"Let's return to the outpost first. We need to report what happened here to Lord Hokage." Kakashi looked around. "The fact that Sasori killed the Third Kazekage and turned him into a puppet may be even more serious than we think."
"I can just use Flying Thunder God to go back."
"You're going alone?"
Shin-chan patted the sand off his pants. "You can stay at the outpost and rest. I'll be back soon. I'll bring you a bowl of ramen while I'm at it. Do you want extra chashu or an egg?"
"Extra chashu."
Kakashi did not know why he had answered the question.
"Don't worry. I'm a super-powerful ninja."
Shin-chan activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and instantly vanished from the desert.
Konoha Village, the Hokage's office.
The Third Hokage stood by the window smoking his pipe. Half a map of the current battle situation was spread across the desk behind him.
A faint spatial disturbance appeared.
"Grandpa Third!"
The Third Hokage turned and saw Shin-chan standing in front of the desk. "Why are you back? Did something happen at the border?"
"Something huge happened."
Shin-chan pulled over a chair and sat down. He picked up the teacup on the desk, drained it in one gulp, then recounted everything that had happened in the desert.
From discovering the bodies of the Sunagakure ninja to joining forces with Kakashi to defeat Sasori, he did not even leave out the part where he named the desert lizards.
The Third Hokage listened quietly, his expression growing more solemn by the moment.
Especially when Shin-chan described how Sasori had removed the Third Kazekage's internal organs and turned him into a puppet.
"So that's what happened..." The Third Hokage's eyes were filled with complicated emotions. "To think this was the truth behind the Third Kazekage's disappearance."
Shin-chan looked completely puzzled. "Isn't a Kage supposed to be the strongest person in the village? Shouldn't everyone respect him? Why would someone want to kill their own village's Kage?"
"A Kage is indeed the strongest person in the village. But more importantly, a Kage is the village's guardian. He must protect every person in the village and make sure everyone can live peaceful lives."
"But not everyone can understand that responsibility." The Third Hokage looked at Shin-chan. "Some people become trapped by their obsessions. They lose what matters most to them, then slowly go mad. They begin to hate the world and everyone who still possesses happiness. Sasori is probably that kind of person."
"But killing someone else won't bring back what they lost."
"That is what makes it so tragic. They believe violence and killing can solve their problems, but in the end, they only make themselves lonelier and more miserable."
Shin-chan raised his head. "Then what is a Kage supposed to do?"
"A Kage must give everything he has so that every person in the village can live a good life. He must allow children to grow up safely, let the elderly enjoy their final years in peace, and make sure no one has to suffer through the pain of war again." The Third Hokage's gaze became incomparably resolute.
"Even if some people don't understand, and even if someone tries to hurt the village, you still have to keep protecting it?"
"Mm." The Third Hokage nodded firmly. "That is a Kage's duty."
The office fell silent.
Shin-chan looked at the wrinkles on the Third Hokage's face and suddenly felt as though the old man was carrying something incredibly heavy on his shoulders.
The Third Hokage picked up a document and handed it to Shin-chan. "Alright, enough of that. I have a new mission for you."
"What mission?" Shin-chan accepted the document.
"Ever since the Second Shinobi World War ended, the Land of Rain has remained closed off. We have almost no intelligence about what is happening there."
The Third Hokage's expression became serious.
"Our intelligence agents have discovered many unidentified ninja operating near the Land of Rain's borders."
"Furthermore, the war between Sunagakure and Kumogakure may spread into the Land of Rain. I need you to go there and investigate the true situation."
"The Land of Rain?" Shin-chan scratched his head. "Is that the place where it rains every day? I heard their ramen doesn't have broth because the rainwater dilutes it."
The Third Hokage: "..."
"That isn't true." He shook his head helplessly. "The Land of Rain does receive rain throughout most of the year, but its ramen still has broth. However, you must be careful. The situation there is extremely complicated."
"Oh." Shin-chan nodded. "Then what about Kakashi? He's alone at the border, and I promised to bring him a bowl of ramen with extra chashu."
"I've already sent reinforcements. They should have reached the outpost by now. Kakashi will continue monitoring Sunagakure's movements with them. He won't be in danger."
"Do I leave right now?"
The Third Hokage nodded. "There's no time to lose. Remember, this mission is only for reconnaissance. Do not enter into a direct conflict with the enemy. If you encounter danger, use Flying Thunder God and return immediately."
"Got it." Shin-chan stood and waved at the Third Hokage.
"Wait." The Third Hokage stopped him, took a money pouch from his drawer, and tossed it over. "Buy something to eat along the way. Don't let yourself go hungry."
"Thanks, Grandpa Third."
Shin-chan caught the money pouch, activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, and disappeared from the office.
The Third Hokage looked at the now-empty room and relit his pipe.
"The Land of Rain... I hope everything goes smoothly."
Every few kilometers, Shin-chan left a Flying Thunder God mark on a tree trunk.
At first, warm sunlight still shone down on him. But the closer he moved toward the Land of Rain, the darker the sky became.
The originally white clouds turned gray and hung low overhead, as though they might collapse at any moment.
"Is it going to rain?"
Shin-chan looked up at the sky and reached into his pocket to check his chocolate sticks.
The instant he finished speaking, a cold drop of rain landed on the tip of his nose.
Then came a second drop, followed by a third...
Bean-sized raindrops began hammering down with loud splattering sounds, instantly turning into a torrential downpour.
Shin-chan cried out in surprise and instinctively covered his head with his hands, but it was completely useless.
Cold rainwater ran down his hair. His clothes were soon soaked through and clung tightly to his body, making them cold and heavy.
His shoes filled with water. Every step made a squishing sound, and it felt extremely uncomfortable.
"The people in the Land of Rain are so pitiful." He wiped the rainwater from his face. "They get soaked every day and don't even get a chance to sunbathe."
He thought of the sunny days in Konoha Village and the times he had lain on the roof, eating ice cream beneath the warm sunlight.
"Konoha really is the best." Shin-chan sighed. "Once the mission is over, I'm going to lie beside the heater, eat chocolate sticks, and read manga."
As he imagined it, his steps quickened.
Far along the horizon, several dark silhouettes faintly appeared.
"I'm finally almost there."
Shin-chan took a deep breath and walked into the curtain of rain that never seemed to end.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 70 Chapters Ahead of Others!