Yuto quietly watched the look on Madara's face. He didn't know the full process, but the result was obvious—Madara had been defeated.
If not for the forbidden technique Izanagi, Madara would've died long ago.
"I lost. Hashirama was gravely injured," Madara said flatly, though there was a different edge to his tone.
For someone as proud as Madara—first teaming up with Hashirama to defeat Yuto, and then later losing to Hashirama himself—
Those two events were a huge blow to his pride.
Yuto frowned slightly and continued, looking at Madara.
"Just being gravely injured… shouldn't have been enough to take Hashirama's life."
Madara's lips curled faintly. "True. It wasn't enough to kill him."
"But he still died," Yuto said, his own mouth curling into the same kind of smile.
With the Senju's powerful constitution—plus Sennin Mode—both Yuto and Madara, as Hashirama's former equals, understood perfectly:
Even severe injuries shouldn't have been enough to kill Hashirama.
In Sennin Mode, something like "healing without hand seals" was basically just a passive for Hashirama.
And yet, under those circumstances, Hashirama still died.
Which meant Hashirama had done something that even he couldn't withstand.
Yuto lifted his head and met Madara's gaze.
Then both of them smiled at the same time.
"Before doing what we want to do… it really is necessary to confirm it," Madara said in a low voice.
"Yeah. There are too many players on this board," Yuto said calmly, hands laced behind his head. "So when do we move?"
Madara fell silent for a moment, then answered.
"Three days."
With that, Madara turned and walked off in the opposite direction. In just a few blinks, he vanished from Yuto's sight.
In only a handful of sentences, they had already reached a certain understanding.
Of course, rather than an "agreement," it was Madara and Yuto using each other.
But since their strength was close, "using" each other naturally turned into cooperation.
"Three days, huh… cautious as always," Yuto thought, watching the direction Madara disappeared.
With Black Zetsu and White Zetsu around, three days was more than enough for Madara to gather most of the shinobi world's current intelligence.
Yuto shrugged. He could already guess some of what Madara would do next, but it didn't have much to do with him.
Relying on Sennin Mode's powerful sensory perception, Yuto turned and headed toward a certain direction within the forest.
Several hundred meters away from the battle's center—
Feeling the booming finally stop, Obito swallowed hard.
"Did it… end?"
"Looks like it did," Black Zetsu said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Obito blinked, curiosity rising. "I wonder who won."
Black Zetsu's gaze flickered, but he didn't answer.
With the strength Madara and Yuto had shown, a fight like that couldn't possibly end so quickly.
Which meant… had they reached some sort of deal?
Just then, a faint sound came from ahead, cutting off Black Zetsu's thoughts.
In only a few steps, Madara appeared in front of Obito and Black Zetsu.
Seeing Madara's indifferent expression, Obito immediately stood up straight, obedient.
"Go back," Madara said calmly.
The instant Madara finished, Obito activated his Sharingan ability. A spatial vortex swallowed the three of them.
Madara's expression carried a hint of amusement. "Convenient ability."
Swish!
In the next instant, as the vortex vanished, all three disappeared from the spot.
Elsewhere, Yuto followed the direction his senses guided him, strolling through the forest as if out for a walk.
Step—
Step—
His feet crunched over leaves, making crisp sounds.
Konan slowly lifted her head toward the direction of the footsteps.
"You came, just like I thought," Konan said, looking at Yuto with no surprise on her face.
"Oh? You knew I would," Yuto said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the half-kneeling Konan—and Nagato's body lying beside her.
Konan rose to her feet, staring straight at Yuto, her voice even.
"With your strength, if you truly wanted to kill me, I couldn't escape."
A smile flickered in Yuto's eyes. "Then what else do you 'know'?"
"I also know… the Akatsuki has probably changed hands," Konan said. Grief washed across her face, and she paused for a moment.
Then, in her eyes, a resolve unlike anything before hardened into place as she looked at Yuto.
"Akatsuki was founded by Yahiko. The red clouds on this cloak symbolize the war that drenched Amegakure in blood and rain. Akatsuki has only been controlled—nothing more. But this cloak still belongs to our justice!"
"Nagato wasn't Madara's match. I'm not either. We can lose—"
"But he can't toy with our justice! Even if he's Madara!"
"And you have the power to stand against Madara. I can join Kirigakure!"
Konan's firm voice reached Yuto's ears, making the smile in his eyes deepen—yet his face remained calm and unreadable.
"You joining Kirigakure doesn't benefit me much," Yuto said evenly. "And what makes you think I'd help you?"
Even though he'd had a similar thought from the start, he didn't agree immediately.
Konan met his gaze, unwavering.
"I don't know what your true goal is, but at least one thing I do know—war has never been the answer to everything."
"Amegakure has always been managed by me. In the hearts of Amegakure's civilians, my standing is even higher than Nagato's."
"Madara may have taken control of Akatsuki, but he can't control Amegakure's civilians and shinobi."
"If I join Kirigakure, then Amegakure effectively falls under Kirigakure's authority."
Konan's voice was steady, determined.
This was the only way she could think of—something that might truly move Kirigakure.
Of course, it wasn't only about avenging Nagato.
More importantly… it could protect Amegakure.
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