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Shin watched the battle unfold while enjoying his ramen. The Akatsuki, though not yet at its full strength—was already a formidable force.
Orochimaru, Sasori, and Kakuzu were all Kage-level powerhouses. Three Kage-level powerhouses were enough to cause a big disturbance in Kirigakure and retreat unscathed.
“Kirigakure is really weak.”
Shin observed the battle. Yagura seemed to be the only Kage-level Shinobi left in the Village.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were only Elite Jōnin level. Although they did have some strength, they couldn’t threaten Orochimaru, Sasori, or Kakuzu.
And Yagura was being overwhelmed by Pain. If not for the Three-Tails’ chakra, he’d already be dead.
“Three-Tails, I need your strength!”
Yagura roared, transforming into the Three-Tails. Few Jinchūriki could achieve full Tailed Beast Mode.
In this state, Yagura’s power far surpassed that of The Three-Tails alone.
Yagura retained his consciousness, controlling the Three-Tails’ power was far more effective than letting the beast control itself.
A Jinchūriki in perfect sync with their Tailed Beast was far stronger than the Tailed Beast alone.
“Your strength is commendable, but facing a God is foolish,” Pain said, looking at the transformed Yagura.
“I am the Mizukage. Protecting this Village is my duty.”
Yagura’s voice echoed from within the Three-Tails, which then opened its maw and began charging a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Every Tailed Beast, even the One-Tail with its limited chakra, could use the Tailed Beast Bomb.
The Deva Path didn’t flinch as the Tailed Beast Bomb hurtled towards him. The Preta Path stepped forward.
“<Blocking Technique Absorption Seal!>”
The Tailed Beast Bomb was absorbed, and Shin raised an eyebrow, impressed. Nagato’s Six Paths of Pain were quite capable, absorbing even a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Of course, Shin wasn’t ‘very’ impressed. It was “Decent,” but nothing special. However, Yagura was very shocked. He was running out of options.
“<Almighty Push!>”
The Deva Path unleashed a powerful repulsive force, far stronger than before, sending the Three-Tails crashing into the earth.
The Preta Path rushed forward, using its chakra absorption ability to drain the Three-Tails’ energy.
Even a Tailed Beast’s vast chakra couldn’t withstand the Preta Path’s relentless absorption. The Three-Tails quickly retreated into Yagura’s body.
Pain looked at the weakened Yagura, ready to deliver the final blow, then hesitated.
He had heard that if a Jinchuriki was killed, the Tailed Beast would also die with them. If he killed Yagura, would the Three-Tails also die with him?
The plan required the Tailed Beasts, and the Three-Tails must not die.
“It doesn’t matter if Yagura dies. The Tailed Beast can be revived, though it takes time.”
Shin appeared in front of Pain and said calmly.
A Tailed Beast was essentially a mass of chakra. As long as its chakra wasn’t completely annihilated, it would eventually reform.
Whether it retained its memories was another matter.
Hearing Shin’s words, Pain still didn’t make a move, because Pain didn’t trust Shin.
What if Shin was lying? Their plan to collect the Tailed Beasts and revive the Ten-Tails couldn’t be jeopardized.
Pain decided to extract The Three-Tails from Yagura, which would also kill him.
Extracting a Tailed Beast was a death sentence for the Jinchūriki.
The Deva Path personally took action and extracted the Three-Tails from Yagura’s body.
The Three-Tails, weakened by the Preta Path’s chakra absorption, was severely diminished in size. The Three-Tails fled in a hurry. Pain didn’t pursue it.
Though the Akatsuki’s goal was to gather the Tailed Beasts, it wasn’t time yet.
He didn’t want to openly antagonize the Five Great Villages. The Akatsuki wasn’t ready for that kind of conflict.
Looking at Yagura’s lifeless body, Pain, to be safe, thrust a black receiver rod into his heart.
“Not even letting the corpse rest in peace, huh?”
Shin commented, then realized he was in no position to judge. Just like Kaguya Sora, who was killed before, not only was he killed, but his body was also taken back by Shin for research.
“The mission’s complete. Let’s go.”
Pain looked at the increasingly large number of Kiri Shinobi gathering in the distance, and obviously didn’t plan to continue to entangle with them.
They hadn’t come to annihilate Kirigakure. Killing the Mizukage was one thing; destroying the entire village was another matter.
Pain, with the other Paths, quickly left.
Seeing Pain withdraw, Orochimaru, Sasori, and Kakuzu naturally wouldn’t be like fools and continue to engage with Kirigakure’s Shinobi here.
Soon, all the Akatsuki Members withdrew, including Shin.
——
Yagura’s death didn’t cause much grief in Kirigakure. He hadn’t been a popular leader.
His brutality, which had turned Kirigakure into the Bloody Mist Village, had made him many enemies.
Though Yagura’s actions had been a result of Obito’s control, no one knew that. Yagura had taken the blame, and now, dead, he couldn’t even defend himself.
——
Shin returned to the Land of Whirlpools, and the death of this Mizukage didn’t cause a sensation in the Shinobi World. The Land of Water was an overseas island country, so it was relatively closed off.
It was also difficult for news to spread.
Besides, Kirigakure didn’t want this news to spread either. After all, A Kage assassinated in their own village was a humiliating disgrace.
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