Yahiko and Konan

Hanzō carefully handed the secret letter to Sasori. Sasori took it, and the unique Konoha mark on the envelope seemed to be telling him about the earth-shattering secret hidden inside.

He slowly opened the envelope, and the letter slid out and appeared before his eyes.

His gaze, like a wisp of silk, darted between the lines—this was actually a response written by Hiruzen Sarutobi himself!

The letter was clear and unambiguous, expressing Hiruzen Sarutobi's agreement to Hanzo of the Salamander's request.

However, two key points were particularly emphasized: first, it is imperative to ensure Koki's safety; and second, it is essential to do everything possible to protect Danzo.

Sasori's eyes slowly moved, finally settling on the five characters: "Uchiha Kōki".

At that moment, his body trembled slightly, and an unbelievable glint of tears appeared in his eyes.

The faint, shimmering light on the water represented a deep-seated emotion, suddenly awakened by these simple words.

But then, this ripple of emotion was swallowed up by an extremely twisted and insane force.

Scorpion's eyes burned with intense heat, as if he wanted to completely incinerate the letter he held in his hand.

Hanzō noticed Sasori's unusual behavior and his heart tightened. He wondered to himself what this madman was up to now.

"What's wrong?" Hanzō asked cautiously.

Sasori suddenly raised his head, the madness in his eyes undiminished. This sudden action startled Hanzō.

He inwardly groaned; he had clearly done as Scorpion had asked, so why had this madman become so strange again?

Sasori seemed oblivious to Hanzō's terror. He slowly regained his composure, but that composure was tinged with a chilling indifference.

"I'll give you what you want. Just let that old woman come over," Scorpion said calmly, without a trace of emotion when he mentioned his grandmother.

"Good! Good! Hahahaha!"

Hanzō hearing Sasori's reply, Hanzo was slightly taken aback, then a smug smile appeared on his face, followed by a burst of wild laughter.

His laughter echoed in the room, filled with wickedness and smugness, as if he could already see the gruesome scene of the person he called "Puppet Old Woman" dying at the hands of her beloved grandson.

Thinking of this, his sense of vengeful pleasure grew stronger, and his laughter became even more unrestrained.

Scorpion stood quietly to the side, his face expressionless.

Under the shroud of a continuous drizzle, even sunlight seemed a luxury and a rarity in Amegakure.

On that day, the sky cleared up for a rare moment, but as night fell, a light rain began to fall again, the raindrops gently pattering against the mottled eaves, creating countless ripples.

In the narrow streets and alleys, the smell of dampness and decay mingled and permeated the air.

In the corner, a frail boy of about five or six years old was curled up, as if a gentle breeze could blow him away.

His disheveled hair covered his forehead, and his face was covered in dirt, yet it still couldn't hide his exquisite features.

His large eyes revealed fear and stubbornness as he tightly clutched the meager amount of food in his hands, his only hope for survival in this harsh world.

Several burly ninjas, dressed in uniform battle attire, exuded arrogance and domineering attitude.

The leader, a fleshy man with a greedy glint in his eyes, barked menacingly, "Boy, hand over the food you're carrying!"

The boy shook his head violently, clutching the food even tighter, his voice trembling but resolute. "No, this is mine!"

"Hey, they won't shed a tear until they see the coffin!" The ninjas swarmed forward, trying to snatch the life-saving food from the boy's arms.

Pedestrians hurry by on the street, none of them stopping or even glancing at them. This scene repeats itself day after day, and people have become indifferent to it.

The law of the Amegakure is ruthless.

At this critical moment, an orange-haired boy and a purple-haired girl appeared on the street like lightning.

The orange-haired boy was agile and strong. His hair looked particularly bright in the rain. His face had distinct features, and his eyes revealed determination and justice.

The girl with purple hair had a beautiful face. Her long hair fluttered in the wind like purple silk, and her eyes were bright and gentle, like stars twinkling in the night sky.

Yahiko shouted, "Stop! As ninjas, you possess power to change the world, not to bully the weak!"

His voice was loud and powerful, echoing in the quiet rainy night.

The ninjas were startled by the sudden shout, but they quickly recovered.

"Hmph, where did this brat come from, daring to meddle in other people's business!" Enraged, they drew their weapons and pounced on Yahiko and Konan.

Undeterred, Yahiko moved with lightning speed, weaving between the ninjas like a ghost.

Konan assisted from the side, her paper Ninjutsu dancing like nimble butterflies, making it impossible for the enemy to defend against.

After a fierce battle, the ninjas gradually became exhausted and were eventually beaten to the ground by Yahiko and Konan.

They huddled in the mud, groaning softly in pain.

Yahiko and Konan clapped their hands lightly, then turned to leave.

But at that moment, the boy suddenly blocked their way. He raised his pale face, his eyes glistening with tears of gratitude.

"Thank you, you saved me."

Yahiko smiled slightly and reached out to pat the boy's head. "It's alright. You need to learn to protect yourself from now on."

Konan stepped forward and asked gently, "What's your name?"

The boy lowered his head, his voice barely audible. "Yamamoto Yūto."

He hung his head and remained silent, his damp hair clinging to his cheeks, his eyes revealing endless loneliness and confusion.

"Let us take you home," Konan said gently.

The Yamamoto Yūto slowly raised his head, his lips trembling slightly.

"I... I'm homeless." His voice was low, yet it seemed to contain endless sorrow.

Yahiko frowned slightly, a pang of pity rising in his heart. He gazed at the frail child before him, his mind in turmoil.

"I know you have an organization... Could you accept me?" Yamamoto Yūto suddenly looked up, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.

Yahiko felt a tremor in his heart. He did indeed have an organization, an ideal he fought for.

He longed to use this organization to build bridges between people, to create a rainbow leading to world peace. He wanted to change the world, to keep it away from war, to rid it of suffering, and to free it from bullying.

However, he was caught in a deep dilemma when faced with this child.

On the one hand, the child is too young; he's only a few years old. How can he protect himself in this dangerous and challenging world?

On the other hand, he is clearly not a ninja and does not know Ninjutsu, so letting him join the organization would undoubtedly bring him great danger.

However, if left unattended, given his current condition, he probably won't live much longer.

Konan seemed to have sensed Yahiko's thoughts. She gently tugged at Yahiko sleeve and whispered in his ear.

"Yahiko, we can't just abandon him like this. He's lost everything; if we don't take him in, he really has no way to survive."

Yahiko took a deep breath, and as he looked into Yamamoto Yūto's expectant eyes, his hesitation gradually dissipated.

"Alright, come with us." Yahiko finally made his decision.

"Thanks!"