Killing Yahiko would save Konan.
That was the only desperate thought left in Nagato's mind.
He looked down at the kunai in his hand, his arms suddenly drained of all strength, unable even to grip it tightly.
He, Yahiko, and Konan had relied on each other since childhood, growing up together amidst the flames of war. For the dream of peace in the Shinobi World, they had founded the Akatsuki together.
He had once believed the three of them would walk side by side like this forever. But now, he had to face the outcome of losing one of them.
What should he do?
He turned his head with difficulty, looking at Yahiko with panic, his eyes filled with helpless pleading.
At a time like this, Yahiko must have a way!
"Nagato, kill me."
Yahiko read the panic and confusion in his eyes and directly made the cruelest decision for him.
To save Konan, he was willing to die.
Yahiko looked at Nagato and smiled faintly.
Teacher Jiraiya had said that Nagato's eyes were the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
Nagato would surely be the hope to save this cruel world.
"I must protect Nagato and Konan."
His gaze gradually grew resolute, and he repeated word by word: "Nagato, kill me."
Kill Yahiko?
Nagato felt his mind explode with a roar, the entire world slowly fading away.
His chest heaved violently, as if an invisible hand were choking his throat. His breathing was rapid and ragged, his entire body trembling uncontrollably with fear.
On the cliff above, Hanzo watched the scene in the valley below with great interest.
Konan, held captive by him, was still struggling desperately. She knew in her heart that she had become Yahiko and Nagato's greatest weakness.
"No! Run, both of you! Don't worry about me!"
Konan cried out in despair.
That cry only strengthened Yahiko's resolve.
Seeing that Nagato could not bring himself to act, Yahiko paused, then with the resolve to die, charged headlong toward the kunai in Nagato's hand.
Nagato's pupils contracted sharply, his chaotic thoughts instantly snapping into focus.
He watched helplessly as Yahiko charged forward without hesitation, but his body could not react in time, leaving him frozen in place.
"No!"
Konan on the cliff wall let out a heart-wrenching cry.
"Nagato, you must save Konan!" Yahiko had even prepared his last words in his heart.
But just before he collided with the kunai, a sudden, intense pain shot through his right cheek as his face was brutally kicked.
His forward momentum abruptly halted, and he was sent flying sideways by a tremendous force.
Yahiko rolled several times on the ground before stopping, propping himself up with his hands, feeling as if the world were spinning.
He coughed violently a few times, spitting out a mouthful of bloody foam mixed with several broken teeth.
Only then did Nagato snap back to reality, frantically dropping the kunai and rushing toward Yahiko like a madman.
On Yahiko's right cheek was a clear, mud-stained shoe print.
"Yahiko! Are you alright!"
Nagato looked shaken, having nearly pierced his closest companion with his own hand just a moment ago.
If Yahiko hadn't suddenly been sent flying, he dared not imagine the consequences.
Nagato instinctively looked in the direction from which that force had come.
He saw Shinji slowly retract his sideways kick, looking at Yahiko and the others with an expression that seemed to regard them as fools.
That look stung Yahiko deeply.
"What are you doing!"
Yahiko pushed himself up from the ground, both pained and furious, shouting in accusation.
He had been ready to die a heroic death, trading his life for another's, only to be interrupted by some inexplicable outsider.
Shinji's tone was full of disdain. "Ungrateful fool. I saved you, and did you really think Hanzo would let you go even if you died?"
"From the very beginning, Hanzo never intended to leave any of you alive."
Beside him, Uchiha Fugaku curled his lips into a cold smile. He had just heard that these three were Master Jiraiya's students, and now, seeing them in person, they were indeed far too naive.
To gamble their comrades' lives on the enemy's mercy—such an Akatsuki was truly unworthy of the stage.
"Hahaha!"
At the edge of the cliff, Hanzo threw his head back and laughed. "Well said! How could I possibly let you go?!"
This had been nothing more than a trivial game to him, and now that his amusement had been spoiled, he naturally held nothing back!
With a flick of his wrist, his kunai pointed straight at Konan's throat, poised to strike without hesitation.
"This is fine," Konan whispered, gently closing her eyes.
When she had seen Yahiko about to throw himself onto the kunai, her heart had nearly leapt out of her chest.
Thankfully, that Konohagakure ninja had stopped him. In her heart, she quietly felt a flicker of gratitude toward Shinji.
As long as she died, Yahiko and Nagato would at least have a chance to escape.
"Konan!"
Nagato and Yahiko's eyes widened in horror, but they were too far away to stop it in time.
Shinji snorted coldly, slowly lowering the short sword in his right hand into a chopping stance.
Huh?
In the next instant, everyone in the valley except Shinji suddenly felt an irresistible, immense force pressing down on them.
Their knees bent uncontrollably, thudding one after another as they knelt to the ground. Their hands instinctively clasped together and raised high above their heads, as if bracing against a blade chopping down from above.
One Hundred Percent Barehanded Blade Catch!
"I am Konohagakure's number one swordsman!" Shinji silently boasted to himself.
A group-wide forced control—as long as Shinji performed a chopping motion, everyone he targeted would be locked into the rigid "barehanded blade catch" posture.
And he himself could only maintain the chopping stance without moving.
The rigidity lasted five seconds.
It was these brief five seconds that forcefully halted Hanzo's strike toward Konan.
Throughout the valley, the sounds of kneeling and clasped hands echoed one after another.
"What's happening?"
"Why am I kneeling?! Why are my hands clasped?!"
"Lord Hanzo seems to be kneeling too!"
"Lord Danzo!"
All eyes turned as one toward Shinji, the only one still standing.
Genjutsu? Swordsmanship? Or some special Forbidden Technique?
There was no need to think—it had to be his doing!
Fugaku stared at Shinji in astonishment, then his eyes flickered, as if he wanted to speak but held back.
He wanted to ask if Shinji had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—only the bizarre power of the Mangekyō could achieve something like this.
But now was not the time to press for answers. He simply accepted this unbelievable scene as Shinji's newly awakened Mangekyō, planning to discuss it in detail later.
"Brat!" Hanzo's eyes blazed with almost tangible fury. "How dare you make me kneel!"
Danzo also narrowed his right eye, his killing intent surging wildly.
This must never get out. The Root members had to be silenced, and both Fugaku and Uchiha Shinji had to die.
Five seconds passed in an instant.
Everyone suddenly regained their freedom of movement.
"Now's our chance!"
A light flashed in Nagato's eyes—he had been staring intently at the cliff top, waiting for this very moment.
That Konohagakure ninja's bizarre Ninjutsu gave him the most crucial opportunity.
The scene was in chaos, and a flaw appeared in the guards around Hanzo.
Nagato didn't hesitate for a moment, leaping forward and instantly rushing to Konan's side.
"Nagato!" Konan exclaimed, both shocked and overjoyed.
Nagato grabbed hold of her and turned to jump off the cliff, forcing a breakthrough.
At the same time, Hanzo regained his mobility. Seeing the hostage about to be rescued, he no longer held back.
His hands swiftly formed Hand Seals.
The ground suddenly split open, and dozens of Explosive Tags materialized out of thin air, instantly surrounding Nagato and Konan.
"Die!"