Shinra Tensei is a technique of the Deva Path of the Rinnegan, considered the pinnacle of this branch. Its use requires the ability to control the five basic nature transformations. The user creates a repulsive force that pushes everything away in a given direction. Usually, the repulsion forms around the user as a defensive barrier, repelling opponents and ninjutsu, including the black flames of Amaterasu that have already hit the target. If necessary, the direction of the force can be narrowed to avoid hitting allies. Repulsion can also be created at a distance from oneself, destroying a selected point.
The power and radius of Shinra Tensei depend on the invested chakra. In its standard execution, the technique throws objects several steps away and crushes earthen structures. Nagato, having concentrated all his chakra into a single Deva Path body and deactivated the other Five Paths, performed a Shinra Tensei of such a scale that it erased Konoha down to a giant crater at the cost of shortening his own life and temporarily weakening the other bodies. At standard power, opponents are able to resist: anchoring themselves with chakra to a surface, digging deep, or grouping together to reduce the impact of the repulsion. The technique has recoil on the user — if the enemy withstands the push and forces excessive effort, Shinra Tensei can be turned against its creator.
Between uses of Shinra Tensei and other abilities of the Deva Path, a recovery period is mandatory. The minimum pause is five seconds, and after devastating attacks like the destruction of Konoha, it extends to several minutes.
