Inside the steel tower of Amegakure, the sight of Hanzo's lifeless body left Yahiko and the others in shock. The man once hailed as the "Demi-God" had fallen so unexpectedly. But what surprised them even more was yet to come.
Stacks of letters discovered in Hanzo's office widened the eyes of Yahiko and the Akatsuki members present.
"Impossible! How could Hanzo have done this?!" Yahiko was still reeling from disbelief when an Akatsuki member dragged someone in from outside and threw him at Yahiko's feet.
"Leader, it's this guy. His name is Akame, one of Hanzo's secretaries. He just confessed everything—these letters were all written by Hanzo himself. He wanted to eliminate Akatsuki."
Furious, one of the members kicked Akame, sending him sprawling before Yahiko. Faced with the burning rage of the Akatsuki members, Akame dared not hide anything. He spilled everything he knew in a trembling voice, as if pouring out a bag of beans.
"Y-Yes, that's right. Lord Hanzo—no, Hanzo... he had been in secret contact with Konoha's Danzo. His ultimate goal was to wipe you all out."
Yahiko grabbed Akame by the collar, his voice trembling.
"Why? All we wanted was to protect the hard-earned peace! I always followed Hanzo's lead—whenever he called for my help, I answered without hesitation! Why would he betray me like this?!"
His bloodshot eyes reflected a mix of anger and betrayal. The pain of being deceived twisted his once-handsome and righteous face. Beside him, Konan gently patted his back, trying to calm him down. Kakuzu, on the other hand, sat nearby, sipping tea with indifference. Being deceived was painful, but Yahiko had yet to reach the peak of true suffering—his most painful moment was still ahead.
Seeing Yahiko's despair, Akame dared not conceal anything further. He knelt and continued,
"Hanzo feared losing his power above all else. Anyone who threatened his position was eliminated without hesitation."
"But we never intended to rebel against Amegakure! I never sought to take his place!"
"Yet Akatsuki has grown stronger. You no longer call your subordinates underlings, but comrades. Your ideals have deeply influenced the younger generation of Amegakure. Many would rather follow you than Hanzo. That is why he decided you had to be eradicated!"
Yahiko felt his mind waver, his thoughts clouded. He slumped to the ground, cold sweat trickling down his back. If things had followed the original course, he would have blindly trusted Hanzo and led his comrades into a death trap. He realized, with a sinking heart, that his trust had nearly doomed them all.
A deep sense of guilt overwhelmed him. "I... I almost led my comrades into the abyss…"
"Yahiko, enough." Konan and Nagato both spoke, their voices filled with concern. "Hanzo is dead. Kakuzu took care of it. It's over now. Don't dwell on it."
For nearly twenty minutes, Yahiko remained silent, lost in thought. Then, taking a deep breath, he slowly stood up. He couldn't afford to fall—not now. He wasn't just representing himself anymore; he carried the hopes of Akatsuki. If he faltered, his comrades would lose their way.
Steeling himself, he turned to Kakuzu and bowed deeply.
"Kakuzu-sama, I can't thank you enough. Without you, I might have led everyone to ruin. I am unworthy to be their leader..."
Kakuzu stood up, clapping Yahiko on the shoulder. "Don't underestimate yourself. Believe in yourself. You can do this. At least, I believe in you."
In any world, countless pioneers are lost in the river of time. Those who survive are not always the strongest or the smartest—but they are often the luckiest. This lesson would deepen Yahiko's understanding of human nature. Next time, he would not make such a simple mistake.
Kakuzu straightened up and gave him a rare word of encouragement.
"Use your leadership skills well. Lead Amegakure with unity and love."
Yahiko was taken aback. "Kakuzu-sama, is that really appropriate?"
Amegakure still had a daimyo. Was it truly right for a village leader to take charge without the daimyo's approval?
Kakuzu smirked. "If I say it's appropriate, then it is."
—
News from Amegakure soon shook the entire shinobi world. Hanzo the Salamander had been eliminated by Kakuzu, and with his backing, Yahiko had risen as the new leader of Amegakure.
For the Five Great Nations, this was nothing more than another political shift in a minor country. Small nations were prone to instability, and such power struggles were routine. But for the smaller nations, it was a seismic event.
Many of them wished to unite and condemn Kakuzu's actions. They spoke with righteous indignation, yet none dared to act. After all, who knew if Kakuzu's next target would be them? Instead of opposing him, they quietly withdrew all their previous plans against the Land of Dragons.
...
Five months passed.
The internal affairs of Amegakure had settled. Yahiko had firmly secured his position as the leader, and under Kakuzu's guidance, he had grown more adept at handling governmental affairs. With Konan's meticulous support at his side, it seemed unlikely that any major problems would arise.
"Nagato, do you really have to leave?"
"Maybe I should talk to Lord Kakuzu again."
Yahiko and Konan looked at Nagato with reluctance. But Nagato was at ease.
"Why are you two acting like this? It's not like we're parting forever. I'm just training under Lord Kakuzu, the same way we once trained under Jiraiya-sensei."
He paused, his hand brushing the area around his eyes.
"Besides, if I ever lose control one day, I trust that Lord Kakuzu is strong enough to stop me. That's why staying by his side is actually the safest choice for me."
Nagato smiled as he spoke. He, too, was an orphan of war, but Yahiko and Konan had shown him what it meant to be loved. With them in his heart, he knew he would never become someone who harmed others. He had no regrets about his decision.
Nagato reached out, grabbing Yahiko's hand with one and Konan's with the other, clasping them tightly together.
"Don't worry, I'll visit often. And next time I come back, I hope you two aren't just teammates anymore. You should be an official couple already! Hahaha!"
Nagato wasn't usually one to joke, but at a moment like this, he suddenly decided to go all in.
Konan's face instantly turned red from embarrassment, caught completely off guard. Yahiko, too, looked flustered.
"You bastard! What nonsense are you spouting?!"
"Nagato, who taught you to say things like that?"
Seeing their awkward reactions, Nagato looked even more pleased.
"Yahiko, Konan, did you really think I hadn't noticed? Fine, if you're not going to admit it… Yahiko, why don't you let go of Konan's hand already? You've been holding it for way too long!"
Yahiko's face turned completely red.
"Damn it, Nagato! You're asking for it today—don't run!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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