By the time Konoha's gates came into view, dusk had already settled over the village. Lanterns flickered along the pathway, warm and familiar, yet Daisuke couldn't shake the cold weight in his chest.
Akahoshi stretched his arms overhead.
"Mission complete. Finally."
Daisuke nodded, but his gaze drifted ahead. There was usually a sense of relief when seeing the village after a mission. This time, that feeling didn't come.
Two gate guards waved them over—Izumo and Kotetsu.
"You're back earlier than expected," Kotetsu said as they approached.
"Good," Izumo added, leaning forward slightly. "Because someone's been waiting for you. Specifically him." He pointed straight at Daisuke.
Daisuke blinked.
"Me?"
Izumo nodded. "Yeah. A messenger arrived this morning asking for you by name."
Akahoshi raised an eyebrow. "A messenger? From where?"
Izumo shrugged. "Didn't say. Just asked for the Chinoike boy and told us to make sure he received this."
He pulled out a sealed envelope—dark grey, wax-stamped with a symbol Daisuke didn't immediately recognize. The edges had faint flecks of dried reddish-brown… almost like old blood.
Akahoshi stepped closer. "Before he opens it—what symbol is that?"
Kotetsu exhaled. "That's the weird part. No one recognized it. Not ANBU, not the Hokage's office."
Izumo lowered his voice.
"And when we tried to check its chakra signature… it resisted."
Daisuke swallowed. Something deep in his gut twisted.
Akahoshi gently placed a hand on Daisuke's shoulder.
"You don't have to open it here."
"No," Daisuke said quietly. "I want to know."
He broke the seal.
Inside was only a single slip of parchment, containing one short message written in dark ink—letters sharp and precise.
> "Your blood called out.
When you are ready to learn why,
come to the valley where red rain once fell."
Daisuke's hands trembled.
Akahoshi stared at the words grimly.
"…The Valley of Red Rain."
Kotetsu frowned. "Where is that?"
Akahoshi didn't take his eyes off the note.
"A place tied to the Chinoike before they were imprisoned in the Blood Prison. A place wiped from most maps."
Daisuke folded the paper tightly.
Izumo looked between them nervously. "Is this… good news or bad?"
Daisuke didn't answer.
He didn't know.
What he did know was this:
Whoever sent that message knew about his clan.
Knew about the mutated beast.
Knew about the blood reacting.
And they were calling him.
Akahoshi stepped closer, voice low.
"Daisuke… this could be a trap."
"I know."
"You're still planning to go."
"…Yes."
Akahoshi closed his eyes briefly.
"Then I'm coming with you."
Daisuke looked up, surprised.
"But this is my clan's—"
"It's also your life," Akahoshi cut in. "And I'm your sensei."
Daisuke swallowed the sudden tightness in his throat.
Before either could say more, a soft breeze brushed past them. A figure landed silently on the gate—masked, cloaked in black and grey.
ANBU.
"Daisuke Chinoike," the ANBU said. "The Hokage requests your presence. Immediately."
Daisuke stiffened.
Akahoshi muttered under his breath, "Of course she does… the timing is too perfect."
The ANBU tilted their head.
"Bring the message with you."
Daisuke felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Someone else knew.
Someone else had felt the chakra disturbance.
And now the Hokage wanted answers.
"Let's go," Akahoshi said, resting a steadying hand on Daisuke's back.
Daisuke nodded, clutching the message.
As they stepped past the gates and into the village, one thing was certain:
Whatever waited in the Valley of Red Rain…
…the path to it began tonight.