"I overestimated you. It seems you're just someone who talks nonsense. Did you trick Konan and Yugito the same way?"
Konan's body slowly dissolved into origami, scattering and fluttering in the air. The specialized paper was unaffected by the rain.
"I'm not talking nonsense. Though, Yugito could be considered tricked by me, couldn't she? Or perhaps not. At least I truly love her!"
Seeing Konan preparing to attack, Lixing wanted to say more, but Konan had already folded her paper shuriken. In the next second, countless paper shuriken flew towards Lixing.
Lixing didn't draw his sword. Instead, he continuously leaped and twisted his body, dodging the paper shuriken.
"Wait, wait... I still have something to say!"
Lixing held up his hand, calling for a pause, intending to use his "talk-no-jutsu" on Konan. Konan stopped her attack and looked at Lixing expressionlessly, wanting to see what else he had to say.
"Konan, would you like to travel with me? Let go of your grudges and see the wonders of the world with me."
Konan frowned slightly, "Are these the nonsense you wanted to say? Are you trying to propose to me? If so, you can die."
With that, Konan folded countless origami into two giant shuriken and forcefully swung them at Lixing.
Seeing Konan attack without a word, Lixing had no choice but to conceal his Akatsuki robe and reveal his battle haori.
"There's no other way, then I'll have to defeat you first before we can talk!"
"Sage Art: Water Style, Water Shockwave!"
A colossal water vortex instantly appeared around Lixing. Upon contact with Konan's paper shuriken, it tore them into shreds.
The water vortex then disappeared. Lixing leaped towards Konan, grabbed her hands, and with an aerial flip over her body, crossed his arms and locked her in place.
"Now can you finally listen to me properly, Konan!"
Konan's strength was naturally no match for Lixing, but her Divine Paper Ninjutsu was still active. Her body suddenly turned into white paper and scattered. Lixing was left holding a few sheets of white paper.
Lixing rubbed his forehead and sighed, "This is really troublesome. Let's have a real fight then!"
"Summoning: Hurricane!"
"Summoning: Inferno!"
Across the entire sea, a hurricane capable of destroying a nation arose, mixed with flames. The purpose was to prevent Konan from scattering further. If she continued to turn into paper and disperse, she would be blown away by the wind and burned by the flames.
With no other option, Konan reverted to her human form, struggling to stand on the sea surface, which was now being hit by waves nearly five meters high, making it difficult to maintain her balance.
"Konan, stop. You can't defeat me. Don't persist for that so-called peace. There will be no true peace in this world!"
Hearing Lixing's words, Konan seemed to show a hint of anger. She would not allow anyone to negate Nagato and Yahiko's dream. Moreover, she had already seen a path to peace: Naruto Uzumaki.
In Konan's heart, Naruto was the bridge to peace, and she would be the pillar supporting that bridge.
"Shut up! I believe in Naruto. He is the ever-blooming flower of hope, and you are darkness. In a world without light, flowers can only wither! Now, let me send you to hell!"
Konan extended one hand, her fingers spread. The seawater beneath Lixing's feet split in two, revealing a dense array of explosive tags.
"Originally, I was saving this move for Madara. I take back my earlier words; I underestimated you! These are six hundred billion explosive tags I prepared specifically. The explosion will last for ten minutes. You don't have Madara's phasing ability; you will definitely die!"
Seeing the densely packed explosive tags, Lixing's scalp tingled, not from fear, but from trypophobia.
"Konan, we've worked together for so long. You wouldn't possibly not know that I can fly, would you?"
Lixing immediately flew upwards, so Konan's explosive tags would detonate in vain.
"You think I don't know?" Konan chuckled lightly and waved her hand. Countless explosive tags burst from the water and flew directly towards Lixing in the sky.
"This is bad! Red Bean is still on my back!" Lixing clapped his hands together and shouted, "Susanoo! Complete Form!"
(Not a mistake. Madara's is called Complete Form, while Itachi's crow is called Perfect Form. The databook states it this way.)
A colossal white giant appeared in the sky, with two wings on its back and a sword in its hand. Lixing's Susanoo was single-bladed, but its power far surpassed dual-bladed versions.
"Wind Breathing, Ninth Form: Mountain Wind!"
Lixing used a breathing technique he hadn't used in a long time, but this time with Susanoo's sword. The white Susanoo swiftly unleashed two slashes, creating a powerful typhoon in Amegakure, filling the sky above the entire village with dark clouds and forming a vortex.
"What is this...? Who exactly is Lixing?" Konan looked up at the Susanoo, which was as tall as a mountain, and swallowed. She felt despair. Facing such an enemy, she was no match.
The six hundred billion explosive tags were sent into the clouds by Lixing's two slashes. Even if Konan detonated them prematurely, Lixing's Susanoo's defense would prevent any damage, and Red Bean on his back would naturally be unharmed.
After all six hundred billion explosive tags detonated, Konan knelt on the water. Her chakra was almost depleted, but Lixing was completely unharmed.
Lixing dispelled Susanoo and landed in front of Konan, extending a hand to help her up.
"I told you, you couldn't defeat me. Can you listen to me properly now?"
Konan suddenly looked up at Lixing, "Who are you? What was that just now?"
"I've already told you who I am. That was Susanoo, a power that the Uchiha clan can use after awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan. Don't overthink it; I'm not from the Uchiha clan. I can use all abilities in this world, including your Divine Paper Ninjutsu."
As he spoke, sheets of white paper danced and folded in Lixing's hands, slowly forming a bouquet of roses. Lixing handed the flowers to Konan.
"What do you think? My origami skills aren't worse than yours, are they? Are you willing to listen to me now?"
Konan was in despair. Looking at the flowers in her hand, she remained silent, her mind filled with memories of her time with her teacher Jiraiya, Nagato, and Yahiko.
Seeing that Konan was stunned, Lixing waved his hand in front of her eyes, but she showed no reaction.
Lixing sighed helplessly, "Alas, it seems the shock was too great. You should sleep for now. Goodnight."
Lixing blew a breath, and Konan immediately fell asleep. Lixing placed Konan into his Infinite Domain and then looked towards the tall tower of Amegakure.
After a while, Obito appeared before Lixing. Lixing couldn't help but complain, "You're too slow. You told me to finish quickly, but you took even longer."
"Did Konan die? And you got the Rinnegan too. Let's go back and prepare for a big show."
Obito didn't want to waste time with Lixing. He instructed Lixing to return to the Land of Frost quickly and used Kamui to leave.
"Alright, let's go back and rest first."
(Thanks to the Fairy Knight of Dongfeng County for the gift.)