The New Akatsuki

Summary
Yahiko and Nagato talk, Yanko revealing he wants to step down as the leader of the Akatsuki and have Nagato replace him. The talk is quickly interrupted by Kyūsuke who reveals to the two that a representative from Hanzō's group has arrived, surprising Yahiko and Nagato. The group meet Kanzō (in reality a disguised Danzō Shimura) who informs them that he is an adviser and Hanzō has given his approval to the group and wishes to meet with them to discuss an offering of peace via a scroll that Yahiko receives from Kyūsuke. The group is overjoyed by the news, Yahiko remarking that so many gave their lives for them to reach this point as Nagato tells him he doesn't need to leave as his words and the desire to help others who were suffering reached Hanzō. When Kyūsuke suggests they go as backup, Yahiko talks them out of it, stating it would be meaningless. He then announces that the group should suspend their duties and celebrate, the group cheering. Meanwhile, at Hanzō's office, Hanzō and Danzō talk, the two noting that the Akatsuki members are unaware that the entire "meeting" is a trap while Konan who's out on patrol ends up investigating some dead bodies which soon explode, releasing gas that knocks her out. Before she loses consciousness, she sees two of Hanzō's men standing over her.

Early the next day, Nagato meets Obito who wants Nagato to join him but Nagato refuses. Once Obito has left, Yahiko arrives in and tells Nagato if someone was just here. Nagato brushes it off. Yahiko then tells him they should leave or they'll be late to the arranged meeting with Hanzō. A few hours later, as Kyūsuke and the others sleep, a messenger mouse arrives, delivering a scroll to Kyūsuke. As they race to the location, Kyūsuke reveals to the others that Konoha's Root division are attempting an assassination of the Akatsuki leaders. Their paths are blocked by Obito and Zetsu, Obito revealing he wants Nagato to know what true pain really is. Kyūsuke and the other members fight, Kyusuke sacrificing himself in an attempt to kill Obito which fails. The rest of the group are then defeated and subsequently killed via Obito's Wood Release: Cutting Technique as Obito and Zetsu depart, leaving the dead bodies of the rest of the Akatsuki group behind. The two arrive in time to witness Hanzō threatening Yahiko, claiming that as the leader of Akatsuki, Yahiko must die and that if he refuses, Konan will die. Hanzō then throws a kunai which lands in the ground a few metres away from Nagato, telling Nagato he must kill Yahiko and if that happens, Nagato and Konan will be allowed to live. Despite Konan's pleading for her teammates to leave, they refuse. Nagato picks up the kunai and begins panicing. Not wanting Nagato to suffer, Yahiko impales himself on the kunai Nagato's holding and expresses his hope Nagato will change the world before he dies. Obito who watches the scene unfold finds himself remembering the day Kakashi killed Rin.

With Yahiko now dead, Hanzo orders his men and the Root shinobi to kill Konan and Nagato as well. This has Nagato using his Rinnegan to stop the approaching kunai which then fall harmlessly to the ground, surprising some of the troops and as Nagato saves Konan, Hanzo uses Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation to badly damage Nagato's legs. Despite that, Nagato refuses to give up. With the troops approaching, Nagato summons the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path much to Konan's shock, the statue also sending large black receivers into Nagato's own back with the attack manifesting into a dragon who eventually kills the men by claiming their souls, leaving their corpses behind. Once that's over, Hanzō acknowledges Nagato's efforts, revealing that Nagato was the true leader of Akatsuki all along. Despite that, Nagato is not completely satisfied and attempts to kill Hanzō who uses the Body Flicker Technique to escape. The statue then disappears, revealing that in addition to his legs being badly damaged from the earlier attack, Nagato has also become frail and very emaciated, the receivers also now permanently embedded in his back. Sometime later, Nagato is finally driven by Obito Uchiha's Eye of the Moon Plan and along with Konan, agrees to join Obito, Nagato repeating the words Madara told Obito including the fact that hatred is born from wanting to protect love with it also being revealed that due to his injuries, Nagato remains in a machine. Then as Obito and Zetsu leave, Nagato states that Yahiko will always be the true leader of the Akatsuki as it's revealed that Yahiko's body is now the Deva Path and the first of Nagato's Six Paths of Pain.

Credits
新生・暁