Three figures clad in black rain cloaks walked through the unrelenting downpour.
Their vision was filled with sheets of rain, their ears consumed by its deafening roar, and their bodies chilled by the damp, biting air.
The villages they passed were desolate. Some were sparsely inhabited; others were littered with piles of corpses, or worse—completely abandoned.
Women, children, the elderly, men.
The dead were either emaciated skeletons lying where they succumbed to starvation, or bloated and pale, their wounds washed clean by the endless rain.
Skinny, half-starved beasts prowled among the corpses, searching for scraps.
No matter how one looked at it, this was a scene steeped in despair.
"I've heard stories about Hanzo of the Salamander and his Rain Village. Is this really the land he's protecting?" came the muffled voice of a man among the trio, his tone heavy with unease.
They stood in a barren canyon, its rocky walls imposing and lifeless. At its center lay a flat, muddy plain dotted with tufts of waterlogged weeds.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of slicing wind cut through the rain.
As if lying in wait, several black-clad figures leapt down from the cliffs above, landing deftly before the trio.
At the front stood a young man with bright orange hair, his Rain Village headband gleaming despite the rain. His expression was sharp and resolute. Beside him were a red-haired boy and a kunoichi with a paper flower adorning her head.
"So, you're the Konoha ninja?" the orange-haired youth stepped forward, his voice steady and clear despite the rain.
"Yahiko, leader of the Akatsuki, I presume?" Uchiha Shisui removed his conical straw hat, revealing his face. He stepped forward, seeking confirmation.
"You claim to be Konoha shinobi seeking mutual cooperation," Yahiko declared, raising his hand. "Let me make this clear—Akatsuki does not take on missions involving the slaughter of shinobi in war."
"Wait, Yahiko," the kunoichi interjected. "Aside from their headbands, they haven't shown any proof they're from Konoha."
"Proof of our identity?" Shisui glanced at his companion, Nara Kagetsu, who gave him a subtle nod. From within his cloak, Shisui produced a scroll, flicking his arm to send it flying toward Yahiko.
"What's this?" Yahiko caught the scroll in one swift motion and unrolled it, his expression shifting to one of confusion.
"Aren't you shinobi? Don't you understand the protocols for exchanging intelligence between ninjas?" Shisui asked, genuinely surprised.
"Apologies, our Akatsuki organization has never had such formal, official contact with another ninja village before, so..." Yahiko awkwardly scratched the back of his head, clearly unsure of how to proceed.
"Do either of you understand this, Nagato, Konan?" Yahiko instinctively glanced at his two companions for help.
"I'll handle it, Leader. I used to work in the Rain Village's Anbu, so I know how to handle things ." A calm, steady voice came from behind the trio. The speaker was an older ninja, his face showing signs of age.
Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan seemed to trust this man deeply, as they immediately handed the scroll over to him.
"There's actually another way to prove our identity," Kagetsu said, glancing at his companion, Shisui. Catching the signal, Shisui closed his eyes briefly. When he reopened them, his Sharingan glowed a vivid red.
"The Uchiha clan's Sharingan!" The older ninja behind Yahiko's group gasped in surprise upon seeing Shisui's eyes.
"That's the Sharingan?" Yahiko and his companions instinctively turned their attention to Shisui's eyes. Nagato, in particular, stared intently, his gaze lingering on Shisui's crimson pupils for a moment.
"If even the Sharingan isn't enough to convince you, then perhaps the mention of Lord Jiraiya will." Kagetsu stepped forward confidently.
Hearing this name, the members of the Akatsuki exchanged bewildered glances.
If anyone in the ninja world remembered the name of the Sannin most vividly, the Rain Village would undoubtedly be one of them.
After all, it was the Rain Village's leader, Hanzo the Salamander, who had bestowed the title upon the trio.
The Rain Village had experienced firsthand the power of the young Sannin during the war they led.
Even after all these years, the title of the Sannin remained deeply resonant in the Rain Village. As their fame in the ninja world grew, the Rain Village took a certain pride in the fact that their leader had once bested these formidable shinobi.
Yahiko's reaction to Jiraiya's name, however, was far stronger. He, Konan, and Nagato were the only ones who truly understood their connection to the legendary Sannin.
"Kyūsuke-senpai, please lead the others to stand guard. Konan, Nagato, and I need to have a proper discussion with our friends from Konoha." Yahiko hesitated briefly before addressing the older ninja behind them, his tone respectful.
"I understand," Kyūsuke replied with a nod. As a former Anbu, he knew when to step back, avoid probing too deeply, and respect certain sensitive matters.
When Yahiko sent his men to guard the surroundings, he finally approached the trio of Kagetsu with Nagato and Konan, extending a hand as he asked, "Were you sent by Jiraiya-sensei?"
"No, this has nothing to do with Jiraiya-sensei. I only happened to hear about you from him. Our teacher is Orochimaru," Kagetsu replied, shaking Yahiko's offered hand and denying the assumption. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs n0velfire.net
The three exchanged puzzled glances, their minds involuntarily conjuring an image of a sinister man, cold and grim, who might casually threaten their lives.
"I know Jiraiya-sensei trained you for three years, so I'm aware that you have some very special abilities," Kagetsu continued, casually leveraging Jiraiya's name to gain their trust and goodwill.
"You?" Yahiko's trio immediately became cautious, their wary eyes fixed on Kagetsu.
"Don't worry. I'm not here for you two. My purpose here is Konan!" Kagetsu clarified. While he did harbor thoughts about studying the Rinnegan, he knew very well that it was like handling a live explosive. His target this time was solely Konan.
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