What are the Six Paths of Pain in Naruto?

Pain was one of the major antagonists in Naruto, who almost destroyed Konoha. However, the real perpetrator behind this group of self-proclaimed vigilantes was Nagato Uzumaki.

He controlled all six corpses by implanting the Black Receivers created from his Rinnegan that works as a demodulator, and he can control these bodies from a greater distance.

Losing his cherished friend Yahiko, who attempted suicide by stabbing himself with Nagato’s Kunai to save Konan from the grasp of Hanzo, the Salamander, affected Nagato with pure agony. This resulted in summoning the Gedo statue and he received the powers of Sage of Six Paths.

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Explaining the Six Paths of Pain in Naruto

Nagato gets crippled from both Hanzo’s paper bomb trap and summoning the Gedo statue. However, to overcome his disability, Nagato created Six Paths of Pain, in which the first body he uses is of Yahiko. He distributed his Rinnegan powers with each body and became the deadliest force in Naruto.

Here is a list of all the Six Paths of Pain and their capabilities.

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All Six Paths of Pain

Deva Path

Deva path as seen in Naruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Nagato created the Deva path from Yahiko’s body and it is inarguably the most powerful path. It grants the user the ability to control both attractive and repulsive forces. However, it can’t be performed in a continuous sequence because it needs a surplus amount of time to regenerate.

The Deva Path uses three known techniques, Shinra Tensei, Chibaku Tensei and Basho Ten’in. The path, being immensely powerful, destroyed Konoha tremendously.

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Asura Path

Asura path as seen in Naruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Asura path is capable of manifesting additional limbs and also two additional faces on either side of the head to increase the peripheral field. Unsurprisingly, the Asura Path has the most bizarre-looking appearance in Naruto.

Pain created the Asura path from the body of a ninja puppeteer, which is why its entire structure is augmented with mechanical weapons like missiles, blades, and drills.

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Human Path

Human path as seen in Naruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Human path grants the user the ability to rip the soul from a person’s body. With the captured soul, the user can read the thoughts of the person and can dig up crucial intel from it.

However, it results in the death of the victim. The captured souls can also be stored with the King of Hell, who is summoned by the Naraka Path.

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Animal Path

Animal path as seen in Naruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Animal Path is capable of summoning powerful creatures that can turn the course of a battle. These creatures require no blood to be summoned by the user. The Animal Path can also summon other paths of Pain as well.

The Summoner also has the ability to see through these creatures, which helps in the path’s increased field of vision. The creatures are immortal as they were re-summoned even after they were killed.

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Preta Path

Preta path as seen in Naruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Preta path is capable of absorbing in any form. This path is defensive and can nullify any kind of ninjutsu-based techniques. However, there were certain limitations to it, as the Preta path became a stone figure after absorbing too much of Naruto’s senjutsu chakra.

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Naraka Path

Naraka path as seen in Naruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Naraka path grants the user two of its primary abilities - interrogation and restoration. The Naraka path can summon the King of Hell and can interrogate victims with its help.

If the person gives the wrong answer or refuses to say anything, the King of Hell will rip out their tongue, which results in the victim’s death. However, if given the right answer, their life gets spared. The King of Hell can also repair bodies by putting them in its mouth.