Nara Luchi was indeed dead—but before his death, he had managed to leave behind information and a final message for Shimura Danzō.
At the very least, he had not disgraced the name of the Nara clan.
When Danzō read the message Luchi left behind, his dark, brooding expression turned into one of shock.
For the first time in a long while, he completely lost his composure.
"That's impossible!"
Surrounded by Root operatives, no one spoke, even though they clearly noticed Danzō's lapse. They simply stood there in silence.
Danzō's face was filled with disbelief.
The information Luchi had left behind was a detailed analysis of Yu Ye's strength and abilities.
The fact that Nara Luchi and Kurama Yaso had failed was already shocking enough to Danzō—bordering on unbelievable.
But after reading Luchi's assessment of Yu Ye, that shock paled in comparison.
Yu Ye's strength… was actually this terrifying?!
No wonder Sarutobi Hiruzen had transferred Yu Ye into that special division.
It wasn't to protect Yu Ye.
It was because Yu Ye already qualified to be there.
Danzō had seen countless prodigies in his lifetime. Even Orochimaru—a genius among geniuses—had grown step by step under his watchful eye.
But never had he seen a monster like Yu Ye.
Every leap in Yu Ye's growth shattered expectations. Danzō himself had failed repeatedly—and now, it seemed that dealing with Yu Ye again was almost impossible.
Taking a deep breath, Danzō finally forced himself to calm down.
His eyes flickered with dangerous light.
"Yu Ye… your growth is far too fast. At this rate, you'll become completely uncontrollable sooner or later.
Hiruzen… what exactly are you planning?"
Rain Country – Deep Interior, A Noisy Small Town
In a shadowy corner of the town, three shinobi were whispering to one another.
"How are things on your end?"
"No movement from the Rain ninja. No major clashes between Iwagakure and Konoha either."
"There may be major developments soon. Stay alert and pass on any intelligence immediately."
"Understood."
After exchanging information, the three prepared to leave.
Suddenly—
A figure flickered out from around the corner.
The speed was terrifying.
Even though the three sensed danger instantly, they had no time to dodge—no time to use a Substitution Technique or any ninjutsu at all.
Slash!
In a flash, the figure appeared behind them, a katana in hand.
The blade was spotless—untouched by blood, gleaming coldly.
The newcomer wore the common raincoat of the Rain Country, worn and tattered. His face was youthful, almost childish—but his eyes were calm and detached, utterly mismatched with his age.
It was Yu Ye.
"I listened for so long, and it was all useless nonsense. How disappointing."
Turning around, Yu Ye shook his head faintly and muttered under his breath.
Behind him, the three shinobi stared in absolute horror, trying to turn—
But their upper bodies slid cleanly off.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Yu Ye casually flicked his blade again. The three died without a single sound.
Not a single drop of blood clung to the sword.
He sheathed the katana, then took out a scroll.
"Seal."
Poof.
The katana vanished instantly, replaced by a sealing mark on the scroll.
If he was to remain hidden, Yu Ye couldn't openly carry a weapon. A short blade would've been fine—but a katana was far too conspicuous.
Fortunately, sealing it away was quick and convenient.
Tucking the scroll into his pocket, Yu Ye walked out of the dark alley as if nothing had happened.
This was a small town deep within the Rain Country. Yu Ye had stayed here for several days, yet gained nothing of real value.
It was about time to move on.
Shaking his head, Yu Ye prepared to leave—
When sudden shouting erupted from down the street.
The town wasn't large, and shinobi were rare. Most residents were ordinary civilians. Since it lay deep within the Rain Country, it hadn't yet been swallowed by the war and still maintained a fragile peace.
But that peace was temporary.
War would eventually reach here as well.
"Stop them!!"
"Those two are thieves!"
Cries rang out as the crowd fell into chaos.
Two figures burst out of the mass of people, each clutching a long loaf of bread, forcing their way through with all their strength.
Those chasing them struggled to keep up, blocked by the crowd.
Yu Ye didn't even slow his steps—he had no interest in such trivial matters.
But then—
A single sentence made him stop instantly.
"Konan! Hurry!"
"Mm!"
An orange-haired boy pushed wildly through the crowd, with a blue-haired girl close behind him.
Curses echoed from behind them.
"…Them?!"
Yu Ye's eyes widened slightly.
These two figures were far too familiar.
Yahiko. Konan.
One person was missing—and that would complete the trio trained by Jiraiya.
Nagato.
To think he'd run into such important figures in some random Rain Country town.
Without Yahiko, there would be no Akatsuki.
Even if Nagato still formed a similar organization, Madara would've had to expend tremendous effort guiding him.
Yahiko charged ahead, Konan following—but she wasn't as nimble.
Stealing food was one thing. Escaping after being discovered was another.
She tripped over a shallow pit in the road.
"Ah!"
Konan cried out as she fell forward, the long loaf of bread flying from her hands, her body about to slam into the muddy ground.
By coincidence—
She fell directly in front of Yu Ye.
The bread flew toward him.
So—
Catch the bread…
or catch Konan?
That was the question.
A typical shinobi might not care at all.
But Yu Ye couldn't ignore this.
Konan. Yahiko. And the Nagato who would soon appear—
All of them were important.
Especially Nagato.
The Rinnegan was central to the entire Naruto storyline—part of Madara's grand design from the very beginning.
Yu Ye caught the bread with one hand.
With the other, he reached out and grabbed Konan's wrist, pulling her upright before she hit the mud.
"Th-thank you."
Konan, spared from falling, instinctively thanked him.
She wasn't yet the cold, distant woman of the future.
Panting slightly from running, she looked genuinely relieved.
"It's nothing," Yu Ye replied, giving a small nod as he released her hand.
"Konan! Are you okay?!"
Yahiko rushed back, concern written all over his face. Konan shook her head.
At that moment, the bread vendor finally forced his way out of the crowd.
Spotting Yu Ye, Konan, and Yahiko in one glance, he roared—
"Catch all three of them! They're thieves!"
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