Negotiations involving two major villages are never something that can be concluded in a short time—especially when one party doesn't mind wasting time at all, doesn't care how long it takes, and only wants to make the other side pay the maximum price.
Every day when Shimura Danzō walked out of the reception hall, his expression was as sour as if he'd eaten a huge serving of something foul. He wished he could flay that unreliable Chiyo alive, along with Orochimaru, who had dumped all the work on him.
But he also knew very well that if the roles were reversed and he stood in Chiyo's position, he would only be more extreme, leaving even less room for compromise. On the other hand, given the current situation, he couldn't feel at ease handing the negotiations over to Orochimaru either.
His old comrade's disciple had such an unpredictable nature—he might sell out Konoha's interests for some "inexplicable reason."
Thinking this far, Danzō felt his temples throbbing. He looked around; the overcast sky of Amegakure seemed to press down on his shoulders. At the end of the corridor, several Rain ninjas cast faint, almost imperceptible glances his way—in his eyes, they became silent mockery.
Thinking this far, Shimura Danzō felt even more pained.
And just the matters between the two villages had dragged on for nearly a month. By the time the Countries of Fire and Wind were also drawn in, and Chiyo brought the "Country of Wind's compensation to the Country of Rain" onto the table, Shimura Danzō wanted to jump out of his skin even more.
But on the other hand, seeing that this meeting was heading toward lasting several months—while Tsunade, left in Amegakure to recover, remained entangled in numerous complicated emotions, unsure how to face the rising sun the next day—Hii Kōri had already set out on his return journey to Sunagakure with his three disciples.
Crossing the mountain range—not particularly towering, yet truly acting like a natural moat that completely divided the Countries of Rain and Wind into two separate worlds—the scorching heat belonging to the Country of Wind began to show its first signs.
The land, long softened by rainwater soaking, was gradually replaced by gravel of a different texture. The air, as if infused with grieving moisture, slowly dissipated into the dry, warm wind.
Traveling unhurriedly for a few more days, the surrounding vegetation grew increasingly sparse, ultimately completely replaced by boundless yellow sand.
Beneath a sky so clear it made one dizzy—an odious cerulean—stretched nothing but undulating sand dunes. In the blazing sun and the wind carrying sand particles, climbing high and gazing into the distance, all that met the eye was a golden horizon distorted by the heat.
Only then did the three children realize what kind of world they were about to face.
For those born in the Country of Rain, long accustomed to a climate where humidity almost never dropped below 90%, this desert was far too harsh.
Yahiko was the first to show discomfort.
This was only natural. As a ninja specializing in Water Release, his body and chakra nature were both more sensitive to—and more dependent on—environmental humidity.
Away from the Country of Rain's abundant moisture, he'd managed to endure the first two days after entering the desert. But by now, he'd reached his limit.
"Teacher... water... water..."
Yahiko's lips were chapped and cracked. His eyes, once full of vitality and spirit, had become vacant and lifeless. He staggered and collapsed face-down on a sand dune, calling out weakly in a hoarse, faint voice.
He felt as if his throat and nasal passages had been scorched by fire. Each breath was dry to the extreme, as if his airways were being torn apart by the hot wind mixed with sand—utterly agonizing.
"I guessed you'd be about at your limit, child."
Hii Kōri, appearing entirely unsurprised, raised his hand slightly. With a whoosh, black Iron Sand surged out from within the dune, enveloping their group and carrying them down beneath the sand, then propping open a passage large enough for an adult to crawl through bent over.
With Hii Kōri's abilities, he could easily have taken all three disciples into his shadow and traveled alone as quickly as possible.
From a purely efficiency standpoint, this would undoubtedly be the optimal solution. But considering that in his upcoming plans he intended to take them to the Country of Wind's Great Sand Sea for training, he felt it was necessary for these three children raised in the Country of Rain to experience the desert climate in advance.
Compared to starting from scratch adapting upon reaching Sunagakure, crossing the desert step by step like this was far more meaningful. So-called "personal experience" and "embodied practice"—this was what they meant.
Similarly, although he'd planned to inform Sasori of his parents' deaths upon returning to the village, such things were ultimately difficult to broach. Hii Kōri felt he still needed to carefully organize his words.
But for now, it seemed that beyond cognition and adaptation to the desert, this "lesson" had another meaning: teaching these three little turnips not to stubbornly tough things out, not to refuse to admit weakness—to come to the adults when they encounter problems they couldn't solve or burdens they couldn't bear.
"If you can't endure, just say so. It's not like I'd force you to keep traveling."
Hii Kōri didn't immediately take out his water bag. Instead, he first walked over to Yahiko, half-annoyed and half-amused, softly scolding him like this while reaching out with medical ninjutsu to heal his heatstroke and dehydration symptoms.
He knew perfectly well what Yahiko was thinking—nothing more than seeing that Konan and Nagato weren't having problems yet, so he figured he needed to try harder too.
But even though all three had trained in Yang Release to condition their bodies, this kind of thing—which fundamentally requires slow, painstaking effort—only highlighted the gap in natural talent. Konan and Nagato possessed Yang Release constitutions to begin with; the effects of their training naturally far exceeded Yahiko's.
Moreover, not relying heavily on Water Release, their discomfort with the environment wasn't as pronounced as his.
"Ugh... I know I was wrong..."
Descending beneath the sand dune, the temperature dropped noticeably, and Yahiko's vitality improved considerably. But the thirst caused by dehydration still left his voice quite hoarse. He smacked his lips and looked at Hii Kōri with an embarrassed expression, clearly wanting water but unsure how to ask.
After checking and adjusting Konan and Nagato's physical conditions as well, Hii Kōri finally took out his water bag. Pouring out some water, he manipulated it using Hard Water-style Water Release techniques, condensing it into three appropriately sized water balls and bringing them to his three disciples' lips.
Compared to conventional Water Release, the Hard Water-style technique learned from Hanzō significantly reduced dependence on and requirements from the environment. In terms of maneuverability, it was also far more flexible and free than other Water Release techniques. Using this as a foundation, he might truly be able to completely recreate the Crimson Blood Manipulation that the Kamo clan prided itself on.
No—more accurately, it would be like Choso's modified version.
"Hold it in your mouths. Drink slowly. Don't rush."
Having given this instruction, Hii Kōri took out some dried provisions and dried fruits, arranging them on the ground. Lying on his side, he picked out nuts and chewed them, then slowly began desert explaining survival techniques and Sunagakure's history to the three children.
Just as Chiyo had done for him over a decade ago, when she brought him to Sunagakure.
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