Wind and Rain

Uchiha Chiba left the training ground.

His heart began pounding wildly. The strange feeling sent his ominous premonition soaring to its peak. He moved incredibly fast, surprising Katsuzuki of the Salamander, who was following beside him. She used a secret technique to pick up speed and catch up with Chiba.

"You're going too fast," Katsuzuki of the Salamander panted as she trailed behind Chiba.

"Sorry, I'm a little anxious. After all, Konan's still an ordinary person who's never even gathered and refined chakra. Even if she's fine, I need to get there as quickly as possible." Uchiha Chiba leaped through the woods, his figure turning into an imperceptible shadow as he sped up.

Katsuzuki: Do you have any idea how hard it is to run with these two lumps of meat?

Chiba: Wait! I just remembered a novel where a woman surnamed Bai said she wanted to cut off those two lumps of useless meat! How about—

Katsuzuki: Get lost!

Just over ten minutes later,

The two of them arrived at the gates of Amegakure.

Today was the monthly black market in Amegakure.

"Damn, why did the Demigod of the Ninja World's son show up today of all days?"

"Listen up, especially you slave traders over there. Stop selling slaves and get out of here. If that little tyrant catches you, you'll be lucky to escape with your skin intact."

"Forget it. With that guy around, we're going to lose a fortune at this month's market. Let's come back next month."

Several black-market dealers cursed as they packed up. Amegakure didn't forbid black markets, but... this one sold slaves. Some were children left behind after their clans had been wiped out, some were ninja with unusual Kekkei Genkai, and others had been captured and sold into slavery for various reasons.

Katsuzuki of the Salamander might have been a little silly, but she couldn't stand people trafficking, so whenever she came across it, she beat the traders bloody and made them release the slaves. After all, her father was the Demigod of the Ninja World, who was now riding high. Nobody could do anything about her.

The desperate men coming and going lowered the brims of their hats. Most of them knew Katsuzuki well. She was famous for being big-breasted and empty-headed, and if she caught sight of anything she didn't like, someone would end up dead or injured. They couldn't fight her or curse her, and seeing the woman was as unpleasant as having to swallow a dead fly.

But at that moment,

Katsuzuki of the Salamander had no mind to bother with them.

The bun shop.

"Oh? It's Chiba. Where's Konan?" Yahiko heard footsteps behind him and put down the sack of flour in his hands.

"Konan isn't here?" Uchiha Chiba's pupils contracted. This is bad!

"That's right. Konan went to bring you food a few hours ago, Chiba." Yahiko blinked. He'd thought Chiba would be coming back with Konan.

"What's wrong?" Even Yahiko, slow as he could be, noticed something off in Chiba's expression.

"It's nothing... Yahiko, don't go back to the camp outside the village tonight. Stay here, got it?" Uchiha Chiba's expression was grave. He didn't even need to think about it. Only Danzo would threaten him this way...

It couldn't have been some wild animal. The Rain Ninja guarding the gates were sensors, and so were the Rain Ninja near the training ground. But on the way here, the Rain Ninja at the training ground said they hadn't sensed Konan at all, while the guards at the village entrance had only said that Konan had left.

Danzo...

Even though I'm not even Kage Level, you still have to resort to this kind of underhanded trick?

"Danzo... I'll kill you, no matter what." Uchiha Chiba's eyes changed in an instant, his Double Tomoe Sharingan filled with fury.

Then,

Katsuzuki of the Salamander came out of a nearby house. "Little Chiba, I've talked it over with Grandma. Until we get back, the two of them can stay here."

Then,

The two of them left the bun shop.

"My father's at the front right now. Should we ask him for help?" Katsuzuki of the Salamander asked.

"No. Lord Hanzo is at the front, about to launch an all-out assault on Konoha. This battle will decide what comes next. I can't distract Lord Hanzo with my own problems. I'll have to rely on myself." Uchiha Chiba sighed. He knew which side mattered more.

Besides, Danzo would send at most two Kage Level fighters this time. Tell me, what village's second-in-command would be so idle that he'd send several Kage Level subordinates to kill a child who wasn't even Kage Level?

Even two Kage Level fighters would be a handful, but someone like Danzo, who wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, didn't care about the cost. He cared only about the outcome.

What's more,

Chiba still had a forbidden technique.

"Where are we going to look? I haven't been to the battlefield in ages. I'm itching for a fight!" Katsuzuki of the Salamander tied her hair up in a ponytail for action.

That was right!

Where?

Uchiha Chiba closed his eyes, his mind racing. They were after him and his map. At first, they'd sent people to hunt him down, all the way to that abandoned village.

Later, another ninja had also gone near that village—the abandoned one where their little hideout was. That meant they must have taken Konan to that village. Maybe they were waiting at the house for him to show up!

"Sis Katsuzuki, don't come with me. This is my problem. There's no need to drag you into it." Without looking back, Uchiha Chiba stepped forward.

Katsuzuki of the Salamander leaped up and punched Chiba on the head.

"Little Chiba, don't you dare!" How could Katsuzuki of the Salamander pass up a chance to fight when one had finally come along? Besides... she couldn't stand by and watch her only friend get into danger.

"You could die," Uchiha Chiba said with a faint smile.

"Then I'll die." Katsuzuki of the Salamander followed Chiba out of Amegakure.

On the road,

Chiba and Katsuzuki found the steamed bun, soaked through by the rain and ruined beyond recognition...

"There's no trace of chakra here. They must have a very skilled sensor ninja. No wonder the village guards and the guards at the training ground didn't notice what happened here. This... is a blind spot." Katsuzuki of the Salamander touched the muddy puddle with her delicate hand, then looked at Chiba beside her.

The people after us this time aren't crazy. This is going to be troublesome...

After all, there had been many factors that helped him beat the madman called Hannya last time. First, Hanzo the Salamander's black toxins had disrupted Hannya's nerves. Second, Hannya was a battle maniac who disdained underhanded tactics. Third, Hanzo's Right Hand, a Kage Level fighter, had been there to help.

"They deliberately chose a time when Lord Hanzo was away, so they must be absolutely certain they can keep me here—and take this map." As he spoke, Uchiha Chiba pulled a leather map from his pocket.

Why did he remember it so clearly?

Because

the place recorded on that map

was the place where, inside the cave, Uchiha Chiba had seen a symbol in his mind that looked much like the Uchiha Clan crest. At the same time, he'd also seen... his own name.