On the other side—
Inoiki, after chaining several teleportations across Amegakure, finally appeared before one of the tallest and most fortified buildings in the village. The rain poured relentlessly, streaking down his cloak as thunder rumbled in the distance. Just as he arrived, a deafening explosion erupted from the upper floors.
Through the blast, he caught sight of Obito being hurled backward, his body smashing through the outer wall before tumbling into the open air. Dust and debris scattered everywhere. But before Inoiki could act, Obito's form distorted and vanished into a spiralling vortex — Kamui.
This wasn't their first encounter. During Inoiki's earlier battle with the Six Paths of Pain, Obito had interfered several times, launching surprise attacks from the shadows. Yet despite his efforts, he hadn't managed to deal any serious damage before retreating.
Inoiki had long suspected that Obito was with Nagato — but this scene didn't add up. Why had Obito been attacked? And more importantly, by whom? From this distance, Inoiki could sense only one immense chakra presence within the building — Nagato's.
His expression hardened. "No… something doesn't feel right," he muttered under his breath. In the next instant, his form blurred and vanished, reappearing on the very floor where the explosion had taken place.
Inside the building, Inoiki was greeted by a grim sight. Nagato sat slumped against the wall, blood trickling from both eyes, his chest riddled with injuries. His breathing was ragged, each exhale wheezing out a weak trail of crimson.
Inoiki's gaze hardened. "So my fear came true," he muttered. "While I was fighting the Paths of Pain, Obito must have realized defeating me was impossible. He came here, took the Rinnegan from Nagato—and when Nagato tried to fight back, he failed. Both of his Rinnegan are gone."
The words hung heavily in the cold air, mixing with the sound of falling rain seeping through the shattered roof.
At a distance, another battle raged. Jiraiya stood atop a human-sized summoned toad, his expression resolute, while Konan hovered before him, her paper wings spread wide like blades of light. Torn pages of paper danced through the air, the aftermath of their fierce exchange clearly visible in the devastation surrounding them.
Both heard the explosion that had erupted earlier, but it was Konan who reacted first. Her heart lurched—she knew Nagato was in that direction. Without hesitation, she beat her wings and soared through the rain toward the source.
As she approached the ruined building, she caught sight of Inoiki through the massive hole blasted into the structure. From her perspective, it looked as though he was standing over Nagato's fallen body.
"Get away from him!" she shouted, voice trembling with anger and fear. In an instant, dozens of paper shuriken materialized around her—each layered with explosive tags. With a single motion of her hand, they launched forward in a deadly storm toward Inoiki.
Inoiki raised his palm toward Konan, his expression calm but focused. A faint shimmer distorted the air before him as a psychokinetic barrier formed, invisible yet impenetrable. The barrage of paper shuriken struck it head-on, detonating in a series of violent explosions.
Boom after boom echoed through the structure. Cracks snaked across the already devastated walls, and chunks of concrete broke away, collapsing into clouds of dust. The building groaned under the repeated blasts, its steel frame shrieking in protest.
When the smoke finally cleared, Inoiki stood unharmed, his cloak fluttering amidst the settling debris. His voice was steady but firm.
"It wasn't me who harmed your leader," he said. "It was that man—Tobi. He attacked Nagato and escaped right before I arrived."
Konan's eyes darted toward Nagato. Her breath caught as she saw his frail form. In an instant, she rushed to his side and caught him before he could fall, her hands trembling as she supported him. What she saw next froze her in shock—Nagato's eye sockets were empty.
Her face contorted with anger and anguish. "Nagato…" she whispered.
With great effort, Nagato turned his head slightly, his voice faint and broken. "Konan… is that you?"
"Yes, it's me," she said, her voice shaking.
Nagato coughed weakly. "He betrayed us… that man—Madara—he's the one who took my Rinnegan."
Konan's tears spilled freely now, mixing with the rain and ash around them. "I told you he wasn't trustworthy," she said, her voice trembling with both fury and sorrow. "That's why I never left your side. But today—you didn't listen. You said you could handle it no matter what happened. So tell me, Nagato… is this how you handle things?"
Though her tone was harsh, her grief ran deeper than her anger. Her tears flowed endlessly as she held Nagato close, the weight of betrayal crushing her heart.
By now, it had become almost impossible for anyone to save Nagato. His chest injury was massive, and with his already frail body, his chakra reserves and physical strength were insufficient for any kind of recovery.
Nagato's voice was weak, almost a whisper, but each word carried a heavy weight of regret. "I'm sorry… I should have listened to you, but I didn't. And this… this is the price I pay." His hands trembled slightly as he tried to reach for Konan. "I'm sorry again for leaving you alone in this world… carrying the burden of Amegakure. I am very sorry."
Tears of blood streamed down his face. Konan said nothing, only held him close, crying uncontrollably, her body shaking as grief and helplessness overwhelmed her.
In a faint voice, Nagato murmured, "Sensei… are you here?"
Jiraiya, who had silently appeared in the room amidst the chaos, stepped forward and knelt beside him. "Yes… I'm here," he replied, his expression somber but steady.
Nagato's face turned towards Jiraiya's voice. "You were the one who gave us shelter when we were children, who taught us how to survive in this world. You know how kind Konan is—she only ever wanted to follow behind me and Yahiko. She has been our silent caretaker, our unwavering support, from the very beginning."
His voice faltered, but his words carried undeniable sincerity. "I ask you… one last thing, as your student: just let her go. Let her live. And let the sins of Akatsuki… be buried with me."
Jiraiya's gaze softened as he looked at Nagato. "I forgive you," he said quietly. "And don't worry—I will do my best to make sure Konan isn't affected by what's happened here."
Nagato coughed weakly, blood staining his lips, but his face remained steady as he addressed Inoiki. "You know… I once almost killed you, and yet you escaped through your strength. You must harbor resentment toward me. If you want… you can take my head. But… let Konan live. Let her go."
Konan's hands tightened around Nagato, her grief mingling with fierce determination. "No," she said, voice trembling but resolute. "I cannot let anyone disrespect you any further—not while I'm here." Though mourning, she remained ready to retaliate instantly if Inoiki had attacked Nagato.
Inoiki's expression was calm, almost indifferent. "Don't worry," he said, his voice carrying a strange mix of pity and understanding. "You all are quite pitiful, anyway. What you've become today… it's the result of injustice and chaos. The world forced you into this. You were just pure children once."
Nagato's expression softened, and for a moment, the weight of pain lifted from his expression. Memories of his childhood flooded back—days spent training under Jiraiya, laughing alongside Yahiko and Konan, and the rare moments of peace they had shared. A faint, serene smile curved his lips, a fleeting wish that time could have been frozen forever.
With that smile lingering on his face, Nagato's body went still. He was gone.
With Nagato's death, one chapter of the Akatsuki came to a close. The organization he had once led—founded by Yahiko and later carried on under Nagato—was now over. Any future incarnation of Akatsuki would be under Obito's control. And with Nagato no longer using the Rain Tiger technique, Inoiki's Observation Haki could extend unimpeded, scanning the surrounding area with absolute clarity.
Soon, he detected Kakashi moving swiftly toward the scene. Kisame was notably absent, implying he had managed to escape. The same was true for Naruto, Sakura, and Sai, who were also rushing in from a different direction. Clearly, they had been unable to defeat their opponents, and Naruto had once again failed to capture Sasuke.
When everyone finally arrived, Inoiki briefed them on all that had transpired. Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he learned that the Akatsuki leader had once been a student of his own teacher, Jiraiya—a connection he had never imagined.
Silently, the group agreed to honor Nagato's memory. Before departing, they would attend his funeral, paying respects to a man who had been both a formidable foe and a tragic figure shaped by the cruelty of the world.
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