Before long, Kisame Hoshigaki received the message and hurried back to Sarada's courtyard.
Moonlight spilled over the little courtyard, where a simple spread of food and wine had already been laid out.
The three sat quietly around the table, sharing a simple farewell dinner.
There were no overly sentimental words. None of them had ever been good at dealing with the sorrow of parting.
Under cover of the deepening night, Langwei shouldered his modest pack, quietly pushed open the back gate, and slipped into the darkness, leaving without a sound.
Sarada stood alone on the courtyard steps, gazing in the direction Langwei had disappeared, and let out a soft sigh.
Reluctance lingered in her eyes, along with a faint trace of worry.
"Langwei has no chakra, and now his origins seem mysterious too. I really don't know what might happen."
Beside her, Kisame stood in the shadows with his arms folded, watching her forlorn silhouette. His rough, husky voice slowly broke the silence.
"No need to sigh. That kid's going back to get stronger. That's a good thing."
"But remember, Sarada. While he's getting stronger, you can't stop moving forward either."
Sarada withdrew her gaze and turned toward Kisame, her eyes instantly growing resolute.
"I understand, Uncle Kisame."
"I'm the leader of the Land of Rain, the one these people rely on. I absolutely cannot be weak, much less become a weakness for the organization or this land."
A look of satisfaction appeared on Kisame's face at those words.
Sarada had a steady temperament. Her only shortcoming was that she wasn't strong enough.
Kisame offered a calm word of guidance. "It's good that you understand that. Your talent isn't bad, though catching up to someone on Nagato's level is out of the question."
"But at the very least, you absolutely