New Companions

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

Nagato pressed his hands hard against the ground, struggling to pull himself up from the mire.

Yet, this simple action had become an immense challenge for him.

After struggling for a moment, Nagato plunged face-first into the muddy water once more and did not rise again.

Indeed, he had reached his limit.

Hunger and cold had exhausted most of his stamina; he truly had no strength left.

Gradually, Nagato's vision began to blur.

Just then, a dark shadow approached from not far away.

The shadow stopped a short distance from him.

Nagato tried his best to lift his head to see the person's face, but he lacked the strength to do so, and eventually, he slowly closed his eyes.

Chiba watched Nagato in silence, his mood exceptionally complex.

Zetsu should be nearby, right?

Chiba scanned the surroundings calmly, then quickly returned his gaze to Nagato.

Not to mention whether someone like Zetsu, who possessed the top-tier stealth abilities in the entire Ninja World, could be discovered by Chiba.

If he were actually discovered, wouldn't he just be silenced?

Putting this fleeting thought aside, Chiba began to seriously consider another question.

Should he save the Nagato before him, or should he not?

Except for himself and the instigators of all this, no one knew what kind of power this seemingly unremarkable child possessed.

Hidden within that thin, frail body was the rare Uzumaki Bloodline of the Ninja World, along with the strongest eyes: the Rinnegan.

Undoubtedly, he held the power to destroy the world; the Rinnegan was not only the strongest dōjutsu but also the key to the resurrection and ambitions of Madara and Kaguya.

Behind him, pair after pair of eyes were watching him.

Without a doubt, Nagato was currently a source of trouble.

If he saved him according to the original plot, it meant that he, along with Yahiko and Konan, would inevitably be dragged into the greatest conspiracy of the Ninja World.

The opponents they would face in the future were enough to make one feel despair just thinking about them.

However, could he really choose not to save him?

True, if he turned a blind eye now, or secretly saved Nagato and pointed him in the wrong direction, it might be possible for them to break free from this vortex.

But without the chance to learn ninjutsu, and without the support of Nagato's power, would they truly have a better outcome once they stepped back onto the path of seeking strength to save the Land of Rain?

At that point, they would likely only die even more miserably.

With power, they could at least struggle for a while; without it, they would be swallowed by this massive vortex even more easily.

For a moment, Chiba was caught in a dilemma.

It was like a person dying of thirst finding seawater; he knew drinking it would kill him, but the immediate problem was that he was about to die of thirst right now.

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

It was just like the vow he had once made.

Better to fight as a ninja and die than to be killed at will like an ant by others.

Moreover, Chiba vaguely felt that he might not have the right to destroy the bond that they were destined to share.

Gently waking Nagato, Chiba handed him a few wild fruits he was holding.

"Hey, wake up."

Soon, Yahiko's dissatisfied shouting echoed through the cave.

"What is this? You went out and brought back another person, and on top of that, you even brought back a dog."

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

Yahiko sighed helplessly and tossed a piece of bread to Nagato.

"What's his name?"

"Little Dot."

"Little Dot? What a strange name."

"Uh... Little Dot is the dog's name."

A while later, the group learned Nagato's story through his account.

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Parents killed, wandering alone—it was practically a mirror image of their own lives.

In such chaotic times, these orphans all had similar experiences to one degree or another, making it very easy for them to resonate with one another.

After learning the general situation regarding Nagato, Yahiko finally made his decision.

"Fine, fine, you can stay here for the time being, but I have to make one thing clear."

Yahiko sighed helplessly, deliberately putting on a stern expression.

"I don't keep idlers here. If you want to stay, you have to help out with the work, got it? If you don't pull your weight, I will definitely kick you out."

Before Nagato could react, Chiba and Konan couldn't help but giggle as they watched Yahiko's feigned severity.

"Hey, what are you two laughing at?"

"Hehe, nothing."

"Hmph, I can't believe you're still laughing."

Yahiko's face was full of distress.

"I've got a real headache now. Suddenly having an extra mouth to feed—er, no, that's not right."

Glancing helplessly at the dog on the ground, Yahiko's tone became even more mournful.

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

Konan patted Yahiko's shoulder comfortingly.

"It'll be fine, Yahiko. As long as we work a little harder, we should be able to feed them. At worst, we'll just eat a little less; it doesn't matter if we go hungry for a bit."

As she spoke, Konan walked over to Nagato's side again.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Rest assured, Yahiko is all bark and no bite. We won't kick you out, but you can't be lazy, okay?"

"You can think of this as your new home. From now on, we are your family."

"Mm."

Nagato nodded heavily, tears streaming down his face before he could stop them.

Home. Family.

Just like Chiba, Nagato was easily touched in the deepest part of his heart by these words.

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

Chiba looked gently at the group as the atmosphere gradually warmed, then suddenly cast his gaze toward the cave entrance once more.

He knew that Zetsu must be watching them from the shadows.

Unconsciously, he clenched his fists, a faint, imperceptible coldness flickering in Chiba's eyes.

Come on. No matter who you are, I will kill you all.