Thick clouds almost completely blocked out all sunlight, and the continuous rain made the ground muddy.
Occasional flashes of light flickered in the distance, illuminating the scattered ruins—some collapsed, others reduced to charred remains.
Everywhere one looked was desolation.
Plop!
A small splash erupted from a puddle on the ground. A teenager wearing the Uchiha clan's fan insignia walked slowly through the rain.
"So this is the Land of Rain?"
"It should be full of life, yet everything is broken and ruined."
The teenager sighed softly.
In a world where the strong survive and the weak perish, this was the tragedy of being a small nation.
Situated at the border where the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Wind converged, the Land of Rain inevitably became the battlefield for powerful nations during every Great Ninja World War.
This time was no different.
To avoid damaging their own territories and prevent surprise attacks by Iwagakure ninjas during battle, both Konoha and Sunagakure silently moved the battlefield into the Land of Rain.
The weak Land of Rain naturally became the unfortunate victim of conflicts between great nations.
Walking a little further, seeing several corpses lying on the ground from time to time, Mirai Uchiha couldn't help but sigh, "Hanzo must be getting old."
"No, perhaps it's more accurate to say that the cruel reality has worn down his spirit."
Recalling the past, Hanzo Sanshouo once claimed the title of "Half-God," boldly leading Amegakure into the Second Great Ninja World War.
At that time, how vigorous and spirited Hanzo Sanshouo had been—Even coining the name "Konoha Sannin" was his idea.
Yet now, faced with invasions from other countries, this very ninja once called the "Half-God" had retreated with his subordinates hiding away.
Perhaps what Orochimaru said was indeed true.
People change. If someone hasn't changed from beginning to end, it's only because they died before they could change.
Suddenly, a baby's loud cry rang out.
Mirai Uchiha turned his head. A woman clutched her infant tightly, cowering in a corner of the rubble, eyes filled with terror.
Mirai approached the woman and reached into his ninja tool pouch.
"N-no, don't kill me, please spare me... No, please spare my child; she's still so young, barely able to speak..."
Her voice abruptly stopped.
The man standing there wearing a Konoha Forehead Protector wasn't holding a sharp kunai, but rather a gray cloth bag.
"This contains a Military Rations Pill. Though it isn't very tasty, it's good for restoring energy."
Mirai finished speaking and placed the open bag on the ground.
"Please wait!"
The woman grabbed the bag and knelt before Mirai Uchiha.
"Can you take my daughter with you?"
"She won't make it if she keeps following me."
Upon hearing this, Mirai Uchiha pointed at his Forehead Protector. "I'm a Konoha ninja—hatred toward me makes more sense."
The woman shook her head. "I don't understand any of that. All I know is you gave me hope to live."
"My daughter doesn't understand any of this yet. Take her back to Konoha. She'll repay you when she grows up."
Glancing at the sky, Mirai Uchiha stepped aside and walked past the woman. "If I were you, I'd hurry up and replenish my strength, then find somewhere safe to hide."
"Don't let anyone find your Military Rations Pill—it'll get you killed."
After he finished speaking, Mirai Uchiha left without even turning his head back.
He had killed many before—and would kill far more in the days ahead. But none of that stopped him from offering this woman a small bit of help.
Of course, that was all he could do.
Whether she lived or died depended on her luck and fate.
Staring at Mirai Uchiha's retreating figure, the woman drew the pattern from his clothes onto the ground.
After gazing at it blankly for a while, she took out a Military Rations Pill and put it into her mouth.
Feeling somewhat revitalized, she gently stroked the thin strands of purple hair on her baby's head.
"Hana," she whispered, "you'll become a ninja too when you're older."
"Only with strength can you live freely in this world, just like that kind man..."
After murmuring a few words, the woman wiped off the drawing on the ground and held her baby tightly as she disappeared into the rain.
————
At the town center, Mirai Uchiha stopped and leaned against an intact wall.
"I said… how much longer are you going to follow me?"
As his voice fell, the surrounding area remained eerily silent.
Mirai Uchiha smirked slightly, his figure vanishing instantly.
In the next second, he appeared at the corner of a street and threw a punch toward the hidden ninja there.
[Impact!]
As his fist struck, the ninja's body transformed into countless paper cranes flying in all directions, slowly reforming midair.
Looking at the woman wearing a black coat with long bluish-purple hair, Mirai Uchiha raised his eyebrows slightly.
Konan?
"What are you following me for?"
His killing intent faded as he felt surprised encountering Konan here.
"You're Mirai Uchiha of Konoha?"
Konan's clear, cold voice sounded, filled with curiosity in her eyes.
Seeing the energetic Konan, Mirai Uchiha was caught off guard.
Compared to her original portrayal, this younger Konan seemed particularly lively.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!"
Seeing Mirai lost in thought, Konan frowned unhappily and called out.
Mirai Uchiha regained his composure, his expression turning dangerous. "Since you know who I am, you should understand that following me isn't exactly a wise choice."
To his surprise, Konan covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh. "My intuition tells me you won't attack me. Didn't you spare that woman and her child just now too?"
"She was a civilian. That's all."
"I'm a ninja from Amegakure, and we're not enemies with your village."
Hearing Konan's words, Mirai Uchiha shrugged indifferently. "You've been following me for so long—what do you want?"
At this, Konan's tone grew serious. "Mirai Uchiha, could I ask you to do me a favor?"
Mirai Uchiha replied coolly, "Go ahead, tell me."
"Would you introduce me to the Hidden Leaf elders? I need to discuss something urgent with them."
Mirai Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "You?"
Seeing his confusion, Konan quickly added, "It's about the Akatsuki behind me."
"The Akatsuki is an organization formed by a group of peace-seeking ninjas."
"War brings nothing but pain and suffering to everyone."
"We want to help end this war between Hidden Leaf and Sunagakure through diplomacy."
"Oh right—I almost forgot to introduce myself."
"I'm Konan, a ninja from Amegakure. I belong to the Akatsuki, and our goal is to bring true peace to the world."
Mirai Uchiha chuckled and shook his head. "Don't be naïve, Konan!"
"Peace isn't talked into existence—it's forged in battle!"
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>