Naruto: Konoha's Traitor

The Outer Path Golem

Yahiko, still clinging to his ideals of peace, watched in disbelief as members of the very organization he had founded were being cut down by shinobi of Amegakure—comrades he once trusted.

He stood frozen, paralyzed by the shock.

"Why? Why is this happening? Why are you attacking us?"

"Yahiko, get down!"

Konan shoved him aside, narrowly dodging a kunai aimed at his head.

In a blur, a Hidden Rain shinobi used the Body Flicker Technique, appearing behind Konan. Before she could react, he seized her and vanished again.

"Konan! Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

Nagato slammed his hands together, generating a concentrated blast of wind. The violent gust tore through the trees—but it was too late. Konan was gone.

"Yahiko, snap out of it! They've taken Konan!"

Nagato grabbed Yahiko by the shoulders and shook him hard, trying to bring his friend back to reality.

"Our comrades… they're all dead…" Yahiko murmured.

But there was no time to mourn. The two of them took off in pursuit, desperate to save Konan.

---

They arrived in a secluded valley once intended as neutral ground for peace talks. Now, it was a place of betrayal.

On the cliff above stood Hanzō of the Salamander and his elite guard. Flanking him were masked ROOT operatives—and beside them, Shimura Danzō, the shadowy figure from Konoha. At Danzō's side stood a silent shinobi—Chi Yu—face expressionless, posture poised.

Chi Yu narrowed his eyes as he studied Nagato. It was his first time seeing the Rinnegan. So this is it... he thought. The eyes are impressive—but the man is still too soft.

Yahiko's voice cracked with pain. "Hanzō-sama! I thought we were allies! We both wanted peace! Why would you do this?"

Hanzō shoved Konan forward, a blade pressed against her neck. "You've become a threat, Yahiko. Your organization has grown too strong. Peace... will be built on your corpses."

He tossed a kunai at their feet. Then, turning to Nagato, he said coldly, "You. Redhead. Kill Yahiko. Do that, and you and the girl walk free."

Konan shouted, "Don't listen to him, Nagato! Forget about me—just run!"

Nagato stared at the kunai, trembling.

"Do it," Yahiko said quietly. "If it's the only way, then do it. I'd rather die than let them use us."

Nagato's throat tightened. He could barely breathe.

"Kill me, Nagato!" Yahiko shouted.

Konan screamed, "Stop!"

Hanzō snapped, "Enough stalling. Do it—or she dies."

Nagato moved like a ghost, picking up the kunai. His hands were shaking. His heart pounded.

He looked between them—his two closest friends. He had sworn to protect them both.

"Ko…nan…" he murmured, voice barely audible.

Then Yahiko made the choice for him. He stepped forward—and impaled himself on the kunai held in Nagato's hand.

His body slumped forward, leaning against Nagato. His blood soaked into Nagato's sleeve.

"With Konan... live on," Yahiko whispered. "You're the one... who'll bring salvation…"

His body went limp.

Konan cried out, "YAHIKO!"

Nagato stood in stunned silence, gripping the blood-stained kunai, the horror sinking in.

Chi Yu watched silently. That wound… it's serious, but not immediately fatal. Did he force it deeper himself? he wondered.

But the moment of grief was shattered.

"Kill them all," Hanzō ordered flatly.

A barrage of kunai flew toward Nagato.

In that instant, a memory surged through him—Yahiko's voice from long ago:

> "If this world is consumed by war... then I'll become its god and put an end to it."

Nagato raised his hand.

All the incoming kunai veered off course, caught in an invisible force.

The Rain ninja gasped. "What the—?! They were all deflected?!"

Nagato leapt toward Hanzō and Konan, but Hanzō pushed Konan aside and slammed his palm to the ground.

Explosive tags erupted around Nagato's legs.

"Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation!"

Flames burst violently. The ground shattered. Smoke engulfed the battlefield.

"Did it work?" Hanzō muttered.

But through the smoke, Nagato emerged, carrying Konan.

He laid her down gently beside Yahiko's body. His legs were burned and bleeding—barely able to stand.

"Konan," he said quietly. "Stay with Yahiko. Don't move."

Konan's eyes welled with tears. "Nagato…"

From the cliff above, Danzō's eyes narrowed.

"He survived the explosion?" Hanzō muttered, growing uneasy.

Chi Yu could feel it. The pressure. This chakra… it's not normal.

The Root operatives charged at Nagato.

But he'd had enough.

Nagato slammed his hand to the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!"

The earth cracked open.

A massive hand burst from below, swatting Root shinobi away like insects.

Then the hulking form of the Demonic Statue emerged, howling with an otherworldly scream.

Hanzō's eyes widened. "What... what is that?!"

Even Danzō, for once, looked uneasy.

Chi Yu's heart pounded. The husk of the Ten-Tails... This thing shouldn't even be active. How is it responding to him without any tailed beasts inside?

Konan cried out, "Nagato! Stop! That jutsu will destroy you!"

But Nagato, now consumed by grief and fury, couldn't hear her.

With a roar, black receivers erupted from the statue, piercing into Nagato's back.

A surge of chakra connected them—linking man and monster.

His skin grew pale. His body trembled.

The statue opened its maw—and unleashed a massive purple chakra dragon.

It swept across the battlefield, draining the chakra of every ninja it touched. Their bodies crumpled instantly.

Danzō scowled. "Chi Yu. You're up."

"Yes, Danzō-sama."

Chi Yu adjusted his grip on his sword, leapt down from the cliff, and landed in front of Nagato—silent and ready.

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