Naruto: Rebirth Of The Child Of Prophecy

The rain fell steadily over the Hidden Rain Village, blanketing it in a curtain of water. From atop a high platform, Tendo Pain gazed down at the village, his Rinnegan eyes cutting through the downpour with an otherworldly glow.

"Konan," he said, his voice calm and commanding. "After the rain stops, use your Shikigami techniques to locate the intruder."

Behind him, Konan nodded and began forming seals. "Leave it to me," she replied, her tone unwavering.

Tendo Pain clasped his hands together, focusing his chakra. The Ukojizai no Jutsu—a large-scale sensory ninjutsu—blanketed the village, detecting any foreign chakra within its bounds. Now, however, a strange and powerful chakra had appeared, alerting him to an intruder. The moment the rain stopped, Konan would take over.

As the seals completed, Pain muttered, "It begins."

The rain ceased abruptly, and Konan activated her Shikigami Dance. Her body dissolved into countless sheets of paper that folded and fluttered like butterflies, spreading across the Hidden Rain Village to search for the intruder.

***

Meanwhile, Jiraiya, hidden within the village, was deep in his own mission. Using a summoned toad, he had transformed a small room into a makeshift bar, where he played the role of bartender. Across from him sat two Rain Village ninja.

When one of the men refused to cooperate during questioning, Jiraiya sighed and resorted to his Frog Transformation Technique. The stubborn ninja let out a startled croak as he was literally turned into a frog.

The second ninja, terrified by his companion's fate, broke under pressure. "Lord Pain is a god-like being," he said with reverence. "He's the one who killed Hanzo."

Jiraiya's expression darkened at the mention of Hanzo. The so-called "demigod" had once pushed Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade to the brink of death. Now, this Pain had dethroned him and claimed the mantle of divinity.

Although the ninja knew little else, Jiraiya had heard enough. If Pain was as powerful as the rumors suggested, then Jiraiya had to take precautions.

Leaving the bar, Jiraiya retreated to a secluded area, summoning Gamayin and a key scroll for the Nine-Tails' seal. "If anything happens to me," he instructed solemnly, "take this to Naruto."

With his preparations complete, Jiraiya made his way deeper into the village, determined to confront this self-proclaimed god.

High above the village, Konan's paper butterflies floated silently, their delicate forms scanning every corner of the Hidden Rain.

Under the cover of water, Jiraiya emerged with a disguised Rain ninja he controlled. The hooded figure moved cautiously, as if surveying the area. Nearby, two paper butterflies fluttered down, unnoticed by the pair.

From the shadows, Konan emerged, her gaze fixed on the disguised ninja. She dissolved into a stream of paper, her form shifting into sharp, cutting blades. In an instant, the ninja was wrapped and immobilized.

But before she could deliver the final blow, a deep voice rang out.

"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"

A massive jet of fire erupted from the ground, scorching the paper bindings and forcing Konan to retreat. Smoke filled the air as Jiraiya stepped out of the shadows, his expression grim.

Konan landed softly, her gaze meeting Jiraiya's. Her voice was cold and calm. "Toad Flame Manipulation Technique... It's been a long time, Jiraiya-sensei."

Jiraiya stared at her, the recognition dawning. "Konan..."

Konan said nothing, her expression unreadable.

The battlefield was tense, the air charged with unspoken emotions. Jiraiya stood across from Konan, his eyes narrowing as he studied the woman who had once been his gentle student. Despite the grim circumstances, a nostalgic smile crept onto his face.

"It was originally a trap to lure Pain," Jiraiya said, his voice calm but edged with a hint of regret. "But I didn't expect you, Konan, to be the one who took the bait. You've grown sharp—your jutsu, your resolve. You've become a formidable woman." He paused, his tone softening. "I just didn't expect you to still be alive… and to have turned into a being of light and paper."

Konan hovered in the air, her angelic wings of paper fanned out behind her. Below, the hooded ninja seized the opportunity, shouting, "Angel-sama! This is the intruder! I'm being controlled by him, Angel-sama!"

Konan's cold eyes flicked to the ninja. "I understand," she said, her voice emotionless. "Step aside."

Relieved, the ninja fled as though his life had been pardoned.

Jiraiya, however, remained focused on Konan. His voice carried a bittersweet edge as he said, "Konan, have you truly become an angel? And if you're alive, then Nagato and Yahiko must be as well. You've chosen to call yourself an angel, so I can only assume Tendo Pain, your god, must be one of them."

Konan's expression didn't waver. Her voice, cold and detached, cut through the moment like a blade. "At this point, what does it matter?"

Jiraiya clenched his fists, his brows furrowed. "It matters to me."

Konan's wings shifted. "This is God's will. I will kill you."

Without hesitation, her Paper Shuriken Technique activated. The countless sheets of paper composing her wings transformed into a hailstorm of deadly projectiles, tearing through the air toward Jiraiya.

Jiraiya leapt back, forming seals. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Technique!" he shouted. A torrent of flames erupted from his mouth, burning the onslaught of paper. Rolling to the side, he created some distance and launched a counterattack: a stream of toad oil bullets.

The sticky oil drenched Konan, halting her assault as the paper, now soaked, refused to obey her will.

Jiraiya straightened, his long white hair rippling behind him. With a swift seal, his hair extended like living ropes, wrapping around Konan and immobilizing her. "Once you're hit with oil, your paper techniques are useless," Jiraiya said firmly.

For a moment, silence hung in the air. Jiraiya's tone softened as he tried to reach her. "You were always the kindest of the three. Konan, why did you become like this? And Nagato—what are he and Yahiko doing? Why create this cruel and murderous God, Pain?"

Konan's expression tightened, a flicker of emotion flashing in her eyes before her voice turned sharp. "Why are you here now, sensei?" she asked, her tone carrying a mixture of resentment and sorrow.

Jiraiya didn't notice the shift in her tone. "Because I heard you were dead," he said, his voice laden with regret. "But here you are… alive, and part of the Akatsuki."

Konan sneered bitterly. "Teacher, you should've listened to Orochimaru and killed the three of us when you had the chance. Then none of this would've happened."

Jiraiya looked at her, startled. His voice dropped, tinged with hurt. "I never even considered it. You three were my students. I wanted to teach you how to survive in this chaotic world. You were like my own children." He paused, his voice trembling. "But now you attack me without a word, without even a hello… it's painful, Konan."