Beware the Spectators (4)

Something's wrong!

How did things end up like this?

Cold sweat beaded on Yahiko's forehead as his mind screamed warnings, an ominous premonition filling his brain.

Of the three, he possessed the greatest strategic vision, often able to perceive subtle issues that the other two missed.

That's why he was the leader of the Akatsuki; his rich charisma could attract more people to join the organization.

But now, Yahiko felt things were spiraling out of control, completely beyond his grasp.

"Yahiko, stop being naive! Look at Hanzo, he's completely lost it!" Nagato crouched low, formed hand seals, and slammed his palms on the ground. "Konan, cooperate with me!"

Though he appeared quiet and reserved on a normal day, Nagato was actually the most impulsive of the three.

Once he determined anyone posed a threat to Konan and Yahiko, Nagato would eliminate that danger at any cost!

At this moment, Konan, who was usually the calmest, was also affected by the nightmare, convinced that Hanzo was the source of their suffering.

BOOM!

The next moment, Nagato and Hanzo collided.

As kunai and scythes clashed, brilliant sparks erupted in the air, the clang of metal on metal echoing.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

The clash of ninjutsu instantly expanded the battlefield.

One was a renowned Water Style master in the ninja world, the other possessed the Rinnegan with six chakra nature transformations. Their battle was truly earth-shattering.

Nagato wielded various ninjutsu with ease, without the slightest hesitation, as if he were born for ninjutsu.

In contrast, Hanzo, already severely depleted in stamina and chakra after his major battle with Uchiha Sōgetsu, now facing the Rinnegan, appeared to be struggling.

"Ninja Art: Poison Mist!" He opened his mouth and spat out a large cloud of purple smoke, which, aided by the wind, rapidly spread in all directions.

"Konan, retreat quickly!" Nagato immediately disengaged and retreated, forming hand seals. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!!

Instantly, a fierce wind howled, kicking up sand and stones.

The poison mist that had been heading towards them was blown away by the gale, halting its spread.

But just then, Hanzo suddenly charged from another direction, his target directly at Konan in mid-air. "I'll start with you!"

SWISH!

Chains shot out like venomous snakes.

Konan, in mid-air, had no time to dodge and was immediately bound tightly by the chains.

Then, Hanzo yanked downwards forcefully, directly pulling Konan down and smashing her heavily onto the ground.

CRASH!

The powerful impact made Konan cry out in pain, feeling as if her entire body had shattered.

"Got you!"

Hanzo leaped high, his scythe slashing down from above like a cascading moonlight.

"Konan!!!" Yahiko's eyes turned red. He could no longer care about anything else and charged forward.

CLANG!

A kunai blocked the scythe.

Enduring the downward force, Hanzo's full-power slash almost overwhelmed Yahiko.

But even so, in his haste, Yahiko was suppressed, his knees buckling to the ground, his shoulder pierced by the scythe, blood gushing out.

"Na-Nagato!" Yahiko, blood trickling from his lips, cried out for help.

"Get out of my way!"

Nagato's furious roar arrived with a gust of wind blades.

SLASH!

The wind blades severed one of Hanzo's arms.

Blood sprayed wildly, Hanzo's face contorted in pain, but the ferocity in his eyes became even more terrifying. "You took one of my arms, I'll make you pay!"

He had already laid a trap in this very spot!

"Fire Style: Explosive Flame Formation!"

Countless explosive tags suddenly appeared on the ground around Yahiko and Konan!

Under Hanzo's control, the explosive tags swarmed towards Yahiko and Konan like sharks drawn to the scent of blood, wrapping around them.

The situation instantly became extremely perilous!

With no time to think, Yahiko instinctively made a choice, abandoning defense against the scythe above him and instead gripping Konan's corner tightly.

"Nagato--!"

He used all his strength, enduring the pain of his shoulder being broken, and flung Konan towards the charging Nagato.

Nagato caught Konan, but the next moment, he witnessed a scene that broke his heart.

Hanzo kicked Yahiko, using the momentum to retreat while forming a hand seal.

"No!!!"

"Yahiko!"

"Explode!"

BOOM!!!

A colossal pillar of flame erupted, directly engulfing Yahiko.

Over a hundred explosive tags detonated simultaneously, their immense destructive power even causing the ground nearby to collapse. Countless fragments of rock, carried by the shockwave, shot out in all directions like shrapnel.

"Yahiko!" Nagato, ignoring the still-burning flames, charged in.

However, the scene that greeted him plunged him into an icy abyss.

Lying in a scorched earth pit, Yahiko was completely burned, his legs blown off. The vibrant youth of before was gone, and he was barely clinging to life.

Konan, as if struck by lightning, seemed dazed, her eyes hollow and vacant.

"Cough, cough... cough."

Yahiko's heavy coughs registered in Nagato's ears, leaving his mind blank.

"Nagato," he weakly lowered his head, leaning against Nagato's shoulder. His bloodied hand slowly lifted, stroking the red-haired boy's face. "Take... good care of Konan."

"Yahiko. Yahiko? Yahiko!"

Nagato stood frozen, biting his pale lips, clutching Yahiko helplessly. "Don't die, please. Don't die!"

But no matter how he pleaded, the body of his friend in his arms grew colder.

"Take good care of Konan."

The light in Yahiko's eyes faded bit by bit. "Our dream... I'm counting on you."

Plink

Yahiko closed his eyes, his lifeless hand falling to the ground.

"No!!!"

Nagato let out a ferocious roar to the heavens, boundless pain flooding his soul.

Watching his friend die before his eyes, his heart ached as if a piece had been gouged out by a knife.

Unspeakable agony, suffocating despair, like countless hands dragging him into the dark abyss, all his suppressed negative emotions erupted at this moment!

"Aaaaaah--Hanzo!!!"

Nagato let out a beast-like roar, blood tears streaming from his purple Rinnegan. "I will kill you!"

He bit his finger and pressed it heavily onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!"

BANG!

The earth trembled as a terrifyingly grotesque giant statue appeared upon it.

Gazing at the horrifying, monstrous statue, even the experienced Hanzo felt a deep unease. "What... is that?"

The humanoid, monstrous statue placed its hands on the ground and let out a soul-tearing roar.

Black rods extended from the statue's abdomen, piercing Nagato's back, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Hanzo!!!"

But the physical pain, even multiplied by a thousand times, could not compensate for even one ten-thousandth of Nagato's current inner suffering.

He endured the intense pain, forming hand seals to control the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path behind him!

ROAR!

The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path opened its mouth, spewing out dozens of purple chakra dragons.

Hanzo's pupils constricted, his face changing drastically. His instincts told him... that thing was dangerous!

However, as he was about to flee, the depths of his mind suddenly jolted, as if struck by an iron hammer, freezing him in place for less than a second.

But that crucial second was all it took for Hanzo to completely lose any hope of escape.

BOOM!!!

Carrying intense hatred and killing intent, the chakra dragons descended.

"Ah--!"

Enveloped within, Hanzo's eyes widened in terror.

He could clearly feel his life force and chakra draining away at a terrifying rate.

His already aged face became even more horrifying as his chakra depleted. In mere breaths, Hanzo became like a dried-out mummy, his skin like withered bark, a thin layer clinging to his bones.

Drained dry, Hanzo lost his life completely and fell from mid-air.

The battle was over.

The torrential rain began to fall, as if silently lamenting the inexpressible sorrow.

Last night, there was an earthquake, and the whole house shook. I was so scared I ran out without even putting on my shoes, and ended up catching a cold.