Kakashi Arrives in the Land of Rain

Beneath a gray, overcast sky, Kakashi, clad in a hooded raincoat, emerged from the small town against the backdrop of the relentless downpour.

Returning to the cave he used for shelter outside the town, Kakashi removed his raincoat and sat down on a stone that remained relatively dry.

The soul of his father, Sakumo, emerged from the Broken Blade on Kakashi's back, while the soul of his teammate, Rin, appeared from the bone ring worn on the index finger of his right hand.

This ring, crafted from bone, had been given to Kakashi by Shiraishi before he left Konoha; it possessed the property of nourishing souls, and it was here that Rin now resided.

Kakashi had been in the Land of Rain for three days. During this time, he had not recklessly approached the Akatsuki, but had instead investigated their intelligence from all sides to determine if they were truly as Shiraishi had described.

Three days of intelligence gathering confirmed to Kakashi that this was a ninja organization so kind and righteous that it bordered on naive.

The things the members of the Akatsuki did were even more exaggerated than what Shiraishi had claimed.

Not only were they striving to quell chaos and pursue peace in the Land of Rain, but they also accepted various tasks from the commoners of the Land of Rain for free, helping them resolve their difficulties without charge.

This was the first time Kakashi had encountered such a naive organization, and he truly understood why Senior Shiraishi wanted to help them.

"Father, do you think an organization like this can really last?" Kakashi looked toward Sakumo beside him.

Sakumo shook his head. "They cannot even guarantee their most basic survival. That they have persisted until now relies entirely on their lofty ideals. This mode of execution cannot exist for long."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, analyzing the situation earnestly: "If they want the Akatsuki to survive for a long time, or even replace Amegakure to become the new power leading the Land of Rain, the problems of funding and survival must be solved now."

Ninjas need to eat; the Akatsuki's current practice of accepting commissions for free would only continuously exhaust the passion of every member.

One day, when these ninjas reached their limit amidst the day-to-day toil and poverty, that would be the moment the Akatsuki completely collapsed.

"Kakashi, what you need to consider now is how to join them, how to gain their trust, and how to gain a voice within the Akatsuki. Only then can you truly help them," Sakumo offered his advice.

"The Akatsuki's method of recruiting members is very simple: as long as one has a certain level of ability and agrees with their philosophy, they will be accepted directly." Having said this, Kakashi paused before finally making a decision: "Tomorrow, I will attempt to make contact with the members of the Akatsuki."

"Go ahead and do it, Kakashi! No matter the result, I will ensure your safety," Sakumo encouraged.

"Kakashi, I will help you too. Do your best!" Rin, who had been sitting quietly to the side watching Kakashi, raised her right hand and clenched it into a fist to cheer him on.

In the base of the Akatsuki, Asuma, who had been receiving treatment for three days, had seen his injuries improve to the point where he could barely get out of bed with someone to support him.

Over these three days, Asuma had gradually figured out his situation, but it had only left him more bewildered.

He was no longer his former self; not only had his age decreased, but his appearance had also undergone a complete transformation.

He was now a commoner of the Land of Rain, a member of a merchant caravan. Because they had been attacked by bandits, everyone in the caravan had been killed, and he alone had been saved by Konan.

Konan, who had saved him, was a ninja from an organization in the Land of Rain called the "Akatsuki."

The members of this organization hoped to unite the various factions within the Land of Rain through communication and dialogue to achieve true peace within the country.

After hearing the Akatsuki's philosophy and pursuits from Konan, Asuma's immediate reaction was basically the same as Kakashi's.

How could this possibly be done?

To expect different ninjas to lay down their hatred and interests and unite for peace, relying solely on communication and mutual understanding.

Such a philosophy was simply too absurd.

To be honest, Asuma did not think highly of the Akatsuki's philosophy at all, nor did he believe these people could succeed.

Asuma sat on the hospital bed, considering what he should do once his wounds healed.

Should he leave the Land of Rain, return to Konoha, and tell the old man about his situation?

Or should he stay in the Land of Rain, remain with the Akatsuki, and help Konan and the others?

He did not know what had happened to him, but after the initial panic passed, he discovered that he seemed to have obtained what he wanted most: to be rid of the identity of the Hokage's son.

In the past, whether at the Ninja Academy or after graduating as a genin, no matter how hard he tried or what achievements he made, he would only ever receive one remark.

"Asuma performed well; he is truly the son of the Hokage."

Hokage! Hokage! Hokage!

In everyone's eyes, it seemed that any effort he made would eventually be reduced to: "You are truly the son of the Hokage!"

He did not know when it started, but Asuma grew to hate this sentence more and more. He became rebellious, becoming the disobedient youngest son of the Hokage in the eyes of others.

But this time, Asuma truly had the opportunity to completely shed his past identity and start a new life with a new persona.

Asuma felt a bit excited, but also inexplicably lost, as if something were missing from the bottom of his heart.

With a creak, the wooden door of the room was pushed open, and Konan walked in carrying a tray filled with food.

"It's time to eat, Kazusuke."

To hide his identity, Asuma had given himself a fake name: Kazusuke.

"Kazu" came from the chakra nature transformation Asuma was proficient in, and "suke" came from the name of Asuma's grandfather, Sarutobi Sasuke.

"Big Sister Konan, thank you for your hard work." Facing the angel-like Konan, Asuma lost the arrogance and rebelliousness he had in Konoha, appearing very sensible.

"Eat quickly! If it's not enough, tell me, and I'll go get you some more." Konan placed the tray on the wooden cabinet by the bed, then picked up a small wooden table from under the bed and set it in front of Asuma.

"It's enough." Asuma moved the tray onto the wooden table; inside was a bowl of rice, a bowl of steamed egg, a plate of fried fish, and a bowl of vegetable soup.

Konan sat on the wooden stool by the bed, watching Asuma eat heartily, and asked slowly: "Kazusuke, once your injuries are healed, have you thought about where you want to go?"

Asuma's right hand, holding his chopsticks, paused. His open mouth slowly closed, and he turned his head to look at Konan.

"I..." Asuma had yet to make a decision at this moment.

"There is no need to rush; your wounds still require time to heal. I only wanted to tell you that if you truly have nowhere else to go, you are welcome to stay here. Everyone will like you," Konan said in a gentle tone.

"Mm!" Asuma lowered his head, looking at the food before him, his movements mechanical as he continuously shoveled the meal into his mouth.

As for what he should do next, should he go or stay?

Asuma could not reach a decision for the time being.