In the white veil of rain, as if it had appeared out of nowhere, stood a figure. Through the blurry veil of which a deep red color was visible. Even standing under the thick curtain of rain, Kano felt that gaze on himself.
The violent wind, the deafening peals of thunder, the pouring rain – this storm, which had been brewing all day, was expected. As for this man, when he had appeared here and what he was thinking about now – Kano did not care.
The rain streams lashed his body, and quickening his pace, Kano soon spotted a figure standing in the rain, watching him. Without stopping or looking at the girl, he walked past, towards the rain and thunder.
Kushina, ignoring the streams of rain running down her face, tried to look into Kano's dark eyes, but even when he passed by, she saw only deep darkness and indifference in them.
The moment they passed each other, she felt the usually subtle alienation intensify many times over in the icy rain, piercing her to the bone, reaching her very heart. It seemed that he wanted to tell her: "Stop."
She bit her lip, lowering her eyelids, hiding the sadness that had just flashed by. The doubts that had arisen after that night kept popping up in her memory. What had happened? Why had he changed so suddenly? He had become so incomprehensible, and now, in the rain, he looked even more mysterious.
More than a year of knowing him seemed enough to get to know him, but eventually she realized that the person she seemed to know might be a completely different person.
Suddenly she turned around, her gaze piercing the curtain of rain, her lips parted, but it felt like a lump was stuck in her throat. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't utter a word, and only silently watched Kano's figure disappear into the rain.
Her open eyes could no longer resist the onslaught of the rain, and everything in front of her became blurry. As if the one who always came to her door with Haru was just an illusion, fragile and shaky like a soap bubble.
"Why did he save me if things turned out like this?" Her quiet voice was immediately swallowed up by the wind and rain. The image of a bloodied Kano, sitting with his head down by the tree trunk, was deeply etched in Kushina's memory and might never be erased.
She stood alone in the rain, hugging herself. And even standing in this pouring rain, she tried to hold back her tears. She just didn't understand how Kano could change so quickly.
When she first came to Konoha, everything was strange. Strange people, strange surroundings. And not only that, but also baseless hostility. So she also began to deliberately ignore everything around her, gradually rejecting this world. Until those who became dear to her appeared.
But now these people who were so precious to her seemed to be inexplicably moving away, and she did not know why.
Bam! - the wind and rain increased, and the sound in the ears was filled with the noise of the rain.
The continuous stream of water falling on her head suddenly stopped. An umbrella opened above her, holding up even under such a downpour.
Kushina looked up in confusion, seeing only the umbrella, her heart suddenly fluttered. She turned sharply to the one holding the umbrella, and saw a familiar, once hated, kind face.
But this was not the one she was waiting for.
Minato silently held the umbrella, looking at Kushina with concern.
"Has anyone ever told you that being so kind makes you look like a girl?" Kushina asked quietly. The large umbrella that protected her from the rain finally stopped the freezing cold that was making its way to her heart.
Despite the sound of the rain, Minato heard her quiet words. But he only smiled softly, saying nothing.
Now he looked at Kushina and thought about Kano. He also didn't understand him, like Haru and Kushina.
....
After the Second Shinobi World War, small conflicts continued. Within the five great nations, there were many small states and clans that were related by blood. They were weak and unable to confront the great powers, but they could turn their attention to those as weak as themselves.
Absorption, robbery or a simple desire for power. Regardless of the reasons, the feuds between the small countries did not subside. It was as if they had become creatures of the natural world, obeying the law of natural selection.
The great countries and shinobi villages, which had begun to recover from the war, watched the clashes of the smaller countries, not openly interfering, but secretly allowing their ninja to take assignments from them and make a profit. Konoha, of course, was no exception. The most difficult assignments most often came from the smaller countries, among which there were often orders to assassinate heads of state.
Hokage's office.
The Third Hokage slowly tapped his finger on the piece of paper on the table. He looked up at the squad in front of him, lost in thought. It was led by his talented student, Orochimaru. Although Orochimaru's squad had been showing excellent results lately, taking on a mission that was close to S-rank still posed a huge risk. Hiruzen wasn't worried about Orochimaru, but he was worried about his growing students.
In times of recovery, new forces were vitally needed.
There were many outstanding shinobi in this generation, led by Kano, Minato, and Kushina. All of them were valuable assets to Konoha. And while the village desperately needed to carry out missions to make money, it also had to consider preserving its talent.
After thinking about this, the Third decided not to assign Orochimaru's squad to this task. After all, there were two geniuses in this squad, one of whom was also the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails.
"Orochimaru, this mission is not suitable for your squad," Hiruzen said.
After which, a shadow of mockery flashed in the depths of Orochimaru's eyes, and he coldly replied, "Kano is a master of the art of killing, Kushina has excellent sensory abilities, Haru's hearing can detect even the whisper of the wind, and I lead the squad. What is not suitable here?"
Hiruzen was speechless for a moment. Looking at Orochimaru's impassive face, he rubbed his forehead with an expression of annoyance on his face.
Orochimaru knew that Hiruzen was betting on retaining talented ninja. After all, compared to the profit from a single mission, retaining personnel was much more important. But for him, who had grown up in the flames of war, if a ninja was unable to complete even a non-lethal mission, then could he really be considered talented?
Death is a failure.
Life is valuable.
"Sensei, I'm afraid you underestimate them," Orochimaru chuckled coldly.
Hiruzen immediately glanced at Kano and the others, then looked back at Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, are you serious?"
"Of course," Orochimaru immediately replied.
"Hmm…" Hiruzen thought, his finger tapping the table stilled, and his gaze became stern. He looked back at Orochimaru and said firmly, "In that case, I will allow you to take this mission…"
He did not finish speaking, because he knew that his student would understand him.
Orochimaru's lips slightly lifted. And after receiving the instructions for the mission, he, Kano and the others left the office. Hiruzen watched them go and sighed.
Orochimaru, the man who had never had a student survive under his leadership, was he really serious about his words this time?
Risk always comes with reward. For a ninja to grow quickly, war is the shortest path, but also the most dangerous.
"Don't disappoint me…" Hiruzen said. He noticed that Orochimaru's squad had been taking on increasingly difficult missions lately. He seemed to sense some hope had been born in his student's soul, and that hope was most likely connected to the boy who reminded him so much of himself as a child.
"Will he become the second Orochimaru?" Hiruzen shook his head, thinking about the other genius, Namikaze Minato...
...
Kano, Kushina, and Haru didn't mind Orochimaru taking on a difficult mission because he discussed it with them beforehand.
Thanks to his trust in Sensei's power, even Haru didn't feel the slightest fear before this task. Although in fact, after many tasks he had completed, he himself hadn't noticed how he had changed, no longer being the same.
"The mission is to assassinate the ruler of the Land of Ash. We'll discuss the details on the way. Start preparing for departure now," Orochimaru said coldly, looking at the three.
Kano immediately turned around and headed towards his home. Kushina and Haru followed suit. They knew they were about to take on a difficult mission, but they didn't know it would be an assassination mission in another country.
For a qualified ninja, knowledge of geography is one of the necessary conditions.
The Land of Ash was located between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. Although to be honest, this area on the map was quite large, and there were many small countries in it.
The customer for this mission was the Land of Grass, which was at odds with the Land of Ash. Since the Land of Grass was constantly under pressure from the Land of Ash and its position was becoming increasingly precarious in numerous battles, having reached a critical situation, it spent all its remaining funds to order the assassination of the ruler of the Land of Ash in Konoha, hoping to thereby achieve victory in the war.
Usually, killing the ruler does not guarantee victory in a war. However, in the case of the Land of Ash, if the ruler can be killed, it can actually lead the Land of Grass to victory, since the ruler of the Land of Ash was an outstanding person.
Having prepared for a long journey, Orochimaru's squad left Konoha.
On the way, Orochimaru told them in detail about the scant information the customer had provided. The most useful information was that the ruler of the Land of Ash had many ninja under his command, and that he himself possessed considerable power.
This information alone indicated the complexity of the task.
The Land of Grass was located between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, in a territory that did not belong to the five great countries. It bordered the Land of Ash, and the two countries had been at odds since their founding. It is also worth noting that during the Second Shinobi World War, both countries were significantly weakened.
Being sandwiched between the great powers was not a pleasant feeling. To break out of this situation, it was necessary to absorb and grow, striving to one day gain a power capable of rivaling the five great countries.
The Second Shinobi World War brought not only destruction, but also opportunity. While the great powers were rebuilding their strength, it was the perfect time for smaller countries to expand.
After a long and tiring journey, Orochimaru's squad finally reached the Land of Grass's protected area, surrounded by dense vegetation, in the evening. A ninja wearing a forehead protector appeared from the sunset rays and shouted to Orochimaru and his team, who had stopped: "Stop!"
Orochimaru looked at the ninja and said coldly, "We are ninja from Konoha. We have come at your request. Here is proof."
With that, he took out a scroll and, without throwing it directly at the ninja, placed it on the ground nearby. The ninja immediately tensed up, quickly examined the fallen scroll, made a strange gesture, and then swung a thorn-covered vine, deftly snatching the scroll.
Holding the scroll, the ninja took a few steps back and then unrolled it. After a moment, having confirmed that everything was correct, he put the scroll away, and the hostility and wariness in his eyes noticeably diminished.
"Welcome, ninja from Konoha," he said.
After the ninja signaled to his comrade hidden in the darkness, he forced a smile and politely said, "Please follow me."
Orochimaru nodded and followed the ninja, and Kano and his two comrades, also relaxed, obediently followed the sensei. The last rays of sunset soon melted between the sky and the earth, and the night curtain slowly descended on the earth.
Orochimaru walked through the forest, occasionally glancing into the darkness. He could easily spot the ninja hiding there.
"A significant amount... Has the Grass Country's ninja training system really reached such a level? But even so, it is being suppressed by the Land of Ash. It seems that the ninja training systems of the smaller countries are rapidly developing." A thoughtful light flickered in his eyes.
It was only when the silver moon rose in the sky that their party finally reached their destination, the Land of Grass. The reception was neither warm nor cold. Despite the war, the country made sure that Kano and his comrades were provided with food and shelter.
"Phew, for the first time I feel like lying in bed is such a joy." Having eaten his fill, Haru sprawled out on the bed with a contented expression on his face.
Kushina, sitting on the bed against the wall, grumbled that the Land of Grass had put them all in one room, although for a ninja that shouldn't be so unacceptable.
"Rest. We might need to head to the Land of Ash tomorrow morning." Kushina patted her pillow, shaking off the dust.
"Uh-huh," Haru got up from the bed and, looking at Kano, who was silently standing by the window, asked: "Kano, what are you looking at there?"
Kano, hearing this, turned his head slightly, looked at his teammate, and indifferently replied, "Nothing."
Hearing Kano's cold tone, Haru sighed, but still said with a smile, "Then rest. This mission is the hardest our squad has ever undertaken. We need to get a good night's sleep."
Kushina suddenly stopped slapping the pillow and began to watch Kano sideways.
Kano turned to the window, looked at the unknown plants stretching out in the night darkness, and said: "I'm not tired. You rest, I'll take a little walk."
Having said this, he headed towards the door.
Haru watched his comrade leave and then turned to Kushina with a sad expression on his face.
"Rest," Kushina, as if nothing had happened, began to pat the pillow again, as if trying to wipe all the dust off it.
Haru sighed and obediently lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
...
The Grass Country was home to many different types of plants, causing the chirping of insects to continue throughout the night. As soon as you stepped outside, you were met with a strong, clean scent.
Since they weren't told when they were placed that they weren't allowed to walk around at night, Kano didn't hesitate to go for a walk until Orochimaru returned.
Suddenly there was a whistling sound next to his ear.
Kano, without changing his expression, tilted his head slightly. A black shadow flashed past his neck and fell into the sand. In the light, he saw that it was a green spike, similar to senbon, apparently made from some unknown plant.
Being suddenly attacked, he did not get angry, but turned to the roof of the house, covered with vines.
"Who are you? I've never seen you before," a very beautiful girl looked at Kano from the roof. There was bewilderment and wariness in her voice, and her shining eyes were visible in the darkness.
Kano decided that she had misunderstood him and politely explained, "I am a ninja from Konoha."
He thought that this explanation would be enough, but the girl took out another green senbon and said coldly, "How do I know that you are telling the truth?"
At this moment, Kano finally realized that she seemed to be deliberately looking for a reason to quarrel. His gaze gradually grew colder. But looking at the girl's clearly aggressive posture, he did not draw his blade, but continued to look at her coldly, saying: "I can take the first attack as a misunderstanding, but if you attack again, I will not stand on ceremony, even if it is your territory!"
"Hee hee." In the moonlight, despite Kano's cold voice, the girl remained unperturbed. Her laughing eyes were filled with fighting spirit, and her posture became even more menacing.
Noticing this, Kano placed his hand on the hilt of the blade on his waist, preparing to counterattack. If this were not in the Land of Grass, he would not have waited for the right moment to attack, but would have struck straight away.
Raising his head, he looked at the girl again. A murderous aura was emerging in his dark eyes. If someone was a threat to him, he would not pay attention to any other factors and simply eliminate the danger.
"I've long wanted to see how strong ninjas from big countries are." The girl took out several dark green senbons from a special ninja bag, which glittered in the moonlight. "Don't say I didn't warn you, ninja from Konoha. This thorn is poisoned!"
As soon as her ringing voice rang out, the girl on the roof suddenly turned into a swarm of fireflies, slowly hovering in the air: "And I... am poisonous too."
While Kano was wondering about the girl's sudden transformation into fireflies, a cold voice sounded next to his ear. That girl had quietly appeared behind him. Because of that, Kano's expression quickly changed, he grabbed the handle of the blade, but immediately froze. A small white hand lay on his palm, not allowing him to move.
"This girl..." Surprise appeared in his eyes. He quickly began to form seals with his left hand.
"You have lost, ninja of Konoha." With a cheerful laugh and triumphant words, the girl pressed herself against his shoulder, with one hand holding his hand on the blade, and with the other, holding the green senbon, she placed it against his neck. At the same time, her gentle lips lightly touched his ear.
Kano, maintaining an impassive expression, had almost finished forming the seals when suddenly an angry shout was heard.
"Yenaha, stop it!" A middle-aged man with the same hair as Yenaha walked quickly towards them. His face was distorted with anger.
At that moment, Kano stopped abruptly and silently looked at the person who had approached.
"Thanks to this man for saving you, naive," he thought. Despite the warm, soft body behind him, and despite the fact that the girl did not show the slightest hostility towards him, once he regained control of the situation, he would not show mercy.
"Oh." Yenaha pouted and obediently removed her hands, taking a few steps back.
The man gave her an angry look, and then looked at Kano apologetically: "I apologize, my daughter is quite naughty. Believe me, this was not a planned action."
Kano nodded and said coldly, "Can I go?"
"Of course, that's your right," the man smiled slightly.
Hearing this, Kano turned around and walked away, and at that moment the girl asked, "Hey, ninja from Konoha, what's your name?"
Kano paused, thought for a moment, and then coldly replied, "Kano."
After these words, he continued on his way without stopping.
Yenaha, looking at his retreating figure, said with a grin: "My name is Yenaha, remember. This is the name of the one who defeated you. I also remember you. You are the first ninja from a big country that I defeated!"
"Yenaha..." Kano didn't pay attention to this girl's rather childish challenge. In fact, she was probably not even weaker than Kushina. And if she hadn't been so naive, he really could have gotten into trouble.
After Kano left, the man suddenly hit Yenaha on the head, but she dodged it deftly. Having missed, he awkwardly lowered his hand and said sternly: "Do you want to die?"
Yenaha rolled her eyes and pouted, "Is that how you talk to your own daughter?"
The man was speechless, not knowing what to answer her.
Yenaha giggled, stretched, yawned, and said, "Dad, the Konoha ninjas don't seem to be anything special? I warned him beforehand, but that guy still fell for my trick. If I wanted, I could easily kill him."
The man patted his forehead. She spoke as if she were older than him. He looked in the direction Kano had gone and said seriously, "Don't underestimate others. If I hadn't intervened and stopped you, who knows what kind of jutsu he would have used to form the seals."
"Seals?" Yenaha was surprised, and then rolled her eyes at her father: "I held one of his hands, how could he make seals? Dad, you're scaring me again."
The man remained silent, and then added in a serious voice, "Making seals with one hand… I may not know much, but at least among those I fought, no one could make seals with one hand."
Seeing her father's seriousness, Yenaha stopped smiling, slightly bowed her head, considering the possibility of making seals with one hand. And after thinking for a while, she seemed to realize something, and suddenly shouted: "Then our fight doesn't count!"
"What doesn't count?" the man didn't understand what his daughter was talking about.
"Our fight!" Yenahi's cheeks puffed out, showing how angry she was, "No, I have to find him again and defeat him!"
Hearing this, the man decisively hit her on the head.
Yenaha leaned back and easily dodged the blow again, causing her father to awkwardly lower his hand.
Looking at her father with disdain, she said, "Dad, please don't be such a child next time."
....
At the same time, after conveying the information, Orochimaru returned to the house provided by the Land of Grass. On the way back, instead of taking the shortest route, he deliberately took the longer route.
Along the way, he carefully examined the various strange plants growing in the Land of Grass. Some of the plants clearly showed signs of care, while others grew on their own. And it was obvious that the plants that were cared for had to have some use, for example, to be poisonous...
Some plant poisons could be no less dangerous than animal poisons, and Orochimaru himself was quite skilled in using snake venom. But since his previous team included such a master of poisons as Tsunade, he did not pay much attention to this area. However, this did not stop him from being interested in poisons, or rather, the properties of these plants.
"If there is a chance..." - interest flashed in his eyes. At that moment, he began to show interest in small countries, which he had not paid much attention to before. After all, any sensible person understood that in order to survive, those who are squeezed between large countries need to have something unusual.
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