Watching the girl tumble toward him — and the loaf of bread flying through the air — Leo fell into brief contemplation.
Which one should he catch?
A second seemed short, yet within that instant countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
An ordinary passerby might not have hesitated at all — they'd simply avoid the commotion, cold and indifferent.
Leo might have done the same. He wasn't exactly a kind-hearted man. In a world of shinobi, filled with danger and deceit, survival always came first.
But the two before him weren't just anyone. They were the future founders of the most powerful organization in the shinobi world—Yahiko and Konan of Akatsuki.
Whether it was Konan, Yahiko, or the boy who would soon appear—Nagato—they were all crucial figures. Especially Nagato, bearer of the Rinnegan, whose existence tied directly into Uchiha Madara's grand plan.
In that instant, Leo made his choice.
To catch them meant to accept the karma that came with it.
He reached out—one hand snatched the falling loaf, while the other grabbed Konan's small hand, stopping her from crashing face-first into the muddy street.
"Thank you."
Pulled safely upright, Konan's instinctive words were soft but pleasant, her voice light and clear like a nightingale's.
At this age, she hadn't yet become the cold, emotionless beauty of the future. Breathless from being chased, her pale face flushed faintly red.
"You're welcome," Leo replied, nodding slightly as he released her hand. It had only been a reflexive act.
"Konan! Are you all right?"
Yahiko, who had noticed what happened, rushed over. Konan shook her head quickly, but at that moment, the bread seller finally pushed through the crowd and spotted the three of them.
"Catch those three! Thieves! They stole my bread!" the man screamed hysterically.
Though surprised to see an extra face, he took one look at Leo—who appeared about the same age as the other two—and immediately lumped him in as an accomplice.
From the crowd, a few rough-looking thugs came running, cracking their knuckles with ugly grins.
Leo felt speechless. What kind of eyes does this bread man have? Do I really look like a thief?
"Konan, run! If they catch us, they'll break our legs!" Yahiko shouted, face paling. He grabbed Konan's hand and bolted.
Konan hesitated only a moment before following—but after a few steps she glanced back at Leo.
"Come with us!"
Though Leo clearly wasn't part of their group, the situation had painted him as one of them. If she abandoned him here, and he couldn't eEXPlain himself, he might end up beaten half to death—or worse.
In these times, a child without parents had no protection. Life for orphans was harsh and cruel, and the merchants here were hardly kind souls.
If she and Yahiko hadn't been starving, they wouldn't have resorted to stealing bread.
This boy had just helped her; Konan couldn't leave him behind. Kindhearted as always, she grabbed Leo's arm and dragged him along as they fled.
Leo's eEXPression turned slightly odd, but he didn't protest. He let her pull him a few steps, then matched her pace on his own.
The three of them darted through the busy market streets, twisting and turning through narrow alleys.
It was clear that Yahiko and Konan knew the area well. Before long, they'd shaken off their pursuers and escaped the small town entirely.
"Hah… hah…"
Once outside the town, Yahiko bent over, panting heavily. Konan wasn't much better off, though she tried to maintain some composure.
Leo, on the other hand, wasn't even breathing hard. His enhanced physique made Yahiko look fragile in comparison.
He watched the two silently, thoughts flickering behind his calm gaze.
When Yahiko finally noticed Leo's unruffled state, his eyes widened in surprise.
Circling him curiously, Yahiko chuckled. "You've got amazing stamina! We ran all the way here and you're not even winded."
Konan gave an embarrassed smile. Looking at Leo, she said softly, "I'm so sorry. We dragged you into this."
"It's fine," Leo replied with a faint smile. To him, this had been nothing.
He still had the loaf in his hand. Extending it toward her, he said, "Here. This belongs to you."
Konan froze, her eyes flicking between the bread and Leo's calm face. "No… you keep it. You were chased because of us—it's only fair."
Her voice trembled with guilt. Her stomach, however, betrayed her with a faint growl.
Leo almost laughed. Such a kind girl… even starving, she still puts others first.
"I don't need it," he said simply.
"But…" Konan looked conflicted, torn between hunger and politeness.
Before she could continue, Yahiko spoke up decisively. "Konan, just take it. He clearly doesn't want it. And if we don't eat now, we might not have another chance."
He wasn't wrong. Without that bread, they might've gone hungry for days—or worse, risked another beating trying to steal again.
Blushing slightly, Konan murmured a soft apology and finally accepted the loaf.
"I'm sorry… we're orphans," she said quietly. "It's already hard enough just to stay alive in this world. Sometimes… this is the only way."
Leo looked at her, his tone calm. "I'm an orphan too."
Konan blinked, eyes widening. She hadn't eEXPected that.
But as she took in his clean, neat clothes, she tilted her head slightly, puzzled. He didn't look like a street orphan at all.
Still, she didn't press the matter. Not every orphan ended up as miserable as them—maybe he'd just been luckier.
Yahiko, however, grinned, his eyes bright. "You're an orphan too? Then you should join us! You don't look weak, and with you on our side, we could actually do something big!"
He said it with childish enthusiasm, but there was determination behind his words.
Even at his age, Yahiko understood one thing: one person alone couldn't change anything. Unity was strength.
Even something as small as stealing bread would've been easier with another set of hands—and the chance of success much higher.
Leo almost refused instinctively. After all, he was ANBU from Konoha and still had his own mission to complete.
But after a moment's thought, he changed his mind. He had already carried out plenty of assassinations recently. There was no need to rush.
Besides, Yahiko and Konan were key figures in the story of this world. Getting closer to them might bring uneEXPected benefits in the future.
And so, Leo smiled faintly, eyes glinting with interest.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/HorizonStudios0