Yahiko's Death

All along, whenever the four of them fought Hanzo the Demigod, they had gone to great lengths to avoid his scythe. They would rather take a ninjutsu attack head-on than let its blade so much as graze them.

The scythe was coated in deadly poison.

Unlike the neurotoxin Ibuse sprayed, the poison on the scythe took effect the moment it touched flesh. A mere scratch could kill.

Yahiko had taken a slash. He clearly did not have long to live, so he gave up on escaping and lunged at Hanzo, wrapping his arms around the man's leg.

At the same time, he roared at Nagato and the others behind him, "Go!

Nagato, you have to survive."

Nagato was on the verge of breaking. His whole body trembled, his Rinnegan bloodshot. He wanted nothing more than to unleash a forbidden technique right there and kill Hanzo.

In truth, Nagato was not strong enough.

Even if he summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the cost would be immense. Without anyone else's help, he could at most drive Hanzo back. Killing him was unlikely.

And now, Konan and Uchiha Mai were both at the end of their strength.

They could still escape, of course. But they no longer had the strength to launch another assault alongside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

"Go! I have a way to kill Hanzo."

Uchiha Mai shouted at Nagato again, then spread his black-and-gold wings, grabbed Konan, and flew away.

I'm out. If you still won't listen, Nagato, there's nothing I can do.

At the critical moment, Nagato managed to control his emotions. He cast one last, reluctant look at Yahiko, then turned and hurried away in a strategic retreat.

In the original story, Yahiko had thrown himself onto the Kunai in Nagato's hand.