Chapter 202: Not too early, not too late, just right (Ch 202)

“Ya-Yahiko…?”

Nagato finally realized what was happening.

His heart was beating so violently that it hurt his chest, a series of screams exploded in his ears, and even the flickering light spots on his retina twisted into whirlpools, tearing and gnawing at his last bit of sanity.

The air was as cold as ice. When it was inhaled into his lungs, the sharp edges would cut his throat and alveoli, turning every breath into torture until the smell of blood filled his mouth.

He struggled to lower his head, to bend down and pick up Yahiko, but his body refused to obey him – it was as if every muscle was poured with molten copper, and he was frozen in place, unable to move.

–don’t want……

【Where there is light, there is shadow.】

–Yahiko…don’t die…

[As long as there is the concept of winners, there will also be losers.]

–Why is it like this? As long as people understand each other…

[Even if it is to protect peace, wars will arise between people. 】

–Why doesn’t Hanzo understand us…? !

[Because once you want to protect love, hatred will be born. ]

–Why won’t you!!! Why why why why——!!!

The string in Nagato’s heart completely broke, and the power of his pupils boiled and poured into his whole body, bringing him a burning pain that completely woke him up from his trance.

But even so, he still couldn’t tell whether the liquid flowing on his face was rain or tears.

“Yahiko——!”

Xiaonan wailed sadly. His body, which was severely poisoned, could no longer bear it. His legs went limp and he fell to the ground, sobbing.

Hanzo’s eyes flashed with a smile of success: “Do it.”

He had never intended to let anyone from Akatsuki leave alive from the beginning.

Following Hanzo’s order, nearly a hundred Anbu immediately threw out kunai and shurikens, and countless sharp weapons aimed at the stunned Nagato and flew towards him.

At the last moment, Nagato raised his left hand and used invisible repulsive force to deflect all attacks.

The moment the hidden weapon hit the force field, it shattered into countless metal fragments, scattering in the air, drawing silver arcs, and bursting into the air like millions of frightened birds exploding their nests.

Under the influence of gravity, the fragments fell into the soil like stars in the sky, forming a large arc-shaped fan around the pure land under Nagato’s feet, reflecting thousands of cold rays.

After dealing with this wave of attacks, Nagato jumped to the top of the cliff with such speed that Hanzo was forced to abandon the hostages and retreat quickly.

He took the opportunity to pick up Xiaonan and wanted to take him away, but he saw more than a hundred detonating talismans appearing on the ground, swimming towards him and Xiaonan like poisonous snakes.

In a hurry, he only had time to lift Xiaonan’s legs, and he himself was entangled by the detonating talismans from his feet to his knees.

Sparks flew from the detonating tags one after another, and then the huge flames of the explosion occupied half of the sky.

Nagato dangerously used Shinra Tensei, barely deflecting most of the flames and impact, and brought Konan to the bottom of the valley, gently placing her next to Yahiko.

Konan propped up her upper body and saw that Nagato’s legs were burning with flames which were gradually extinguished by the rain, revealing the little remaining skin and charred and twisted muscles.

“Nagato…”

“It’s okay.” Nagato seemed to feel no pain at all, and said in a deep voice: “Konan, hold Yahiko and don’t move.”

“It’s not easy, kid. You can escape after taking my Fire Style.”

Hanzo was generous with his praise, and even felt that it was a pity to kill Nagato like this, but his expression changed the moment he saw the latter’s eyes.

“You are not an ordinary person…your eyes–“

The leader of Konoha’s Anbu saw that the situation of Amegakure was not good, so in order to ensure that the mission would not go wrong, he ordered his side to join the battle.

“Go, kill him!”

The Anbu members jumped out one after another, but before they landed they saw Nagato summon a giant blind monster dozens of meters tall from the ground.

“Spiritual Communication: Outer Path Golem!”

The golem opened its huge mouth and roared towards the sky. The roar was deafening. With a wave of its big hand, it easily knocked away dozens of people.

The long transparent dragon that spewed out of its mouth was even more terrifying. Wherever it passed, the ninjas had no ability to resist. The only end was to have their souls sucked away and turn into a lifeless shell.

Nagato also paid a price for this. Dozens of black pillars used to control the Outer Path Demon Statue penetrated deeply into his back, absorbing his chakra and vitality without any scruples.

In just ten seconds, he went from being healthy and strong to being emaciated, with sunken cheeks, as if he could be blown down by a gust of wind.

He ignored Xiaonan’s obstruction and his own physical injuries, and concentrated on killing all the enemies on the battlefield until no one could stand up in his sight.

Salamander Hanzo was amazed at the power of the Rinnegan and escaped at the last moment.

The battle is over.

The black pillars behind Nagato collapsed one by one, and the Outer Path Demon Statue turned into mist and disappeared on the spot. The surroundings fell into deathly silence, with only the sound of falling rain.

He staggered to Yahiko’s side, and together with Konan, they hugged the cold body.

“Oh, am I late?”

A familiar voice sounded not far away. Xiaonan looked up in panic and saw a tall figure standing in the heavy rain.

It’s Jhin.

She remembered the other person’s name.

The mysterious and powerful leader of “Eternal Day” whose mission is to guide the Rinnegan.

As if grasping a life-saving straw, Xiaonan placed the last glimmer of hope on the other party, and begged with a hoarse voice: “Can you…save Yahiko…”

Nagato’s dim and gray eyes flickered, and his originally lowered head suddenly raised up, looking at him with the same pleading expression.

Jin tilted his head to look at Yahiko who was blocked between the two bodies, and said helplessly: “I don’t like to use medical ninjutsu~~ But for Nagato’s sake, okay.”

Before he finished speaking, he instantly squatted beside Nagato, and stretched out his hands emitting green light from his black robe and placed them on the wound on Yahiko’s abdomen.

“This guy has no vital signs? You guys are really good at forcing him… I can’t guarantee that I can save him.”

Nagato and Konan’s hearts were pounding with nervousness. They nodded randomly, not daring to say a word for fear of disturbing King’s rescue.

Even if the hope is slim, you must try before you are willing to give up.

As time passed, the green light in Jhin’s hand became brighter and brighter, reaching a certain peak and then gradually extinguished.

Jhin stood up and put his hand back into his robe. “What a pity. The heart stopped beating for too long…”

The hearts of the other two suddenly sank to the bottom. They had just let out half a cry when they heard Jin’s last words.

“…So he may never wake up again.”

“Huh?”

Before Nagato could figure out what was going on, his brain froze and Konan had already laid down in ecstasy, pressing her face against Yahiko’s chest to listen for a heartbeat.

After feeling the tiny but continuous vibration, Konan hugged Nagato with tears in her eyes and shook his shoulders, explaining to him while crying uncontrollably.

“Alive… Yahiko, he’s alive… Wahhhh…”

“Yahiko is still…alive…?”

Nagato couldn’t believe what he heard, and his brain, which had been stagnant for a long time, finally started to work.

Before joy could arise from the bottom of my heart, bitterness and sorrow had already surged to the tip of my nose, turning into torrents of tears that flowed all over my face, mixing with the rain and falling to the ground, splashing salty water.