Hunger...
A hollow growl echoed from the boy's stomach, followed by a searing burning sensation. The intense discomfort jolted Yukio awake from his unconsciousness. He sat up with a start, blinking at the dim, lightless surroundings of the hollow tree.
He didn't scream or wail. Instead, he pulled his knees to his chest and curled into a tight ball. Memories of the past few days flickered through his mind like a broken reel.
His mother, who had promised to find food, never returned. His little brother, Toshiro, had stayed by his side until the very end. And that monster—the smiling ninja who had asked him, "Does it taste good?"
Though young, Yukio knew the truth. His mother and brother were gone. He buried his face in his lap, his small frame shaking as he struggled to suppress the sound of his sobbing.
"I wondered who was crying. So, you're awake..."
A slow, calm voice drifted into the tree. Yukio looked up to see the ninja wearing the terrifying demon mask—the one who had saved him—stepping back inside. He hurriedly wiped his eyes, trying to salvage some shred of dignity.
"Hey, what's your name?"
Surprisingly, the ninja's voice was pleasant. He hadn't noticed it before in the heat of the chaos.
"Ninja-sama... I am Yukio," the boy stammered. "You can... You can call me Hikorō. That's what my mother called me and my brother."
Amamiya Ayane nodded. Having lived in the Land of Rain for ten years, she knew the cultural weight of those names. Toshi and Hiko were elegant, auspicious characters—humble blessings bestowed by parents upon their children.
"Yukio, here are some crackers. Take small bites and wash them down with water." She set down some supplies. "I only fed you soldier pills during the flight to keep us moving; your stomach is probably raw right now."
Ayane wasn't one for long goodbyes. She pointed toward the opening. "Once you've rested, follow the river to the northwest. Once you clear the forest, you'll find a small town."
She had done everything she could. She couldn't play nanny forever.
Yukio listened in silence. Only at the very end did he ask timidly, "Ninja-sama..."
"Hmm?"
"That man... is he dead? If not, I want to kill him myself!" The boy bit his lip, his fists clenched white, his voice raspy with venom. "No, I want to bite him. I want to tear the flesh and blood from his body, piece by piece!"
Ayane felt a pang of pity. Her voice softened as she drew Stormrazor halfway. "He's dead. He died by this blade. I ran him through the chest—there was blood everywhere. It was a miserable end."
Yukio stiffened. His expression became a complex knot of grief and relief. "Dead? Good. That's... that's good."
The tears he had been holding back surged again. Ayane's heart gave way. She approached him and, like comforting a wounded pet, ruffled his messy hair. She pulled a few crumpled banknotes from her pocket and pressed them into his hand. "Go on then. Live well."
The dam broke. Yukio's tears flowed uncontrollably, blurring his vision. Even the fierce demon mask inches away now seemed like the smile of a guardian deity.
"Please, tell me your name!" he cried, falling to his knees. "I will repay you one day. My life belongs to you—"
"We'll see about that," Ayane replied, her voice distant yet kind. "But I've remembered your name, Yukio."
With a crisp shing, she sheathed her blade and added a final warning: "The crackers are compressed. Don't eat too many at once."
Then, she vanished from the tree without a sound.
Saving Yukio was merely an interlude. To some, leaving a child at the edge of a strange town might seem like abandonment, but Ayane knew she had given him the only thing that mattered in this world: a chance. The rest was up to fate.
Woodpecker, slowed by his injuries, eventually led them across several small ridges. After half a day of trekking, they reached their destination: the front lines of the war against Konoha.
The border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire was defined by the Anyue River, a churning torrent that never ran dry.
From a mountain peak, Ayane and Woodpecker looked down. At the base lay the Rain's encampment—rows of tents stretching like a dragon across the plains. Across the river lay dense forests, and beyond that, the flat, black soil of the Land of Fire.
Ayane's eyes were drawn to the horizon. There, she saw something she hadn't seen in a year: a sunset. A vibrant, red sun hung low, soaking the distant world in a golden-crimson hue.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Woodpecker said, snapping her out of her daze. "I was shocked the first time I saw it, too. Imagine living under that sun every day. I can't even fathom how happy the Konoha ninja must be."
Having shared a brush with death, the two had grown closer. Ayane teased, "If that's the case, why aren't you jealous of the Sand ninja? They're the real experts at sunbathing."
Woodpecker shook his head. "I never said I envied them."
"Oh?"
"Because that place isn't home," he said, his gaze deepening as he looked at the mud beneath his boots. "My home is behind me, and right beneath my feet."
Ayane fell silent. There was a weight to his words that transcended simple patriotism.
"Come on. I'll take you to meet the new squad leader." Woodpecker's sentimentality vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "His code name is Night Raven, though you can call him Captain Raven."
The Owl Squad had been decimated on the Sand front. Even the previous Captain, Owl, had died in the desert, his bones unrecovered. Instead of promoting from within, the Anbu high command had parachuted in a new leader—the "well-connected" son of a financial advisor that Principal Ichii had warned her about.
Ayane smirked behind her mask. Captain Raven? Or 'Captain Duck', depending on the pun? Truly a fitting name for a nepotism hire.
They followed the river upstream. Near a dense thicket ten miles away, Woodpecker fired a signal flare. Moments later, a masked Anbu emerged from the trees.
"Password?"
Woodpecker stood tall. "Offer your hearts for Lord Hanzo!"
"Password accepted!"
Ayane: "..." It's only been a few days since graduation. How did that cringey slogan spread this fast?
With the formalities over, the tension relaxed. The sentry, wearing an Eagle mask, looked at Ayane. "Woodpecker, is this the rookie?" Her voice was young and feminine.
"Black Swan," Woodpecker introduced. Then to Ayane: "This is Eagle. She's only been in for half a month longer than you."
The squad consisted of seven members. Aside from the new Captain and the new recruits, only Woodpecker and another veteran, Peregrine, remained from the original roster.
At the campsite, the full squad gathered. After the introductions, Woodpecker reported the incident at Maba Village.
Captain Night Raven listened, stroking his chin with a cold sneer. "I know that guy, Mashu. He's a die-hard loyalist to Chiyo. He survived the front and didn't dare go back for revenge against Konoha, so he came here to vent his frustrations on our peasants."
He paused, analyzing the situation. "As for the rogue ninja Swan mentioned? Likely a guide hired from the black market by the Sand to lead them through the Land of Fire."
Ayane realized he was right. That explained the odd pairing of an Elite Jonin and a stray.
Night Raven continued arrogantly, "It seems Mashu knows his place. He didn't pursue you. Hmph! Smart of him. He wouldn't dare strike at us at this juncture!"
His logic matched Ayane's, but his tone was different. To the Anbu, the slaughter of hundreds of innocent villagers was considered "knowing one's place" as long as the Anbu themselves weren't targeted. A chill crept down Ayane's spine.
Woodpecker took a breath and asked cautiously, "Captain, what's the word from the Sand front? Any news?"
Night Raven went quiet for a moment, his voice flat. "The Sand suffered a crushing defeat. Their puppet brigade was wiped out by Konoha."
The squad erupted. Eagle was the first to chirp, "What? Wiped out? That's impossible! The Puppet Brigade is their ace!"
Night Raven glanced at her coldly. Who are you to question me? However, being new to the post, he suppressed his annoyance and handed over a report for the team to circulate.
The report was brief but world-shaking:
Confirmed: Nine days ago, the Sand Puppet Brigade landed on the northern coast of the Land of Rivers to ambush Konoha. Six days ago, they were intercepted in the Shiqian Forest. Heavy casualties.
The leaders—the son and daughter-in-law of Advisor Chiyo—were killed by a single Konoha Jonin: Sakumo Hatake. The remaining forces are scattered. The Puppet Brigade, as a functional unit, has effectively ceased to exist.
"Sakumo Hatake... all by himself?" "Is he that strong? I wonder if he's stronger than the Hokage?" The squad buzzed, seeing the official seals of both the Anbu and Hanzo himself.
Woodpecker, the veteran, spoke up. "Sakumo Hatake is known as the White Fang of the Leaf. He's an Elite Jonin, a master of the short blade and lightning-fast Taijutsu. If you ever encounter him, run. Run as far and as fast as you can."
Ayane watched him silently. Eagle, ever the curious one, asked, "Have you fought him, Woodpecker?"
"More or less. But that was a younger version of him," Woodpecker muttered. "Six or seven years ago, Captain Owl and I encountered him on the border. Let's just say... it wasn't a pleasant meeting."
Seeing the fear in his subordinates' eyes, Night Raven clapped his hands to regain control.
"Don't panic," the Captain said dismissively. "The report says the White Fang's ninjutsu is unremarkable; he relies solely on a chakra saber. His style is simply a hard counter to puppeteers. Combined with a home-field ambush, a victory like that isn't surprising."
He crossed his arms, oozing confidence. "In a straight, fair fight... who knows who would actually come out on top?"
The squad shared looks, unsure of how to respond to such bravado. Woodpecker, the old fox, was the first to smooth things over. "Captain Raven is right. If the White Fang were truly that invincible, why hasn't he come to our front?"
Night Raven nodded, delivering his final verdict: "Exactly. At the end of the day, he's simply shunning the edge of our Hidden Rain!"
Ayane remained silent for a moment before cupping her hands. "The Captain is truly wise."