Yahiko's Death, Nagato Awakens the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!

Three people formed an inverted triangle formation, appearing within Byakugan's sight. Their chakra pulsed powerfully. One person, radiant, was on the left, another dimmer on the right, and behind them, the silhouette of a woman. Following them were over a dozen more, dimmer figures, keeping pace with the ninja's customary aircraft formation.

Uchiha Kin focused his Byakugan, striving for the clearest vision possible. As they drew closer, he could make out the figures of the three individuals.

Nagato, in particular, stood out. Because the quantity and quality of chakra radiating from him far surpassed Yahiko and Konan, his entire being appeared pale and bright in the Byakugan's vision, like the last sliver of moonlight in the eastern sky at dawn.

It was almost blindingly bright.

However, this also meant his appearance was easily rendered in the Byakugan, especially the dense network of nerves that converged on his eyes in a bizarre fashion.

Yahiko, and Konan behind him, had noticeably dimmer chakra, though their chakra levels were roughly equal.

As for the ninja following behind, they were vastly inferior. Standing with the three, they were like dim stars hidden beneath the bright moon, easily overlooked if one wasn't paying attention.

"Nagato, Yahiko, Konan... Akatsuki, are they here?" Uchiha Kin turned his head, looking in the direction Akatsuki was coming from.

In his vision, a dozen black dots rapidly enlarged, approaching. The newcomers gradually became clear within Uchiha Kin's sight.

Danzo also looked at the approaching figures. He recognized Akatsuki's "Triumvirate"; he had seen them at Hiruzen Sarutobi's place.

However, Danzo wasn't worried about being recognized—because at this moment, all of Root was wearing the same attire as the Rain ninja.

Dressed in raincoats and wearing gas masks, they were indistinguishable from the other Rain ninja.

Hanzo watched Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan approach, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him...

Today, he had to kill Yahiko with his own hands.

I didn't want to do this, but the "God of shinobi" of the Land of Rain is old and can't hold on for a few more years. Everything is for the sake of the Land of Rain. I can only kill the naive—the future ultimately belongs to you. But this necessary sacrifice...

His gaze was dark, flickering, his will honed like a blade on a whetstone, ready to be drawn.

As the three drew near, they knelt on one knee and bowed, saying, "Lord Hanzo!"

Hanzo asked, "Do you know why I asked to meet you here?" As he spoke, he seized the moment when they were completely unguarded. His body flickered, a single Body Flicker Technique, and he grabbed Konan before returning to his side.

Hanzo's large hand gripped Konan's neck, rendering her entire body limp and unable to move.

"Konan!"

Yahiko and Nagato exclaimed in alarm.

"This is outside the Land of Rain. I don't want to bring any conflict or strife into the Land of Rain. The peace of the Land of Rain is hard-won... Peace...

"Do you know how difficult it is? I've exhausted my mind and devoted my life, all for the peace of the Land of Rain. But why must you do this? Why must you reignite the flames of war on the soil of the Land of Rain?

"Have you forgotten? Forgotten why your parents died? Forgotten that this country has been weeping all along?"

Yahiko shouted, "I haven't! It's precisely because we remember that we strive for peace. We have always been working for peace!"

Hanzo's other hand produced a Kunai and placed it against Konan's throat. "Yahiko, make your choice—if you slit your own throat, I'll let her go."

Originally, Hanzo had intended to have a final conversation with Yahiko, but after hearing his words, he knew such communication was unnecessary.

Yahiko looked at Konan, then at Hanzo. Konan tried to shake her head, to urge him "no," but she couldn't even move a muscle.

Hanzo was the foremost martial artist in the world today; his mastery of martial arts had reached its apex. Even Mifune was no match for him.

His understanding of human muscles and kinetic chains had reached an unimaginable level. By gripping Konan's neck, he had controlled her entire musculature, rendering her incapable of using any ninjutsu.

Her mysterious Paper Ninjutsu was useless at this moment.

Nagato drew a Kunai, held it in his hand, and pointed it at Hanzo. "Let Konan go."

"Impressive..." In the ninja world, few dared to draw a weapon against him. Nagato's courage earned his admiration. However, his Kunai sliced through Konan's neck skin, and blood immediately flowed down her fair throat. "Yahiko, you need to hurry, or she'll die."

Yahiko was stunned and helpless. Seeing Hanzo about to act, he no longer hesitated. He turned and lunged, crashing onto Nagato's Kunai.

Thwack!

The Kunai pierced his chest. He twisted his head, using his last breath to say to Hanzo, "Let Konan go!"

Nagato's heart exploded. His mind went completely blank as he stared blankly at the Kunai in his hand.

The eyes in his sockets twitched involuntarily, and a heart-pounding aura spread out. Thick black rods shot out from the void like steel bars, piercing Nagato's body one after another. A monster resembling a bare, humanoid tree stump appeared behind Nagato.

"Roar!"

A monster with nine closed eyes, ferocious and about four stories tall, let out a roar.

Black chains covered its body, connected to the black rods on Nagato.

"Ah!" Nagato also screamed, his voice filled with pain and suppressed rage. His eyes were filled with malice. "Kill, ah!"

Hanzo felt a sense of alarm and instantly flickered away. However, one of the monster's arms shot out, reaching him first. It grabbed his arm. Hanzo severed his own arm with a swift slash, then flickered away again.

Some Rain ninja charged forward fearlessly, only to be grabbed and directly devoured by the monster, leaving no bones behind.

Retreat!

Root members had received their orders long ago. Although the situation was sudden, they immediately retreated upon seeing the danger.

Uchiha Kin followed closely behind Danzo, desperately pushing the chakra within his body.

Body Flicker!

Body Flicker!

Constant Body Flicker!

In this critical moment, he wished he had been practicing the Body Flicker Technique since birth. Unfortunately, cramming at the last minute meant his speed was still somewhat lacking.

However, when he looked back, Danzo was following behind with a grim expression, falling behind by nearly a hundred meters. The other Root members were even further behind.

Uchiha Kin understood: his Body Flicker Technique wasn't bad after all; he had just been rushing too much.

"Uchiha Kin!" Danzo gritted his teeth... How could this brat be running so fast? "Have you forgotten your mission?"