158.The Surrendering Rain Ninja
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Stretching across the sky, a continuous blanket of dark clouds loomed above, with a gentle drizzle falling slowly from the sky.
Within the Rain Village:
In a secluded corner, several tents were set up, and a few young Rain Shinobi were maintaining order near the tents.
A long line, formed by villagers, extended all the way to the edge of the village.
The gentle rain that was falling from the sky had become commonplace for the villagers. Some wore raincoats, while others simply had their upper bodies exposed, letting the rain soak them.
The villagers waiting in line were thin and gaunt, but their eyes were now filled with the glimmer of hope, exuding a newfound vitality.
Each villager who reached the tents would receive a portion of food. Although meager, it was enough to sustain their lives and prevent them from enduring hunger.
After receiving the food, the villagers bowed and expressed their gratitude to the young Rain Shinobi who were distributing the provisions.
Every time they expressed their thanks, the young Rain Shinobi hurriedly returned the gesture. They were all newly selected ninjas, still quite inexperienced, and some were even the children of the villagers waiting in line.
Everything seemed to be somewhat different from the previously gloomy Rain Village.
Within the tall building located in the center of the village, which appeared to be constructed from black stones:
A slender figure stood in front of a window, staring blankly at the villagers queuing to receive food. After witnessing the hopeful smiles that had replaced the numb expressions on the villagers' faces, a gentle smile formed on his lips. His narrow eyes squinted slightly as he looked up at the overcast sky.
Father... mother...
This village is changing...
If you could see this, would you be happy for me...
At this moment:
A mild voice resonated in the spacious room.
"It seems like you've been doing well as the Rain Shinobi leader, Jinnai."
As the words fell, Sōsuke appeared in the room with a gentle smile on his lips, and Jinnai followed behind him respectfully.
Seeing Sōsuke arrive, Jinnai showed a slight smile and whispered, "Captain Aizen, it's all thanks to you."
Sōsuke slowly walked to the window, his eyes glancing down at the tents where food was being distributed. He smiled and said softly, "This is just the beginning."
"Let's wait for a response from Konohagakure. If things go as expected, Konohagakure should choose to end this war, after all, delaying three fronts has left Konohagakure exhausted."
"I'm entrusting this village to you, and I will have Lady Yuko from the Fire Country contact you in the future. The supplies for the Rain Village will also be provided temporarily by Lady Yuko, so you don't need to worry about that."
Hearing Sōsuke's words, Jinnai nodded, his narrow eyes showing a hint of astonishment.
Captain Aizen... had everything planned in advance...
Even the daimyo from the Fire Country...
But this is for the best... under a captain like Aizen... this village will truly find hope...
Thinking this, Jinnai's eyes twinkled with excitement.
...
Inside the Land of Rain:
In the frontline camp of Konohagakure:
"What!?"
Tsunade, with her large and beautiful eyes, stared at the ninja who came to report the information and couldn't help but exclaim.
"Are you sure this information is accurate!?"
The ninja in front of her also found it hard to believe. He replied in a trembling voice, "Yes, this information was provided by the Rain Shinobi on the front line. According to him, the former leader of the Rain Village, Lord Hanzo, mysteriously disappeared. The newly appointed leader of the Rain Village sincerely wishes to end this war with Konohagakure, even willing to negotiate under the guise of surrender."
"Moreover... even if it means achieving reconciliation... under the name of surrender..."
Hearing his words, Tsunade's brows furrowed deeply as she carefully pondered the reliability of this information.
She sat in her tent, lightly biting her lip, her slender fingers tapping on the table incessantly.
After a while, she flashed a glint of determination in her eyes and said firmly, "Barring any unexpected circumstances, this news should be accurate. Send this information back to the village immediately and have the Third Hokage make a decision."
"Additionally, inform them to cease all battles with the Rain Shinobi and carefully observe their intentions."
Upon hearing her words, the ninja nodded in agreement and quickly disappeared from the spot.
As he left, Tsunade's brows remained slightly furrowed.
The fact that Lord Hanzo had gone missing...
The new leader of the Rain Shinobi wants to end the war...
Is it because they've lost confidence in Lord Hanzo or due to internal disarray...
Because of politics...
Tsunade's guess might have been only partially correct. She would never have imagined that behind all of this was none other than Sōsuke, whom she occasionally missed.
...
Within the borders of the Land of Rain, near an abandoned village:
"Swoosh!"
In the forest, a Konoha ninja dashed through.
Inside the village, there was a rather peculiar house standing firmly in an open area.
Why was it considered peculiar? Well...
Because this house seemed to have been patched together numerous times as if it were held up with countless patches!
The wooden boards used for patching on the exterior still looked fresh. By looking at the several thick and sturdy trees lying horizontally outside the house, one could tell that these boards had been selected and used freshly, very recently...
Of course!
Apart from its strange appearance, this house was undoubtedly very sturdy, likely capable of withstanding even the strongest storms.
"Put in more effort, Yahiko, Nagato!"
"If you can't even manage this, how can you become ninjas to protect your comrades?"
"Hold on!"
Near the house, Yahiko and Nagato had their thin wrists bound by ropes!
Their young faces were strained, sweat covered their foreheads, and they clenched their teeth, struggling forward!
At the other end of the ropes were thick tree trunks, appearing to carry significant weight!
Jiraiya stood in front of them with a bright smile on his face, encouraging them.
"By the way, once you drag that tree over, we'll have materials for building the house!"
"You continue training; I'm going to check on Konan."
Jiraiya suddenly clapped his hands and smiled broadly.
Upon hearing his words, Yahiko and Nagato stumbled for a moment and almost fell!
They gazed at Jiraiya's back, their young faces showing a mix of indignation and despair.
That ugly house!
Only their teacher Jiraiya would have such a twisted sense of aesthetics!
Did layers of patches really look that great?
If it weren't for their grandmother's kind words of persuasion, they would definitely have started peeling off those ugly patches layer by layer!
While Jiraiya smiled happily and walked away, he was thinking:
Being a teacher feels wonderful~
Hmm... I should definitely include that house in the "Tales of Tenacity" after all, since ninjas should explore various architectural styles~
At that moment:
His expression changed slightly.
"Swoosh!"
A Konoha ninja suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Hmm? You came. Does Tsunade have something for me?"
Jiraiya asked with a serious tone.
"Captain Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade asked me to deliver some information to you. Please take a look."
The Konoha ninja respectfully handed over a piece of information.
After reading it, Jiraiya's brow furrowed slightly!
*
A/N: Happy New Year everyone, I hope this year will be better than last year, even if it's only by little