55 CH - 55 Unlucky Yahiko?

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"Let's organize this area! We can set up the table here and create a simple advertising stand using paper," a group of voices resonated from a specific location in the Land of Rain, indicating ongoing construction.

"And over here, let's tidy up! We need to showcase the excellence of our multinational corporation. Remember, we have collaborated with the five major ninja nations, ensuring strong financial backing and guaranteed qualifications!" Giving instructions with confidence was a red-haired child named Nagato, accompanied by his friends Konan and Yahiko, who assisted him.

"Let's hang the banner at the entrance! Konan, use your waterproof paper! Remember, we should apply our ninja skills in all aspects of life!" Nagato directed Konan, utilizing her Paper Style technique.

"Applying ninja skills! Applying ninja skills means utilizing our ninja techniques to solve practical problems!" Nagato finished his statement, prompting Yahiko to repeat the phrase to himself as he hung the banner. It seemed that he recalled something he had learned in school.

Nagato noticed Yahiko's repetition and raised an eyebrow, presenting a question that resembled their homework. "Here's a question for you: Your comrade is injured, and blood is gushing out like a fountain. You're about to administer a blood transfusion when the enemy stabs your comrade from the other side, causing additional bleeding. It takes you 10 minutes to complete the blood transfusion alone, and it takes the enemy 15 minutes to finish stabbing and bleeding your comrade to death. If both of you start simultaneously, how long will it take for you to rescue your comrade from danger?"

While Yahiko hung the banner at the entrance, his lips twitched in response to Nagato's unexpected question. He leaned in closer to speak to Nagato, who was assisting him below, and whispered, "Honestly, wouldn't it be wiser to eliminate the enemy first before attempting the blood transfusion? Can't we save our comrade without engaging in simultaneous blood-giving and blood-taking?"

Internally, he couldn't help but grumble, thinking, 'And is a blood transfusion really that straightforward?'

His mind wandered back to the numerous peculiar questions he had encountered in school, like calculating the trajectory of a shuriken thrown from a distance of 800 miles, factoring in its initial velocity of 40 m/s and acceleration of 4 m/s². How absurd! Which ninja would even consider throwing a shuriken from such an extreme range?

And that was just the beginning. There were even more nonsensical questions, such as the one about a sealed space housing an excessive number of one-tailed and nine-tailed beasts. Trying to determine their count based on head and tail calculations seemed preposterous. Were there truly that many tailed beasts? Weren't there only supposed to be nine in the entire ninja world? And could someone even contain and seal such a multitude of tailed beasts within themselves?

Nagato listened attentively to Yahiko's grievances and shook his head. "It doesn't matter why they pose these questions. What truly matters is grasping the main concepts and problem-solving approaches they represent. We can apply that mindset to tackle the challenges we encounter." As Yahiko finished hanging the banner, Nagato handed him the remaining items and remarked, "Now, the only thing that concerns me is the 6,000-word reflection we'll have to write once we're done here!"

Upon hearing Yahiko's suggestion, Yahiko swiftly carried on with his tasks, completing the hanging of items. He nonchalantly commented, "Let's just write about our experiences since we arrived in the Land of Rain." As he continued his work, he added, "For instance...

{Today's weather was quite chilly. It was raining outside, and at Teacher Amegakure's behest, I ventured out with a stack of job flyers. I went to the first house, but received no response, so I proceeded to the second house... Eventually, I returned home for dinner. It was a truly eventful day!}"

As Yahiko spoke, Nagato found himself at a loss for words, his mouth twitching as he grumbled inwardly, 'Is he composing a diary entry or something?'

Nagato arched an eyebrow, reminiscing about Yahiko's performance in school. Writing compositions was never Yahiko's strong suit, and his weekly journal entries consisted of nothing more than a monotonous list of daily activities. Starting with meals, followed by outdoor play, returning home for homework, taking a bath, and finally, going to sleep. It was an utterly mundane account. Hence, there was no use in asking for his input.

During their conversation, a sense of melancholy washed over Yahiko, evident in his heavy sigh. His gaze wandered towards the torrential rain outside as he voiced his contemplation, "Do you think the Land of Rain will ever know peace again?"

Nagato offered a slight shake of his head in response to Yahiko's query, his expression reflecting a hint of uncertainty.

"It's difficult to fathom that even after the conclusion of the Second Great Ninja War, the Land of Rain continues to elude tranquility," Yahiko pondered aloud, paying little heed to Nagato's composed reply. It was as if he was lost in his own musings. "Isn't it said that the leader of the Land of Rain, hailed as the demigod of the ninja world, possesses immense power? Then why is his influence so ineffectual? Even the Land of Grass, a seemingly insignificant nation, has managed to find peace."

Both of them were well aware of the Land of Grass's tumultuous past. Over the years, under the guidance of mentors like Akihiko, Yahiko had come to understand the unique history of the Land of Grass. For instance, their frequent shifting of alliances among the Five Great Nations—an audacious strategy.

But perhaps that was the only way for the Land of Grass to survive? Maybe their refusal to align completely with any side led both nations to overlook them. And the Land of Grass had once been feeble! So feeble, in fact, that the major powers didn't even spare a glance at such a small country.

Nagato even entertained the notion that had the Land of Grass not engaged in reckless actions during the First Great Ninja War, they might have avoided devastation. Of course, that was all in the past now.

Presently, they focused on studying the newfound spirit of the Land of Grass and dedicated themselves to its development. They were the next generation of Grass Shinobi, or rather, not quite Grass Shinobi yet. They were still in school, but they represented the future successors!

Nagato sighed, his voice tinged with a touch of emotion, as he remarked, "That so-called demigod of the ninja world is nothing more than a formidable shinobi lacking the qualities of a true leader."

"Perhaps he never had the opportunity to receive an education," Yahiko responded, his words more of a muttered soliloquy. "I've heard that the demigod of the ninja world was an orphan in his youth, and the Land of Rain lacked proper educational institutions for orphans."

Just as their conversation came to a halt, a calm voice interjected, interrupting their thoughts. "What education? What orphan? Do you two plan on running away from home just to avoid your homework? You should be diligently working, like Konan over there!"

Yahiko and Nagato fell silent as they turned their heads to face Akihiko, their expressions helplessly resigned. "Who said anything about running away from home? We're not! And we've already completed our tasks," Yahiko quickly clarified.

"Completed?" Akihiko raised his head and surveyed the surroundings. His eyes settled on the neatly arranged banner that proclaimed "Recruitment Open," and he nodded in approval. "Very good!"

His gaze then roamed the area, a simple and straightforward idea forming in his mind. The entrance boasted a welcoming banner, while the surroundings displayed information about their robust financial support. Given more time, he might have even contemplated fabricating a picture of himself shaking hands with the leaders of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

This place had previously been a disorderly empty room, marked by bloodstains in one corner, indicating its past encounters with certain ninjas. As for the owner of the building, they had likely met their demise and been laid to rest by someone else.

Since they hadn't encountered anyone upon their arrival, Akihiko had decided to establish this location as a temporary recruitment site. It would save them the hassle of running around, and any potential interviewees could simply come here. It was a convenient solution that spared them valuable time.

Time was now of the essence, and they needed to swiftly complete the recruitment process and bring the new recruits back with them. Moreover, their arrival in the Land of Rain had been kept a secret.

As the leader of a nation, the consequences of being discovered by Rain Shinobi were uncertain. How would the so-called demigod of the ninja world interpret their intentions? Therefore, they had to act swiftly and depart as soon as possible!

"Oh, I see," Akihiko said, his gaze shifting between Nagato and Yahiko. "How did the flyer distribution go?"

Upon their arrival in the Land of Rain, Akihiko had assigned tasks to each of them. Nagato and Yahiko were tasked with distributing the flyers, while Konan remained by Akihiko's side to assist him. It was an essential part of their social practice, providing them with practical experience.

As Nagato began to speak, a faint twitch appeared on his face, reflecting the challenges they had encountered during the past few days of distributing flyers. However, he composed himself and nodded, replying calmly, "We distributed them in the nearby areas. Although some people were cautious, I managed to slip the flyers through the door crack. And a few individuals showed genuine interest after hearing my explanation."

Yahiko, standing beside Nagato, couldn't hide his surprise at his friend's words. "You actually encountered people? Someone actually listened to you?!"

Caught off guard by Yahiko's reaction, Akihiko turned his head towards him, his expression filled with confusion. "What happened? Didn't you distribute the flyers?"

Yahiko let out a sigh and responded, "I did distribute them, but I didn't directly hand them to anyone."

Akihiko's tone grew serious as he addressed Yahiko, "Are you slacking off? With this attitude, how can you expect the teacher to give you a favorable grade for this social practice?"

Yahiko rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, recalling the frustrations he had faced during the past few days of distributing flyers. He began to explain his approach to Akihiko, saying, "Akihiko-sensei, you encouraged us to consider the perspective of the common people here in the Land of Rain and the current situation. Taking that into account, I thought I could use my status as a local to my advantage."

"I mean, I am technically considered a local of the Land of Rain, right?" Yahiko continued, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment that his efforts had gone unnoticed. "I thought that would help put people at ease, but it seems that wasn't the case."

Akihiko and Nagato exchanged puzzled glances, trying to make sense of the situation. They thought to themselves, 'It does make sense, doesn't it? Why wouldn't anyone open the door for Yahiko? Could it be that he just had the unfortunate luck of encountering extremely cautious individuals?'

Nodding in agreement with Yahiko's explanation and considering the possibility of his bad luck, both Nagato and Akihiko showed their understanding. However, before they could delve further into Yahiko's approach, he let out a sigh filled with melancholy and continued, "When I came across a house with drawn curtains, I figured someone must be inside. So, with a smile on my face and the flyers in hand, I approached the door, knocked, and said..."

Yahiko paused for a moment, before adjusting his tone to a more enthusiastic and persuasive salesman approach. He spoke with confidence, saying, "Greetings, dear villager! Would you kindly open your door and lend me your ear? I have an incredible opportunity to share with you! Are you interested in a job that offers free food, free lodging, and generous wages? Rest assured, dear villager, my words hold true!"

Both Nagato and Akihiko were left speechless, realizing the reason why no one had responded to Yahiko's attempts.

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