New Companions

"Ugh, I can't fall. If I fall, I won't be able to get back up."

Nagato planted both hands firmly on the ground, struggling to push himself up from the muddy earth.

But what should have been a simple movement was incredibly difficult for him.

After struggling for a while, Nagato pitched face-first into the mud again and didn't get back up.

He really had reached his limit.

Hunger and cold had drained most of his strength. He truly didn't have any energy left.

Gradually, Nagato's vision began to blur.

Just then, a dark figure approached from nearby.

The figure stopped a short distance away from him.

Nagato tried desperately to raise his head and see who it was, but he no longer had the strength. At last, he slowly closed his eyes.

Chiba silently watched Nagato lying before him, his feelings unusually complicated.

Zetsu should be nearby, right?

Without showing it, Chiba scanned the area with a subtle glance, then quickly turned his eyes back to Nagato.

Whether someone with Zetsu's top-tier concealment abilities in the entire Ninja World could be detected by Chiba was another matter.

And even if Chiba did detect him, wouldn't he just have to silence him?

Setting aside that fleeting thought, Chiba seriously considered another question.

Should he save Nagato or not?

No one knew the power hidden in this seemingly unremarkable child, except for Nagato himself and the mastermind behind it all.

Within that seemingly frail body lay the rare Uzumaki Bloodline, as well as the most powerful eyes: the Rinnegan.

There was no doubt that a power capable of destroying the world was concealed within him. The Rinnegan was both the most powerful dojutsu and the key to Madara and Kaguya's resurrection and ambitions.

One pair of eyes after another was watching him from the shadows.

There was no doubt about it: right now, Nagato was the very source of trouble.

If Chiba saved him as the original story had, it would mean that he, Yahiko, Konan, and the others would all be dragged into the greatest conspiracy in the Ninja World against their will.

Just thinking about the enemies who would one day stand before them was enough to make anyone despair.

But could he really leave Nagato to die?

It was true that if he turned a blind eye now, or secretly rescued Nagato and then sent him in the wrong direction, the others might be able to escape this vortex.

But without the chance to learn ninjutsu, and without Nagato's power to support them, if they set out again to seek strength and save the Land of Rain, would they really have a better outcome?

They would probably die even more miserably.

At least with power, they could put up a fight. Without it, they would be swallowed up by this vast vortex all the more easily.

For a moment, Chiba was caught in a dilemma.

It was like someone dying of thirst finding seawater. They knew drinking too much would kill them, but the problem right in front of them was that they were about to die of thirst.

In the end, Chiba gritted his teeth and made his decision.

Just as he had once sworn:

Even if he died fighting as a ninja, that was better than being casually killed like an ant.

And, deep down, Chiba felt that perhaps he didn't have the right to ruin the bond between them—a bond that had been destined to bring them together all along.

He gently woke Nagato and handed him a few wild fruits.

"Hey, wake up."

Before long, Yahiko's loud, disgruntled voice rang through the cave.

"What is it this time? You went out and came back with another person, and you even brought a dog back."

"I thought he was about to starve to death, so..."

Yahiko sighed helplessly and tossed Nagato a piece of bread.

"What's your name?"

"Little Dot."

"Little Dot? What a strange name."

"Uh, Little Dot is the dog's name?"

A while later, after listening to Nagato's story, the others learned what had happened to him.

For a moment, they all fell silent.

His parents had been killed, and he was wandering alone. His story was almost exactly like theirs.

In a time of war like this, these orphans had all gone through something similar, more or less. It was easy for them to feel a deep connection.

After learning the basics of Nagato's situation, Yahiko finally made his decision.

"Fine, fine. You can stay here for now, but I want to make one thing clear."

Yahiko sighed helplessly, deliberately putting on a stern expression.

"I don't keep freeloaders here. If you want to stay, you'll have to help out. Got it? If you don't pull your weight, I'll kick you out."

Before Nagato could react, Chiba and Konan couldn't help giggling at Yahiko's pretended sternness.

"Hey, what are you laughing at?"

"Hehe, nothing."

"Hmph, how can you still laugh?"

Yahiko looked troubled.

"I've got a real headache now. We suddenly have another mouth to feed. Uh, no, that's not right."

He glanced helplessly at the dog on the ground, his tone turning even more doleful.

"It's not one mouth, it's two. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."

Konan patted Yahiko on the shoulder reassuringly.

"It'll be fine, Yahiko. If we all work a little harder, we should be able to feed them. At worst, we can each eat a little less. Going a bit hungry won't hurt."

As she spoke, Konan went over to Nagato again.

"Don't feel too pressured. Don't worry, Yahiko's all bark and no bite. We won't kick you out, but you can't slack off, either."

"You can think of this place as your new home. From now on, we're all family."

"Mm."

Nagato nodded firmly, and tears began to fall before he even realized it.

Home. Family.

Just like Chiba, Nagato was easily touched deep in his heart by those words.

"Hey, hey, why are you crying? I'm telling you, I hate it when people cry. Tears are completely useless."

Chiba gazed warmly at the group as the mood gradually became more relaxed, then suddenly turned his eyes toward the outside of the cave again.

He knew Zetsu was watching them from the shadows right now.

Without thinking, Chiba quietly clenched his fists, and an almost imperceptible coldness entered his gaze.

Come on. Whoever you are, I'll take you all down.