot was still a living being. To escape from his torture, Xenot swiftly swung his legs up and slammed his foot into the shark's face. Once free, Xenot summoned his signature sword and charged ahead. Meanwhile, Nyrox was having his own problems with the Futon Path. Because of his control over the wind, Futon Pein could easily transport herself through the use of the very air. And every opportunity she could get, Futon Pein would strike at Nyrox with small blades of air. Due to old age and struggling with heart pains, Nyrox couldn't bare to fight for long. Having no options left, Nyrox protected himself in a dome of rock. This was fortunate since the wind could only scratch the surface, but not cut it.
"He has me pinned down." Nyrox groaned, clutching he heart. "And my ambitions are finally catching up to me. Oh, how I rue the day King and I went against nature. The only thing I can do is hope for the plan to work."
As the battle raged on, Inyo Pein watched from a safe distance.
"I have never fought a more experienced group in my life." Inyo Pein whispered. "It almost makes me wish that I would not have to kill them. They would have been great attributes in Akatsuki."
"Sorry, not interested!"
His eyes wide in shock, Inyo Pein glanced down towards his feet as the structure below him crumbled away. All of a sudden, Tomo thrusted upwards with her fist held high. She was aiming for his chin, but the komodo managed to flip backwards before she could nail him. This was her chance. While still in midair, Tomo performed a familiar set of hand signs.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Tomo called.
Calling forth a great flame from her chest, the chameleon kunoichi exhausted her energy into an enormous fireball. Inyo Pein had just landed before realizing that Tomo had plotted this move. The chameleon smirked, knowing there was no way for Pein to survive. She was wrong. The Inyo Path thrusted his right palm directly into the fireball and was able to absorb it into his body. Tomo landed, her expression filled with shock.
"B-but how?" Tomo said fearfully. "That's just not possible."
"You should know from experience." Inyo Pein said, holding his left palm open. "Nothing is impossible for Akatsuki. Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Suddenly, Tomo's very own attack was released from Pein's hand and thrusted back at its creator. In a desperate attempt to guard, Tomo unsheathed her sword and used it as a shield. The sword, being energized with her remaining energy, was able to repel most of its power, but not all of it. The fireball exploded, sending Tomo flying backwards across the rooftops. Nack pulled away from his fight with Katon Pein and kneeled next to his partner.
"Hey, are you ok?" Nack asked worried.
"What do you think?!" Tomo snapped. "I was just beaten by my own attack!"
"That is not the worst of it." Inyo Pein stated, closing his eyes to focus. "You shall learn true pain." When Pein opened his eyes, they had altered from their original appearance. His eyes were red with a pinwheel-like pupil formed in the center. Tomo was now confronted with her worst fear: Mangekyo Sharingan. "AMATERASU!!"
Before Tomo or Nack could even take the chance to run, a jet-black flame had ignited from the retina of Pein's eyes. The intensity was greater than the sun and the force behind it was enough to crush the building beneath it. Nyrox and his allies jumped to the nearest building to save themselves, but noticed that the Dark Ruler's were not with them. It was Naga who pointed out their location, much to Nyrox and Xenot's despair. The two unfortunate souls were trapped and consumed by the eclipsing flames. It started to rain, but the flames lived on.
"The Amaterasu..." Naga said lowly. "The inextinguishable flames from hell. It is said that the Amaterasu will burn everything in its path until it has devoured its target. The flames can burn for seven days and seven nights."
"I had heard about it, but I never realized how terrible it was." Xenot said mournfully. "For such a technique to exist seems so inhumane. What kind of monster would unleash such a despicable technique?"
"A cold-hearted demon such as Pein." Kai said emotionlessly. "He is even more powerful than I had imagined."
"Now you have come to understand the truth." The group of four turned swiftly on their feet and found The Six Paths of Pein standing on separate parts of a tower. Inyo Pein's eyes returned to normal. "Only through pain of loss can this world learn to grown."
"This has to stop, Pein!" Nyrox shouted; a tear rolled down his check. "How can you just take innocent lives like that?!"
"I had once believed in the existence of innocence." Pein said coldly. "But that was before I realized what innocence truly was. It is an illusion to cloud our thoughts and judgment. Once you see through the deception, you can reach new levels of power."
"Oh, shut it!" Naga snapped. "And I tired of your rambling. I will kill you, even if I have to rip apart my own body."
"Do you think you can do it?" Pein questioned. "Can you match the powers of a God?"
"That's what I'm hoping of finding out." Naga hissed.
Without warning, Naga charged ahead with Kai following. Despite their odds, Nyrox and Xenot rushed forward with them; to commemorate their fallen comrades. The Six Paths watched their opponents run towards their doom before five of the paths jumped down to face them. Naga found himself faced with Katon Pein; a smirk of victory on his expression. The flaming coyote ignited his fists and thrusted them at a rapid pace towards the Heartless snake. Fortunately enough, Naga was able to stretch himself out of the way and used his neck to tie the coyote down.
"Is this the true strength of a God?" Naga sniggered.
"This is only the beginning." Katon Pein proclaimed.
Meanwhile, Kai was facing against Futon Pein. Both warriors were on equal ground since both of them could move with the wind. Futon Pein constantly attacked with blades forged from wind, only to have them stopped by Kai's white daggers. While this was going on, Xenot skidded backwards away from Doton Pein. The earth bear stomped his foot into the ground, forcing a boulder of concrete into the air. The Doton Path smashed his fist into the stone, creating a shower of blistering rocks. Fortunately, Xenot forged a black shield and was able to block the onslaught. A moment later, Xenot and Kai was back-to-back again.
"And with this?" Kai sighed. "I am starting to think that destiny has a vendetta against me."
"Sucks to be you." Xenot sniggered.
As this want on, Nyrox was pushing against the continuous battle against Suiton Pein. Of all the paths, Suiton was one of the more vicious creatures. The water shark continually snapped at Nyrox's throat, barely missing by a thread. But Nyrox's focus was more bent on the komodo at the top of the tower. With a plan swiftly formulated in his head, Nyrox called a cloud of light particle around his hands and tossed it to the Suiton Path. A moment later, the light particles formed into yellow darts, pinning the shark to the wall. With agile speed, Nyrox skipped across the tower platforms until he reached the Inyo Path. The aged master summoned a yellow chain in his hand and swung it around to hold Inyo Pein in his place.
"You have managed to trap me." Inyo Pein stated.
"I realized something during your battle with Tomo." Nyrox sneered, pulling the chain to tighten its grip. "Your current body can only absorb elemental and Chaos attacks. But against physical attacks, you are defenseless."
"You have defeated my ultimate path, but that does not mean you have won." Inyo Pein said indifferent.
"I will only ask this one last time." Nyrox said, calling a cluster of light particles to his palm. "Surrender your ambition."
Pein said nothing as he watched the light particles beginning to form. They took the shape of a katana made from pure white steel and the handle colored bright gold. It looked much like the blade he created for Howl, only with more force behind it. Pein closed his eyes before answering.
"No."
"Then you leave me no choice." Nyrox said lowly.
Pulling his weapon back, Nyrox swung the katana with all his strength. But just before the blade could pierce his body, something jumped in front to take the hit. The Raiton Path willingly took a stab to the chest and died in Nyrox's hands.
"He sacrificed his own body to protect himself." Nyrox thought nervously. "This man is truly ruthless."
"AMATERASU!!"
Upon hearing the sound, Nyrox shot his head up to gaze at the devious komodo. His eyes once again took the form of the Mangekyo Sharingan and released the black flames of hell. Nyrox jumped back, carrying the Raiton Path, and dived back to the roof with the Amaterasu following. The others never noticed the Amaterasu's appearance until the other Pein suddenly skipped away.
"Maybe they gave up." Xenot said hopefully.
"Or maybe they didn't wish to be turned to ashes." Kai stated, pointing towards the black flames.
"Ugh, at this rate, we won't survive." Nyrox thought, falling closer to his allies. "There's only one chance of escape."
Calling up every trace of energy in his body, Nyrox clapped his hands together as a green aura surrounded his body. As the hellish flames drew closer, Nyrox landed and enveloped his allies in a flash of green light. The five Pein's watched intently as the Amaterasu ate away at the building below them. After a few moments of peace, a whirlwind of paper sheets twirled beside the Rinnegan Master. Within seconds, the papers sheets bent around to form the head of Konan.
"Did you succeed, Pein?" Konan asked.
"No, they got away." Pein replied.
"Should I follow?" Konan suggested.
"That will not be necessary." Pein stated; four of the five Pein's began to wander back to the Burial Tower. "They will not return if they value their lives." He slowly walked away. "Meanwhile, I must meet with our benefactor."
"Pein, I have also received some important news." Konan interrupted. "As leader of Amegakure, you have been invited to witness the Ultimate World Tournament." Pein did not show the slightest interest. "According to reports, it will be the largest gathering of the worlds most powerful warriors. This could be seen as an opportunity.
Pein still remained silent, staring into the parting cloud. After several moments of uneasy silence, he gave his reply.
"Prepare for departure."
The scene shifts to the outrageous mountains of the Himalayas. In a flash of green light, Nyrox and Xenot appeared at the foot of the closest mountain. Xenot groaned, shaking his head lightly, before turning his head to his master. The young warrior had never seen his master so tired before in his life. He would never have dreamed it possible.
"Master Nyrox..." Xenot muttered softly as Nyrox slowly sat up. "Are you ok?"
"I...will be fine." Nyrox panted. "I think...I used...too much...energy."
He raised his right hand, which earned a surprised gasp from his apprentice. Nyrox's hand had become dull and withered. It was as if time was catching up to him. Nyrox slowly concentrated his energy into his palm to restore it to its former glory.
"We should find a place to rest." Xenot said. He grabbed his master's arm and placed it over his shoulder until he noticed they were two heads short. "Hey, what happened to Naga and the blue-haired wonder?"
"Naga most likely forced himself to a new location." Nyrox groaned. "But why?"
The scene alters to a far-away island in the middle of the Bahamas. Seagulls were gathering around the sandy beach in expectations until they were frightened by a sudden splash. Gasping for air, Naga pushed himself onto the shore and kneeling in the sand. Kai weakly followed his master's footsteps, but only going knee-deep in the ocean near the shore.
"My lord, why did you force the Chaos Control?" Kai questioned curiously.
"We needed to get away from Nyrox before I could arouse any suspicion." Naga stated.
"And this?" Kai asked, pulling the corpse of the Raiton Path out of the water.
"Pein has shown me an opportunity that I could not pass up." Naga explained. "While Orochimaru has his own plan for immortality, Pein has truly defined the concept." He reached over and grabbed the dead lion. "After I study this body, I may discover the true secrets of immortality. And once I do, I shall be Sonic the Hedgehog for all of eternity!"
The scene changes to the dreary domain of the Dark Rulers. We find ourselves in the throne room of Nazo, who was still recovering from his battle against Super Shadic. He was staring at his handcrafted board, trying with every hope to find Black Doom. But so far, his search proved futile. He was suddenly interrupted once a portal of darkness appeared before him. As the figure slowly stepped out, Nazo smirked.
"I trust everything is in order...Pein." Nazo said amusingly.
"I was nearly in completion of my mission until I was interrupted." Pein, in his regular body, said.
He turned his head and scowled at the figures appearing behind him. Tomo and Nack slowly walked out of the darkness, grinning sheepishly. It would appear that Pein was working along with them the entire time, falsely killing them to grant an escape route. Slowly, yet painfully, Nazo staggered to his feet.
"Let us discuss this in private, Pein." Nazo requested.
"As you wish, my lord." Pein nodded.
The dark leaders walked past Tomo and Nack, making their way through the massive structure of the castle. After walking for what seemed like miles and stopping for Nazo to rest, both masters found themselves at the highest roof of the castle. Pein stared into the bleak sky above. It made him feel depressed; he felt more comfortable watching the rain clouds.
"What have you discovered, my faithful spy." Nazo questioned.
"I have learned a great deal through my many dealings with Black Doom." Pein reported. "He has revealed to me that he is no longer occupying the planet. He appears to be hiding somewhere in the outer rims of space."
"That would explain why I have not been able to find him." Nazo sniggered. "He is more cleaver than I expected."
"I will you do now, my lord?" Pein questioned.
"I can do nothing at the moment." Nazo stated. "According to Shira, I will be unable to leave this dimension for the next two months. In the mean time, I have a request for you, Pein."
"What is it, my lord?" Pein questioned.
"I have been informed by my future son." Nazo said sorrowfully. "Sooner or later, I will die and pass my legacy on to him. But before he can succeed me, I need someone to occupy the position as God of Darkness until he is ready to take the throne." He turned to the Rinnegan Master. "I wish for you to take my place."
"M-my lord..." Pein said in genuine shock. "Why me?"
"You are the only one capable of controlling my power." Nazo reasoned. "You have mastered the Rinnegan, which is the only thing that can allow you to fully understand the limitations of my powers. Now, I wish for you to kneel before me, Pein." The Akatsuki Leader nodded and followed his master's orders. The God of Darkness placed his hand on the man's head. "The day that I die, you will inherit my powers and lead my army of darkness. Do you accept these terms, Pein?"
"I do, my lord." Pein accepted.
Once he had uttered those words, a bleak aura of darkness appeared around Nazo's hand and forced its way into Pein's skull. For a moment, Pein's eyes were green and slitted before returning to the Rinnegan.
"Now rise and become anew." Nazo commanded. "Live forever as Pein, Leader of the Dark Siege!"
A new legacy continues from the old. What shall become of Nyrox and his apprentice? Will Naga discover the secrets of immortality? And what new dangers lurk amongst Pein and the 'Dark Seige'? Find out on the next Sonic Heroes!
Please, read and review.