Human Path

The Human Path (人間道, Ningendō) grants a Rinnegan user the ability to read a target's mind — down to their most hidden secrets — by placing a hand on their head or chest. The process kills the target; when the user withdraws their hand, the target's soul is physically pulled from their body. This makes the ability extremely lethal at close quarters, as in most cases targets can do little to prevent the extraction of their souls — the only recourse is to attack the user, which the other Six Paths techniques make very difficult. Still, a target of sufficient strength can partially resist it physically for a time.

As part of his Six Pains, Nagato channelled the Human Path's power through the corpse of a Takigakure shinobi.