Only three Kumogakure ninjas remained. They were already far from the living areas of Fukasuta Village, sprinting desperately across open ground. Among them were two special Jonin and a single Chunin, and all three were running on pure instinct. Behind them was Benimaru himself—and the distance between them was closing at an alarming speed.
They could feel it. Every second, his presence pressed closer, heavier, more suffocating. The gap was already well within the range for Benimaru to use his movement technique and end it all in a single strike.
Then a voice cut through the air.
"Almighty Push."
The words had barely been spoken when an overwhelming pushing force erupted outward. The air itself seemed to explode. Benimaru was hurled back as if struck by a colossal shockwave, his feet tearing grooves through the ground as he was thrown away from his targets.
Benimaru reacted instantly. He drove his sword into the earth, the blade screeching as it carved through stone and dirt. The resistance slowed him sharply, and after several long meters, he finally came to a halt. Dust settled around him as he straightened, eyes narrowing.
Seeing Benimaru pushed back, the fleeing Kumogakure ninjas hesitated mid-run. For a brief moment, hope flared within them. Have allies arrived? Reinforcements?
Their answer came quickly.
From ahead, a group of shinobi stepped into view, each wearing an Amegakure forehead protector. Long black coats hung from their shoulders, red lining running straight down the centre of their attire. They moved with quiet confidence, their formation tight and deliberate.
At the front of the group stood three figures unmistakably leading the rest—a boy with striking orange hair, another with deep red hair, and a girl with blue hair.
Benimaru studied the newly arrived shinobi, and the Kumogakure ninjas did the same. Despite standing on opposite sides, both reached the same conclusion almost instantly.
This group was the famous Akatsuki.
Active within the Land of Rain, Akatsuki had interfered with the affairs of major villages on numerous occasions. They were known for clashing with invading forces, defending the Land of Rain while spreading their message of peace—one that rejected the needless killing of other shinobi. More often than not, when Akatsuki halted an attack on a village, they did so without killing a single ninja from the opposing side. That restraint alone spoke volumes about their resolve to avoid violence whenever possible.
It was also well known that Akatsuki operated with the backing of Hanzo himself. Because of that, when Akatsuki intervened, most villages chose not to escalate the situation. Attacks on civilian towns or settlements were usually abandoned the moment Akatsuki appeared.
By this time, Todoroki had arrived as well, his gaze sweeping over the tense standoff now formed between three groups—Benimaru standing alone at one end, the remaining Kumogakure ninjas caught in the middle, and Akatsuki blocking the path ahead.
Finally, the leader of Akatsuki stepped forward.
Yahiko.
His expression was calm, but his eyes were firm as he addressed Benimaru and Todoroki. "Please, stop the killing," he said evenly. "We understand that you accepted a mission from the Daimyo of the Land of Rain to protect civilian areas. However, your actions are also resulting in the mass killing of shinobi from major villages. That will only breed resentment and may cause serious problems for the Land of Rain in the future."
He paused briefly, letting his words sink in.
"We should be moving toward peace, not war," Yahiko continued. "So I ask you to stop your attack on these Kumogakure ninjas. You have already killed many of their companions. Let these few live."
Benimaru stepped forward and met Yahiko's gaze directly. His voice was steady as he spoke.
"You are Yahiko, the leader of Akatsuki, I presume."
Yahiko nodded once. "Yes, I am."
Benimaru did not look away. "I don't care about the peace talks you conduct with the ninjas of other villages in the Land of Rain. You speak of peace and negotiations while the major villages choose your land as their battlefield and send their forces to fight here." His tone remained calm, but there was a sharp edge beneath it. "In the end, they listen to you only because you are strong enough to repel them, and because your reputation has grown considerably over the past few years."
He took another step forward. "I am neither interested in your ideals of peace nor wary of your strength. What I care about is completing our mission—and taking our revenge against Kumogakure and Kirigakure." His eyes flicked briefly toward the remaining Kumogakure ninjas. "Those shinobi will die. If you try to stop us, you will only be wasting your time."
Yahiko listened without interruption, his expression unwavering. Then he replied, his gaze fixed on Benimaru. "I know who you are—the Fire Oni King, Benimaru of Uzushiogakure. And beside you stands Todoroki Uzumaki, the Flare Frost of Uzushiogakure."
"Yes, the two of you are undeniably powerful," Yahiko continued. "But if you intend to kill these Kumogakure ninjas, then this is where it ends. We will not allow it."
Benimaru looked at Yahiko and the gathered members of Akatsuki and spoke quietly. "Is that so?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the flames around his sword roared to life. Heat surged outward, warping the air itself as space around the blade visibly distorted. Even the rain falling from the sky could not endure it—droplets hissed and evaporated before they could reach him, leaving a dry, shimmering void around his form.
Sensing that the situation was rapidly turning against them, one of the special Jonin from Kumogakure clenched his teeth and hissed, "What are we waiting here for? Let's run. Let Akatsuki deal with these Uzumaki siblings."
The other two Kumogakure ninjas agreed instantly. Without another word, all three turned and bolted, fleeing with everything they had.
Their escape attempt did not go unnoticed.
Benimaru glanced sideways and said to Todoroki, "Go. Deal with the three who are running. I'll hold them off here."
Todoroki nodded once. Flames erupted beneath his feet, and with a thunderous burst, he launched himself into the air. His body streaked forward like a rocket, cutting through the rain-filled sky as he closed in on the fleeing Kumogakure ninjas.
Seeing this, Nagato moved to stop Todoroki by activating Universal Pull. However, before he could execute the technique, Benimaru swung his sword horizontally. A massive heatwave erupted from the blade and surged straight toward the Akatsuki group, the air screaming as it was torn apart by the sheer temperature.
Nagato's expression sharpened. He did not dare divert his focus toward Todoroki. Benimaru was far too dangerous. The incoming attack alone carried overwhelming destructive force. Without hesitation, Nagato thrust his palm forward. As the fire wave reached him, it was completely swallowed, vanishing into his hand as if it had never existed.
Benimaru's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh," he said calmly, "you can absorb ninjutsu. Interesting."
In the very next instant, Benimaru vanished, using his Spatial movement technique. He reappeared directly in front of Nagato, sword already in motion, poised for a diagonal slash from stomach to shoulder. Reacting instantly, Nagato activated Almighty Push, unleashing a powerful repulsive force that sent Benimaru flying backward.
But this time was different.
Instead of being dragged across the ground by the almighty push, Benimaru vanished mid-flight. Space folded, and in a blink, he reappeared right beside Nagato, his presence sudden and oppressive, ready to strike once more.
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