"Swish!"
The patterns within Uchiha Yoruki's Mangekyō Sharingan solidified abruptly, and a powerful spiritual pressure descended upon him. His brain throbbed as though struck by an invisible force, sending waves of dizziness through his senses. His body trembled uncontrollably, and the Rekka no Ken—the flaming blade conjured by his Mangekyo technique—vanished in an instant.
For a brief moment, Yoruki felt utterly overwhelmed.
His vision blurred, and his knees buckled slightly, but just as quickly, his instincts kicked in. The patterns in his Sharingan began to spin again, countering the oppressive force that bore down on him. Within seconds, he regained control, shaking off the debilitating effect, though his body was drenched in cold sweat.
Nagato, standing a short distance away, took several steps back, his own body trembling as he steadied himself.
"Those eyes…" Yoruki thought, his breath ragged. "And that feeling just now! What in the world was that?"
Yoruki looked up, but Nagato had already withdrawn, retreating into the mist with calculated precision. He prepared to give chase, but a sharp, searing pain erupted in his eyes. His vision momentarily blackened, and he instinctively pressed his palms against his face, letting out a muffled grunt as he staggered backward.
"How is it?" Minato's voice cut through the tension, his tone calm but concerned as he watched Yoruki retreat toward him.
Yoruki lowered his hands, ignoring Minato's question. His scarlet eyes, now free of the Mangekyō's flame-like patterns, narrowed as he turned his attention to Jiraiya.
"Did you teach that kid all those ninjutsu?" Yoruki demanded, his voice sharp with accusation.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question.
"He used four types of ninjutsu in rapid succession—water, lightning, earth, and wind. And each one was executed with extraordinary precision," Yoruki continued, his tone tinged with frustration. "His skill surpasses even yours."
Jiraiya didn't deny the claim. "Nagato mastered all five chakra natures by the time he was ten," he said simply. "He's far stronger than I was at his age."
"Doesn't matter," Yoruki muttered, wincing as the pain in his eyes flared again. Gritting his teeth, he added, "Does that kid also have a dojutsu? Some kind of bloodline limit for his eyes?"
The mention of Nagato's eyes caused a subtle shift in Jiraiya's demeanor. Though he tried to maintain a neutral expression, the slight hesitation in his response didn't escape Yoruki's notice.
"You're avoiding the question," Yoruki said coldly.
Before Jiraiya could respond, Minato intervened. "What's wrong, Yoruki?" he asked, attempting to redirect the conversation.
Yoruki's lips pressed into a thin line, and his black pupils flashed scarlet once more. The magatama spun within his Sharingan, but the fire-like Mangekyō patterns refused to emerge.
"I can't raise my Sharingan to Mangekyō state right now," he admitted, his voice low and tense.
Both Minato and Jiraiya exchanged concerned glances. They knew the gravity of Yoruki's statement. The Mangekyō Sharingan was a source of immense power, and for it to be suppressed so effectively spoke volumes about the opponent they faced.
"This… is the power of the Rinnegan," Minato murmured, his voice tinged with awe and unease.
The legendary dojutsu, said to be possessed only by the Sage of Six Paths, had lived up to its fearsome reputation.
After a moment of silence, Minato spoke again. "We should leave," he said, his tone firm.
"No!" Yoruki snapped, his frustration boiling over. "If we retreat now, we'll lose the chance to deal a decisive blow to the coalition forces. Do you think they'll give us another opportunity like this?"
Minato's expression softened, though his resolve remained unchanged. "Without your Mangekyō Sharingan, your combat strength is halved," he explained. "If we push forward recklessly in this state, we'll only endanger ourselves."
Jiraiya placed a hand on Yoruki's shoulder. "Minato's right," he said gently. "Your eyes need time to recover. Once they do, we can plan a counterattack. For now, we need to regroup."
Yoruki clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he weighed his options. He hated the idea of retreating, especially when victory seemed so close. But the pain in his eyes and the lingering sense of unease convinced him that Minato and Jiraiya were right.
"Fine," he said reluctantly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Minato nodded and placed his hands on Jiraiya and Yoruki. His Sage Mode faded, and the markings on his face disappeared as he prepared to teleport them to safety.
As the mist around them began to clear, Minato's eyes narrowed. "They've blocked my perception," he muttered. He couldn't sense the chakra of Nagato, Yahiko, or Konan anymore.
"Smart move," he murmured with a faint smile. A moment later, the three Konoha shinobi disappeared in a flash.
Nagato exhaled a deep breath, his shoulders sagging as the tension left his body. He leaned against Yahiko and Konan for support, his legs trembling from exertion.
"They really left?" Rōshi muttered, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Nagato. A flicker of fear crossed his face as he replayed the events in his mind.
Nagato chuckled softly, his voice low and hoarse. "Let's go," he said simply.
Yahiko nodded, motioning for the group to retreat. The Akatsuki leaders paid no attention to Hanzo and the others as they departed, their focus solely on regrouping.
Hanzo, however, stood frozen in place, his expression grim. His eyes burned with anger as he watched Yahiko and his companions disappear into the distance.
Several miles away, within the depths of a cave, the Akatsuki members gathered. Yahiko instructed the others to rest while he and Konan tended to Nagato in the innermost chamber.
The dim light of a bonfire illuminated Nagato's face as he removed his hood. Blood trickled from the corners of his eyes, staining his pale skin.
"Nagato, your eyes…" Konan's voice wavered with concern as she took out a cloth and gently wiped away the blood.
Yahiko knelt beside Nagato, his eyes filled with worry. "Even with the Rinnegan… you're hurt," he said, his voice trembling. "What kind of power could do this to you?"
Nagato closed his eyes, leaning back against the cave wall. "That man's Sharingan… it wasn't ordinary," he said quietly.
"Could it have been the Mangekyō Sharingan?" Yahiko asked, his tone thoughtful. As the leader of Akatsuki, he had access to a network of intelligence and had heard of the legendary dojutsu.
Nagato nodded faintly. "It's likely," he said. "His eyes carried a power far beyond the standard Sharingan."
"Uchiha Yoruki," Yahiko murmured. "He's known across the ninja world for his prowess. If he's here, it means something has changed on the Hidden Mist battlefield."
Konan's brow furrowed as she considered the implications. "Perhaps Konoha gained the upper hand there," she said. "It would explain their sudden offensive against the allied forces."
Nagato opened his eyes, the swirling patterns of the Rinnegan glimmering faintly in the firelight. "His Mangekyō Sharingan must have awakened recently," he said. "If it were fully matured, I wouldn't have been able to suppress it with the Rinnegan."
==============================================
Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
=============================================