Land of Rice

The Land of Rice.

The underground fortress was built from dark purple bricks. Two rows of cylindrical glass Incubation Pods stood inside, each containing twisted, pieced-together human limbs.

Orochimaru sat before the central screen, tapping at the keyboard.

The screen showed a thermal image of a human body from a snake's point of view. A huge hole gaped in its chest, with winding lines snaking and tangling through it.

"Yakushi Kabuto, I still need you."

Orochimaru was now utterly alone. The Sound Four had died during the invasion of Konoha, and Kimimaro and Yakushi Kabuto had just met their ends together.

His six most capable subordinates had all been killed by Naruto alone.

Orochimaru's internal organs had long since been completely transformed and replaced with snakes, giving him limitless regenerative abilities.

He had transplanted his own cells into Yakushi Kabuto, hoping to rebuild his heart and bring him back to life.

Before returning, Orochimaru's original plan had been to use Impure World Reincarnation on Yakushi Kabuto.

But along the way, he had discovered that Kabuto's survival instinct and desire to live were extraordinarily strong. Even though he was already dead, the Chakra from Yin Healing Wound Destruction was still struggling to grow new flesh.

He had been too weak to manage it on his own, but with the blood vessels created by Orochimaru's flesh-based ninjutsu supporting him, he had forced his body to keep circulating until he made it to the laboratory.

Orochimaru rested his interlaced hands beneath his chin, eyes alight with delight at the new research. "As long as there's no rejection, it should work. Kabuto, you really are the perfect test subject!"

"The Akatsuki are hunting me, and I have no one left to rely on." Orochimaru wiped a hand across his face, changing from a feminine appearance into a handsome young man wearing earrings. "I'll go out and find a few promising candidates for the Cursed Seal."

With that, he changed into a pure white robe and glided out of the laboratory.

The door closed.

Inside the Incubation Pod, Yakushi Kabuto's skin slowly developed texture and a sheen like scales. Thirteen tubes were connected to the ports at the front and back of his body.

A string of bubbles drifted from his nostrils and lips.

--

--

Inside an inn in Tanzaku Street.

With Shizune's daily care and attention, Naruto was back on his feet.

Shizune had stopped wearing the loose black-and-gray robe that looked like mourning clothes. She had changed into a fitted black floral qipao, and swept her long bangs from her forehead to either side, revealing her fair skin. She looked bright and gentle.

Naruto was shaking a dice cup. Tsunade and Jiraiya had wagered on Cho-han—guessing whether the result would be odd or even. This was the round that would decide whether Tsunade stayed or left.

Unable to make the decision herself, Tsunade had left the choice to fate.

Everyone knew Tsunade's luck at gambling: she lost every time. The only exception was when she was about to suffer a terrible misfortune, so she was betting on herself to lose.

If she won, she would return to Konoha.

Naruto didn't dislike that decision. Everyone had moments when it was hard to choose. All that mattered was making a choice.

Jiraiya knew this was already a step forward. The fact that she could say it meant she was willing to consider the idea.

A strange surge of boldness came over him, and he said something no one there had expected. "Let's do it! If you won't go back to be Hokage, I'll do it!"

Tsunade stared at him, her brown eyes wide.

As far as she remembered, Jiraiya had always been a carefree show-off who valued his freedom. But deep down, she preferred people with a sense of responsibility, even if she didn't have much of one herself.

Yet she had felt her affection rise of its own accord for Dan Katō, her younger brother Nawaki, and even Naruto when he said he wanted to become Hokage.

After all, Konoha was the home where she had grown up, the village her grandfather had founded.

The dice clattered inside the cup, and the mood was both tense and light.

Shizune clenched her fist to herself. Come on, Naruto! You have to bring Lord Tsunade back to the village!

Thud!

The dice cup landed on the table.

Jiraiya and Tsunade both looked at Naruto, as if they hoped to read the answer from his eyes or his movements.

Naruto's expression didn't change. He didn't know the result. He hadn't listened or tried to control the dice—he had just shaken them randomly.

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at each other. "You first or me?"

"You first," Tsunade said.

Jiraiya bet on "even" and laughed. "A pair makes a perfect couple!"

Tsunade didn't need to bet. She chose nothing, leaving the result to fate. "Open it."

Naruto lifted the lid.

Four pairs of eyes fixed on the dice.

"Three, five, seven. Fifteen—that's odd..."

Tsunade read out the short result as if it took all the strength in her body. But the moment it was revealed, relief welled up in her too.

The decision had been made.

KRAKOOM!

She turned toward the window. Dark clouds had suddenly gathered, and lightning tore across the sky as rain poured down in sheets.

"Will there be misfortune?"

"I don't know," Jiraiya said. "But I was the one who asked you to come back to Konoha. If there's misfortune, I'll stand in front of you."

Tsunade really did smile. Despite the dreadful weather, her smile was bright enough to warm the heart.

"Jiraiya, which woman taught you all that? Your travels over the years weren't for nothing, huh?"

Naruto really wanted to say it hadn't been a woman, but the moment had already arrived, and he didn't want to ruin it. "Shizune, it's been ages since it rained. I want to go out and walk around with an umbrella. Will you come with me?"

"Sure." Shizune rose from her kneeling position.

Though many days had passed since that night, she still often thought of Naruto, standing with his blade in hand and flames reflected in his eyes.

Ever since Tsunade had left Konoha, Shizune had considered herself her bodyguard, even though she was her student. For years, she had helped Tsunade with every problem that came her way.

She had almost forgotten what it felt like to be protected. Naruto had reminded her.

Jiraiya and Tsunade had nothing new to talk about. They chatted about old times, and whenever either brought up something that had happened in recent years, the conversation somehow turned back to the past.

Things like, "Don't you remember that time you did the same thing?" and, "I knew you'd do that again."

Downstairs, Naruto and Shizune each held an umbrella as they walked along the street. The rain came down hard, splashing several centimeters off the ground. The merchants along Tanzaku Street had all packed up their stalls, grumbling about how quickly the weather had changed.

Perhaps because Naruto's natural Chakra nature was wind, he felt refreshed by the violent storm as the wind slammed against the awnings.

There was a calm within the chaos.

It was like the restless nature of wind, which had to rub and spin to become sharp—not steady like earth and water, nor scorching and volatile like fire and lightning.

Shizune held a little pink pig with a pearl necklace. Its name was Tonton, and its sense of smell was incredibly sharp.

But the downpour washed away every scent, leaving Tonton unable to smell anything.

The two of them went into a pavilion and set down their umbrellas. They stood beneath the doorway; the wooden benches around the pavilion were soaked through and unusable.

"Can I hold her?" Naruto asked.

"Of course!" Shizune happily handed Tonton over. "Do you like her?"

"I like anything cute." Naruto took her.

Shizune couldn't help thinking of the first thing Naruto had said to her: that he wanted to sit beside her. Had it been because she was cute?

She was twenty-eight.

Naruto wasn't even fourteen yet, was he?

She was nearly twice his age.

She suddenly smiled warmly and asked, "Naruto, is there a girl you like?"

"There used to be. Her name was Haruno Sakura." Naruto held Tonton in his left arm and stuck his right hand out beyond the pavilion, letting the rain beat against it.

"But she thought I was ugly and badly behaved. She liked handsome guys, and she turned me down when I confessed. Then things got even more ridiculous, but let's not get into that."

Shizune looked Naruto straight in the eye and said earnestly, "Naruto, you're very handsome, and you have a good personality too."

Praise always felt good. Naruto laughed openly. "So do you, Shizune."

He had the ability to heal himself, but it was crude and clumsy. Shizune, as Tsunade's direct apprentice, was meticulous when it came to treatment, bandaging, and changing dressings.

For him, it was fine without her, but having her help was definitely better. To everyone else, she was a lifesaver.

He suddenly thought of Hinata. After he had been badly injured in his battle with Kisame, Hinata had said she wanted to become a medical ninja.

"Shizune, is Grandma Tsunade still teaching students?"

Shizune shook her head. "I don't know. You'll have to ask Lord Tsunade."

"What about you? Do you teach?"

Shizune waved both hands. "Me? I'm not qualified."

"Of course you are. I saw it with my own eyes. How could I not know?" Naruto's gaze was sincere. "When we get back to the village, I'll recommend a student to you."

Shizune's cheeks flushed faintly. "Okay."

KABOOM!

Thunder cracked overhead as the wind and rain howled.