The cold, harsh reality is one of the fundamental conditions for a ninja's survival. A kunai pierced through the rain, landing obliquely at Nagato's feet.
In a lifetime, one might encounter situations where choices are impossible to make. In this cold, pouring rain, Nagato looked at Yahiko's steadfast gaze, his body and soul trembling.
Yes, this is the choice, unhesitating and decisive.
Hanzō ruthlessly gave Yahiko and Nagato a choice: one life for one life.
Yahiko looked at Nagato and calmly said, "Kill me."
Perhaps he had never imagined the terror of death and had ignored the desperate cries from the girl in the rain. This was the man's choice.
"Yahiko…" Nagato's eyes trembled violently.
How could he? How could he kill you? I've already resolved to protect you all!
Nagato screamed desperately inside his heart!
"No, don't! Nagato, Yahiko, you all go, don't worry about me!" Konan struggled frantically, but her hands were tightly held by Hanzō. She screamed madly, realizing the dreadful scenes that might unfold because of her.
Is weakness a crime…?
The rain is cold.
The mask is cold.
The cold mask blocks the cold rain.
Ye Zi, indifferent, watched the differing reactions of the two below. Memories that seemed to be fading with the body's owner suddenly pierced through an unknown barrier, arriving at his memory.
The Land of Rain, a sad country perpetually shrouded in rain. Its sadness lies in its location. Years of war have forced too many remnants of war to wander the world.
The process of survival is harsh, but there is room for struggle. However, this never-ending rain compresses that space relentlessly.
One weak life after another falls and perishes in the heavy rain.
And the body Ye Zi occupies was one such life. Before falling, he had met Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato...
It was they who, during a time of scarce food, gave him three pieces of bread and extended their small hands to him. Yet, knowing he was already a burden, he accepted the bread but refused to hold those small hands.
He saw the light in their eyes, and he must have been aware of the darkness in his own.
When despair consumes survival, death is no longer frightening.
Three pieces of bread were merely adding a few grains of sand to the hourglass.
Eventually, he fell, and then Ye Zi came into this world.
At this moment, memories inexplicably resurfaced in his mind.
"So that's it…"
At this moment, Ye Zi understood why Konan had such a reaction when they first met.
He did not resist these inexplicable memories, yet they would not affect him. Although the body's owner had been given help by them, what did it have to do with him?
He looked indifferently at Konan, who was overwhelmed with regret, Yahiko, who faced death calmly, and Nagato, who was indecisive.
A cold heart, only for oneself.
Even if the one who received the help was him, being here, he would remain indifferent.
On the rocky mountain, nearly a hundred ninjas coldly observed this tragic scene.
In a hidden position, an unexpected guest calmly watched the scene unfold.
It was one of the many White Zetsus scattered by Madara, used to monitor any useful information.
Nagato, possessing the Rinnegan, was a crucial piece on Madara's chessboard.
"Kill me quickly!" Yahiko, perhaps sensing that Hanzō's patience was running thin, suddenly took a large step forward.
Nagato's body shook, Yahiko's resolute determination invaded his mind. Even though he was unwilling, he still trembled as he picked up the kunai by his side.
Why must I do this? I... simply can't.
Seeing Nagato pick up the kunai, Hanzō's eyes flashed coldly. From start to finish, he had never intended to let anyone go. This is the leader of Akatsuki?
So foolish...
This view was shared not only by Hanzō but by all present, including Ye Zi, who thought the two below were extremely foolish.
"How naïve can you be to think this would save the hostage?"
Ye Zi looked coldly at Yahiko, who was facing death nobly. Such a death was meaningless.
Konan watched the scene, her heart seemed to be pierced by long needles, painfully shattered. This was nothing but a nightmare!
Did the naive young man and woman finally see the world for what it is?
"Come on." Yahiko's eyes were filled with sorrow, but his tone was resolute.
I'm sorry for making you bear such pain, but you must live.
"No."
Nagato shook his head and took a step back, disoriented. The raincoat fluttered, scattering some raindrops. Yahiko suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Nagato's hand. Before Nagato could react, Yahiko's body took the kunai.
Thud!
The sharp kunai pierced the vital spot as Yahiko wished.
Resting his chin on Nagato's shoulder, Yahiko's eyelids drooped weakly, his strength rapidly draining with the blood.
"I'm sorry. You and... Konan, must live."
Nagato's eyes widened to the extreme, his chest heaving violently. The things he had previously suppressed within his heart burst out suddenly, like a beast escaping from a cage.
"Ah!"
Nagato suddenly looked up, emitting a wild scream, his Rinnegan filled with rage.
Yahiko, having lost his last bit of vitality, fell to the ground.
Seeing the death of Akatsuki's leader, Hanzō sneered and commanded, "Take action."
The commanded ninjas threw kunai at Nagato. In an instant, nearly a hundred kunai formed a swarm, flying towards him.
At the critical moment, Nagato suddenly looked down, his long hair partially obscuring his face. His Rinnegan emitted a furious light. He raised his right hand, as if an invisible force was generated.
Clang! Clang…!
Nearly a hundred kunai, as if encountering an invisible barrier, were deflected and shot away.
"What!?" Many ninjas were shocked as they saw the kunai inexplicably flying away.
"That pair of eyes…"
Hanzō and Danzo's eyes narrowed.
Ye Zi watched Nagato, his eyes flashing with fiery light.
After Nagato used Shinra Tensei to deflect the kunai, he leaped towards Hanzō, who decisively jumped backward. His feet hit the ground, creating a distance, and he pressed one hand on the ground.
Earlier, he had set up explosive tags with chakra infusions beneath the surface, waiting for this moment.
The ground lifted several long paper tags, extending towards where Nagato and Konan stood, soon to be attached to Nagato's feet. In his urgency to save Konan, Nagato was unaware of the trap.
At this moment, a gust of concentrated wind blew, destroying the explosive tags and sending them into the air, triggering a violent explosion.
"Hmm?" Hanzō's eyes turned cold as he looked at the Konoha ninja, the man with the lightning-patterned fox mask.
That critical wind was Ye Zi's doing.
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