Bansho Ten'in

"Yahiko, Konan, get out of the way!"

Having just blocked the Water Dragon Bullet, Shinra Tensei was still on cooldown, so he could only dodge Hanzo's sure-kill attack.

"So that ability can't be used continuously..."

Though Hanzo's attack had missed again, he had gained some crucial information: the ability to repel all attacks wasn't without limits.

"Water Release: Water Corridor."

The Land of Rain was practically a stronghold for Water Release Ninjutsu. Waves of water surged in from all directions, surrounding the members of Akatsuki.

"Water Release: Water Blade."

Guided by chakra, the rainwater around them gathered in Hanzo's hand, forming a long blade. He then hurled it toward Nagato.

"Let's see how you'll block this one." As he spoke, Hanzo vanished into the water mist.

"Quick, retreat! We can't hold them off!"

"There are more and more Rain Ninja! We can't beat them! Run!"

Faced with the assault from the Rain Ninja and Hanzo, some Akatsuki members finally buckled under the pressure and started fleeing. With death looming over them, they no longer cared about the Kirigakure ninjas watching them like hungry predators.

Watching the fleeing men draw closer, Raiga Kurosuki sneered. "You're making this very difficult for me. Wouldn't it be better to just accept your deaths?"

As an elite shinobi of Kirigakure, he despised nothing more than cowards who fled the battlefield.

"In that case, I'll have to step in."

Raiga Kurosuki drew his weapon, Kiba, from his back and waited for more of the fleeing men to approach.

Kiba: A pair of swords, the fastest blades, imbued with lightning. They are effective for both offense and defense, and can generate and attract lightning to unleash even greater power.

"Lightning Release: Thunder Ball."

A large amount of Lightning Release chakra surged from the tips of Kiba, forming a man-sized ball of lightning in front of Raiga Kurosuki.

"Go!"

The ball of lightning shot forward, crashing into the fleeing Akatsuki members in an instant.

"Aaaaaah!"

"My legs! My legs are gone!"

The moment ordinary shinobi came into contact with the lightning ball, the electricity blasted them until they were charred all over, draining them of moisture and life.

A few had dodged the lightning ball's direct hit, but other parts of their bodies suffered permanent damage. They lay on the ground, wailing in pain. It was hard to say whether they were lucky or unlucky.

"Yahiko, what should I do...?"

Nagato had to choose between his subordinates being slaughtered by Raiga Kurosuki and Hanzo's deadly attack, and he only had one chance to use Shinra Tensei.

"Shinra Tensei."

After weighing his options, Nagato chose to deal with Hanzo's attack first.

Just as Nagato let out a breath, a murderous intent suddenly appeared behind him.

"This is my chance." Hanzo suddenly appeared behind him, swinging his scythe at Nagato's neck.

"Not a chance!" At the crucial moment, Yahiko appeared in time and knocked Hanzo's attack off course with a kunai. The scythe scraped past Nagato's clothes.

"I... I almost... died." Having just brushed past death, Nagato was still trapped in terror.

Ever since he awakened the Rinnegan, Jiraiya had told him it was the eyes of a god. Nagato had resolved to change the world in the name of a god, never imagining that death could come so close to him.

Konan, worried for their safety, hurried over as well and used the strongest ninjutsu she could currently perform.

"Dance of the Shikigami."

A spear made of paper shot toward Hanzo, who had just missed his attack, catching him off guard.

"I hit him!" Seeing the spear pierce through Hanzo's body, Konan was about to clench her fist in excitement when she realized that Hanzo had turned into a puddle of water, spilling across the ground.

"Damn, it's a Water Clone. The real Hanzo is..." Before Konan could finish, a scythe pierced through her back and emerged from her abdomen.

"Konan!"

Seeing Hanzo gravely wound Konan, Yahiko and Nagato ran toward her like madmen.

"Multiple Shuriken!"

"Bansho Ten'in!"

Yahiko first forced Hanzo away from Konan with shuriken. Then Nagato activated the Rinnegan's power again, pulling Konan toward him.

"K-Konam, are you all right?"

"Konan, you'll be fine."

Blood poured from the wound in Konan's abdomen, and her consciousness began to fade. She had just wanted to say something to Yahiko and Nagato when blood welled up in her throat.

"Konan, I won't let you die." In his panic, Nagato poured a vast amount of chakra from his hands into Konan's wound. The Uzumaki Clan's abundant life force flowed into it as well. Combined with the Yang Release nature of the Rinnegan, the wound began to visibly close.

By the time Nagato was drenched in sweat and on the verge of collapsing, he had finally pulled Konan back from the brink of death.

"Konan... you're all right now..." Nagato gasped for breath. Saving her had nearly drained him completely, and even his hair had grown much paler.

"Take Konan and look for a chance to escape, Nagato. I'll hold them off." By now, Yahiko had seen Hanzo's selfish nature clearly. Cooperating with him had been a foolish choice. All Yahiko wanted now was to help his two closest friends get away safely.

"What a touching scene... And what an outrageous ability. That only makes you even more deserving of death."

Hanzo had been lying in wait for his chance. How could he let this opportunity slip by? He appeared behind Nagato again and mercilessly brought his bloodstained scythe down on him.

"Look out, Nagato!"

"Thud!"

The sight of Nagato drenched in blood never came. At the crucial moment, Yahiko threw himself forward, placing his chest between Hanzo and Nagato.

"Yahiko! No!"

Having witnessed Hanzo's scythe pierce the bodies of the two friends he had depended on for so long, Nagato finally lost control of his emotions.

"Shinra Tensei!"

This time, Nagato's sudden burst of power caught Hanzo off guard. The force of Shinra Tensei sent Hanzo flying a great distance, knocking several Rain Ninja aside along the way, before he crashed into a nearby mountainside.

"Yahiko, hang on! I'll save you." After driving Hanzo back, Nagato frantically searched Yahiko's body with his hands and once again forced chakra through himself, trying to repeat the method he had used to save Konan.

"Nagato, don't waste your chakra..."

Yahiko could see how badly Nagato was struggling. He wanted to stop him because he didn't want his two friends to lose their chance to escape trying to save him.

"Yahiko, don't worry. I can do it." Nagato reassured him as he poured even more chakra from his hands. This time, he could even feel his own life force rapidly draining away.

"Cough, cough... Did you think I'd make the same mistake twice?" Hanzo had already climbed out of the mountainside. Seeing the familiar scene, he wore a mocking smile.