The moment Uha's transformed state emerged, Hanzo's pupils shrank with disbelief.
"What is this? Some kind of rare bloodline limit? But why does the pressure he's emitting feel so much stronger than before?!"
"Don't waver..."
"Stay sharp, hold your stance, and keep your nerves tight. If you relax even a little, the battle will be over in an instant."
As Uha's calm words echoed in the air
Swish!
He vanished from sight. A brilliant blue flash streaked through the mist.
Slash!
In an instant, a severed arm spiraled through the rain-soaked air.
Not far away, Hanzo clutched his bleeding shoulder, his face grim and pale.
"So fast! Too fast for the naked eye to track! Faster even than the Body Flicker Technique! Is it the Flying Thunder God of the Second Hokage? Or..."
He couldn't believe it.
Could this truly be raw speed?
Uha stood there holding a glowing blue spear, sounding almost impressed. "Not bad. You dodged that just enough to avoid instant death, purely on combat instinct. Another inch and your head would be rolling."
"Who... who are you?!"
"How could someone like you exist in the ninja world without a trace? And your age..." Hanzo gritted his teeth.
"Took you long enough to figure it out. You really thought I was just some seventeen-year-old kid? I've lived long enough to be your grandfather. Let's see... roughly one hundred and twenty years?"
Uha casually counted on his fingers, as if trying to remember how many years he'd spent slaving away on Earth.
"Now I see..."
Hanzo's expression eased into grim acceptance. "A powerhouse from the same era as the so-called God of Shinobi. If I fall to someone like you, it's no disgrace."
He didn't know how this man had survived into the present, or why he looked so young, but at this point, there was no point digging further.
With strength and speed like this, escape was no longer an option.
"Time to see you off."
Uha had no interest in clearing up the misunderstanding. He raised the blue spear and hurled it without hesitation.
Swish!
It soared like lightning. The wounded Hanzo couldn't react in time.
With a sharp crack, the spear impaled him, nailing his body to a distant boulder.
And just like that, the so-called demigod of the ninja world was dead.
Silence.
For a long moment, the battlefield was deathly still.
From Uha's injury to Hanzo's death, the entire fight had lasted less than ten seconds.
Behind him, Nagato and Konan stood frozen, too stunned to speak.
"He's... dead? Just like that?" Nagato was the first to regain his senses, utterly shaken. "One of the most powerful shinobi in the world, killed by a single spear?!"
Nagato wasn't weak himself. He had relied on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to defeat most of their enemies.
But killing Hanzo? Impossible.
He could barely summon the statue again in his current state.
"Killing Hanzo isn't such a big deal. Before long, Nagato, you'll be able to do it too. The power of the Rinnegan goes far beyond what you've tapped into," Uha said with a smile, appearing in front of him.
"You know who I am?" Nagato was surprised.
"Of course. Anyone who possesses the Sage of Six Paths' eyes will never go unnoticed. The moment those eyes appeared, your fate was sealed. You were destined to be the focal point of this world. The entire ninja world will change because of you."
"But..." Nagato hesitated, eyes filled with doubt. "Yahiko wanted to achieve peace without relying on violence, but it seems he was wrong. Tell me... how can I fulfill Yahiko's dream?"
"What if Yahiko could be brought back?" Uha asked.
"Really?!" Nagato's eyes widened in joy.
"I told you, the Rinnegan's power is far from limited. Reviving Yahiko wouldn't be difficult. But the price would be your own life. What will you choose?"
"I see..."
Nagato's tone grew solemn. "Then I choose not to bring him back just yet. I want to end all war and hatred in the ninja world with my own hands. Only when I succeed will I offer my life to return Yahiko to this world."
Uha wasn't surprised by his answer.
It was the same kind of thinking that led Obito to refuse to bring Rin back.
Why return her to a world that would only hurt her again? Better to create a fantasy world where she'd never suffer.
But wasn't that just a reflection of this world's sorrow?
Wars between the great nations ravaged the small ones in between. The Land of Rain was one such place, torn apart by conflict.
How many families had been destroyed?
How many young shinobi, full of promise, had died before they saw adulthood?
Nagato's later vision wasn't fundamentally wrong. Gathering the tailed beasts to forge a deterrent, a force so terrifying no one would dare start another war...
Wasn't that the same logic as nuclear deterrence on Earth?
Why was Naruto able to bring peace after the Fourth Great Ninja War?
Because his power was overwhelming.
And then there was Sasuke, wandering around the world like a bored god.
Who would dare make trouble with those two around?
Naruto had the strength, but he also chose to befriend others.
Nagato didn't have enough strength, and Akatsuki was too individualistic. Each member was powerful, but in the end, they couldn't withstand the world alone.
One by one, they all fell.
Seeing the hunger in Nagato's eyes, Uha spoke seriously. "Hanzo is dead. Amegakure has lost its leader. You should take control of the Land of Rain, build your power, and begin gathering S-rank rogue ninja. Reform Akatsuki and collect the tailed beasts."
"To use their power as deterrence?" Nagato echoed the idea immediately.
"More or less," Uha nodded.
Though honestly, tailed beasts weren't as important in the later stages.
They got tossed around like soccer balls by Madara.
In the end, individual power mattered most.
But still, collecting them was key. After all, they were central to the Fourth Great Ninja War and Black Zetsu's plan to revive Kaguya.
Better to seize them now and hold the advantage.
Uha and Nagato talked for a while longer, laying the groundwork for the future.
When the conversation wound down, Uha asked curiously, "Nagato, you don't know my name or origin. Yet you trust me this much? Aren't you worried I might be just like Hanzo, with my own agenda for your Rinnegan?"
"I'm not afraid. Your strength is far beyond mine and Konan's. If you wanted the Rinnegan, you could take it by force. And besides, you saved us."
Nagato's eyes lit up. "You remind me of Yahiko. He trusted his comrades without reservation and gave them all his care."
"I believe that one day, I'll succeed Yahiko as the 'Guide' of the ninja world and lead it to true peace. And you, elder, you will become the 'Sentinel' of the ninja world. The one who watches over that peace."
"Sentinel, huh?" Uha was briefly taken aback, then chuckled. "If you're assigning me a title like that, I suppose I'll accept it."
Of course Uha knew what Nagato was doing trying to bring him into the fold.
It made sense. He was a being from the same era as Hashirama, the First Hokage, and had just obliterated the so-called Demigod of the ninja world.
Why wouldn't Nagato want him on his side?
Uha hated battle after a century of slaughter in Hueco Mundo.
But now that he had landed in this world, maybe it would be fun to stir things up.
Seeing Uha's reply, Nagato smiled.
But just then
From the ground behind Nagato, a figure wearing a swirling mask emerged.
"Nagato, this man isn't from our time! Trust me, he's deceiving you!" Obito growled from behind his mask, his face twisted with fury.
Damn it!
If he hadn't shown up now, Nagato was about to be completely stolen away!