At this moment, Yahiko scratched his right arm and signal: Don't expose yourselves yet.
Pretend to be trapped, then flank him from both sides!
Konan blinked twice, indicating she understood!
"Yahiko, as the leader of Akatsuki, I demand you die here and now! If you resist, this woman's life is forfeit!"
'How dare they even think of rebellion?'
The succession of the Rain Country has long been decided! Those who dare rebel must have a death wish!
The only one qualified to inherit this nation's rule is Kotaro!
Kotaro, it's been seven years... isn't it time you return?
Hanzo's clouded eyes grew moist as thoughts of his disciple Kotaro Katsura overwhelmed him with longing!
Fearing he might lose control of his tear ducts if he continued reminiscing, Hanzo quickly banished Katsura's image from his mind and casually tossed a kunai downward.
"You, the red-haired one! Use this kunai to kill Yahiko! Do it, and I'll spare both this woman and you!"
Looking at the kunai on the ground, Yahiko first feigned gritted teeth, then pretended to be helpless, and finally acted as though resigned to his fate.
After all, Katsura-sensei once said: For things that absolutely cannot be lost, even dirty methods are justified!
So forgive me, Hanzo the Demigod!
Nagato's acting was equally convincing—his widened eyes and trembling pupils perfectly conveyed shock and denial, his whole being screaming to escape this reality!
Finally, Konan matched their performance, tears streaming as she cried to the two below.
"Stop! Nagato! Don't mind me! Both of you, run!"
By now, Hanzo's wariness had mostly dissipated.
Their genuine reactions proved these three truly cared—they'd never abandon this woman.
Checkmate.
At this moment, Yahiko suddenly looked at Nagato.
"Nagato, kill me."
Nagato's mouth fell open, eyes bulging as he panted heavily—his performance so realistic it seemed he was desperately fleeing fate itself!
"NAGATO!" Yahiko barked.
"NOOO!" Konan's heartbroken wails and endless tears secured her today's acting MVP.
"Do it! Or do you want this woman to die?!"
Prompted by Hanzo's urging, Nagato judged the timing right.
Staggering forward, he hesitantly picked up the kunai.
As Yahiko lunged at Nagato, all three shared the same thought.
Now!
If Hanzo believed Yahiko was sacrificing himself, Konan's perfect ambush moment would be when Yahiko "impaled" himself on the kunai.
However...
"That's enough, Hanzo-sama."
A swordsman suddenly materialized between Yahiko and Nagato!
Simultaneously, a strange white creature appeared before the two, holding up an odd white sign.
[Please calm your self, Hanzo-sama.]
"Katsura... Katsura-sensei!" ×3
"KOTAROOO!!!" ×1
"Young Master Katsura!" ×n
The overlapping exclamations left everyone but Hanzo utterly bewildered.
What was happening?
"Kotaro!!" Hanzo could no longer hold back at this point.
He threw away his cane, tears streaming down his face as he shouted and jumped down from above.
Even though he strained his back upon landing, it did nothing to dampen the excitement in his heart!
Watching Hanzo rush toward them with open arms, tears flying, Nagato and Yahiko were utterly bewildered.
No one had explained what was going on here!
Their confusion only deepened when they saw Hanzo embrace Katsura and burst into loud sobs, pouring out his longing.
"Katsura-sensei, Hanzo... ahem, Hanzo-sama, what exactly is your relationship with...?" Yahiko ventured cautiously.
"Kotarooooooooo... sob... you've finally come back... sob..."
"Hanzo-sama, please calm down first. Let me formally introduce you—these three are my former students."
At these words, Hanzo instantly stopped crying.
He lifted his head and stared blankly at Nagato and Yahiko for several long seconds!
"I... I... I have grandsons now! Sob sob sob!"
Watching Hanzo cry even harder than before, one of the Amegakure guards couldn't help but interject.
"THOSE AREN'T GRANDSONS! AT MOST, THEY'RE YOUR GRAND-STUDENTS, HANZO-SAMA!!"
Hanzo stopped crying again, murmuring softly.
"Grand-students... grand-students... grandsons... I have grandsons! Sob sob..."
"Hanzo-sama, are you even listening? I said they're not grandsons but grand-students! Even though they're both 'grand' generations, they're fundamentally different!"
The guard frantically corrected him.
"My dear grandsons, here's some New Year's money—take it, don't be shy. Later, come home with Grandpa for the reunion dinner. To think you stayed away for so long without visiting me!"
Faced with Hanzo's sudden change in attitude, Nagato and Yahiko, now holding the forcibly given red envelopes, were still bewildered.
Just moments ago, the two of them had nearly plotted to harm their grand-teacher!
"Hahaha, it's just... we've been busy, you know? Didn't have time to visit you, old man," Yahiko was the first to react, scratching his head with an awkward laugh.
"Yeah, exactly, just too busy, really," Nagato followed suit, also scratching his head and laughing awkwardly, while inwardly complaining.
'Who could've guessed this?! That Katsura-sensei was actually Hanzo's student or something!'
'Couldn't you have told us about this relationship earlier? We almost accidentally killed... cough accidentally injured our grand-teacher today!'
At this point, Katsura crossed his arms and seamlessly continued the act.
"Honestly, what have I always taught you? No matter how busy you are, you must visit the elders at home! Put yourselves in their shoes! How worried must they be with you out there? How heartbreaking is it for them not to see you for so long? What kind of behavior is this? This is the behavior of unfilial children!"
'NO, YOU NEVER ONCE MENTIONED WE HAD SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE GRAND-TEACHER!'
Yahiko and the other two simultaneously complained in their hearts.
'The unfilial son who disappeared for ten years, only came home once in between, and stayed for just a single day—isn't that you Katsura-sama?!'
The Amegakure guards also grumbled internally.
"Grandpa!"
Konan, whose ropes had been untied at some point, rushed down and called Hanzo out, melting Hanzo's old heart completely with that single word.
Meanwhile, the Root Ninja, seeing the situation growing increasingly bizarre, exchanged glances before finally deciding to speak up.
The Root Ninja disguised as Danzo spoke up with a serious expression.
"Hanzo-sama! They were the ones who killed your subordinates—"
"Just a few subordinates. So what if they were killed? There's no need for you to worry about matters within my own faction, Danzo."
The fake Danzo, utterly enraged, stammered.
"You... you... you..." before finally finding his words.
"You—this is blind favoritism, Hanzo!"
"Wait, killing Hanzo-sama subordinates?" Yahiko caught the key point and immediately denied it.
"No, Akatsuki has never done such a thing!"
"Hmm?" Hanzo narrowed his eyes and looked up at Danzo's group.
At this moment, the fake Danzo also realized—what should be done now?
Should he run?
Or should he run?