Chapter 213: Surprises Always Come a Step Ahead of Plans
"You might be mistaken. Ninja from the three great nations have been constantly attacking our Akatsuki members lately. It's very possible they took your brother and framed us," said Nagato.
Konan nodded. "That's right. It must've been ninja from the great nations. Our Akatsuki has always adhered to a no-kill principle. Everyone in the Land of Rain knows that by now. There's no way it was Big Brother Li."
The boy looked at the clearly emotional Nagato and Konan, and his expression subtly changed. He slowly began backing away, his body trembling as he stammered, "Uhh… m-maybe I was wrong. I'll leave now."
He quickly turned to leave. He'd suddenly realized that these three were very close to the person who had either captured or killed his brother. If he kept asking questions, he might be captured too—or killed.
"Wait!"
Yahiko suddenly called out. The boy froze, terrified, but didn't dare move another step. He took a deep breath and turned slowly, trying to appear calm. "Y-you still need something?"
Yahiko's face was serious. "I don't know if what happened to your brother has anything to do with Big Brother Li. Even if it doesn't, I'll look into it. I'll find out why your brother and the others disappeared—and I'll give you an answer. I promise."
The boy was stunned. Staring into Yahiko's earnest eyes, he suddenly felt a strange calm. His fear eased slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you."
Then he turned and left.
Nagato and Konan looked at Yahiko with an uneasy feeling in their hearts.
Yahiko hadn't said a single word in Big Brother Li's defense. That fact made both of them nervous.
"Let's go back," Yahiko said and picked up his pace toward Drizzle City. His face remained somber the whole way. Nagato and Konan didn't ask more questions. They too wanted to return quickly to ask Big Brother Li the truth.
Li Yao and Koyuki had returned to Drizzle City a day earlier. Since then, they hadn't gone on any missions and were waiting at the base for Yahiko and the others to return.
The next day, the trio arrived.
"Big Brother Li, come with me."
Yahiko called Li Yao up to the rooftop—the one with the iconic red tongue-shaped platform. Nagato and Konan came too. Realizing something was off, Koyuki followed them as well.
The original five of Akatsuki gathered once more.
"What's this about?" Li Yao asked curiously. He could tell something had happened—and it involved him.
"Big Brother Li…" Yahiko looked at him with a complicated expression, then relayed everything the boy had said. Finally, he looked Li Yao in the eyes and asked, "Were those people killed by you?"
Nagato and Konan looked on nervously. After two years of working and training together, Li Yao had become something of a second mentor to them after Jiraiya's departure. He taught them ninjutsu, guided them in battle.
They really didn't want to believe that someone they saw as a teacher would be the one to betray their shared ideals of peace.
Li Yao could've denied it.
He knew that when he killed those people, no one had been watching. His shadow clone had remained in the village performing missions.
If he denied it now, Yahiko would undoubtedly believe him and begin investigating what happened to those missing people.
As long as Yahiko remained alive, he would keep investigating to give that boy an answer.
During that time, Li Yao could remain in Akatsuki until Yahiko eventually died.
But… Li Yao suddenly smiled.
That smile sent chills down Nagato and Konan's spines, like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over them.
"I have to say, Yahiko… your instincts are sharp."
Li Yao didn't deny it—because Yahiko already knew the answer deep down.
Intuition is sometimes terrifyingly accurate.
From the moment the boy finished speaking, even if Yahiko didn't want to believe it, a gut feeling had been warning him that the boy was telling the truth.
Now, hearing Li Yao admit it himself, Yahiko fell silent. So did Nagato and Konan.
None of them knew what to say next.
After several seconds, Yahiko shakily raised his head. "Are they… still alive?"
"They're dead," Li Yao replied, shaking his head and extinguishing the last flicker of hope in Yahiko's heart. Yahiko closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them again with force.
"Why?" he demanded.
"Why do you think?" Li Yao replied with a smile.
Nagato and Konan instantly latched onto a glimmer of hope. If Li Yao had done it because his life was in danger—if he had no choice—then maybe… it wasn't his fault.
Yahiko thought the same at first, but quickly realized something.
Given Li Yao's strength—and that he was on a solo mission—even if he couldn't win, he could've easily escaped.
The missing people were mostly weak rogue ninja. They couldn't have posed any real threat.
Was there some secret reason?
Even so… was that enough to justify killing so many?
"Are you going to kill me for revenge?" Li Yao asked with a smile.
Nagato and Konan immediately looked to Yahiko.
Whoosh!
Koyuki flashed to Li Yao's side in an instant, showing whose side she had chosen.
Seeing this, Konan hurriedly said, "No, no! Big Brother Li, you must've had a reason. Just tell us!"
"Yeah," Nagato added. "I know killing people weighs on your heart. I've accidentally killed someone too. That doesn't mean we have to become enemies. Right, Yahiko?"
He turned to Yahiko—just as Koyuki thought he might attack.
But Yahiko took a deep breath and said, "Big Brother Li… you should leave."
Li Yao was a good man.
Truly.
But he had violated Akatsuki's core ideal. They no longer walked the same path. If they remained together, he would kill again.
More importantly, Yahiko now realized that Li Yao had never truly agreed with his vision of peace. He had hoped their progress over the past two years had changed his mind.
Clearly, it hadn't. Li Yao was still Li Yao.
They couldn't walk the same road anymore.
And if Li Yao killed again, Yahiko would be the one to stop him.
He had made up his mind.
"Goodbye."
Li Yao didn't hesitate. With Koyuki, he leapt from the tower. In mid-air, Koyuki formed a large paper bird that caught them and carried them away into the sky.
"Big Brother Li!"
"Sister Koyuki!"
Nagato and Konan shouted from atop the tower—but it was too late.
As the saying goes: no plan survives contact with change.
Li Yao had originally wanted to stay close to Nagato and enjoy watching the chaos unfold. But now, that was impossible.
Still, maybe this was better.
Better to shake off Madara's control sooner.
"Uncle, where are we going now?" Koyuki asked.
"To Amegakure," Li Yao replied, eyes flashing.
His mission to stay close to Nagato and protect the Rinnegan had failed. He knew Madara's personality well—arrogant, absolute, and ruthless.
How would Madara deal with a failed agent?
Most likely, he'd kill him.
There was a slim chance he'd spare Li Yao due to his strength—perhaps use him in the future to hunt Tailed Beasts.
But Li Yao wasn't betting on that.
He needed to prepare before Madara made a move.
Drizzle City wasn't far from Hanzo's Amegakure—both lay along the same large lake. At their bird's speed, it would take only thirty minutes in a straight line.
Upon reaching Amegakure, Li Yao quickly descended and located a twenty-year-old jonin with a moderate chakra reserve. He used Sensory Deprivation to take control, lifted him into the sky, and tossed him onto the paper bird.
Then the two quickly flew off, leaving Amegakure behind.
(END CHAPTER)
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