Six Paths of Pain


 * Name:
 * Users: Nagato
 * Type: Kekkei Genkai
 * Hand Seals: None
 * Debut (Anime): Naruto Episode 81
 * Debut (Manga): Chapter 363

The Six Paths of Pain is a jutsu used by Nagato, and serves as his representation in his group, Akatsuki.

This jutsu is, by far, Nagato's most powerful and most-used technique. It allows Nagato to control six separate bodies as though they were his own. Each of these bodies are reanimated corpses that are both kept mobile by, and make use of Nagato's chakra. While controlling them, Nagato uses the alias "Pain", yet still regards them as separate from himself.

Use
In order to use the technique, Nagato remains in a large, chair-like machine that moves with six relatively small mechanical legs, and uses several large chakra rods in his back to transmit chakra. From there, the chakra is picked up by the numerous receivers piercing each body. To control them, Nagato has to be close by, and ideally at the highest point possible so he can have the best range possible.

Paths
As the name suggests, there are six bodies, or "paths," which comprise the jutsu. The only common feature shared by these bodies is their bright orange hair and Rinnegan eyes. Each also has a vast number of body and facial piercings of various shapes, sizes, and patterns. Each body seems to serve a specific purpose in battle, such as summoning, repair, and defense. When the paths are battling together they can see the same thing the others are seeing through the rinnegan eyes. This allows Nagato to coordinate their attacks with incredible speed and provides a defense without a blindspot. Due to its summoning abilities, it is possible for the Animal path to infiltrate a location or engage enemies solo, at which point it can summon all other bodies to itself, or additional backup in the form of various summoned animals. The Preta and Deva path's abilities can be used simultaneously for defense and offense, while the Asura path is quite literally a war machine, and the Human path specializes in information gathering. The Naraka path is able to revive any other injured bodies, further increasing their combat potential. All of the paths have demonstrated incredible speed and strength, and carry concealed Chakra Disruption Blades that can be used to incapacitate opponets.

Each body, with the exception of the second Animal path, was in some way affiliated with Jiraiya when they were alive.

Influences
Based upon the six Buddhist paths of Reincarnation, each body is named after one of the different "paths": Deva, Asura, Human, Animal, Preta, and Naraka. Each of these paths, or "plains," represent one of the realms a being is reborn into after death, determined by the accumulated kharma of their past lives. While the two lower paths, Preta and Naraka, are hellish, and the two higher paths, Deva and Asura, are heavenly, all six are considered to be paths of suffering because they perpetuate the cycle of Reincarnation; the only way to break it and ascend to a higher state of existence is to attain enlightenment.