"Sir, the support from the Hidden Rain Village has arrived!"
Shimura Danzo looked at the large group of Rain Ninja who had just arrived. Leading them was none other than Yahiko of the Akatsuki. His face darkened to the point where it seemed like water might drip from it.
Hanzo's alertness and quick actions were nothing new to him; Danzo had experienced this firsthand in past battles.
Seeing that his side was overwhelmingly outnumbered, and knowing the situation was hopeless, he gritted his teeth and ordered, "Retreat!"
His subordinates immediately signaled the retreat. The Root operatives began withdrawing from the battlefield one after another. Meanwhile, the Akatsuki members and the Rain Ninjas launched a counterattack, inflicting significant casualties on the retreating Root forces.
Danzo dared not linger. He couldn't be sure if the enemy had reinforcements waiting in reserve and could only retreat without looking back.
The Rain Ninjas did not pursue far. Once they confirmed that Danzo and his men were completely out of range, they quickly returned to their base.
Inside the Stronghold
Having narrowly escaped danger, the members of Akatsuki rested where they stood. The medical ninjas from the Rain Village who had accompanied them immediately began tending to the injured.
Nagato rushed to Yahiko's side, his voice filled with both surprise and relief. "Yahiko, are you okay?!"
Soon, several other Akatsuki members who were still able to move gathered around.
"Big brother Yahiko."
"It's such a relief that you're alright."
"What exactly is going on right now?"
Yahiko nodded slightly. "I'm fine. We've successfully reached an agreement with Hanzo. These people are here to help us. The enemies who attacked us earlier were actually Leaf Shinobi in disguise."
Nagato glanced at the devastation on the battlefield, his expression filled with sorrow and anger. "The Leaf again!"
He had never harbored any goodwill toward the Leaf Village. His parents had been killed by Leaf Shinobi long ago.
Yahiko first glanced at a certain figure in the distance, then sighed softly and said, "Let's first check on everyone's current condition."
Looking around, Nagato noticed that Konan hadn't come over. Thinking she might be injured, he grew concerned. Earlier on the battlefield, he hadn't had a chance to check on her. Without hesitation, he hurried toward her.
Konan stood motionless beside Asahi, her expression indicating she was still shaken.
"Konan, are you alright?" Nagato asked worriedly.
Konan glanced at him blankly. "I... I'm fine."
Soon, Kyusuke and Daibutsu approached.
"Asahi! Oh no, you're injured!" Kyusuke exclaimed, then immediately called out to the nearby medical ninjas, "There's an injured person here!"
Asahi shook his head lightly. "It's nothing serious, just a minor wound."
"Bleeding this much and calling it minor?" Kyusuke frowned, looking at Asahi's chest, completely soaked in blood.
Asahi's lips were pale, and he struggled to stand. Seeing this, Kyusuke quickly went to support him.
"What happened on your side?"
Kyusuke hesitated before replying, "It's a bit complicated. I'll explain later. In short, Lord Hanzo has recognized us... all thanks to you."
The medical ninjas quickly arrived to treat Asahi's injuries.
Daibutsu watched Asahi's condition and couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
Nagato turned to Konan. "Aren't you going to check on Yahiko?"
Konan averted her gaze, her eyes lowering. "I'll... go later."
Nagato found her behavior strange but assumed she was overwhelmed by the intense emotions of the day. The earlier situation had indeed felt like the end of the line.
Under the medical ninjutsu treatment, Asahi's bleeding soon stopped. He lifted his shirt slightly as the medics applied medicine and wrapped him in bandages.
[Tier 1 Authority (10% unlocked)]
[Tier 2 Authority Bound : Konan]
[First-Level Reward: Fivefold Chakra, Secret Art of Paper Style]
[Second-Level Reward: Locked]
[Second-Level Reward Unlock Condition: First Night]
[If Tier 2 Authority Holder Dies, Tier 1 Authority Will Be Revoked]
Asahi could feel a drastic transformation in his body. Despite his injuries, he felt more energized than ever before.
"Why are you smiling, Asahi?" Kyusuke suddenly asked.
Asahi froze for a moment before smiling again. "Surviving a disaster—it's natural to feel happy."
But as he glanced around at the surroundings, his expression quickly darkened, and he sighed, "Everyone…"
"They didn't sacrifice themselves in vain!"
A voice suddenly rang out—it was Yahiko.
Yahiko first glanced at Asahi, gently patted him on the shoulder, and said, "It's good that you're okay."
Then he turned to Daibutsu. "How about you?"
Daibutsu immediately responded, "I'm fine."
Although he was injured, his wounds weren't as severe as Asahi's. Besides, with his robust physique, such injuries weren't much of a concern.
Yahiko then looked toward Konan, who had been avoiding eye contact and keeping her gaze elsewhere. Seeing this, a shadow crossed Yahiko's expression, but he still smiled lightly and asked, "Konan, are you alright?"
Konan's body trembled slightly. She quickly turned her head toward him, her eyes glistening. "Yahiko, I…"
"It's fine as long as you're okay," Yahiko said with a gentle smile.
But Konan grew anxious. "No, I…"
She bit her lip hard and clenched her fists tightly.
"Konan, are you hurt?" Nagato asked worriedly.
Konan lowered her head and said softly, "Yahiko, I have something I need to tell you."
Yahiko looked at her quietly but replied, "If it's not important, let's talk about it later."
"No…" Konan's voice rose in urgency.
The others turned to look at her, and Konan quickly steadied herself. Lowering her voice, she said, "Come with me for a moment."
With that, she turned and walked toward a secluded area. Yahiko hesitated briefly before following her.
Yahiko could only follow Konan slowly.
Asahi watched their retreating figures and furrowed his brow. He thought to himself, Is Konan planning to tell Yahiko about the system…?
Kyusuke, puzzled, asked, "What's going on with Brother Yahiko and Konan? Shouldn't Konan be happy that Brother Yahiko made it back safely?"
Daibutsu hesitated, his expression conflicted. He had clearly witnessed everything that had happened earlier, but only now did it fully sink in, leaving him incredulous.
Konan actually kissed Asahi voluntarily!
He pulled Kyusuke aside and whispered a few words to him.
"What?!" Kyusuke exclaimed in disbelief.
His gaze darted toward Asahi, filled with astonishment and doubt.
"This… how could this be…" he muttered under his breath.
Asahi, for his part, was also deep in thought, trying to figure out how to handle the situation moving forward. If Yahiko learns about the system, I'll have to act completely ignorant of it.
Meanwhile, with Konan and Yahiko, Konan was about to bring up the matter of the [Tier 2 Authority]. However, when the words reached her lips, she found herself utterly unable to speak them. It was as though some invisible force was restraining her.
No matter how hard she tried, it was futile.
Next, she attempted to write it on the ground, but even that proved impossible.
Her eyes widened, and her pupils trembled uncontrollably.
Yahiko observed her quietly, waiting for her to speak first. Deep down, he was harboring some hope. He could accept that the two of them, faced with life and death, had acted impulsively.
But as time dragged on and Konan still didn't speak, Yahiko's gaze grew darker. Finally, he said, "Konan, you don't need to feel burdened. You and Nagato will always be my family."
Family…
Konan's eyes welled up with tears, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "No, no! It's not like that! I didn't mean to kiss him—I was just… I was just…"
Yahiko interrupted her gently, "No matter what choice you make, I'll support you."
Konan immediately grabbed Yahiko's arm, silent tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, "Yahiko, have you truly never understood my feelings?"
Before Yahiko could respond, a wounded ninja nearby suddenly let out a pained cry.
The anguished shout shattered Yahiko's train of thought. He took a deep breath, lowering his gaze. "Didn't you say it yourself before? We still have unfinished business. Until that is accomplished… love is a luxury I cannot afford."