In the Land of Rain.
"Rumble!"
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. Its deafening thunder followed belatedly, accompanied by a blinding burst of white light.
The sky hung gloomy and gray. A terrifying downpour suddenly swept in, as if to wash away the gloom that shrouded the land.
At the Konoha outpost.
Outside a secluded tent, two Konoha Ninja stood guard. The expressions on their faces made it clear they were in no good mood.
Every so often, they glanced toward the tent, their eyes seeming to betray a sense of disgust.
Inside, a white-haired, one-armed man sat motionless in a corner, his gaze vacant.
His lips were parched, as though he hadn't had a drink in a long time.
At the sound of the violent thunder outside, a glimmer of life slowly returned to his blank eyes. He turned his head, lips moving slightly as he rasped,
"It's... raining again..."
"Is Heaven... condemning a sinner like me too...?"
At that moment, scene after scene seemed to flash before his eyes—images that filled him with fear and guilt.
"Jueliang, do you have anything you want to say?"
"No, Captain Sakumo... If I had to say something, I'd wish to eat at Ichiraku Ramen with you and the others one more time. I... never appreciated it before..."
"Samutou, Majiu, do you have anything you want to say?"
"Well, we're just like Jueliang. If we get the chance... we'd be happy just to go eat at Ichiraku Ramen with you one more time..."
"Let's go... We'll complete this mission... If we get the chance... I'll treat you all to Ichiraku Ramen again..."
"Kojika!!?"
"Go back... Cough, cough... Captain Sakumo... If we don't leave now... there won't be another chance..."
In Sakumo's mind, the terrifying scene seemed to play out all