Although Hyuga Gakuya appeared anxious, he made no move to interfere further. He kept in mind the persona he needed to maintain—a man who had just survived an intense battle, drained of both chakra and stamina.
How could someone like that possibly have the strength left to stop all those falling boulders?
Raising both hands, Gakuya acted as if he were straining to hold back the rubble raining from above, suspending much of it in the air for a brief moment.
His expression contorted in effort, putting on a dramatic performance like a seasoned actor pushing himself to the limit.
"Everyone, go! I can't hold on much longer!"
The shinobi alliance on the ground didn't hesitate—they turned and ran with all their might. But before they got far, Gakuya's arms suddenly dropped limply, as if drained of all power.
His body, too, swayed like a kite caught in a dying wind, on the verge of collapse.
And without Gakuya's restraint, the suspended rubble came crashing down like a storm of stone.
"Gakuya!" Gaara's eyes caught the scene from the corner of his vision, and he shouted in alarm.
Ōnoki, Rasa, and Gaara, the four Kage alongside Mū, tried to break free from Nagato's assault to support Gakuya and help stop the falling debris.
But Nagato gave them no such opportunity—he activated Universal Pull, yanking the four of them back into combat. They had no choice but to fend off his relentless attack.
Just as the avalanche of rock was about to slam into the battlefield, a swarm of paper cranes soared through the sky. The moment they neared the rubble, they exploded mid-air, shattering the boulders into harmless fragments of gravel.
Then, a figure emerged at the edge of the sky—Konan, descending with pristine paper wings spread wide like an angel, surrounded by thousands of paper cranes laced with explosive tags fluttering at her side.
Cheers erupted once more from the exhausted shinobi alliance.
"An angel!"
"She's beautiful!"
Their cries echoed across the battlefield, lifted by Konan's timely arrival.
Gakuya barely managed to lift his head and looked toward her with a voice so faint it was nearly inaudible.
"Konan… you came…"
Before he could finish the sentence, his body gave out entirely. Like a puppet with its strings severed, he plummeted from the sky.
Konan's eyes widened in alarm. Without a moment's hesitation, she darted toward him at full speed, arms outstretched. Her embrace transformed into a flurry of soft, snow-white paper that wrapped gently but securely around Gakuya, catching him mid-fall.
With a powerful flap of her paper wings, she generated a gust of wind that lifted them both back into the sky.
Now hovering midair, the two of them were face to face, so close they could feel each other's breath.
Konan's cheeks flushed a deep red as she felt the warmth of his breath. She quickly let go and, with a wave of her hand, used her Paper Style to create a small floating platform beneath him.
Gakuya steadied himself and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Thanks, Konan."
Konan tried to sound composed.
"It's nothing. You're the leader of the Akatsuki now—protecting you is my duty."
Seeing her effort to stay calm, Gakuya couldn't help but smile.
"Either way, I owe you one."
"Hmph. Just rest for now," Konan replied with a small huff. "Leave this to me. Nagato isn't a pawn they can control."
"Alright."
Of course, Gakuya's earlier dramatics weren't just for the sake of ending up in Konan's arms—it was mostly improvised on the spot. He hadn't expected her to actually catch him.
Not that Konan had any romantic motivation behind it. Gakuya was simply too important. Her instincts kicked in, and this was the fastest way to protect him.
...
In the distance, Nagato had seen it all. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Though he was technically dead, someone else could now protect Konan in his and Yahiko's place.
He had no more regrets.
Konan flew toward the battlefield where Nagato was locked in combat with the four Kage.
"Let me handle this," she said.
The four Kage exchanged glances. They were clearly drained, and with a nod, they stepped back to support from the sidelines.
Konan's gaze locked firmly on Nagato. "Nagato, I'll stop you."
Nagato's expression carried a hint of resignation.
"Sorry to trouble you, Konan."
Without hesitation, she unfurled a long summoning scroll. In a flash, countless explosive tags burst forth, forming into a tide of paper cranes that surged toward Nagato like a crashing wave.
Nagato, under Kabuto's control, tried to retreat into the sky. But just as he took off, Gakuya cast a gravity seal that pinned him in place—an expertly timed move.
With nowhere to run, Nagato was forced to use Almighty Push to repel the incoming swarm. The force of the repulsion scattered dozens of the paper cranes, but Konan's assault was relentless—never-ending, like a storm without pause.
"I won't let you remain their puppet!" she cried out, her voice resolute.
Gakuya shouted from the side, "Konan! His Almighty Push is almost at its limit!"
She nodded subtly, pouring more chakra into her technique. The sky filled with an ever-thickening barrage of paper cranes, forming a radiant, deadly tapestry that closed in on Nagato.
The moment Almighty Push faltered, the cranes engulfed him in a massive explosion—hundreds of explosive tags detonating in a chain reaction that completely obliterated his Edo Tensei body.
"Gaara! Rasa! Seal him now!" Gakuya shouted.
"Understood!"
"Magnet Style: Mixed Gold Sand Burial! Hrah!"
Gaara and Rasa combined their powers, blending golden sand and iron sand into a towering pyramid that sealed off the blast zone.
A shinobi from the command center rushed forward and handed Gaara a newly crafted sealing tag. Wrapping it in sand, Gaara guided the tag into the sealed pyramid.
The tag entered Nagato's body, helping him regain control over his soul and flesh, breaking free from the Edo Tensei's grasp.
Rasa and Gaara cautiously lifted the seal, and Nagato reappeared before them—no longer their enemy.
This time, he didn't attack. Instead, he turned and began helping the shinobi alliance clear out the remaining White Zetsu forces.
With their enemies thinned out, Gakuya pretended to rest while regaining some chakra. The top brass of the alliance quickly regrouped.
Gakuya approached Nagato. "It's been a while, Nagato."
Nagato offered a sheepish smile. "I caused you all a lot of trouble…"
Gakuya patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. This wasn't your fault. With you fighting alongside us now, things will get a lot easier."
"Let's go—time to reinforce the other units."
But just as he spoke, a pillar of blinding chakra light burst forth from the horizon.
A colossal surge of chakra flooded into Gakuya's senses.
Nagato's Rinnegan flared as he turned sharply toward the source, his face darkening.
"The Ten Tails… it's here."
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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