Several figures darted through the dense forest, moving quickly but with a distinct sense of urgency.
They were trained ninjas, but their usual confidence had evaporated, replaced by fear and desperation as they sprinted through the trees.
The look on their faces suggested they were fleeing from something truly terrifying, something that felt like it could reach out and grab them at any moment.
"Faster! Move it!" shouted Bat, the leader of the group. He was from the ROOT, and his voice cracked with anxiety as he urged his companions to increase their pace.
He kept glancing over his shoulder, as though expecting to see some monstrous form emerge from the shadows behind them. "Don't slow down! That kid's still on our tail!"
Their labored breathing filled the air, each inhalation accompanied by a searing pain in their chests. They were pushing their bodies to the limit, lungs burning with effort, but no one dared to slacken their pace.
How did it come to this?
Bat's thoughts raced, replaying the events from just a few minutes ago.
Their plan had seemed perfect. They'd successfully kidnapped the child who was with Tsunade, using the distraction to lure her away from Uchiha Sogetsu, creating an opening for Hanzo's attack.
But then everything went terribly wrong.
The girl they kidnapped turned out to be far more than they expected. She unleashed a burst of horrifying power, slicing the ANBU holding her into pieces within seconds.
The sight of her Sharingan spinning like a windmill, stained with the blood of her captor, was seared into Bat's mind.
"We have to report this to Danzo-sama!" he thought frantically, feeling the murderous intent drawing closer. "The Uchiha clan is hiding something much bigger!"
However, there wouldn't be a next time for them.
A small figure dressed in black suddenly appeared in front of the crowd, halting everyone in their tracks.
In an instant, more than a dozen Root ninjas seemed to be under some sort of paralyzing spell, their eyes wide with terror as they stared at the petite figure standing on the branch before them.
"I hate it when people touch me."
Uchiha Hikari's face was devoid of emotion, like a cold and unfeeling killing machine. It made everyone shudder.
"Who said you could touch me with those filthy hands?"
Despite the calm tone, the chill in his words struck fear into the hearts of those around him.
It was as if a razor-sharp blade was pressed against their throats, the icy touch causing goosebumps to ripple across their skin, every hair standing on end.
The air grew heavy, almost as if it had frozen, and the bone-chilling murderous intent dropped the temperature.
Fear spread uncontrollably, swallowing their reason like a ravenous beast.
"We need to attack together!"
Bat knew that waiting would only allow fear to crush their spirits.
"Haha. Hahaha. Hahahaha!"
Uchiha Hikari covered her eyes as she laughed wildly, the sound filled with a sickening twist. "I belong to him. Only he is allowed to touch me. You disgusting vermin? You all deserve to die!"
"Go!"
The faces of the Root ninjas twisted in rage and fear as they let out a collective roar, charging forward.
Uchiha Hikari shielded her eyes with one hand as her Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life, the scarlet light glistening in the stormy downpour. She opened her mouth, her voice resonating with anger:
"Fight to the death with each other, you bastards!"
The sky was dark with clouds, and rain poured down relentlessly.
Konan stood in the deluge, her heart heavy with grief.
Hanzo was dead—killed by the Gedo Statue and an enraged Nagato.
But... this wasn't the outcome she had hoped for!
"Konan," Nagato's voice was weak, his eyelids drooping, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. With the last of his strength, he said, "Take us back." Then he collapsed, unconscious.
The uncontrollable Gedo Statue dissipated into smoke, vanishing from sight.
"Nagato!" Konan rushed through the mud, heedless of the dirt, and cradled the unconscious Nagato in her arms.
The sight was startling. The Gedo Statue had drained a significant amount of Nagato's chakra.
If it weren't for his Uzumaki lineage, he might have died. Yet even with his strong constitution, Nagato had paid a heavy price; he was as thin as a stick.
The black rods piercing his body had caused him severe trauma, and he needed immediate treatment, or his life would be at risk.
"Why? Why did it have to end like this?"
Konan's sorrow overflowed, tears mingling with the rain as they streamed down her cheeks.
Konan was soaked by the relentless rain, her tears mingling with the downpour as she sat there, huddled on the ground, sobbing in despair.
"Why do you treat me like this?!" she shouted, her voice breaking.
"You let me see a glimpse of destiny, but you don't allow me to change it!"
"I hate it!"
If only she hadn't believed in the prophecy from her dreams and dragged Yahiko and Nagato to follow its message, perhaps none of this would have happened. But there are no "if"s in reality.
Yahiko had died, just as the dream foretold—sacrificing himself to save her.
Nagato was left crippled, forced to call upon the Gedo Statue to exact vengeance on Hanzo. No matter how hard they had tried, the outcome seemed fixed, inevitable, like destiny itself was mocking them.
"Yahiko, I'll take you home," Konan whispered, her voice trembling. She wrapped Yahiko's body in her paper and then carefully lifted the unconscious Nagato.
With heavy, weary steps, she began her journey back home, her heart filled with desolation.
"We'll go home together, just like we promised," she said softly, the words nearly lost in the roar of the rain.
Each step felt as if it required every ounce of her remaining strength, yet she kept walking. As she passed a Konoha ANBU who had been struck down by Hanzo, she paused out of instinctive kindness.
Despite her own pain, she couldn't ignore someone in need.
The ANBU, a member of the Uchiha clan, was barely conscious. A ghastly wound marred his chest, the gaping gash revealing bone beneath, blood soaking the ground. It seemed he was at the brink of death.
"At least it's not fatal," Konan remarked to herself as she bandaged his wound. "If I can stop the bleeding, Tsunade-sama might be able to heal him when she returns."
Her voice was heavy with sorrow as she struggled to carry both Nagato and Yahiko away from the grim scene. The rain continued to fall, its steady rhythm the only sound that accompanied her down the long road back to their shattered dreams.
After some time, Uchiha Sogetsu slowly opened his eyes, sat up, and touched the scar on his chest. "Transferring the damage—Magicians really do have useful abilities," he remarked.
He glanced at Hanzo's desiccated corpse lying not far away, then adjusted his glasses, his expression devoid of emotion. "If there's a next life, remember my advice: Be wary of the Spectator.'"
It had been quite a show.
But the true spectacle was orchestrated by the man behind the scenes, Uchiha Sogetsu.
Hanzo, Konan, Yahiko, Nagato... they were all just puppets on strings.
The story unfolded step by step according to a pre-written script, leading to the predetermined conclusion.
"I'm sorry, Yahiko," Uchiha Sogetsu murmured, lowering his eyes. "In my future plans, there's no place for you."
********
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