Yes, the Hokage

As he spoke, he suddenly pulled a long sword from the wooden staff with a "whoosh." Although it had been hidden in the staff for a long time, the sword was sharp as soon as it was drawn, and it was in no way inferior to the seven ninja swords passed down through generations.

"My sword is just as sharp!" Kisame said without flinching, raising Samehada and pointing it at Yagura.

It seemed the two were about to have a one-on-one fight, but Yagura waved his hand and said, "Go!"

Immediately, the elite Kirigakure Jonin who had been brainwashed by the Blood Mist Village rushed forward without hesitation, and it looked like they were about to kill everyone trapped inside.

But at that very moment...

"Boom—!"

Several enormous fireballs exploded behind the ranks, and a large group of ninjas dressed in red cloud and black robes emerged. Pakula, the leader, pointed and shouted, "Kill Yagura!"

Kakuzu's arms stretched out, and countless black tentacles swept towards the enemy. Although Sasori could not control the Third Kazekage, he should not forget that he himself was a puppet. Various poisonous darts rained down like raindrops. As Deidara's teacher, Bakuto was naturally a staunch supporter of the idea that art is explosion, and he threw various explosives with a wave of his hand.

"Water Escape·Water Formation Wall!"

Seeing that the situation was not good, more than a dozen elite Jonin hurriedly formed hand seals and joined forces to unleash a water barrier that was no less powerful than Hanzo's, in an attempt to resist the attack.

But Nagato leaped ahead, already at the very front of the group. His dark purple Rinnegan flashed, and he suddenly raised his hand and swung it forcefully: "Shinra Tensei—!"

Instantly, the terrifying repulsive force shattered the water wall, and subsequent ranged attacks exploded in the enemy ranks.

"The day will dispel the blood mist!"

Kisame swung Samehada with all his might and charged forward first.

"Damn traitors, how dare you gather ninjas from other villages to invade Kirigakure!?"

Yagura's voice began to grow rough: "In that case... let them be reduced to ashes by the power of Isobu!"

His body began to be enveloped in crimson chakra, forming a huge body resembling a turtle, with three blood-red tails swaying behind him, clearly indicating that he had entered a semi-tailed beast state.

But just as Yagura was about to use the Tailed Beast Ball...

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"

Several black rods pierced Yagura's body precisely, as he was unable to dodge due to his transformation, instantly disrupting his chakra and causing him to cry out in pain, barely able to maintain his half-tailed beast form.

"Your opponent is me!"

Nagato's hands, which were clearly made of flesh and blood, suddenly began to change, eventually forming a cannon with a mechanical feel. He fired a shot, revealing it to be the power of the Asura Path.

Yagura was, after all, a perfect Jinchuriki. In the emergency, he roared and his chakra surged violently as he squeezed the black rod out of his body. It was too late to charge up the Tailed Beast Ball, so he simply opened his mouth.

"Water Release: Iron Cannonball!"

Although it was just a simple chakra water sphere, it was incredibly powerful when used by a tailed beast-level being. The massive laser cannon collided with the water sphere in mid-air and exploded violently, splashing huge amounts of water everywhere, just like a torrential rainstorm was falling around them.

"Water Release: Isobu Great Waterfall!"

Yagura made another move, unleashing terrifying waves that surged in all directions. While being engulfed by these giant waves might not be fatal, the Akatsuki members, who were not skilled in naval warfare, would suffer a great loss.

"It's not that easy!"

A cold glint flashed in Nagato's eyes, and a semi-transparent shield suddenly appeared around his body. When the surging waves came into contact with this thing, it was as if all rivers flowed into the sea, and they were all sucked into it without spreading out at all.

Hungry Ghost Path - Sealing Technique: Absorption Seal!

"Three tails!"

At this moment, Nagato's personality and voice also changed due to using the Rinnegan, and he even sounded somewhat like Chao Ge: "You're mine now!"

Chapter 146 Those who truly want to win don't wear smiles.

"Rinnegan..."

Seeing Nagato's eyes gleaming with a dark purple light, Yagura couldn't help but show a look of apprehension. Meanwhile, on the main battlefield, the Hidden Mist Village side had already begun to crumble.

Since they were pursuing the enemy, Yagura only brought speed-type ninjas, while most of the elite troops were still stationed in the village. Moreover, in a large-scale battle, a Kage-level ninja is enough to turn the tide.

Because most Kage-level ninjas possess terrifying area-of-effect (AOE) attacks capable of altering terrain, such as Kakuzu's Flame Wind Barrage, Jiraiya's Toad Oil Flame Bullet, and Kimimaro's Grass and Fern Dance.

Although the Akatsuki had fewer members, they had several Kage-level ninjas in command. With various large-scale area-of-effect attacks, Yagura's subordinates, except for the elite Jonin, suffered heavy casualties instantly.

[What the hell...]

The situation was reversed in an instant, and a fierce glint flashed in Yagura's eyes: "Since that's the case, then I'll destroy you all!"

His chakra surged again, as if he was about to enter the complete tailed beast transformation. However, such an exaggerated transformation required some time to accumulate chakra, and at this moment, Nagato coldly raised his palm.

"Universal Guidance—!"

In an instant, a powerful suction force came. Although Yagura did not know what the other party's intention was, being sucked in like this was definitely not a good thing. Therefore, he immediately shifted his center of gravity, gripped the ground with all four feet, and tried to use the Tailed Beast's massive chakra to resist.

The two sides were briefly locked in a stalemate, but at that moment, Mei Terumi, who had been lying in wait in the water just like Kisame, suddenly sprang out. Taking advantage of the chaos of the battlefield and Nagato's pressure, she slowly approached Yagura underwater. This perfect Jinchuriki, who possessed the Three-Tails and was most skilled in water combat, failed to notice her.

Taking advantage of the stalemate between Yagura and Nagato, she leaped out of the water with a splash, spewing out orange-yellow acid from her mouth. This was her bloodline limit, Lava Release, a powerful technique that could even corrode Madara's Susanoo, demonstrating its extraordinary power.

Mei Terumi isn't as powerful as she was in her middle age, but instead of using a large-scale AOE attack, she flicks her finger to gather all the acid she sprays into one spot and hurls it at Yagura in a kissing motion.

Dissolve and escape – dissolve explosive acid!

Yagura's gaze suddenly froze. Even under the immense suction of the Universal Pull, he was still able to barely move his body to try to dodge. But at that moment, a fierce glint flashed in Pakura's eyes as he was entangled with the enemy. He suddenly spun around, and the fireball that had been protecting him from the enemy's attack flew out and exploded on the other side of Yagura's body.

"boom--!"

These three fireballs were only used to repel the enemy, so their power was not great, but their speed was extremely fast. Although they failed to break through the tailed beast's cloak, they caused Yagura's body to tilt and he could no longer dodge. He was left to let the powerful but slow-moving dissolving acid explode on his body.

A loud hissing sound rang out, and Yagura cried out in pain as a large part of his tailed beast cloak was eroded away, leaving him with a gruesome wound.

And in doing so, he could no longer withstand Nagato's Universal Pull and was directly sucked in.

"It's not that easy!"

Yagura roared and tried to resist in mid-air, but Nagato's hand had already transformed again, and a mechanical fist flew out and grabbed his neck, with several mechanical wires attached to it, binding him completely.

Asura Path: Mechanical Armor!

At the same time, he suddenly pressed his other arm against Yagura's stomach and pulled it outward forcefully.

Human Path: Soul Extraction!

"Roar--!"

Yagura also sensed a great threat, and his three tails suddenly shot out, starting a tug-of-war with Nagato in an attempt to reclaim his soul.

The two sides were deadlocked again, but this time Nagato was at a disadvantage. The consumption of the Rinnegan was too great. Nagato's expression became colder and colder. His indifferent appearance made Yahiko and Konan feel a sense of unfamiliarity. He fully demonstrated what it means to have no smile on the face of someone who really wants to win.

At the same time, his body was trembling violently, clearly indicating that his strength and chakra were on the verge of exhaustion, while Yagura, with the Three-Tails behind him, could withstand such consumption.

Fortunately, Nagato wasn't fighting alone. Kisame, Pakura, Mei Terumi, and others who had been keeping a close eye on the situation attacked simultaneously, unleashing a barrage of attacks on Yagura.

"Puwah—!"

Even a perfect Jinchuriki couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood when attacked by so many powerful individuals, as his soul was about to be completely torn out.

But at that moment, Pakura encountered a problem. She was not good at close combat. When she was dealing with several elite Kirigakure Jonin, she had already thrown several Scorching Release fireballs that she was protecting to ensure that Mei Terumi's Dissolving Acid hit. Although she could still hold her own with her strength, when she provided long-range support in the second wave, those people were not to be underestimated.

“Swish, swish, swish—!”

The three men attacked simultaneously. Although Pakula managed to dodge one blow, the other two struck her in the back, leaving a long gash on her fair and delicate back. The third man then thrust forward, piercing her abdomen.

The man who had missed his target was the first to turn around, raising his long sword high, ready to strike.

Just then, Nagato saw Feng Lan's squinting smile in his mind. A ripple flashed in his icy Rinnegan, and he immediately released the restraints on Yagura. The mechanical arm he transformed into revealed a cannon barrel, and he blasted it towards that direction.

Asura Path - Asura's Attack!

Wherever the terrifying laser cannon passed, the three people were reduced to ashes in an instant before they could even scream. But at this moment, the wounded Yagura got a chance to catch his breath and let out a wild howl.

"Aaaaaaahh ...

A terrifying burst of chakra erupted, and the giant turtle descended from the sky, its massive body crashing heavily into the water, creating a splash like a tidal wave. Its three tails were raised high, and its shell was covered with incredibly sharp spikes. Its right eye was completely fused together, whether it was blinded by injury or it never had one to begin with, was unknown. Only its left eye stared out with a bloodshot red glare, coldly watching the crowd.

At this moment, everyone was awestruck by the body of the Tailed Beast, while the Jonin of Kirigakure, who were still fighting fiercely, couldn't help but cheer:

"Long live the Mizukage!"

"Let's use the power of the Three-Tails to wipe them all out!"

"Oh, oh, oh, victory belongs to us!"

"..."

But the very next second after they shouted, the Three-Tailed Fox suddenly arched its entire body, enveloping itself in its massive, thick shell, and rolled forward rapidly like a wheel. Wherever it passed, both friend and foe were knocked over, and those who couldn't dodge in time were crushed to pieces.

The Three-Tails' ultimate attack and escape technique—Shadow Slash!

Without looking back, Yagura, who had unleashed this move, drove straight towards Kirigakure, leaving his enemies and subordinates behind.

It's really not fair to blame him for being cowardly. His main body had already suffered serious injuries, and he was also threatened by the Rinnegan on the front lines. Furthermore, there were several Kage-level powerhouses in the Akatsuki organization who were clearly just coasting along.

Even though Nagato is already somewhat exhausted and I can't deal with him in a short time, if I wait until all my subordinates are killed before being ganged up on, I'll really be done for today.

Rather than fighting to the death here, it would be better to break through and escape back to Kirigakure as soon as possible. Relying on the terrain there and his subordinates to hold the line, he refused to believe that the enemy was really that strong and capable of launching a direct attack on the Five Great Nations!

This is simply the consequence of not being familiar with the plot. If he had known that Pain could directly destroy Konoha, Yagura would never have made this move. Instead, he would have risked his life to kill the exhausted Nagato here first.

With Yagura gone, the remaining Kirigakure ninja were already exhausted and trapped. However, unlike the Root organization, they did not lose their will to fight. None of them fled or surrendered. Instead, they fought to the last moment with bloodshot eyes. Just as Mei Terumi had told Feng Lan, all they got was a pile of corpses.

These are probably the ninjas brainwashed by the Village of Blood Mist: cold and cruel, completely devoid of self-awareness, mechanically obeying orders until death, like objects.

After the battle ended, everyone fell silent, clearly having nothing to say to these almost fanatical individuals.

The Akatsuki's medical ninjas rushed to treat the injured, especially Pakula, who was treated like a specialist. Nagato, exhausted, collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, and Konan quickly went to attend to him.

"In the end, Yagura still managed to get away..." Mei Terumi's expression was rather unpleasant.

"What follows is a long tug-of-war." Kisame clenched Samehada. "The Hidden Mist Village has no intention of surrendering. They will not give up until the last man is killed."

“Then let’s travel around the Land of Water and win people’s hearts first.” Mei Terumi quickly controlled her emotions. “We need to select talents and build up a new Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Only then can we stand up to Yagura in terms of honor and righteousness. Even if there are only six of them, it will be enough.”

“It may not be just six people.” Kisame said coldly. “That brat Zabuza is also very dissatisfied with the Village of Blood Mist. It’s just that he is still young and hasn’t found his own path yet. If we can bring him to our side, we will be the real Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.”

Meanwhile, Pakula, whose condition had stabilized after receiving treatment, completely disregarded her own condition and coldly looked at Nagato: "You have lost your place."

"Off-duty" refers to a ninja failing to focus on their assigned task during an operation and taking actions that their captain or superiors have not instructed them to do. In the ninja world, which emphasizes teamwork and obedience, this behavior is the most taboo thing and will be severely punished. The most classic example is Konoha's White Fang, who abandoned his mission to save his comrades and was eventually killed by being sprayed alive.

"Nagato saved you, you know." Konan immediately stepped in front of her companion to stop Pakula from making further accusations.

“He shouldn’t have saved me!” Pakula emphasized. “A ninja’s duty is to obey and sacrifice. Letting the Mizukage escape will lead to endless trouble. If I can kill him here with my death, that would be the greatest honor!”

Her words were forceful and unwavering, clearly demonstrating that entering a battle stance had instinctively triggered the teachings she had received in Sunagakure.

"So this is the Will of the Wind...?" Mei Terumi's gaze swept over, "It doesn't seem much stronger than the Blood Mist Village."

Xiao Nan was momentarily stunned by Pakura's cold and cruel demeanor, but just then, Yahiko's voice rang out: "Is that so? But Feng Lan doesn't think that way."

"Lord Fenglan?!"

Pakula's expression and demeanor changed at lightning speed, transforming from a stern and cold commander into a somewhat soft and cute girl.

"This is a secret letter from Fenglan to Nagato. Take a look for yourself."

Pakula took the secret letter, lowered her head, and couldn't help but read it aloud: "Protecting Pakula and Mei Terumi... as the highest priority mission?"

Chapter 147 "Don't Take Things Out of Context"

Pakula stared intently at the secret letter in his hand, the image of Feng Lan's voice and smile reappearing before his eyes, and the words she had emphasized to him before his departure echoed in his ears again—"Your value is greater than the outcome of a war."

【Lord Fenglan...】

Before she knew it, her eyes were blurry. The orders she received in Sunagakure were always to complete the mission at all costs. The transition between the Land of Iron and Kirigakure mainly occurred in non-combat situations, so when entering combat, Pakura's instinctive reactions were still influenced by her early education.

After all, that was the baptism she had been taught since childhood: ninjas are tools, sacrifice is glory. This statement is universal. It's just that the Will of Fire packaged it as sacrificing to protect family, the Will of Lightning packaged it as sacrificing for a good brother, while the Will of Wind tells you directly that sacrifice is glory without any packaging.

It wasn't until she saw the words on the secret letter that Pakura realized her position in the Fenglan system: she was someone who had been pre-arranged to avoid the risk of death, someone that Fenglan would rather delay taking control of Kirigakure than let go of. This kind of behavior of conveying her will through practical actions was far more impactful than simply shouting slogans.

She unhesitatingly pushed the village that she called heroes out, while Fenglan, who kept calling herself a pawn, was protecting herself. In comparison, this naturally made the remaining will of wind in Pakula's soul even more shaken.

For a moment, she even thought that simply being a chess piece would be fine, since Lord Fenglan didn't see herself as a disposable chess piece, but as a core piece that needed to be continuously preserved.

Unlike Mei Terumi, Pakula was content to find a peaceful place to call home in this chaotic world.

No, how could you be so spineless?

But she immediately shook her head, banishing the shameful thought. She had promised before setting off that she would never let Lord Fenglan down!

"……It was my fault."

While receiving treatment, Pakula spoke in a somber tone, his voice no longer as soft and cute as when he mentioned Fenglan, but also lacking the coldness of when he shouted "Sacrifice is glory": "If I hadn't been injured, the Mizukage would have already been killed."