Inside the Konoha camp on the northwestern front, Chiya stood at an elevated position and let his gaze sweep across the quiet border line in the distance.
Two straight days of calm had given him a sense that something was unusual.
Intelligence from the front lines showed that on both the northern and northwestern fronts,
the Iwa-nin and Kumo-nin had temporarily gone quiet, as though the earlier battles had shaken them into caution.
'It seems there will be no major movements for the time being.'
Chiya murmured quietly to himself.
He turned and walked toward his tent, intending to take his leave of Hatake Sakumo and return to the northern front.
But at the very moment he stepped forward, a long-absent mechanical voice suddenly rang through his mind.
[Mission triggered: Take Yakushi Kabuto as a disciple.]
[Mission reward: Mangekyō Sharingan ocular jutsu, Amaterasu.]
"Yakushi Kabuto?"
Chiya's steps paused. His gaze sharpened slightly.
The name was not unfamiliar to him. But the system bringing it up now clearly carried a deeper meaning.
He quickly ran through everything he knew about Yakushi Kabuto.
An orphan by birth. During the war years he had been taken in as a child by the Konoha orphanage director, Yakushi Nono.
Later, he had been forced into becoming a spy by Danzo's scheming and drifted between various countries. Through a series of manipulations, he had ended up following Orochimaru and lost himself along the way.
In the end, Izanami had forcibly "corrected" him, and he found himself again.
Considering the current point in the timeline,
Yakushi Kabuto now should still be a child.
Perhaps he was still following Yakushi Nono somewhere on a battlefield.
"Amaterasu..."
A trace of burning intensity passed through Chiya's eyes.
It was a black flame produced wherever the Mangekyō Sharingan's gaze was focused. It carried tremendous heat and destructive power.
As one of the ultimate ocular jutsu of the Mangekyō Sharingan, it was called the strongest physical attack in existence.
It was also the pinnacle of Fire Style jutsu. Its destructive power was beyond question.
If he could master this ocular jutsu, his strength would climb to another level entirely.
Even more importantly, Yakushi Kabuto's own abilities were extraordinary. In a shinobi world that worshipped bloodlines above all else, he had risen to the very peak as an ordinary person.
That truly was something to admire.
If he could take him as a disciple, he would be a tremendous asset in the future.
With that thought settled, Chiya had already made his decision.
He walked quickly toward Hatake Sakumo's tent and pushed the flap open.
Hatake Sakumo was examining a map. He looked up when Chiya entered.
"Chiya, something on your mind?"
"There is no fighting on this front for the time being. I am planning to head to the southwestern front."
Chiya said directly.
Hatake Sakumo's brow furrowed slightly.
"The southwestern front? Tsunade's side is under no small amount of pressure, but the situation there is still stable. What is your thinking behind going over so suddenly?"
Chiya gave a slight smile.
"Some personal matters need handling. And I want to check in on Tsunade while I am at it."
Hatake Sakumo understood. He gave a nod.
"Since you have it arranged, I won't ask further.
With the two jinchuriki on this front defeated by you, it will be very difficult for another jinchuriki to appear on this battlefield in the near future.
Leave this side to me. Go without worry."
Chiya turned and left the tent.
After leaving the northwestern front, Chiya did not head directly southwest. Instead he chose a hidden route that passed through the Land of Rain.
The Land of Rain was a small country that had suffered through war for years without end. Now that the Third Shinobi World War had begun, it was caught in the crossfire of the major villages' conflicts and had grown increasingly desolate.
In the steady rain, Chiya's figure moved like a ghost through the ruins.
Suddenly he sensed several familiar chakra signatures ahead. His steps slowed.
Using the Sharingan's perception, he quickly locked onto his targets.
Three young figures were standing beneath a crumbling roof, sheltering from the rain.
Passing through the grey forest of the Land of Rain, Chiya stood atop a tall withered tree. His gaze cut through the drizzling rain and toward the ruined village in the distance.
Then his line of sight locked onto three familiar figures far ahead.
Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko.
They sat beneath a crumbling stretch of wall, their expressions exhausted and lost. They were completely unlike the idealistic children he had once known.
Chiya narrowed his eyes slightly, then leaped down from the treetop in one motion, landing silently in front of the three of them without a sound.
"It has been a long time."
His voice was calm, but it made all three of them snap their heads up in alert.
"You?!"
Yahiko shot to his feet. The wariness in his eyes gave way to surprise.
Konan and Nagato also moved quickly into a combat stance, but in a moment they recognized Chiya.
"Chiya... Nii?"
Konan asked with hesitation. The paper in her hand trembled slightly.
Chiya gave a nod. His gaze swept over the three of them.
"It looks like things have not been easy for you."
Yahiko bit down hard and clenched his fist.
"Since the tensions between the five great nations began to escalate, things inside the village have also become unstable.
The leader, Hanzo, was assassinated by Iwagakure ninja. The entire Amegakure has fallen into chaos again.
Many of Amegakure's higher-ups have already been infiltrated by the forces of other villages. Amegakure is being dragged into the abyss right now, and we... cannot do anything about it."
Nagato's Rinnegan was hidden beneath his dripping red hair. His voice was low.
"We tried to resist, but there are too many enemies. We cannot even protect the people beside us."
Konan said nothing. But the deep helplessness in her eyes spoke for her.
Chiya looked at them quietly. After a moment, he spoke slowly.
"Do you still remember why you wanted to become strong in the first place?"
Yahiko was caught off guard, then gave a bitter smile.
"To change this world and create peace... But it seems now that our strength is far too small."
"Too small?"
Chiya let out a scoffing laugh.
"Have you truly tried every possibility available to you?"
All three of them froze.
Chiya stepped toward them. His voice was low and firm.
"I was once the same as you. I believed that strength was everything.
But later I discovered that a truly strong person is not someone who conquers enemies through brute force alone. It is someone who knows how to make use of every resource available, including an enemy's weaknesses, an ally's strength, and even their own fear."
"But if I had relied on that alone, it would have eventually turned against me."
His gaze was sharp as he looked at the three of them.
"What you are lacking right now is a real 'method.'"
"A method?"
Nagato repeated the word quietly.
"Yes."
Chiya said plainly.
"What Amegakure needs right now is not blind resistance. It is strategy. You can unite the ninja of other small villages, build a new organization, and even make use of the contradictions between the surrounding great nations, moving through the gaps between them."
A glimmer of light crossed Yahiko's eyes.
"You mean... we should not clash with them head on, but find a smarter way?"
"Exactly."
Chiya nodded.
"Hanzo relied on iron-fisted rule. But you are different. You can become 'shadows,' building your strength in the dark until the right moment comes."
Konan fell into thought.
"But would that not go against our original purpose?"
"Your original purpose?"
Chiya gave a cold laugh.
"If you cannot even survive, how can you talk about changing the world?"
Nagato was silent for a long time. He finally raised his head. A trace of resolve flickered in the Rinnegan.
"...You are right."
Chiya gave a satisfied nod.
"Remember, a truly strong person does not rely on brute force alone. If you are willing, I can show you a few things."
Yahiko drew a deep breath and gave a solemn nod.
"We are willing."
Konan and Nagato both looked at Chiya with steady eyes.
The rain continued to fall, but in the eyes of all three of them, the light of hope had been rekindled.
"The method is simple. Move from the light into the shadows!
Gather around you the ninja and villagers who want no part of war. Lead everyone together out from under the shadow of war, and achieve peace in Amegakure in your own way!"
Nagato was quiet for a moment, then spoke softly.
"But with only the three of us, can we really do it?"
Chiya gave him a pat on the shoulder and broke into a wide smile.
"You can do it. A single spark can start a prairie fire. I hope you can break free from the limitations of a single village and step boldly forward. Do not listen to those who have given up on themselves.
Those who can act, act. Those who can speak, speak. Give off as much heat and light as you have. Even like fireflies, you can still shine a small light in the darkness. You do not need to wait for a torch.
If no torch ever comes, then you will be the only light in the shinobi world. With a resolve like that, you will naturally open up a future that belongs to you!"
A gentle light welled up in Konan's eyes.
"Chiya-nii, thank you!"
Yahiko was moved to tears by what Chiya had said, sniffling openly.
"Thank you, Chiya-nii..."
Chiya watched the three of them recover their confidence and felt that light return to their eyes. A deep feeling stirred inside him.
In the original story, Yahiko's pure idealism had been so fragile in the face of the shinobi world's cruelty.
Now, by helping him move from the light into the shadows, to build strength quietly and stop clashing head on,
the method had naturally diverged from what the original had shown.
But where this path would ultimately lead, Chiya could not say.
Because some roads could only be understood by walking them.
Chiya smiled at the three of them.
"I believe in you! The future of Amegakure is yours! By the way, I still have things to take care of, so I will be heading out now.
Once the war ends, I will come back to see you!"
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