Yahiko

was a shinobi from Amegakure and founder of the original Akatsuki before his death. However, Yahiko's corpse became the vessel through which his team-mate Nagato acts under the name of Pain, the Deva Path of Nagato's Six Paths of Pain.

Background
Yahiko was orphaned during the Second Shinobi World War, forced to steal food in order to survive before teaming up with a fellow orphan named Konan. Soon after the two found a place to call home, Yahiko expressed early displeasure of Konan bringing another orphan, Nagato, into the group. However, Yahiko eventually accepted Nagato and his dog Chibi into his gang. Angered by how unfair the world was to them, Yahiko declared he would become a god to end the fighting. Soon after the death of Chibi, Yahiko and the others eventually encountered Jiraiya, who looked after them and taught them basic ninjutsu. At one point, Nagato saved Yahiko after an Iwagakure chūnin attacked them. Afterwards, Yahiko vowed to become strong enough to protect Konan, Nagato, and eventually all of Amegakure.

During their time with Jiraiya, he created a defence system so they could protect themselves, should enemy ninja find their hideout. It was comprised of four planks, each with one red side and one white which had a frog picture on it. The four planks were attached to a part of a wall of the hideout with their names underneath each respective plank (Nagato's on the left, Yahiko's in the middle and Konan's on the right while Jiraiya's was on a separate wall). The purpose of the planks was a defence mechanism: if one of them were in the hideout they would simply turn their plank to the red side. If for some reason the red plank was turned yet the person was not there it could alert the others that that member had been kidnapped. If one of them were to leave the hideout they would simply have to flip their plank to the white side. If it should happen that a plank is turned on to the white side yet the person is in the hideout it could mean that an enemy has transformed into said person and has infiltrated the hideout. Jiraiya had also built a trapdoor hidden among the floorboards leading to an hidden room and emergency escape route, just in case.

Yahiko asked why Jiraiya always tried to force his frog ways on them and that they only tolerated it because he was the "Frog Sage". Konan then explained the possible reasons for implementing a code like that which Jiraiya praised her for. He then declared that it was time for training to which Yahiko responded to enthusiastically claiming that one day he would get stronger and change the country before running outside. After hearing his words Konan blushed at him to which Yahiko responded with a perverted smile reminiscent of that of his master's. This also demonstrated his benkei persona where he was a braggart while in his own home, but demonstrated a more reserved demeanour in public. Over time the three would train to be talented shinobi and it is hinted that Yahiko and Konan developed romantic feelings for each other.

Some time after Jiraiya's departure from Amegakure, the three gained a reputation as a talented shinobi team. Still desiring to create a world of peace, Yahiko and his friends went on to become fully fledged Ame ninja. Around this time, during the Third Shinobi World War, the trio met Obito Uchiha, who was acting under the guise of Madara Uchiha, and Zetsu. Listening to the results of what would happen from the Eye of the Moon Plan, Yahiko did not trust the masked man, and urged Konan and Nagato to stay away from him. Later, gathering many supporters who shared their ideals, Yahiko established the Akatsuki, though Obito claims to have played a role in the group's creation. Akatsuki spread their beliefs to stop war without violence, and news of their actions would reach Jiraiya from time to time. When their group became too big, they were forced to find another hideout, and leave their current one where they once lived with Jiraiya. When they were about to leave and flip over their "Hop-In" planks, a ninja squad attacked the hideout creating an explosion which resulted in a hole in the roof which they used to infiltrate the hideout. Yahiko (after Konan flipped her plank and just before he was about to flip his), noticed the attack in time and used the escape route just before ninja entered the hideout. Seeing the Akatsuki's ideals becoming a threat to his regime over Amegakure, Hanzō conspired with Danzō Shimura to eliminate the Akatsuki's three leading ninja. Springing the trap, Hanzō forced Nagato into a position where either the dictator killed Konan in front of them or he murdered Yahiko. However, without hesitation and not wanting Nagato to be put in such a position, Yahiko drove himself into a kunai that Nagato was holding. With his final breath, he told Nagato to continue their mission of finding peace.

Personality
Yahiko's personality was similar to Naruto's. His dream was to be a leader of his village, and he never gave up no matter what. When he was alive, Yahiko had a strong "eye for an eye" philosophy. He hated the way Amegakure was looked at by the rest of the world, and hated what it had become. He was defensive of the village, saying that it was his dream to stop the endless rain, which he compared to tears, and protect the nation's citizens. Yahiko wanted to become the ruler of the world so there wouldn't be any more wars. Many of these traits were adopted by Nagato after Yahiko died.

Among the three Ame Orphans, Yahiko seemed to act as the leader of the group. It was Yahiko who first approached the Sannin to ask for food, and was the first to ask Jiraiya to teach them ninjutsu. With Jiraiya's influence on them Yahiko even seemingly started to adopt some of Jiraiya's mannerisms such as his boastful facial expressions. He also seemed to act as an older brother for Nagato and Konan, reminding Nagato to not cry and to act more manly (although Yahiko was the one who cried when Jiraiya left them). He also wished to become stronger so as to protect Nagato and Konan. He had faith in Nagato, when he got older. Yahiko was willing to commit suicide rather than endanger Konan's life, displaying a very high level of loyalty to those he cared for. He also had romantic feelings for Konan which were reciprocated.

Yahiko was shown to be sharp-witted, having figured out "Madara" was an impostor and knowing his plan was just a ruse, and instructed Nagato and Konan to stay away from him.

Appearance
Yahiko had short spiky orange hair and blue eyes (depicted as brown in the anime). Under Jiraiya's tutelage, he wore a short black shirt robe with green trimmings, dark pants, a black and white belt that he tied in front with mesh armour underneath. As an original member of Akatsuki, he wore a long black robe with a red line running down the centre along with armour that covered only his mid-section with a pouch attached to it. He also carried a relatively large sword during this time. It was also shown that Yahiko had inherited his master's perverted smile something that ironically enough, embarrassed Jiraiya.

As the Deva Path was the body of Yahiko, it had retained all of his physical features from when he was alive, most notably his medium length spiky orange hair. But as a Path of Pain, the Deva Path possessed Nagato's Rinnegan, bore six piercings, a metal bar through each ear, three studs through the side of its upper nose, and one spike stud on each end of the bottom lip. It also had three piercings on each wrist, at least one on its upper wrist and some just under his neck. His face became also a little pale. On his right thumb, he wore a purplish-grey Akatsuki ring that bore the kanji for. He also wore a necklace, which was somewhat similar to the one worn by the Sage of the Six Paths. Another noticeable difference between the Deva Path and Yahiko is the expression on their face: as the Deva Path, Yahiko's face bore no telling expression and was in all sense, a walking corpse. He was also mentioned by Chōji to be somewhere between his mid-twenties to his thirties, hinting he'd died somewhere around that age.

Abilities
Yahiko had the ability to use water-based techniques, although the only example of this shown in the series was Water Release: Wild Water Wave, in which he was able to shoot a jet of water from his mouth. In the anime, he demonstrated considerable control in manipulating the water as shielding pillars. Yahiko also had the elements of Fire and Wind at his disposal. The fact that he was seen carrying a large sword in the flashbacks implied that he was skilled in kenjutsu. He also had good leadership skills, as he was respected by all the Akatsuki members of his time, and although he viewed Nagato as the bridge of peace, everyone else viewed him to be the person who would lead them to true peace.

Legacy
Following Yahiko's death and Nagato's subsequent immobility, Nagato, using his Rinnegan and chakra receivers, incorporated Yahiko's corpse into his Six Paths of Pain technique. As the Deva Path, Yahiko's body acted as Pain's main body, it being the one he most commonly used and spoke through; this is because Nagato and Konan still saw Yahiko as the leader of Akatsuki and used his body to symbolise this. In addition to the control of gravity that is central to the Animal Path's abilities, Yahiko's body is used for many of the miscellaneous techniques that Nagato performs for Akatsuki meetings. The Deva Path was held in higher regard during combat, as some of the other bodies were unhesitatingly sacrificed to ensure its survival.

Over the following years, the Deva Path is used for a number of different purposes: shortly after Yahiko's death it and the other Six Paths of Pain were used to overthrow and kill Hanzō; when Jiraiya infiltrates Amegakure in order to find out more about Akatsuki, the Deva Path fights him and ultimately contributes to his death; in the anime, the Deva Path assists in the capture of the Six-Tails; during Pain's Assault, it is used to destroy Konohagakure and is the last of the Six Paths of Pain to be defeated by Naruto Uzumaki.

Following Deva Path's defeat and Nagato's death, Konan took both of their bodies back to Amegakure and created a shrine for them, placing their bodies on a bed of paper flowers. It was later desecrated by Tobi who stole Nagato's body. Yahiko's corpse is currently the only one that is lying in repose there.

Video Games
While not directly playable, Yahiko when he was alive appears an alternate costume for Pain in Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution.

Trivia

 * Yahiko shared his birthday and blood type with his former team-mate, Konan.
 * Yahiko's eyes are shown to be a light blue in the manga. In the anime, his eyes are depicted as brown.
 * When split into its separate kanji, means increasing, while  means boy.
 * Studio Pierrot's Settei sheets of Yahiko show that he was 150 cm around the time he was attacked by the Iwa chūnin, and 165 cm when Jiraiya left Amegakure.
 * When Chōji Akimichi describes the Deva Path, he says it looks to be approximately 25 to 30 years of age.
 * According to the databook(s):
 * His hobby was fishing.

Quotes

 * (To Jiraiya) "If we're gonna "understand" each other, first we gotta make 'em suffer like we're sufferin'! Like when they stop a fight because someone got injured! But I know that'll never happen… that's why there'll always be war. It always rains here and I hate it. It's like this whole country is a big crybaby. I'm going to change it… and protect everyone!"
 * (To Nagato) "I'm gonna' rule the world!!"
 * (Thinking out-loud) "If war is going to continue — I will become the god of the world!!"
 * (To Konan) "Our country's still crying… still enduring all this pain. I used to hate it so much… but now I want to save it from the bottom of my heart. Its a big crybaby, like I used to be… I can't just leave it."
 * (To Nagato) "Nagato… If you just keep crying nothing will happen… Just like the rain!"
 * (To Obito) "By knowing people's pain and shedding the same tears, we can eventually get closer to the real world!
 * (Last words to Nagato) "You and Konan… you've gotta stay alive somehow… You're… the saviour of… the world… You… can… bring… real--"