Naruto 369

Edit: Went through and did a few revisions... Nothing incredibly major though...

Number 369: About Pain

Page 1

Sidebar:
The Akatsuki leader, Pain, bringer of strife. What is the ambition he keeps within those eyes...?

Page 2

Frame 1:
Hahahaaahaha!

Frame 1:
A shinobi roars with laughter!!

Frame 2:
There, now spill it! Tell me everything you know about Pain

Frame 3:
Guh... Pfft... Uh... Ugheh...

Frame 4:
Don't give in!

Frame 5:
I'll never betray... Uhguheh... My... Fellow... Heh... Pfft...

Page 3

Frame 1:
You're a bit tougher than I expected... Seems this calls for my secret weapon

Frame 2:
Wh... What do you mean!?

Frame 3:
If you're not giving me anything, then I'll use my jutsu to... turn you into a frog!
(The Japanese here is a pun, "turn [you] into a frog" = "kaeru ni kaeru", "frog" and "turn into" being homophonous)

Frame 6:
T... Turn you... Into... A frog...
(Restating the pun here... I'll see if I can't think of something later)

Page 4

Frame 1:
Ghahahaah

Frame 2, Nobeard:
Hahahahah...

Frame 2, Beardguy:
Just what is it you want, anyway!!?

Frame 3:
There, now spill it!

Frame 4:
We might be underlings, but we're still shinobi... We'll never betray our comrades!

Frame 5:
You can't do anything to change that! Don't you dare underestimate us!!

Page 5

Frame 1:
Heh... Well then, I have no choice...

Frame 2, Jutsu:
Ninpou - Kaeru Kaeru no Jutsu
Ninja Art - Frog Transformation Jutsu
(The pun again here)

Frame 2, Nobeard:
No... Don't!!

Frame 4, Nobeard:
*Ribbit Ribbit*

Frame 4, Beardguy:
Why you! How could you do something so low!!

Frame 5:
And you're next...

Page 6

Frame 1:
Pain-sama resides within the tallest of the western towers... Or so they say

Frame 2:
Oh? What's this? Seems you betrayed your comrades quite easily... Huh...?

Frame 3:
But whatever... What do you mean by "or so they say"?

Frame 4:
... The thing is... Nobody really knows all that much about Pain-sama

Frame 5:
And by that you mean?

Page 7

Frame 1:
It's said his blood is that of the Fuuma-clan... But no one knows exactly what he looks like, and there's even those who suggest he doesn't truly exist

Frame 2:
Ah, but just from strolling about this city... Almost everyone mentioned his name, and with the utmost respect... Don't trifle with me now!

Frame 3:
In this city Pain-sama is effectively a god... Whether he physically exists or not isn't of issue... He looks over and protects us at all times

Frame 4:
Events of celebration, speeches, decrees... Every one of his words are transmitted through proxy

Frame 5:
But he's your leader, correct? Why would he need to conceal his identity?

Page 8

Frame 1:
For situations like *this*, obviously...

Frame 2:
Very well...

Frame 3:
... You... You're not part of the remnants of the former-Amegakure, are you? Who are you anyway?

Frame 4:
That's none of your concern... But tell me, just what do you mean by "remnants of the former-Amegakure"?

Frame 5:
Heh... You really don't know anything, do you? An outsider, huh...

Frame 6:
Until just a short time ago the remnant faction would infiltrate us at every chance they got, looking to kill Pain-sama... Of course such worries are behind us... If someone could hope blend in here, it'd be an outsider, such as yourself, lucky enough to sneak in undetected

Page 9

Frame 1, Jiraiya:
No more worries? And that would mean just what? I *have* been told you're in the middle of a civil war

Frame 1, Beardguy:
I'd expect as much... This country is quite isolated from the outside world... Here, let me fill you in

Frame 2:
This civil war is over with... We've emerged victorious!

Frame 3:
And that's the reason Pain-sama is a legend... He destroyed Amegakure... All by himself

Frame 6:
Impossible...

Page 10

Frame 1:
Regardless of how strong this Pain may be... Amegakure's leader, "Salamander Hanzou", is renowned to the point that every shinobi everywhere will recognize the name...!

Frame 2:
That's right... And his immense strength was also complemented by extreme caution, to the extent that simply approaching him was a feat in itself

Frame 3:
Personal guards were stationed in rotations, protecting him twenty-four hours a day, and security was to the point that not even a child met him without being searched

Page 11

Frame 1:
And just how was Hanzou killed? What are Pain's abilities?

Frame 2:
I told you already, we don't know anything!

Frame 4:
This battle... In all likelihood, it will end in Konoha's victory... I'll spare you your lives

Frame 5, Jiraiya:
I have no need for mercy! I can still fight!!

Frame 5, Tsunade:
Jiraiya! Don't!!

Page 12

Frame 1:
The three of you are strong... And even within this strife, you survived...

Frame 2:
I, Hanzou... Will hereby honor you as the "Sannin of Konoha"
("sannin" = "three ninja")

Frame 3:
I've given you your lives, now give me your names

Page 13

Frame 1:
I can't believe it... How could Hanzou have been beaten by a single man...

Frame 2:
Heheh... This is a god we're talking about... His jutsu are quite fearsome indeed

Frame 3:
But the true horror of Pain-sama is not his jutsu

Frame 5:
The true horror lies in his strong and ruthless heart of blades

Frame 7:
Those who might threaten his ideals are crushed without remorse

Page 14

Frame 1:
He did not kill only Hanzou himself, but also after murdering his parents, wife, and children, he extended his terror to all of Hanzou's relatives and friends, even their babies

Frame 2:
And then, after burning all their houses to the ground, he turned to the clients from village that maintained connections to Hanzou, killing all...

Frame 3:
Everything was reduced to nothing

Frame 4:
It was judgment...

Page 15

Frame 1:
How could one not call him a god?

Frame 6, Character:
壱
One

Page 16/17

Frame 1, "Bed" Characters (Right, Front to Back):
One, Two, Three

Frame 1, "Bed" Characters (Left, Back to Front):
Four, Five, Six

Frame 1, Text:
There within lie the bodies of six "Akatsuki"... Who exactly is Pain, anyway!?

Frame 5:
Well then... time to hunt the intruder

Preview:
Witness the horror of Pain as he assaults Jiraiya! Next Issue, "Find Him..!"