The cold wind blowing north from Konoha tonight traveled hundreds of miles upward, crossing mountains and ridges, sometimes leveling out, sometimes making sharp turns. When it left the lush forests and crashed against the stone walls of high cliffs, the empty sky grew quiet.
The murmuring sounds of the Valley of the End formed an unceasing backdrop under the night sky. The dim moonlight gently brushed over the area, and the majestic waterfall seemed to transform into a pitch-black stone statue, its flowing form painted repeatedly in shades of ink.
On the head of one of the giant statues, three figures stood or sat.
"Three of a kind."
"Pass."
"…"
Logan sat on a rock. Lifting his head casually, he could see the large face of Uchiha Madara, enshrined for posterity on the opposite side. It was blurry in the dim light, but the familiar face was unmistakable.
Why did that feel familiar?
This iconic location, like a landmark of the Ninja World, was a place Logan had visited several times... under different circumstances.
Right now, he was just waiting, with Team Daybreak accompanying him. A casual glance brought back vivid memories. It felt like the time Team 7 had tried to stop him when he officially left the village. He remembered the exact spots where he had fought his two students.
Thinking back, he had held Naruto with one hand and Sasuke with the other, punching the crown prince and kicking the second protagonist, truly a majestic display.
As for why they had to be at the Valley of the End...
"Hey, I pass. Hattori, are you playing or not?"
The flood of memories was interrupted. Deidara crouched on the ground, holding a rough deck of cards made from paper scraps.
He tilted his head and glanced sideways at Hattori, his impatient tone and naturally releasing hostility making him resemble a petty thug playing cards by the roadside.
Hattori snapped back to reality and couldn't be bothered to argue. He glanced at his hand and said, "Pass."
"You're always like this. If you don't have it, just say so. Can't you play faster? Seriously..." Deidara grumbled discontentedly. Sasori, his opponent, continued playing his cards with a calm expression. Deidara's eyes sharpened, and he quickly followed suit.
"Pair of threes."
"Pair of fives."
"Pair of twos."
Sasori's movements paused. His expression turned frosty as he stared at Deidara, his voice like a chilling wind, "Do you even know how to play? Playing such a high card already, and against me?"
Making intimidating expressions was second nature to a Puppet Master. Sasori was the only one among the three who chose to stand and play seriously, though his low height meant he wasn't much taller than the others.
"Don't mind it, Sasori-danna." Deidara said politely, rubbing his remaining cards with a smile, "I had to play it."
"There are so many other pairs in between..."
"Relax, I'm definitely sure I can win."
After saying this, Deidara glanced warily the landlord, Logan, gripping his cards tighter and hiding them deeper. Logan couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sight.
"Hmph, I'll believe you for now." Sasori said, his expression softening slightly. He hesitated for a few seconds before also moving farther away from Logan.
"Two lunatics."
Logan cursed under his breath. The more time passed, the more he regretted teaching them the card game of Landlord.
To improve team cohesion, alleviate the vast spiritual needs of the members, address their urgent needs, and provide what they required, Logan, after careful consideration, had introduced this well-known modern entertainment game.
Actually, it was mainly because Team Daybreak was newly formed, and their first mission lacked substantial content. To pacify his two restless teammates and combat sheer boredom, he had concocted this way to pass the time.
Unexpectedly, Landlord proved more effective than Logan had anticipated. Within Team Daybreak, it was quite popular, especially with Deidara, who greatly appreciated that four of a kind equaled a 'bomb'.
After days of playing and waiting, no major incidents had occurred, which surprised Logan slightly.
"Bomb! Katsu!" Deidara seized the perfect moment, slamming down the cards he had been holding back for a long time and shouting.
"We win!"
The corner of Logan's mouth twitched. He threw down his remaining cards and, looking at the other's victorious, chuunibyo-like pose, couldn't help but remind him with a dark expression, "You can shout, but keep your hands off the hand seal."
"Oh, sorry, force of habit." Deidara said, releasing his hands. The faintly jumping Chakra at his pocket calmed down.
Sasori silently began gathering the scattered cards, his movements brisk.
'Take it easy, they'll get bored of it someday... Logan thought inwardly.' Right now, it was just like getting a new toy, so once the novelty wore off, things would return to normal.
Otherwise, he'd have to reconsider whether the team was meant for fighting or running a gambling den.
During the silent card-gathering, Deidara glanced at the dark moon in the sky and thought of something.
"By the way, calculating the time, it should be about time now." He said, standing up and doing a couple of stretches as he looked south, "No one's here. I say, Hattori, can the person you told me to deliver the letter to actually make it on time?"
Sasori, who was engrossed in organizing the cards, thought for a moment before saying contemplatively, "There's still half an hour left."
Considering the serious matter at hand, it was good that they still kept track of the progress and details and hadn't truly detached themselves from it.
Logan felt somewhat touched. He nodded, his attitude softening a little, "Don't worry."
With Mai's abilities, giving her three days' leeway to find a gap to sneak out of the village shouldn't be a problem at all.
He believed Mai would care deeply about his message and would definitely make an effort to meet him... and it was precisely for this reason that Logan had returned to the Land of Fire.
The young girl, growing into her beauty and cuteness, with that obvious feeling, it made him feel at a loss and unable to comprehend it.
But after some serious thought, Logan understood that letting things continue like this was not acceptable.
He had come to clarify the situation and make things clear to her.
Just like when he had fulfilled his wish, and on that quiet snowy day, Sumika had said, 'You still have to go, don't you?'. Some things just have to be concluded.
"Isn't Konoha on high alert right now? That little girl might not have had a smooth journey." Deidara said casually as he picked up the dealt cards.
"Is that so?"
"She should have arrived a bit earlier, of course, unless she's in no hurry and taking her time... but I feel like none of you Ninjas who run away from Konoha are very stable. Heh, like the Uchiha, and you."
Logan felt a slight stir in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged, "If there's a problem, it's probably because your infiltration work wasn't up to par."
"How is that possible?!"
The card game continued. The two beside him were full of enthusiasm, but Logan found the quiet night dull. The rushing water became inexplicably irritating. After a few more rounds, he threw down his cards halfway through and refused to play anymore.
Deidara immediately objected, complaining about his lack of sportsmanship. Sasori also had some criticisms.
Logan, listening to the wind blowing emptily from a certain direction, ignored them, relying on his status as the team's leader.