Naruto: The Tavern Speech Begins to Make the Land of Rain Great

Huh? Is this going to be a contest of physical skills?

The Root ninja was not afraid; he drew his long sword.

One step, two steps...

His pace quickened until he reached Nagato.

He then lowered his body and swung the long sword, which was originally at waist height, out in an instant.

The setting sun cast a faint golden hue on the longsword, making the Root ninja's figure resemble that of a samurai.

The long sword drew a silver-edged arc in the air, its sharp edge seemingly capable of cleaving Nagato in two.

But Nagato showed no sign of panic. He calmly took out a kunai, intending to block the attack.

Watanabe Tetsu, who was watching from the sidelines, also focused his attention.

If Nagato hadn't blocked it, he might have been cut in two.

At that level, it would be very difficult for anyone to bring Nagato back to life.

Chakra gathered at Watanabe Tetsu's feet, and his body muscles tensed.

If anything goes wrong, he will take immediate action.

Nagato, who was in the center of the stage, was clearly unaware that he had this backup plan.

He could only feel his own heavy breathing echoing in his ears.

His gaze was fixed on the enemy's long sword.

All surrounding noise was blocked out.

Any emotion or thought came to an abrupt halt at this moment.

He stared intently at the long sword, then pulled out a kunai and blocked his path.

The kunai and the longsword gradually came into contact until they collided and produced intense sparks.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"

In the blink of an eye, the path of the longsword was slightly distorted.

And it is precisely this trace that presents Nagato with his opportunity.

Nagato slowly raised his left hand, and a stream of chakra flowed in his palm.

He remembered what his teacher had told him before.

"Feel the power of high-speed rotation and the gathering of chakra."

Condensation, rotation.

These two abstract nouns become concrete at this moment.

Chakra without any attribute flowed rapidly in Nagato's hand, yet it constantly condensed around a single point.

A pale blue orb of light appeared in his left hand.

At that moment, the kunai he used in his right hand to fight the long sword also cracked.

The long sword continued to advance, inching closer and closer to his abdomen.

Nagato focused his mind, thrusting out with his left hand and pressing his entire body down.

"Rasengan!"

The longsword's trajectory was slightly altered by the kunai, and it headed towards Nagato's abdomen.

Nagato's Rasengan also approached the Root ninja at an extremely fast speed.

Watanabe Tetsuya also held his breath, waiting to see how the competition would unfold.

As time passed, Watanabe Tetsu was met with a scream.

But this scream did not belong to Nagato.

Nagato's Rasengan had already struck the Root ninja's abdomen, and the powerful impact instantly pierced through the opponent's protective plate.

But what's even more terrifying is the Rasengan's penetrating power.

At this moment, not a single Root ninja's internal organs remained intact.

Nagato stood there, panting heavily.

This thrilling moment greatly improved his skills.

But before he could finish off the Root ninja, Konan's scream came from behind him.

Nagato immediately turned to look, and saw that Konan was covered in wounds.

She stood firmly in front of Yahiko, using her body to block the Root ninjas' attacks on him.

She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her expression resolute and determined.

She couldn't let the other person get any closer to Yahiko.

She wanted to protect Yahiko, even if it meant her own death.

But her indomitable spirit did not stop the enemy's attack for even a moment.

Instead, the pressure from the attacks of the two Root ninjas was immediately placed on her.

This was Xiao Nan's seventh time getting up.

Gazing at Konan's resolute back, Yahiko kept calling out to his completely powerless legs.

If he hadn't fought those Cloud Village ninjas yesterday, he wouldn't be so exhausted.

But who could have predicted that?

There were two intense battles over two days.

Perhaps all of this is already set in stone.

He smiled.

"Xiao Nan, you should go."

Under Konan's surprised gaze, Yahiko explained.

"I have no fighting ability now, I'm just a burden to you. I can't escape, and I can't leave."

"But you are different. You and Nagato still have the ability to escape. As long as you find the teacher, there is still a chance for everything to turn around."

Xiao Nan immediately denied it.

"You'll die if you do that."

Yahiko's gaze fell on Konan, but he did not answer the question.

Instead, it was a powerful and resounding statement.

"Let's go."

Konan gritted her teeth and looked at Yahiko behind her.

His face showed composure, but even more so, relief.

I'm glad he has such friends, and I'm glad Konan and Nagato are strong enough to reach this level.

But in any journey, someone always has to leave first.

This person, perhaps, is him.

He leaned against the tree, waiting for Xiao Nan's decision.

"No...no."

"I cannot accept that I abandoned my companions to live a life of ignominy; I cannot do such a thing."

"If the price of surviving in the ninja world is abandoning my comrades, then I'd rather fight to the death."

Xiao Nan's voice was extremely powerful; it was as if she had made a decision she would never regret.

She rushed forward again, trying to slow down the two Root ninjas.

This time, however, the Root ninjas did not spare her.

In an instant, she was knocked to the ground.

The next second, Xiao Nan felt a strong sense of suffocation.

She was grabbed by the neck and lifted up by the enemy.

She tried to break free from the enemy's large hand, but found it was no use.

The sharp longsword reflected a cold light and was rapidly approaching her throat.

"Konan!"

Nagato, who was a hundred meters away, rushed over to help.

His chakra rapidly gathered in his feet, but it couldn't outpace the long sword.

No! No! No!

Nagato could almost see Konan being pierced through by the long sword in a second.

He wanted to help Xiao Nan.

He wanted Xiao Nan to live.

But at his current speed, he simply can't keep up!

If he had worked a little harder in normal times, he wouldn't have spent so much time facing that Root ninja.

What if he had been a little more perceptive and had noticed the enemy's ambush earlier?

Why, why does he always only lose?

He had clearly given it his all.

Is everything we possess destined to be lost?

His long red hair swayed gently in the breeze, and for the first time, his resentful eyes revealed themselves.

Those were eyes with concentric ripples.

It looks both magical and solemn.

Rinnegan.

He desperately wanted the ninja who was choking Konan to die.

Why? Why hurt the people he loves again and again?

Hatred, resentment, anger.

His powerful emotions gave his eyes a faint gleam.

The space in front of him gradually distorted, creating ripples.

The target was the Root ninja who had captured Konan.

The next second, a violent repulsive force emanated from Nagato's eyes.

The powerful force created a deep crater in the ground and traveled at an extremely fast speed to the Root ninja.

Before he could react, the Root ninja felt his body fly out uncontrollably.

In an instant, he flew hundreds of meters, and the rows of trees behind him collapsed under the powerful repulsive force.

A figure flew past swiftly and caught Xiao Nan in mid-air.

Xiao Nan, nestled in her arms, felt her breathing gradually become easier. She gently raised her eyes and saw a familiar face.

"teacher."

A strong sense of security washed over her, causing her to completely faint from exhaustion.

Watanabe Tetsu stood beside Yahiko and gently put Konan down.

Then he looked at Nagato, who had revealed his Rinnegan.

"Sorry I'm late."