Be My Disciples

"Damn it, Konoha ninja..."

Yahiko instinctively stepped in front of his two companions, his eyes fixed firmly on the figure slowly approaching from the cave entrance.

He looked like a young wild beast that might suddenly lash out and hurt someone at any moment...

As for Nagato, he seemed to have recalled the moment his parents were killed by Konoha ninja. His body was trembling slightly.

Noticing this, Yahiko spoke without hesitation.

"Nagato, take Konan and get out of here! I'll hold this guy off!"

At his words, Nagato finally broke free from his fear.

He did not choose to run. Instead, he gripped a discarded Kunai he had picked up from the battlefield.

The same determined light shone in Konan's eyes as she stood firmly at Yahiko's side.

"Heh, you think a brat like you can hold me off?"

"Don't worry. None of you will get away!"

A flash of killing intent crossed the Konoha ninja's eyes, and the Kunai in his hand gleamed coldly.

"Die, brats of the Land of Rain!"

"Watch out, there's someone behind you!!"

Yahiko suddenly shouted.

The Konoha ninja, who was about to strike, froze.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Yahiko lunged forward and clamped both arms around the man's leg, then bit down hard.

At the same time, Konan grabbed onto his other leg.

Nagato gripped the rusty Kunai and, summoning all his courage, thrust it toward the enemy.

"Damn it, you actually tricked me!"

Being toyed with by a brat filled the Konoha ninja with immense humiliation.

Chakra immediately erupted from his body, and the terrifying force easily broke Yahiko and Konan's hold.

With a single sweep of his arm, he sent both of them flying.

Then he kicked Nagato, who was holding the Kunai, away as well, effortlessly defusing their attack.

"You've wasted enough of my time. Die already, brats."

The Konoha ninja finally grew serious and stepped toward the children one step at a time.

Yahiko lay on the ground, clutching his backside and baring his teeth in pain.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he shouted again.

"Watch out, there's someone behind you!"

This time, the Konoha ninja did not react in the slightest. He merely wore a disdainful expression.

"You think I'll fall for the same lie twice?"

"You really don't know wha—"

Before he could finish, he felt a broad hand lightly settle on his shoulder.

"Sorry, but it seems he was telling the truth this time."

A calm voice echoed through the cave.

The next second, the Konoha ninja felt a violently overwhelming force surge from that hand!

In an instant, it crushed his shoulder blade and collarbone together.

A shrill scream immediately echoed through the cave.

But Jingū Kiraku had no time to care about that. He spun and swept out with his leg, smashing the Konoha ninja into his companion at the cave entrance like a cannonball.

The other man froze for a moment before the sudden "cannonball" sent him flying out of the cave.

Just as he finally steadied himself and rose, wondering whether to fight or flee, he saw several fat white bugs crawl out from his companion's body.

BOOM!!!

The violent explosion tore through the curtain of rain, sending thick smoke billowing outside the cave.

"Don't worry. It's all over now."

Inside the cave, Jingū Kiraku looked at the children before him and gave them a gentle smile.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Jingū Kiraku, and I am the new leader of the Hidden Rain Village."

"The leader of Hidden Rain Village...?"

Yahiko looked at the young man before him, and there seemed to be a hint of longing in his voice.

Konan, on the other hand, cautiously asked from beside him.

"Um, I remember that the leader of Hidden Rain Village was Lord Hanzo, wasn't he?"

After saying that, she seemed to feel that questioning him was inappropriate and hurriedly waved her hands.

"I don't mean that I don't believe you. I was just curious."

Jingū Kiraku did not mind.

It was only natural that these children, who had wandered all over the Land of Rain, did not know about this.

"The Lord Hanzo you mentioned has already been defeated by me. I am the leader of Hidden Rain Village now."

Jingū Kiraku crouched down and explained slowly.

Just as he wondered what reaction these brats would have, Yahiko suddenly spoke.

"Really? You really defeated Lord Hanzo?"

"Then doesn't that mean you're an even stronger ninja than Lord Hanzo?"

He spread his hands wide, gesturing at something even bigger in the air.

At the same time, Konan and Nagato beside him also looked at Jingū Kiraku with curiosity.

After all, Yahiko had personally witnessed the battle between the Three Legendary Ninja and Hanzo, so he knew exactly how terrifying Hanzo, known as the pinnacle of ninja, truly was.

Yet this man before them claimed that he had defeated Lord Hanzo.

Then he must possess even greater power, right?

Faced with the hopeful gazes of the three children, Jingū Kiraku scratched his nose.

"In a sense, that's true."

At that answer, a resolute look immediately flashed through Yahiko's eyes.

He suddenly dropped to his knees before Jingū Kiraku, his hands gripping the ground tightly as he pleaded earnestly.

"Then could I ask you to teach us ninjutsu?"

Yahiko's sudden action caught Jingū Kiraku slightly off guard.

He had originally been wondering how to gain this brat's trust and "lure" them back to Hidden Rain Village.

But now, things seemed to be progressing even more smoothly than he had expected?

Still, he did not agree right away. Instead, he asked in return.

"Why do you seek greater power?"

Yahiko clenched his fists, lifted his head, and met Jingū Kiraku's gaze with unwavering determination.

"Peace. I want peace!"

"Only by wielding power that can be called divine can we bring true peace to the world."

Jingū Kiraku raised his eyebrows. He had not expected Yahiko to possess such awareness at this age.

But there seemed to have been a scene like this in the original story—

When Yahiko discussed ideals with Nagato, he believed that only strength could bring true peace to the ninja world.

It was only later, under Jiraiya's guidance, that he changed his view and came to believe that peace could only be brought about through mutual understanding between people...

That was hard to judge.

After all, humans sometimes could not even understand themselves, so how could they achieve true mutual understanding?

That way of thinking was far too idealistic.

Yahiko's current thoughts were more in line with Jingū Kiraku's.

So he patted Yahiko on the head and said,

"In that case, come back to Hidden Rain Village with me."

He looked up at Nagato and Konan, then asked with a smile.

"You three, are you willing to become my disciples?"

"I will personally teach you ninjutsu and every means of surviving in this chaotic world."