Konan had already realized what Nagato was about to do. They had spent so long together day and night; how could they not know what the other was thinking? It was just that neither of them wanted the other to sacrifice themselves.
Reality, however, was cruel. The insect swarm howled as thunderclouds merged with the swarm, while the old man's assault did not weaken in the slightest. It seemed he had no intention of enjoying this melodramatic scene. No matter what kind of struggle they put up, he would grant them both an equal death.
Moriyue silently calculated the time. He should be on his way here by now. As long as the timing was right, there should not be much of a problem.
It was just that he seemed to have overlooked one very important factor...
"Pfft, pfft~"
The clones that had previously been swallowed by the insect swarm burst into clouds of smoke. This was normal when clones dispersed, but one clone did not turn into smoke and return to Moriyue's main body like the others. A flash of lightning appeared. Rainwater was the best conductor for electricity, especially in this environment—high in the air and so close to the clouds.
"I don't like watching this wishy-washy tearjerker either. Save the tragic farewells for later. Konan, get your defenses ready. I'm about to speed things up..."
Moriyue's wild laughter reached Konan and Nagato's ears. Though they did not know exactly what he meant, they knew he was about to unleash a major move.
"Paper Shell~"
"Summoning Technique: Rock Soldier."
Nagato and Konan reacted instantly. A semicircular shell made of paper enveloped them, while a rock fortress resembling an earthen bunker covered both of them along with the paper shell.
Forcing himself to use the Summoning Technique made Nagato