"During the Second Shinobi World War, ninja from Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure turned the Land of Rain into their battlefield. Once the fighting ended, they simply walked away, leaving behind nothing but orphans and ruins."
Tetsu gritted his teeth. "Now Sunagakure and Kumogakure are at war again, and their ninja have already entered the Land of Rain. They don't care what the people here think. In their eyes, this country is nothing more than a buffer zone—a carpet they can trample whenever they please."
"Doesn't Amegakure do anything about it?"
Tetsu sneered. "Hanzō of the Salamander is certainly powerful, but all he cares about now is securing his own authority. As long as something doesn't threaten his rule, he can't be bothered to deal with it."
"Tetsu used to be a ninja of Amegakure too," the old man said with a sigh.
Yahiko and Konan both looked toward the empty right sleeve hanging from Tetsu's shoulder.
"I fought for Amegakure for three full years and lost an arm. When I returned, I discovered that my wife and child had both died in the war. After that, I left the village and stayed in this town to watch over these homeless people."
"I'm sorry," Yahiko said in a low voice.
"There's nothing for you to apologise for. You weren't the ones who caused it." Tetsu turned his head. "The three of you are still young and capable. Instead of wasting your time in a place like this, you should go somewhere else and find a way to live."
"We don't intend to leave."
"Why?"
"Because this is our country."
Tetsu stared at Yahiko for a long time. The corner of his mouth moved slightly, though it was unclear whether he was smiling or sighing.
Shin-chan had been listening quietly. Then he took out the money pouch from inside his clothes and poured out everything that remained.
Tetsu frowned. "What are you doing?"
"I kept enough to buy chocolate sticks. You can have the rest." Shin-chan stood up. "The roof of this house leaks. If you don't repair it, the people living here will catch colds."
Shin-chan turned toward Yahiko and the others. "Let's check somewhere else. This town doesn't have a ramen shop, so my Ramen Intelligence Network is completely useless."
Yahiko's gaze moved from Tetsu to the children huddled in the corner, finally settling on the boy named Takeshi.
The boy was secretly peering at them through the gaps between his fingers, something difficult to describe in his eyes.
Expectation, perhaps?
Or confusion?
Yahiko couldn't quite tell.
"Let's go." Yahiko withdrew his gaze and walked toward the door.
The four of them left the house. Outside, the rain had begun falling again.
They had only taken a few steps when footsteps came from behind them.
Takeshi ran after them, clutching something in his hand.
"Here." He stuffed it into Shin-chan's palm, then immediately turned and ran back into the house.
Shin-chan opened his hand.
It was a fruit sweet wrapped in colourful paper.
The wrapper was already badly wrinkled. No one knew how long the boy had treasured it.
Shin-chan peeled away the wrapper and placed the sweet in his mouth.
"What flavour is it?" Konan asked.
"Watermelon." Shin-chan spoke around the sweet. "But for some reason, it tastes a little bitter."
Yahiko said nothing.
The four walked silently along the muddy street, the ruined walls and collapsed houses on either side looking especially desolate beneath the rain.
Yahiko looked up at the grey sky as rainwater ran down his cheeks. "I don't want to see any more children like that boy lose everything because of war."
"Are you talking to yourself, or to me?" Shin-chan wiped the rainwater from his face.
Yahiko gave a bitter smile. "Probably to myself."
"Then you don't need to say it." Shin-chan continued walking forward. "You probably already know in your heart what you want to do."
Yahiko stood where he was and watched Shin-chan's swaying back.
"Is he really a ninja from Konoha?" Konan asked softly.
"Yes," Yahiko said. "And he's the best kind of Konoha ninja."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." Yahiko started walking again. "Let's go."
Footsteps sounded behind them once more.
"Konoha boy." Tetsu caught up with them. "Wait. There's something else I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Three days ago, a team of Sunagakure ninja appeared near an abandoned mine east of the town."
"Is there a ramen shop near the mine?"
"...No." The corner of Tetsu's mouth twitched. "Forget a ramen shop. There isn't even a place selling dried food within five kilometres."
"What a shame." Shin-chan sighed. "But it's fine. Once my mission is over, I'll treat you to ramen. I still have enough of Grandpa Third's mission allowance left for it. I should be able to afford one bowl of chashu ramen with half an egg."
"What do you mean, half an egg?"
"My budget only covers one extra egg, but there are two of us, so we each get half."
Tetsu was silent for a moment before returning to the subject. "I didn't dare get too close, so I hid among some rocks outside the mine. But I vaguely heard a few words."
"What words?"
"Rōran, and... the power of the Dragon Vein."
Konan and Yahiko exchanged puzzled glances.
"Where is Rōran?"
"I don't know. I've never heard of it." Yahiko turned toward Tetsu. "Are you sure you didn't mishear?"
"I may only have one arm, but my ears still work perfectly well."
Konan frowned. "The words 'Rōran' and 'power of the Dragon Vein' don't sound like anything good."
"At least they don't sound delicious," Shin-chan said regretfully.
"Can't you be serious?"
"I am being serious." Shin-chan turned toward Tetsu. "Do you know how far the mine is from here?"
"About an hour's walk east. It's just beyond that dead forest."
Shin-chan checked the direction. "Then I'll go take a look."
"You're going alone?"
"I'm the most suitable person to go alone." Shin-chan pointed at himself. "I can use Flying Thunder God. If I run into danger, I can escape immediately. Even all three of you together can't run faster than me."
Konan nodded. "Then we'll wait for you at the cave. Let us know once you return."
"Alright."
Shin-chan handed Konan a kunai marked with a Flying Thunder God formula. In the next instant, his figure vanished into the rain.
Tetsu looked at the place where Shin-chan had disappeared, then turned to Yahiko.
"Just who is that kid?"
"He's a Konoha ninja." The corner of Yahiko's mouth lifted slightly. "He's simply very different from what everyone imagines."
Tetsu shook his head. "These days, even Konoha is producing strange people like him."
"If someone like him can represent Konoha, then that means the world isn't made up entirely of warmongers. There are still other possibilities."
What Yahiko did not say was that perhaps...
Chocolate sticks and ramen really could possess more power than swords and hatred.
The rain began falling harder again.
An hour later, a faint spatial disturbance appeared.
Shin-chan materialised inside the cave, completely soaked.
"You're back." Yahiko stood up beside the fire. "What was happening at the mine?"
"I only found one useful piece of information."
"What information?"
"The Sunagakure ninja are no longer at the mine."
Yahiko was silent for a second. "How is that supposed to be useful information?"