An Unwarranted Disaster

"The Land of Rain..." Ryuga trailed off.

After entering the Land of Rain, their group changed into straw raincoats and conical hats to shield themselves from the rain.

The weather here was often gloomy, with dark clouds hanging overhead. The drizzle, whether light or heavy, rarely stopped.

But everything they saw along the way deeply shocked the three kids who were visiting another country for the first time.

In terms of territory alone, the Land of Rain was roughly the same size as the Land of Grass, and the two countries were economically comparable. The Land of Grass had failed to develop on its own, while the Land of Rain had been crippled by years of war. Yet throughout the shinobi world, although the Land of Rain was small, it had an extremely strong presence. The Land of Grass was nowhere near its equal... Amegakure's strength was absolutely above Kusagakure's as well.

That being the case, the Land of Rain should have been more prosperous than the Land of Grass.

Yet all they saw along the way was decay, ruins, and devastation.

It was different from the Land of Wind, where the harsh environment was a natural condition.

It was clear that the Land of Rain's environment had once been excellent... but war had ravaged it beyond recognition.

They also encountered many refugees fleeing their homes.

Compared to the Land of Rain, the Land of Grass might have been weak, and its village might have been practically invisible... but it was practically paradise.

The atmosphere put everyone in their group on edge.

They ran into many shinobi, including rogue shinobi... The Land of Rain seemed like a war machine that never stopped running. Where there was war, there was profit to be made. Combined with the lack of governance, anyone could take a bite of the pie, naturally drawing all kinds of people from every corner to slip inside. Fortunately, once those people saw their forehead protectors, they did not get any ideas... Otherwise, Yue truly was not sure whether Shishiro alone could protect them.

Here... they had to thank Kusagakure's excellent foreign policy again. At the very least... they had never offended anyone.

Nor did they have much of a presence.

If they had been from one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, they would inevitably have run into some conflicts along the way.

After wasting a few more days, they finally delivered the merchant caravan to Amegakure without incident.

The four of them temporarily settled down in Amegakure because of that.

Only after completing the mission did Yue and the other two finally let go of their anxiety.

Before heading back, they would remain in Amegakure for one day.

So Yue and Ryuga planned to stroll around Amegakure and experience the local customs.

"My father said that although the shinobi world has appeared to calm down these past few years, undercurrents have always been stirring beneath the surface. Still, compared to when he was young, things are much better now... I never truly understood what he meant before, but after coming to Amegakure this time, I finally do." The three had changed into rain gear and walked down the street, looking around.

Ryuga spoke in a low voice.

Although it was still raining, the residents of Amegakure were clearly accustomed to it... The shops along both sides of the road remained open for business.

There were a few pedestrians on the streets. It was neither deserted nor bustling.

But perhaps due to the environment or the state of the country, Yue noticed that most people in Amegakure had no smiles on their faces. They seemed somewhat numb...

"War is cruel... Shinobi like you and me can't escape the chariot of our villages and nations. We have no choice. We're bound by a shared fate." Yue continued, surveying the rows of towering buildings beyond the rain curtain. "Still, there's no need to worry. War may not be a good thing, but from another perspective, it's the fertile ground that nurtures our growth. Compared to an era of peace, I prefer this kind of environment, where there's a sense of urgency."

Ryuga glanced at him. "Just like you."

That really was Yue's personality.

While the two of them were reflecting on the matter, Yoshitaka did not join in. Instead, he exclaimed, "The Land of Rain clearly looks like it's in such terrible shape, but this village is actually built so well. Not only is it bigger than ours, look at these buildings... every single one is so grand."

"Yeah..."

Yue murmured and stopped walking.

His gaze fell upon a dark silhouette rising like a spire.

Forget Kusagakure—even compared to Konoha, it was no less imposing.

But this architectural style, or perhaps the village's layout, completely revealed Hanzo of the Salamander's ambitions in his youth and highlighted his personality. It fit Amegakure's origins perfectly. It had a bit of an upstart feel... His fortunes had been at their peak, and he had wanted to build a magnificent village. Unfortunately, those majestic buildings stood only in the village's core district, while the outlying areas had not been properly tended to... From this, it was clear that Hanzo of the Salamander, as its ruler, had become somewhat distracted in his later years.

Only this area looked good... and it was still concealed beneath the rain, unable to show itself fully.

Instead, the shadows of those "skyscrapers" made people feel oppressed, as if they could barely breathe.

"I heard there's a snack street over there. Let's go take a look."

Yoshitaka pointed in a direction.

It was rare for them to visit another country. Aside from trying the food, the two of them also intended to buy some Amegakure specialties to take home.

"Mm."

Yue nodded.

He had brought money too, intending to buy his mother a gift.

Knowing his mother's personality, she would probably be moved to tears.

At that thought, Yue felt that perhaps... not buying anything would not be a problem either.

After turning a street corner, they entered what looked like a shortcut. There was hardly anyone around.

Yoshitaka held a map in his hand, discussing with Yue and Ryuga which shop they should try first.

Before leaving, the local merchant caravan owner had specifically told them about several "tourist attractions" in Amegakure.

The three chatted as they walked. Even Yue, who was usually quiet, joined the conversation.

But none of them expected that danger had already drawn near.

Just as they were about to turn out from the intersection, a black shadow suddenly dropped from the sky and landed beside them.

The instant this person approached, Yue felt as though time throughout the entire world had frozen... As if the space around him had abruptly become a black-and-white image.

His entire body felt as though it had fallen into an ice cellar.

There had been no warning, not the slightest sign, and this person had appeared beside them... Yue was the first to react. Ryuga and Yoshitaka were half a beat slower, smiles still hanging on their faces.

If this person attacked, the three of them would likely be killed instantly without the slightest ability to resist.

What shocked Yue even more was that, in that instant, he caught a glimpse of a familiar red-and-black hem from the corner of his eye.

A Fire Cloud Robe.

It was someone from the Akatsuki Organization.

Although it differed from the finished version of later generations, Yue's sharp eyes immediately recognized the style and the red patterns.

His body instantly regained sensation, and he looked up to meet the person's eyes.

Both sides saw each other clearly.

Time seemed to resume its normal flow. The other person had clearly only been passing through. His indifferent gaze showed slight surprise at the little boy's reaction, and hesitation appeared on his face, as though he were deciding something. But he quickly withdrew his gaze, darted into a pitch-black alley at the intersection, and vanished.

Only then did Ryuga and Yoshitaka break out in cold sweat.

"Who was that?"

"He appeared like a ghost out of nowhere. He scared me to death."

Yue's icy hands and feet began to warm up. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the bloodstains left on the ground. "That person was injured... badly."

"If Amegakure's people come over to question us later, say we didn't see anything."

Yue immediately realized something and hurriedly warned Ryuga and Yoshitaka.

"We're outsiders. Our mission is already complete, so don't get dragged into trouble."

"Okay."

The two exchanged looks and nodded.

Almost the moment Yue finished speaking, several shinobi dressed in outfits resembling diving suits surrounded the three of them with a series of whooshes.

There were six or seven of them.

At the front, a man wearing a breathing mask looked over the three kids in raincoats, then glanced at the blood behind them that had not yet been washed away by the rain.

"Shinobi?"

He saw through Yue and the others' identities at a glance. His eye was sharp indeed, because unlike ordinary children, their gazes were not so panicked.

"Kusagakure, huh..."

Without the slightest courtesy, the man stepped forward and roughly lifted Ryuga's raincoat hood, revealing the forehead protector he wore.

Feeling the other man's cold aura, Ryuga and Yoshitaka barely dared to breathe.

A trace of dormant killing intent hung in the air.

"You saw someone pass by just now, didn't you?" the man asked coldly.

Ryuga and Yoshitaka's lips had turned pale.

Under the pressure of that presence, neither of them could even speak.

"We did."

Yue suddenly spoke up.

There was no way to bluff their way through... He had made things too simple in his mind.

"Which way did he go?"

Yue decisively pointed toward the alley where the Akatsuki member had disappeared.

"Move."

Seeing that, the man led his companions away at once.

Only after they had gone did Ryuga and Yoshitaka dare to take deep breaths.

Yue pursed his lips, his expression grim.

"Go back. Get Teacher Shishiro. Right now... immediately, leave Amegakure and head back. Don't stay here."

After saying that, the three turned and ran.

Ryuga and Yoshitaka had complete faith in Yue's decision.

They too realized that something was wrong.

It seemed they had been caught up in an unwarranted disaster...

I still let my guard down. The Land of Rain's situation is special, and considering Akatsuki's movements during this period... even in Amegakure, we shouldn't have been wandering around carelessly. The Akatsuki Organization has already begun taking shape, and this is an active period for them. They couldn't possibly use the village as a base and settle under Hanzo's nose, but given the purpose of their activities, they were bound to become involved with certain key people and forces within the village. It was inevitable that individuals would be carrying out some missions or plans inside Amegakure!

Yue thought with lingering fear as he ran.

However, just as they were about to leave that deserted street and reach the main road.

Yue suddenly sensed danger approaching.

His muscles tensed instinctively, and he launched an attack at an incoming black shadow.

But the opponent was clearly in an entirely different league from him.

"Damn it!"

Yue's eyelids twitched, and the next second, his consciousness plunged into darkness.

Ryuga and Yoshitaka stopped in their tracks.

They stared in stunned disbelief.

They only saw a blur before their eyes. When they looked again, Yue, who had been running in front, was already gone.

"Yue...?"

Ryuga's face went bloodless, and panic seized him.