Perhaps, in the unseen weave of fate, Konan was not meant to die here.
Self-destruction might have taken the enemy with her, but it also meant certain death. And the one she faced was Ye Zi. Even if she blew herself apart, there was no guarantee she could drag him into hell with her.
Though she saw no other choice, someone appeared before she could act on it, snatching her away from the path of his descending blade.
The strike missed its mark…
And in all the world, only one man could have plucked someone from before Ye Zi's sword: the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze.
From the side entrance, Ye Zi turned toward the platform above the steps. He saw Minato's grim face and said coolly:
"You left a Flying Thunder God mark on the corpse, didn't you?"
Minato's arrival had been without warning, as though from thin air. His first appearance was at Yahiko's resting place, he was in an awkward position, and was clearly unaware of the circumstances. Yet in a flash, he had grasped the situation and acted decisively to save Konan.
That was the Yellow Flash's unique strength. Based on Minato's appearance point, Ye Zi guessed he must have marked Yahiko's body during his earlier fight with "Deva Path" Yahiko. That was how he had slipped into this place undetected.
Minato did not answer. Instead, he spoke to Konan, who instinctively tensed to resist:
"I can take you away."
Those few words made her go still.
Her unexpected compliance allowed Minato to breathe a sigh of relief. From the moment he saw Ye Zi attacking her, his plan had been clear... Step one, save Konan. Step two, bring her back to the village.
Even a corpse would suffice, the Yamanaka could extract memories. But combing through them for useful intel would be exhausting and time-consuming. If Konan cooperated willingly, all the better.
As Ye Zi prepared to strike them both, Minato's sharp gaze flashed. Then he vanished with her in an instant, Flying Thunder God carrying them far away.
Ye Zi immediately spread his senses to locate him. Yet within the full radius of his Sage Mode perception, Minato's chakra was gone. That meant the teleportation had carried him beyond range.
From appearance, to rescue, to escape, it had taken only moments.
Ye Zi's expression chilled as he looked at the now-empty platform. Minato's sudden intrusion and abduction of Konan could not be ignored.
He had come to Amegakure specifically to eliminate her, precisely because she knew too much. And now that she had been carried off, everything she knew would fall into Konoha's hands.
"…Things just became troublesome."
His low mutter was edged with cold. If Konoha gained such knowledge, their protection of Kushina would only grow stricter. That would make gathering the tailed beasts far more difficult.
He lingered no longer. Leaving the chamber for the surface, he resolved: if Akatsuki's core members agreed to aid him, so be it. If not, he would not force them. He had sufficient high-level strength already, their presence or absence made little difference.
....
Three kilometers outside Amegakure, in the forest.
Minato appeared beneath a tree with Konan in tow.
"Phew…"
He breathed heavily. Teleporting such a long distance consumed an immense amount of chakra, but it had taken them well beyond Ye Zi's range.
"This is far enough from the village. But I can't be sure he won't pursue us. As much as I want to ask questions right now, we need to keep moving. Safety first."
His eyes were calm as they met hers. In this moment, he felt no hostility from her. The enemy of his enemy, was that why? Or perhaps Konan herself now had a different resolve.
"…Alright." Konan nodded quietly.
Her cooperation was not for his sake, but for Yahiko and Nagato, for revenge. Alone, she was powerless against Ye Zi. Minato's sudden arrival offered a sliver of hope.
Seeing her acquiesce so readily, Minato finally relaxed. Compared to dragging back a corpse, this was the best possible outcome.
Side by side, they departed the Land of Rain at speed.
The heavy rain was the perfect cover, washing away traces and scents. Though they had already escaped Ye Zi's perception, Minato remained cautious. Until he knew Ye Zi's movements, they had to put as much distance as possible.
A day later, they crossed the border into the Land of Fire. The edge of vigilance loosened slightly.
Under a bright moon, the forest echoed with insect cries. They found a spot to rest, eating dry rations with water, avoiding fire.
Tonight the moon was large and bright; even without flames they could see each other's faces clearly, every subtle flicker of expression plain as day.
After a day of silent flight, there was finally space for words.
Minato had many questions, he needed only rough answers. Konan, by contrast, had only one question.
"…Nagato. Is he dead?"
"'Nagato?'" Minato blinked. The name meant nothing to him. But his quick mind connected it to the man with the Rinnegan. "You mean the man with the Rinnegan?"
Konan nodded silently. Deep in her eyes lingered a shred of desperate hope.
Minato was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. "…He's dead."
The words shattered her fragile hope.
Her gaze turned vacant. Tears welled and slid soundlessly down her cheeks, dripping onto the soil below.
Was this the only time she was allowed to grieve?
The most important people in her life, first her family, lost to war. Then Yahiko, and now Nagato.
To survive, she had endured countless dangers, stealing food just to live. Until the three of them found a purpose, and poured all their strength into it. But in the end… all her like-minded companions were gone. Only she remained.
"…All we ever wanted was a world free from the torment of war."
Her tears flowed, silent and ceaseless.
Being alone from the beginning was one kind of loneliness. Becoming alone after losing everyone dear, that was another kind entirely. A grief immeasurably deeper.
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Currently on Chapter 608 - A World Unknown