Chapter 37 : Yahiko Dead??

Something's Not Right!

Yahiko felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead, his instincts screaming that something was wrong, an ominous premonition filling his mind. 

Among the trio, he was the one who could see the bigger picture, often noticing things that the others couldn't.

That's why he was the leader of the Akatsuki, and his charismatic personality attracted others to their cause. But right now, Yahiko felt like he was losing control, as if everything was slipping through his fingers.

"Yahiko, snap out of it! Look at Hanzo—he's completely lost it!" Nagato shouted, crouching low and slapping the ground to form a hand seal. 

"Konan, back me up!"

Though he usually seemed reserved, Nagato was actually the most impulsive of the three. Once he deemed someone a threat to Konan or Yahiko, he'd stop at nothing to eliminate that danger.

At this point, even the usually calm Konan had been drawn into the chaos, her instincts telling her that Hanzo was the source of all their pain.

Boom!

The next moment, Nagato and Hanzo clashed.

Kunai met scythe, sparks flew through the air, and the sound of metal clanging echoed throughout the battlefield.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

Ninjutsu explosions tore through the terrain, widening the battlefield almost instantly.

On one side, you had Hanzo, famed for his mastery of Water Release techniques. On the other side, Nagato, wielding the Rinnegan and mastering all five chakra nature, proving he was born for ninjutsu.

Nagato unleashed a barrage of different techniques without missing a beat, while Hanzo, already weakened from his battle with Uchiha Sogetsu, struggled to keep up, drained of chakra and strength. 

Facing the might of the Rinnegan, Hanzo seemed on the verge of collapse.

"Ninja Art: Poison Mist!" 

Hanzo opened his mouth and unleashed a large plume of purple smoke. The toxic cloud rapidly spread out, carried by the gusting wind.

"Konan, fall back!" Nagato commanded, swiftly retreating while forming a hand seal. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A strong blast of wind roared through the area, kicking up sand and stones. The violent storm scattered the encroaching poison mist, halting its advance.

But at that very moment, Hanzo suddenly lunged from the other side, his target set on Konan, who was still in mid-air. 

"I'll deal with you first!".

With a sharp metallic sound, a chain shot out like a venomous snake. Konan, caught off guard in mid-air, was instantly ensnared by the iron chain.

Hanzo gave a mighty yank, dragging Konan downward and slamming her into the ground with tremendous force.

Boom!

The impact was so severe that Konan cried out in agony, feeling as if her entire body had been shattered.

"Gotcha!" Hanzo shouted as he leaped high, raising his scythe for a finishing blow, the blade reflecting the cold glow of moonlight.

"Konan!!!" Yahiko's eyes turned red with fury. He threw caution to the wind and rushed in to save her.

Clang!

A kunai intercepted the descending scythe, preventing it from striking Konan. Despite the tremendous force from above, Yahiko managed to hold his ground.

But the struggle was intense. Yahiko, overwhelmed by the force of Hanzo's attack, was forced to his knees. The scythe dug into his shoulder, drawing a stream of blood as it pierced his flesh. 

"Nagato!" Yahiko's lips bled as he shouted for help.

"Get out of here!" Nagato roared, his voice filled with fury, while a blast of fierce wind and blades erupted from him.

With a violent slash, Nagato's wind blade severed one of Hanzo's arms. Blood gushed out in torrents, and Hanzo's face contorted with pain. Yet, his glare grew even more vicious. 

"You took my arm? You'll pay dearly for this!"

Hanzo was ready. He'd set a trap for this moment.

"Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation!"

Suddenly, the ground around Yahiko and Konan was covered with explosive tags. Hanzo controlled them, and they swarmed toward Yahiko and Konan like a pack of hungry sharks, drawn to blood.

The situation became dire.

Without hesitation, Yahiko made a quick decision. Instead of blocking the scythe hovering over his head, he grabbed Konan by her cloak.

"Nagato—!" Yahiko shouted.

Summoning all his strength, Yahiko ignored the searing pain in his shoulder and threw Konan toward the oncoming Nagato. As Nagato caught Konan, his relief quickly turned to despair.

The next moment, he saw a sight that shattered his heart.

Hanzo struck Yahiko with a powerful kick, propelling him backward. As he retreated, Hanzo quickly formed a hand seal.

"No!!!"

"Yahiko!"

"Explode!"

Boom!

A massive explosion filled the sky with flames, completely engulfing Yahiko. Hundreds of explosive tags detonated simultaneously, creating a wave of destruction that caused the ground to collapse. 

The force scattered debris in all directions, transforming them into lethal projectiles.

"Yahiko!" 

Nagato charged forward, disregarding the intense heat from the flames.

What he saw left him cold, like he'd been plunged into an icy abyss.

Yahiko lay in a charred crater. His entire body was scorched, and his legs had been blown off. The once-spirited leader of the Akatsuki now lay motionless, barely clinging to life.

Konan stood nearby, seemingly in shock, her eyes vacant and devoid of emotion.

"Ahem. Pffft."

Yahiko's weak cough caught Nagato's attention, shattering his thoughts. He cradled his friend's head as Yahiko leaned on his shoulder. Raising a trembling, bloodied hand, Yahiko touched Nagato's cheek.

"Take care of Konan."

"Yahiko. Yahiko? Yahiko!"

Nagato was paralyzed, his lip quivering as he desperately clung to his friend. 

"Please don't die! Don't die!" 

But no matter how much he shouted, Yahiko's body grew colder in his arms. Slowly, he fell silent.

"Take care of Konan," he had said.

Nagato's heart sank. Yahiko's final request was a solemn vow, and he knew he had to honor it, even as grief consumed him.

The light in Yahiko's eyes gradually dimmed. He whispered, "Our dream is in your hands now."

With those words, Yahiko closed his eyes, and his lifeless arms fell to the ground.

"No!!!"

Nagato threw his head back and roared at the sky, his heart filled with a deep and agonizing pain.

Seeing his friend die right in front of him was like having a piece of his soul ripped out. The grief and despair felt like an unbearable weight pressing down on him, as if countless invisible hands were pulling him into a dark abyss. All the anger and sorrow he had held back exploded in that moment.

"Hanzo!!!" Nagato's scream was like that of a wild beast, and tears of blood streamed from his purple eyes. "I swear I'll make you pay!"

He bit his finger and slammed his hand into the ground. "Summoning Technique: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Gedo Statue)!"

The earth trembled, and a monstrous, fearsome creature rose from it like a giant elephant, but with a menacing aura.

Even the battle-hardened Hanzo felt a chill run down his spine. "What on earth is that?" he muttered in disbelief.

The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path slammed its massive hands into the ground, letting out a bone-chilling roar. 

Black rods shot out from its abdomen, piercing Nagato's back. He cried out in pain, but the physical torment couldn't compare to the searing agony in his heart.

"Hanzo!!!"

Nagato's voice was filled with rage, but even the most excruciating physical pain was nothing compared to the overwhelming emotional anguish he felt at that moment. The loss of his friend and the shattered dreams fueled his relentless thirst for revenge.

He gritted his teeth through the excruciating pain as he formed seals to control the Gedo Statue looming behind him.

"Roar!"

Gedo Statue roared, opening its massive mouth and unleashing dozens of purple chakra dragons.

Hanzo's pupils constricted, and his face grew pale. Instinct told him this attack was incredibly dangerous.

Just as Hanzo was about to flee, a sudden shock struck him deep in his mind, as if he'd been hit with a hammer. It left him dazed for a split second.

But that split second was all it took to shatter Hanzo's hope of escape.

Boom! 

The chakra dragons, filled with intense hatred and murderous intent, descended upon him.

"Ahhh—!"

Hanzo, wrapped in the onslaught, could only widen his eyes in terror.

He felt his life force and chakra draining away at a frightening pace. His already aged face grew more terrifying as the chakra slipped away. 

In a matter of breaths, Hanzo was reduced to a withered husk, his skin as thin and dry as old tree bark, clinging to his bones.

With his life force completely drained, Hanzo's lifeless body plummeted from the sky.

The battle was over.

The rain poured down as if to mourn in silence, the only witness to the tragedy that had just unfolded.

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