Nagato had not anticipated the pre-set explosive tag trap. Without Ye Zi's help, even if he managed to avoid it, he might have ended up with at least one leg crippled. After all, it was Hanzō of the Salamander who had used this technique.
Nagato glanced at the Konoha ninja who had helped him deal with the trap. Using a Body Flicker Technique, he transported Konan to Yahiko's corpse. Although he did not understand why the Konoha ninja had helped him, he had no intention of showing gratitude.
The trap that might have resolved the objective was now destroyed, causing Hanzō to be quite displeased. He cast a cold glance at Danzo, thinking that if Danzo had not instructed it, a mere subordinate would not dare to act this way. However, what he saw was Danzo's genuinely surprised expression, which did not seem feigned.
Danzo had not expected Ye Zi to assist Nagato. According to the information he had, Ye Zi had no significant connection with Akatsuki. So, what was the reason?
"Have we lost control?"
Thinking through many possibilities in an instant, Danzo's eyes narrowed, slightly concealing the emerging killing intent. A blade that has lost control—can it still be called a blade?
"An informant?"
Seeing that Danzo's expression seemed genuine, Hanzō withdrew his thoughts and looked towards the man with the lightning-patterned fox mask.
Ye Zi's actions were not the result of any deliberate thought, but he did not regret it. If Nagato had fallen here, he would never have had the chance to gain the Rinnegan. Thus, he had no hesitation in helping Nagato avoid the potentially deadly explosive tags. As long as Nagato could escape, and once Nanako's transplantation techniques matured, he would have many opportunities to seek out Nagato.
Facing Danzo's questioning gaze, Ye Zi chose to remain silent.
For a moment, the atmosphere was strange due to Ye Zi's actions helping the enemy.
Nagato's rage remained undiminished, and he was determined to ensure that all enemies present would perish.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
He shouted angrily, pressing one hand to the ground.
"Outer Path: Gedo Statue!"
A massive figure erupted from the ground, its wide mouth roaring towards the sky. The sound of its roar shattered the rain into rings of mist. It was an enormous humanoid monster, emerging from the earth with its eyes covered by a white cloth, and many columnar limbs extending from its shoulders and back.
The moment the Gedo Statue appeared, Ye Zi immediately felt the mental fluctuations from Shokui—surprise, greed, and desire.
Clearly, Ye Zi could sense that Shokui's craving for the Gedo Statue was the same as when it first felt the Nine-Tails within Kushina.
"Nagato, this technique..." Konan looked at Nagato with concern.
Determined, Nagato ignored Konan and continued the technique.
From the Gedo Statue's body extended a long black sharp pillar, spreading many smaller spikes like branches. The long pillar slowly moved towards Nagato's back and suddenly pierced into it.
"Hmm?"
The excruciating pain made Nagato frown, his face showing madness as chakra and soul energy flowed from him through the black pillar into the Gedo Statue. His cheeks visibly withered, and his skin's luster gradually faded.
Feeling the chakra and soul energy transmitted through the sharp black pillar, the Gedo Statue let out a pleased roar. Following Nagato's will, a dragon-shaped soul emerged from its wide mouth, with a pair of crimson eyes that appeared somewhat sinister.
The sudden appearance of the soul dragon drew everyone's attention. Ye Zi looked at the soul dragon, feeling an eerie familiarity, as if it had something in common with his own enhanced soul techniques.
"Could it be…?" Ye Zi paused, considering a possibility. Realizing this, he quickly retreated. Danzo, with his keen senses, also decisively moved back.
At that moment, the soul dragon shot towards the ninjas on the rocky mountain with lightning speed. The first to suffer, the rain ninjas, had no time to react before being pierced through by the soul dragon. Their souls were forcibly extracted from their bodies and merged into the soul dragon.
"Indeed, this is a soul-devouring technique." Seeing the rain ninjas die after their souls were devoured, Ye Zi's eyelids twitched. The soul dragon had the same characteristics as his soul transformation technique, except the soul dragon was even faster.
After devouring several rain ninjas' souls, the soul dragon continued its assault on the remaining ninjas without pause.
Witnessing the terror of the soul dragon, the rain ninjas and Konoha's Anbu, despite their efforts to avoid it, could not escape the spirit state of the soul dragon and were soon consumed.
Seeing that the situation was untenable, Danzo decisively retreated, and Ye Zi, after checking that Nagato was unharmed, also left the area.
"We'll meet again. I must obtain those eyes."
After confirming that Nagato was safe, Ye Zi left without looking back, disappearing into the rain.
Ye Zi and Danzo had fled, while the audacious Hanzō did not immediately retreat. He looked up and faced the soul dragon, which had devoured nearly a hundred elite ninjas in a short time.
"Are you the leader of the shadows? To have the Rinnegan is truly surprising." Hanzō's expression was cold as he looked at the soul dragon but spoke to Nagato.
The soul dragon, with its gaping mouth, lunged at Hanzō.
"Body Flicker Technique!" Hanzō calmly formed hand seals.
Boom!
The spirit-state soul dragon caused physical damage to the ground.
Rocks scattered, and dust billowed.
But Hanzō fled.
After losing Hanzō's presence, Nagato withdrew the technique. The soul dragon vanished, and the Gedo Statue returned to the earth, but the black pillar resembling an antenna remained within Nagato's body.
"Ha, ha."
Nagato panted, his emaciated face slowly forming a crazed smile.
At this moment, he remembered Yahiko's words.
"I have a grand dream. In this war-torn world, I will become a god! Then I will change the world!"
Nagato slightly raised his head, letting the rain wash over his face. A faint smile curved his lips.
At this moment, he understood and realized that the answers he had previously found were worthless.
Konan, sorrowful, looked at the two now separated by life and death. She realized that all changes would begin at this moment…
Suddenly, she thought of the man with the lightning-patterned fox mask.
She knew that the man was Konoha's Little White Fang, Ye Zi, who once struggled in the rain.
Survival has many forms.
Paths can also extend in countless directions.
The conspiracy against Akatsuki ended in failure, with the Rain Village losing dozens of elite ninjas, and Root suffered similarly.
Fleeing Ye Zi and Danzo met up. Due to the failure, they naturally could not meet Hanzō again, and this collaboration was considered a failure.
Danzo stared coldly at Ye Zi's impassive expression and asked, "The reason?"
Facing Danzo's icy gaze, Ye Zi remained unmoved.
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