Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Tap, tap, tap…

The sound of raindrops hitting the roof created a crisp rhythm. Wind howled outside the window, and a lone lightbulb hanging from the ceiling gave off a faint glow.

On the bed lay a young boy, Haneda, while sitting beside him was a teenage girl, around 15 or 16 years old, with light blue-purple hair adorned with a paper flower.

Haneda was the boy on the bed, and the one keeping watch was none other than Konan.

*Cough cough…*

The boy coughed up several mouthfuls of water and slowly opened his eyes. A familiar yet unfamiliar face came into view—Konan.

"You're awake, huh? Do you need some water or something?" Konan asked with a gentle smile.

"Who are you?" Haneda asked, glancing at the paper flower on Konan's right side, recalling someone he knew.

The Angel of the Akatsuki—Konan!

"You can call me Konan," she replied.

Konan picked up a forehead protector from the table beside the bed and asked, "Are you a ninja from Konoha?"

"Do you know Jiraiya-sensei? How is he doing these days?"

Haneda turned his head toward Konan. Normally, a ninja would react aggressively if their identity was recognized. But Haneda knew about Konan's kind nature, so he nodded slightly and feigned curiosity.

"Are you Jiraiya-sama's student?"

When Konan confirmed it, Haneda replied, "He's currently teaching Minato-senpai and writing a book."

"I see…" Konan's face softened with a smile, as if lost in fond memories.

Just then, the door creaked open, and a cheerful voice came from outside.

"Konan, how's the kid we picked up from the river doing?"

Two people walked into the room. The cheerful voice belonged to Yahiko, a young man with bright orange hair wearing an Amegakure forehead protector. His face radiated optimism and confidence.

Behind Yahiko was a shy boy with red hair that covered his eyes. He kept his head down, seemingly trying to hide his eyes under his forehead protector.

Even without seeing the Rinnegan, Haneda knew who the newcomer was—Nagato.

Like Haneda, Nagato had also caught the attention of Madara and Black Zetsu, both of them being pieces in their grand scheme.

"He looks better now. There's no danger to his life, and he shows no signs of a cold," Konan replied with a smile.

"That's good." Yahiko noticed the forehead protector in Konan's hand and asked, "So, he's a Konoha ninja, huh?"

"Yeah, Yahiko. He seems to know Jiraiya-sensei too."

"Jiraiya-sensei? How's he doing? Is he still doing okay?"

"He said he's teaching students and writing books. Seems pretty relaxed."

…

While Konan and Yahiko chatted, Nagato remained silent, listening quietly. But the smile on his face showed that he enjoyed the peaceful moment.

As they continued talking, the conversation drifted back to Haneda.

"By the way, I haven't asked your name yet. I'm Yahiko, a ninja from Amegakure."

"I'm Haneda, a Genin from Konoha." Haneda's face briefly lit up with a smile, infected by Yahiko's warm demeanor. However, that smile quickly faded.

"Another unfortunate soul wounded by the war," Yahiko sighed, noticing the sadness on Haneda's face.

"I heard Suna wanted to form an alliance with our village, but fortunately, Lord Hanzō rejected it," Konan said.

"Yeah, but Suna's actions clearly show they want to start a war. Konoha's forces are already stationed on the border of the Land of Rain, staring down Suna."

"If war breaks out, this place could easily turn into a battlefield," Yahiko said, slamming his fist on the table in frustration. "Damn it. One day, we will achieve peace in the ninja world!"

"You will, I believe in you, Yahiko," Konan reassured him.

"Me too," Nagato, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from outside. A ninja wearing an Amegakure forehead protector burst into the room, holding onto the doorframe as he shouted, "Yahiko, Konan, there's been another violent incident in Kawaraishi Village!"

"Looks like we've got to head out again. Konan, Nagato, let's go."

Yahiko had taken a few steps when he suddenly remembered Haneda was still there. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head and said, "Haha… almost forgot about you, Haneda."

"Yeah. Just rest up here for now. If you're hungry, there's bread on the table. Help yourself."

"Alright," Haneda nodded. He had no intention of engaging in much conversation with them right now.

As their footsteps gradually faded into the distance, Haneda sat up from the bed. His body was still weak, with only about 30% of his chakra restored, but that was enough.

He quickly formed a sequence of hand seals—Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Ram.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

With a bite of his finger and a press of his bloodied palm to the floor, a yellow-orange cat appeared in a puff of smoke.

"You look pretty rough, Haneda," the cat remarked.

"I got injured and was pulled out of a river," Haneda explained briefly. He picked up a pen and paper from the table, scribbled a message, folded it, and handed it to the cat, "Take this information to the Uchiha clan. I'll buy you a can of fish as a reward."

"Really? In that case, I won't hold back!" The cat's eyes gleamed as it grabbed the folded paper in its mouth. Haneda then dispelled the summoning.

After finishing that, Haneda found himself momentarily lost in thought as he looked around the empty room.

A while later, he snapped out of it and walked over to the table, picking up a piece of bread and eating it slowly.

As he ate, memories of Sakumo began to flood back.

"Facing Scorpion and Kakuzu, two Kage-level enemies… Sakumo, with your mastery of the sword, you should be able to win, right?"

Haneda already knew the likely answer in his heart, but he still held onto a sliver of hope.

Until he received a reply from his summoning, he would continue to believe that the man who had shielded him would survive.

The earliest the cat could return to Konoha would be by tonight, and at the latest, tomorrow morning.

After finishing the bread, Haneda still felt hungry. He ate a few more pieces of bread and used a Fire Release technique to roast a fish, finally satisfying his hunger.

With his stomach warm and full, his Sage Body began to work faster, rapidly recovering his strength and chakra.

"Maybe I'll be fully healed in a day," Haneda thought uncertainly as he glanced out the window.

The rain continued to pour down in torrents, the large droplets hammering the eaves with a steady, dull sound.

"What's the rush in going back?"

"Sakumo's fate won't change just because I return."

"Besides… it's likely that my ending up here is part of Madara and Black Zetsu's plan."

"Maybe I should take this time to go along with their scheme and try to get closer to Yahiko and the others."

"If I can gain their favor, even better."

Haneda sat back on the bed and gazed out the window, watching the rain that seemed as if it would never stop.

...

***

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