This puppeteer is a bit... well...

Chapter 109 The Fallen Angel (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

In the silent canyon.

Luo Sha stared at the boy in front of him, speechless.

They actually came.

He deliberately chose this remote and easily ambush location; he had no intention of negotiating at all, he was just trying to buy time.

After all, nobody's a fool.

If the negotiation time is set for too long, it will be easy for others to see through the purpose of delaying.

Therefore, he chose to make a point by selecting a location where ambushes could easily be set up, hoping to scare the other party away.

In this way, he would have a reason to say: Look, I have already agreed to negotiate, but you yourself are unwilling to come.

Then use this as an excuse to continue arguing with the other party.

He took the opportunity to find out what was going on in the village.

But to everyone's surprise, the other party actually came, and alone, without even a guard.

Such boldness was something he had never expected.

(If I had known he would dare to come, I would have brought more men and set up an ambush beforehand. If we had just taken him down, we would have won.)

Luo Sha thought to himself with some regret.

Thanks to the same peace ideals, the Akatsuki organization possessed a belief that ordinary ninjas did not have, and they were fearless even when facing a stronger opponent.

But their belief was brought by Yahiko.

If Yahiko dies, their beliefs will collapse, they will go mad, and their hearts will turn to ashes.

It has both advantages and disadvantages.

"Lord Rasa, I have arrived as agreed. What are your thoughts on the matter of withdrawing the troops?" Yahiko leaned on a large sword almost as big as himself, his expression neither humble nor arrogant. "If Sunagakure has any further conditions, please feel free to speak them, and I will consider them and try my best to meet them."

……

Nagato did not respond, and did not even hear what Ryuji was saying.

He focused intently on gathering his chakra, preparing to face the enemy.

but.

Just as he was about to make his move, he heard a series of rapid footsteps in the distance.

Nagato paused in his actions and looked up to see the puppeteers who had gone to pursue them returning.

Four binding puppets, holding Xiao Nan and the others bound, came closer under the puppeteer's control.

Nagato's pupils contracted briefly, but he did not show any excessive reaction.

He was very worried about Xiao Nan and the others, but he knew that the more he showed concern for his companions, the more difficult it would be to save them.

He tried hard to suppress his inner impulses and act as indifferent as possible to his companions.

But her body still couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Konan and the other three Akatsuki members were aware of this, so they did not react excessively.

Instead, he kept giving Nagato meaningful glances, urging him to run away.

This piqued Long Er's curiosity.

He remembered that when Konan was taken hostage by Hanzo, she wasn't this calm!

Could it be because you had time to think about the journey, so you were mentally prepared?

"Damn, six people are dead!"

The puppeteer, who was controlling the binding puppet, cursed under his breath.

He wore a mask covering half of his face, and the exposed half was covered in tattoos, making him look somewhat fierce.

His name is Iwata, a Jonin, and a captain in the puppeteer unit.

He looked rather disheveled at the moment.

The Sand Village's standard vest had a gash that ran from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, cut by a sharp weapon. If the enemy had used just a little more force, he would have been gone.

My left arm was also covered in filthy blood, I didn’t know if it was from the enemy or my own.

The other puppeteers weren't much better off; some were injured, and others were covered in mud.

Ryuji was not surprised.

Putting aside the other three Akatsuki members I don't remember, Konan, who looks frail, is also a very powerful fighter.

The God-style Paper Dance can transform itself into paper, making it immune to pure physical attacks, thus completely countering most puppets that can only rely on physical attacks.

Given the lack of intelligence, such casualties are to be expected.

"Then let's kill them to avenge our comrades!" Ryuji glanced at Nagato, who was pretending to be calm, and said indifferently.

Nagato was stunned, and so was the puppeteer.

If the purpose of capturing them is to kill them, then why issue the order to capture them alive?

Don't you know that capturing someone alive and killing them are at different levels of difficulty?

but.

Although he didn't know why, Iwata was overjoyed.

With six companions killed and himself nearly killed, his heart was already filled with hatred.

If it weren't for the greater good, he would have taken action long ago.

Upon receiving permission, he was so excited that he no longer thought about why.

"Bitch, you were the most ruthless one before, you'll be buried with Sarumaru and the others!" Iwata picked up a kunai and walked towards Konan, his eyes flashing with ferocity.

In fact, he could control the puppet to kill Xiao Nan with just a flick of his finger.

But he preferred to personally insert the blade into the other person's body.

Only in this way can we avenge the death of our comrade.

As the enemy drew closer, the other three members of Akatsuki struggled to their feet, shouting things like, "Kill me!"

Konan looked at Nagato, their eyes meeting, and she smiled with relief.

(Don't worry about me, just run away!)

Xiao Nan gently shook her head, then closed her eyes.

Iwata approached Konan, grinning maliciously as he raised his kunai and thrust it at her without hesitation.

"stop!"

The powerful sound resounded through the sky, and even the torrential rain could not drown it out.

Iwata was stunned, and the kunai he was about to thrust at Konan froze in mid-air.

He turned around blankly, staring at those eyes shimmering on the water, a feeling of endless fear rising within him.

Long Er's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smug smile.

"Iwata, stop it first!"

"Oh, oh, oh!"

Upon hearing the order, Iwata snapped out of his shock and quickly put away his kunai.

Staring intently at those eerie eyes, his sense of crisis as a ninja went into overdrive, as if he were being watched by the Grim Reaper—it was truly terrifying.

Nagato breathed a sigh of relief.

Although we don't know what the other party wants to do, as long as we don't act immediately, there is still a chance to save people.

But what Ryuji said next stunned him.

"Just kill yourself!"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Ryuji in surprise.

He had a faint smile on his face. "I can assure you, I will let them go as soon as you are dead."

Quiet, quiet, quiet.

Everyone turned their attention to Nagato, wanting to know what he would do.

Should you save your companion or yourself?

Nagato's mind went blank; he was completely unable to think.

Despite his tragic past, he still cherished his life.

He didn't want to die, and he was even more afraid of death.

But looking at the familiar figure bound inside the puppet, he couldn't help but recall bits and pieces of the past.

His parents died, and he wandered alone.

He was all alone, with only a stray dog ​​by his side.

When he was starving to death, the little girl he had known as a child gave him a piece of bread.

In the end, he and Yahiko took him in and taught him how to survive in this chaotic world.

For Nagato, Yahiko was the light that illuminated the darkness, while Konan was the angel who greeted him in that light.

No one can choose between them.

"Hurry up and make a choice!" Ryuji urged, throwing a kunai in front of Nagato.

Xiao Nan woke up with a start.

She looked at Nagato, who was struggling with his thoughts and whose breathing was getting heavier and heavier, and shouted loudly.

"Don't believe his nonsense."

He's lying to you.

"He's afraid of your power and wants to use us to blackmail you into committing suicide. Even after you're dead, he won't let us go."

"That's right, don't listen to him."

The other three Akatsuki members also started shouting.

"The Sand Village guys accepted peace talks on the one hand, but sent troops to launch a sneak attack on the other. These treacherous guys will definitely not be so kind as to let us go."

"Yahiko must have been ambushed as well. If no one goes back to deliver the message, Yahiko will probably meet with misfortune as well."

The last sentence brought Nagato back to his senses.

But he still faced a painful choice, and his breathing became increasingly labored.

He had to choose between Konan and Yahiko; he didn't want to give up either of them.

"Don't be so arrogant." Ryuji pouted and said, "You're the only real threat in the entire Akatsuki. Once you're dead, the Akatsuki will be no threat to me. It doesn't matter if I let the others go. Of course, apart from the few people you value, everyone else has to die. This war can only end with their deaths."

Ryuji's words once again shook Nagato's resolve.

If the other party was trying to trick him into committing suicide, they wouldn't have said, "I'll only spare Konan and the others, but kill everyone else." They would have spared everyone.

He glanced at Konan, then looked at the kunai on the ground, his legs went weak, and he knelt down on the ground.

He stretched out his right hand and tremblingly grasped the kunai in his hand.

"No, Nagato!"

"Leave us alone!"

Please!

Hearing his companions' calls, Nagato's resolve hardened, and his right hand, gripping the kunai, stopped trembling.

Why did you do that?

Seeing that she couldn't persuade Nagato, Konan roared at Ryuji, "Why do you invade other people's countries? Why can you harm others with a clear conscience? Is peaceful coexistence really that difficult?"

"Yes, it's difficult!"

Looking calmly at the tearful Konan and the hateful gazes of the other three, Ryuji said, "You think you're stopping our invasion for the sake of peace, but your actions are also breeding war."

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Hmph!"

Ryuji ignored the Akatsuki members' rebuttals and continued, "We received a mission from the Land of Iron to put pressure on Amegakure so that Hanzo and his men, who have invaded the Land of Iron, would withdraw their troops."

"Our actions are to protect the peace of the Iron Kingdom, but you keep obstructing us."

"It is because of your obstruction that Hanzo was able to launch a war in the Land of Iron with peace of mind."

"That permanently neutral nation, the Iron Nation and its people, who never initiate attacks on others, are now suffering invasion because of your actions. Do you still dare to claim you are acting for peace?"

"this……"

The members of the Akatsuki were speechless.

Ryuji ignored the extras and looked impatiently at Nagato. "Hurry up, I don't have time to waste with you. I'll count to ten. If you don't commit suicide by now, I'll kill her."

Nagato took a deep breath and pointed the sharp end of the kunai at his throat.

Then, he looked deeply at Konan, a relieved smile on his face, "Konan, the luckiest thing in my life is meeting you and Yahiko. If I have the chance in the next life, I still want to be with you."

"No!"

Xiao Nan screamed at the top of her lungs.

Without further hesitation, Nagato plunged the kunai into his throat without any obstruction.

"puff!"

The bright red blood splattered was so conspicuous in the heavy rain.

Kurenai's eyes widened, Nagato's eyes widened, Ryuji's eyes widened, and everyone around them widened their eyes.

Even Iwata, who committed the murder, stared wide-eyed.

Konan stared blankly at the kunai piercing her heart, then looked at the murderer holding the kunai—the puppeteer named "Iwata".

The three tomoe in his scarlet eyes slowly faded away.

"careful……"

Xiao Nan seemed to know something, but only managed to warn someone to be careful before she completely lost her life.

"Konan!"

(End of this chapter)