Shinra Tensei

"Why are ninjas from Kirigakure here?"

"That strange weapon... Could they be the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"

"We can't get away now. What do we do?"

This was when the members of Akatsuki showed their true mettle. Under pressure, they fell apart like a pile of loose sand, and the ideals and goals they'd once held no longer seemed so certain.

"I told you, none of you are leaving here today."

Seeing that Yahiko and the others refused to cooperate, Hanzo glared ominously at the members of Akatsuki from atop the cliff. If they couldn't be made to serve him, then not one of them could be allowed to escape.

"Attack! Kill them all!"

At Hanzo's cruel command, the Rain Ninja forces present launched an assault on Akatsuki's group.

"Water Release: Water Whip!"

"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"

"Shuriken Technique!"

In an instant, a dense barrage of attacks swept toward Yahiko and the others.

"Quick, form a defense!"

"Water Release: Water Wall!"

The B-rank defensive Water Release technique Yahiko and Nagato cast together blocked some of the Rain Ninja's attacks, but many jutsu and hidden weapons still flew toward the people behind them.

"Ah! My thigh's been hit!"

"My eye! My eye..."

"Someone stop those Rain Ninja! Why are they attacking us?!"

At that moment, the weakness of Akatsuki's members was laid bare: they had little combat strength and were nothing more than a rabble.

Yahiko wanted to protect them, but he didn't have the strength to do so. He could only focus on keeping himself, Nagato, and Konan safe.

Before long, blood and severed limbs stained the dirt beneath their feet.

"Lord Biwa Juzo, should we make a move?"

Biwa Juzo was the first wielder of the beheading sword Kubikiribōchō. His most distinctive feature was the red vertical markings around his mouth. Now, he was listening to his subordinate's question.

"What do you think, Suikazan Fuguki?" Biwa Juzo turned to ask.

Suikazan Fuguki was a burly middle-aged man with green shark markings on either side of his face. He was the first wielder of the Great Sword: Samehada.

At nearly two and a half meters tall, he made Samehada look rather unimpressive in his hands.

"I don't mind either way. You should ask Raiga Kurosuki," Suikazan Fuguki said in a rumbling voice.

Raiga Kurosuki was the first wielder of the Thunder Sword: Kiba. His long green hair and heavy dark circles made him stand out in the crowd.

"The Mizukage only sent us to assist Hanzo of the Salamander. He didn't specify how far we should go. We just need to do our job and make sure no one gets away," Raiga Kurosuki said.

That's right, these three were the survivors of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

A little over a month ago, the three had received orders from the Fourth Mizukage. They'd hurried to the Land of Rain to help Hanzo of the Salamander deal with an organization called Akatsuki. Their task today was to block the group's escape route.

In truth, the three still hadn't recovered from the shadow of the Third Shinobi World War.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, who carried out special missions for successive Mizukage and were said to be capable of conquering a small nation with just seven members, had seen four of their number beaten to death by a single Genin from Konoha. The three survivors had begun to reassess their own strength, and they were no longer as arrogant as before.

The Mist Ninja's inaction gave Akatsuki a chance to catch their breath.

"What are Suikazan Fuguki and the others doing?" Seeing that the Mist Ninja still hadn't moved while his own forces were already suffering casualties, Hanzo grew furious.

In his view, if the Mist Ninja had joined his forces in attacking Akatsuki from both sides, wiping them out would have taken no time at all. The casualties on his side were all because the Mist Ninja weren't doing their part.

It was no wonder Hanzo had to swallow his anger. Kirigakure was one of the Five Great Nations, and Amegakure, having only just emerged from the Third Shinobi World War, had no strength to oppose it.

On the battlefield, Akatsuki's forces began to counterattack under Yahiko and Nagato's direction.

"Paper Shuriken!" Even Konan, who seemed to be the weakest fighter, could take down one or two Rain Ninja.

At last, Hanzo couldn't stand watching any longer. He decided to enter the fight himself.

"Water Release: Raging Torrent!" A huge amount of chakra gathered in Hanzo's hands, forming a whirlpool of water. Combined with the Land of Rain's constant downpours, it looked as if the rain around him were flowing into his palms.

Hanzo thrust out his hand and hurled the whirlpool. A column of swirling water shot toward Yahiko and the others.

"Yahiko, watch out!" Konan, who had been keeping a close eye on her companions, rushed to Yahiko's side and stood in the path of the attack.

"Konan!"

Yahiko and Nagato turned toward her. Seeing the swirling water about to strike Konan, they were frantic with worry.

"Shinra Tensei!"

In his desperation, Nagato quickly activated the power of the Rinnegan. A powerful repulsive force burst from his palm, knocking the water vortex away from Konan.

"Thank goodness..." Seeing Konan escape danger, Yahiko finally let out a breath of relief.

"My attack was repelled so easily. Was that the power of the Rinnegan...? It seems none of these brats can be allowed to live today."

When he first saw those legendary godlike eyes, Hanzo had been shaken. After all, the Sage of Six Paths was said to possess powers utterly beyond the reach of ordinary people.

"I should deal with that boy first." Realizing how dangerous Nagato was, Hanzo prepared to focus all his attention on him.

"Did you see that? The red-haired boy's eyes!"

The three Ninja Swordsmen watching from the side had witnessed Nagato deflect Hanzo's jutsu.

"Those look like the eyes of the legendary Sage of Six Paths." Suikazan Fuguki fixed his gaze on Nagato. They hadn't expected such an extraordinary prize to turn up on an ordinary mission.

"Should we move in and take those eyes?" Raiga Kurosuki asked. Even if they couldn't use those eyes themselves, bringing them back to Kirigakure would be a great accomplishment.

"Why don't we wait a little longer?" Suikazan Fuguki spoke again. He was just as eager to get his hands on those eyes, but his experience fighting Konoha still reminded him to be cautious.

The fear of being dominated by Might Dai still haunted them.

"I agree." Biwa Juzo supported the suggestion, and the Mist Ninja remained where they were, watching.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

Unwilling to accept defeat, Hanzo cast another A-rank jutsu at Nagato. At the same time, he took the weapon from his back and charged toward him.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Facing the oncoming water dragon, Nagato once again activated the Rinnegan to protect Yahiko and Konan behind him. Even at such close range, the powerful repulsive force dispersed the water dragon.

While Nagato was occupied fending off the Water Dragon Bullet, Hanzo hurled his weapon at him.

"Go!"

The sharp sickle flashed in the light as the chain attached to its handle carried it straight toward Nagato. If it struck, it would slice him in half.