Save This Country

"Why do I have to study this stuff?!!"

At Jingū Kiraku's home, Yahiko was frantically tugging at his short orange hair, his face full of despair.

Before him lay two books—Ninja Psychological Guidance and Ethics and Politics.

Those two books were driving Yahiko nearly insane.

"I want to become a ninja and follow Sensei into battle to kill enemies, not sit here reading these boring books!"

Hearing Yahiko's endless complaints, Konan immediately put down her book and gave him a stern look.

"Sensei said that if you want to become a ninja, you must first possess a strong heart capable of controlling a ninja's power."

"Only with a strong heart can you avoid becoming a slave to power and develop the bearing of a ninja."

"Yahiko, you're too impatient."

Yahiko felt his head throb at Konan's long lecture.

"But I've never heard that becoming a powerful ninja required studying this stuff..."

Yahiko still looked utterly hopeless.

Konan could only sigh helplessly at the sight.

"That's what makes Sensei different from everyone else."

"Others only teach you how to become a powerful killing machine, but Sensei wants us to become great ninjas who can think for ourselves and keep improving."

"Learning how to learn is the first step toward becoming great."

As Konan continued her lecture mode, Yahiko could only turn a pleading gaze toward Nagato beside him.

"Do you understand any of this?"

Under Yahiko's intensely hopeful gaze, Nagato nodded.

"Of course I do."

Not only that, he pointed at the book in his hands.

"I actually find the knowledge in here pretty enlightening."

Hearing Nagato's sincere answer, Yahiko's last shred of hope finally died.

He felt like he was the only idiot here!!

Seeing Yahiko's utterly defeated expression, Nagato quietly dealt him another blow.

"Besides, with your current strength, Yahiko, even if you went to the battlefield, you'd probably just be disposable cannon fodder."

Stab...

Yahiko felt as though he'd been stabbed, and badly at that.

Because he knew Nagato was telling the truth.

"Nagato's right."

Jingū Kiraku's voice suddenly rang out.

Countless sheets of paper drifted down from above, slowly gathering before Yahiko and forming Jingū Kiraku's figure.

Then, without the slightest mercy, he flicked Yahiko hard on the forehead.

"Hisss..."

"Ow, ow, ow!!"

Jingū Kiraku's flick was powerful enough to send Yahiko stumbling back several steps, clutching his head and desperately sucking in cold air.

"With your current strength, going to the battlefield would be nothing more than suicide."

"I suggest you obediently master these two subjects and strive to pass the assessment as soon as possible, so you can begin training in ninjutsu."

Jingū Kiraku said with his arms crossed.

Just as Konan had said, he had no desire for his disciples to become war machines who only knew how to kill with ninjutsu.

Jingū Kiraku had always scorned the ninja training systems of the Five Great Nations.

They sent children of five or six onto the battlefield, then had them start killing people at eleven or twelve...

It would be stranger if children raised like that didn't end up psychologically warped!

After lecturing Yahiko, Jingū Kiraku finally said, "I'll probably be rather busy for a while, so I don't expect to have much time to come back."

"For the next few days, go eat at the village's Collective Cafeteria."

To save food, Jingū Kiraku had specifically arranged for supplies to be centrally managed and had set up several Collective Cafeterias throughout the village.

While it could not guarantee that everyone would eat well or eat their fill, at least no one would go hungry.

It would also give these little brats a chance to interact more with the villagers, which would benefit their future development.

Yahiko and the other two had no objections.

A trace of worry flickered across Konan's face.

"Teacher, you're heading to the battlefield, aren't you?"

Jingū Kiraku smiled and ruffled each of their heads in turn. "Don't worry. A few Konoha ninja aren't enough to hurt your teacher."

"Study hard and wait for news of my victory!"

Hearing that, the three of them nodded firmly together.

"It'll definitely happen!"

Jingū Kiraku did not linger at home for long, because he had something even more important to do next—

Hidden Rain Village's first unit was about to deploy.

When he arrived at Training Ground No. 4 on the edge of the village, more than a hundred figures were already waiting in battle formation.

Under the drizzling rain, every one of them wore a black raincoat, a crow-like gas mask over their face, and a steel cannon tube strapped to their back. Beside them stood silent warhorses.

This was the Poison Cavalry unit Jingū Kiraku had personally forged, codenamed—

Divine Raven.

At the sight of Jingū Kiraku, the hundred-plus members all straightened and clenched their fists against their chests.

"Loyalty!!"

They shouted in unison, their massive roar blurring even the curtain of rain.

Jingū Kiraku's expression turned solemn.

"Everyone, I trust you all know what this deployment means, don't you?"

"This is a battle with nine chances of death and perhaps no chance of survival at all!!"

"This is a war to destroy a nation—a struggle where only one side can live!!"

"If anyone is timid or afraid, step forward now."

With that, Jingū Kiraku swept his gaze over everyone before him.

He was not joking, nor was he trying to frighten them.

Against Konoha's main force, the death rate among these Poison Cavalry soldiers, made up of genin and Ordinary People, would surely be terrifyingly high!

Calling it a life-for-a-life exchange would not be an exaggeration.

Under such circumstances, there was only one key to victory—

Willpower!

Only sufficiently unwavering resolve could carry out missions that were nearly certain to end in death, even in the face of despair.

But every one of them bore a blood feud against Konoha.

Some had seen their wives violated, some their parents murdered, some their children tortured to death...

Thus, beneath Jingū Kiraku's scrutiny, the hundred-plus members stood immovable as mountains.

There was no fear or terror in their eyes—only blazing, burning fury!

Jingū Kiraku took a deep breath, his voice impassioned and powerful.

"Then go."

"Brave soldiers..."

"Go and place weapons in the hands of every citizen."

"Go and let those damned Konoha ninja witness the blazing wrath of the Land of Rain."

"Go and drive out every last one of those invaders—leave none behind!!"

His voice was like a torch, instantly igniting the flames in every soldier's heart.

"Offer our hearts to the Land of Rain!!"

"Land of Rain..."

"Victory!!!"

More than a hundred resolute roars shattered the rain curtain as countless black-clad figures rushed toward the battlefield with determined eyes.

They were going to take revenge!

They were going to save this suffering nation!!