Past Events

Nagato and Koki walked to the side, found a quiet spot, and sat facing each other.

Nagato looked at Koki and asked softly, "Would you like to hear a story from the past?"

Koki nodded slightly, looking tenderly at Nagato, and replied, "Of course I'm willing."

Nagato gently closed her eyes and began to tell that long-ago story.

Once upon a time, in a small corner of the Land of Rain, there lived an ordinary little boy in an ordinary family with parents who loved him deeply. Life was simple, but full of warmth.

"This little boy's father is named Ise, a doctor who saves lives during wartime, and his mother, Fuso, is always by his side."

"With compassionate hearts, they, as doctors, traversed war-torn lands, remaining steadfast in their posts despite knowing the danger."

"At that time, the Land of Rain was engulfed in war, and ninjas from other regions ran rampant, plundering and committing all sorts of atrocities."

One night, as the family was preparing to rest, they suddenly heard a commotion outside the window. In this time of war, ninjas frequently appeared, and since their house had been destroyed by the war, they quickly hid.

They hid under the table, the boy hugging himself tightly, while his parents flanked him, holding him close in the center.

The boy overheard the low murmurs of two ninjas conversing. They hadn't eaten for three days and were starving, discussing how to find more food.

The two ninjas slowly rose and searched the kitchen, rummaging through the food while making admiring noises. "So delicious!"

The mother whispered to the father, "We should take this opportunity to escape."

However, the boy murmured softly, "I'm scared. What if we're discovered?"

"The father sensed his fear and gently comforted him: 'Don't worry, as long as we stay quiet, nothing will happen.'"

In that instant, the frightened boy accidentally touched the corner of the table, and with a crisp crash, the jar on the table shattered.

The slight noise immediately alerted the two ninjas. They gripped their weapons tightly and rushed from the narrow kitchen into the house.

"At this critical moment, the boy's father bravely stood in front of him and his mother, stepping forward to engage in a fierce battle with the ninjas and successfully blocking one of their attacks."

"Another ninja charged straight at the boy and his mother, who tragically sacrificed herself to protect her beloved son."

Even in her last moments, she called out to the boy to run for his life.

The sky over the Land of Rain remained overcast, the air damp and heavy, so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

Nagato sat silently, tears streaming down his face. He wiped away the tears with the back of his hand, his voice trembling, and then slowly recounted the bitter memories buried deep in his heart.

"After the boy's parents met with misfortune, the two Konoha Ninja turned their attention to the only remaining third person, only to discover that he was just a child."

"Upon examining the bodies, they discovered that those who had fallen were not actual ninjas."

The two ninjas were deeply remorseful and apologized to the boy.

"In a fit of extreme terror and grief, the boy unleashed a mysterious power that allowed him to defeat the two ninjas."

At this point, Nagato was already in tears, her body trembling slightly, as if she had returned to that thrilling moment once again.

Koki listened quietly to Nagato's story, a deep sense of sympathy welling up inside him. He finally understood why Nagato felt fear every time he saw the Forehead Protector.

That unassuming Forehead Protector was more than just a symbol for Nagato; it was a painful memory that he could never erase from his heart.

Clearly, the little boy is Nagato himself, and the two ninjas are the same ninjas that Konoha sent to attack the Land of Rain during World War II.

That war left a deep scar on Nagato's heart, a scar that can never heal.

Upon calm reflection, was Nagato wrong?

That's absolutely right.

A young, ordinary child, trembling with nervousness, accidentally knocks over a jar—this is simply the most natural thing in the world.

He was merely an innocent victim of war, ruthlessly swept into the vortex of conflict.

Was Nagato's father Ise, wrong?

That's not wrong either.

When his identity was exposed, Ise stepped forward to protect his family. This was a father's nature and duty. He wrote a magnificent chapter of fatherly love with his life, which is awe-inspiring.

Nagato's mother, Fuso, was completely innocent; she bravely sacrificed herself to protect her child in the face of the ninja's onslaught.

So, were these two Konoha ninjas wrong?

That doesn't seem to be entirely true.

The war horn was sounded by Konoha, but it did not originate from these two ninjas. They were merely soldiers following orders, without any decision-making power, simply obeying commands to step onto a foreign battlefield.

They too had families and loved ones, and they too did not want to become pawns in the war, but fate was cruel, and they had no choice but to obey their superiors' orders.

Why did the Konoha Ninja consider Ise as enemies?

First, the era of war and turmoil kept the Konoha Ninja in a constant state of tension. Every slight movement could be deadly, and they were like birds startled by a bow, suspicious and paranoid at the slightest disturbance.

Secondly, Ise's sudden attack undoubtedly sent the wrong signal to the Konoha Ninja —that the enemy was attacking.

Driven by his instinct to protect his family, Ise didn't hesitate to throw a punch at the unfamiliar intruder. For the Konoha Ninja, who were on the verge of exasperation, this was undoubtedly the prelude to a battle.

Third, and most heartbreakingly, the Konoha Ninja never considered the existence of civilians. Who would have thought that civilians would be hiding in this dilapidated house ravaged by war?

Inside this near-ruins, two empty-bellied Konoha Ninja desperately rummaged through drawers and cupboards, searching for sustenance. Their only thought was survival, and hunger drove them to search for any possible supplies without hesitation.

Suddenly, a sharp sound came from the inner room. Anyone in this situation would be startled. The two rushed over and saw a grown man lunging at them with a punch.

In that split second, the Konoha Ninja, their nerves on edge, could only react instinctively. They had no time to ponder the other's true identity, nor any chance to discern whether it was a misunderstanding.

The cruelty of war forced them to react instinctively, and this response led to an irreversible tragedy.

Koki sighed deeply, "It's all because it was a time of war. It's better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos."

War, that terrifying specter, makes people lose their minds and distorts their humanity.

No one can remain unscathed, and no one can escape the clutches of war.