Six Paths of Pain


 * Name:
 * Type: Kekkei Genkai
 * User: Nagato
 * Hand Seals: None
 * Debut (Anime): Naruto Shippuden Episode 114
 * Debut (Manga): Chapter 363

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

This jutsu was, by far, Nagato's most powerful and most-used technique. It allowed Nagato to control six separate bodies as though they were his own. Each of these bodies were reanimated corpses that were both kept mobile by, and made use of Nagato's chakra. While controlling them, Nagato used the alias "Pain", yet still regarded them as separate from himself. All the six paths were eventually destroyed by Naruto Uzumaki during the Invasion of Pain arc.

Use
In order to use the technique, Nagato remained in a large, chair-like machine that moved with six relatively small mechanical legs, and used several large chakra rods in his back to transmit chakra. From there, his chakra was picked up by the numerous body piercings that each body possessed, which acted as chakra receivers. To control them, Nagato had to be close by, and ideally at the highest point possible so he could have the best range possible. Nagato's machine could also shoot chakra rods from a hole in front of it for controlling enemies.

Paths
As the name suggests, there were six bodies, or "paths," which comprise the jutsu. The only common feature shared by these bodies was their bright orange hair (which appear to have been somehow given to them by Nagato as a tribute to his deceased friend, Yahiko, who was also Nagato's Deva path) and Rinnegan eyes. Each path had a number of body and facial piercings of various shapes, sizes, and patterns. Also, each body seemed to serve a specific purpose in battle, such as summoning, repair, and defense. This did not hold true for the Deva Path, who was imbued with several capabilities. Each path, with the exception of the second Animal path, was in some way affiliated with Jiraiya when they were alive.

When the paths were together active in battle, they possesed a shared field of vision through their Rinnegan eyes, due to which each path was able to view what the other paths saw simultaneously. This allowed Nagato to coordinate their attacks and provide defense to them without a blindspot. All of the paths also demonstrated incredible speed and strength, and carried Chakra Disruption Blades, concealed in their Akatsuki cloaks that were be used to incapacitate opponents.

Just before Nagato used the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique, Konan explained the technique to Naruto Uzumaki, mentioning a seventh Pain. Referring to it as the, it is not entirely clear whether she meant Nagato or the King of Hell used in the technique.

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.