Nagato searched the village again and again, desperately hoping it was the first possibility.
He cared deeply about the village's children, but compared with Yahiko's life, none of that mattered.
Nagato searched the battle area until he found traces of Yahiko's Ninjutsu and a few scattered Shuriken.
Following those traces, the first thing he found was the mark left by Rock Slab Pivot.
He approached with tension written across his face. With a wave of his hand, the stone slabs flew aside.
There was no one underneath. Nagato finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But when he saw that the trail did not lead toward the Shelter, his heart sank.
In a crisis like that, there could be only one reason they had taken such a route: they had run into danger and been forced to avoid it.
Nagato followed the trail with his heart in his throat. The more marks left by Ninjutsu he saw, the tenser he became.
Then he reached a broad stretch of the once-dense Forest where trees lay toppled in every direction.
He pushed his speed to the limit, repeating to himself, Please, don't let anything have happened!
Within a minute, Nagato reached the edge of the area.
Chapter 566: Overwhelming Eye Power
A field of jagged rock spikes filled his view, rising to different heights. The sight was almost imposing.
But the instant Nagato focused his gaze, his mind went numb.
In the distance, a figure hung from one of the spikes, limbs dangling, utterly still.
Nagato's expression turned grave. He vanished and appeared beside the figure seconds later.
Looking at Yahiko, who no longer showed any sign of life, Nagato felt the convictions he had held so firmly begin to crumble.
Chakra surged through his body in a strange pattern. Pain twisted his