Chapter 6: Going Home
Morning.
Sensing that the atmosphere was a bit strange, Konan blinked her crystal-clear eyes. "Brother Hikaru, Sister Fusō, what's wrong with you two?"
Something felt weird.
"She's my mother."
However.
No one paid any attention to Nagato's weak protest.
Fusō gave an awkward laugh and shook her head but didn't say much. She patted Konan's head. "Are you awake?" Then, looking at Nagato and Konan, she said, "If you're awake, let's eat first. We have to leave soon."
"Leave?"
Nagato then noticed the luggage in the living room, a look of surprise on his small face. "Mom, are we leaving this place?"
"Yes, Nagato." Fusō nodded and patted Nagato's head as well, squatting down to look at him with a smile. "Mom and Nagato are going to a new place to start over. There's no war there, and no bad people. When we get there, Nagato will be able to make lots of friends and won't have to hide at home or go hungry anymore."
Although she didn't know if the so-called Land of Grass was as good as the shinobi lord had described, at this point... what other choice did she have?
She could either stay here with Nagato until other shinobi came, or... choose to believe him and see for herself.
Besides, she didn't believe a shinobi lord would have any ill intentions toward a widow and her orphan son by taking them away.
They weren't shinobi, after all.
Unless... their identity as members of the Uzumaki clan had been discovered.
But if it had been discovered, they wouldn't be able to escape anyway.
Therefore, she could only leave with expectations of a better life.
And if they stayed here... they were running out of food. Even if they didn't leave, they wouldn't know where to find more.
As for last night's misunderstanding... she had already forgotten about it!!!
That's right!
Forgotten!
It was too embarrassing!
But a moment later, thinking of her family... she let out a melancholic sigh.
At her words.
Nagato was taken aback, then seemed to understand something. Without asking any more questions, he nodded.
Although his father had just passed away yesterday, after so many years of war where people died every day, they had long been prepared. They couldn't remain immersed in grief forever.
Life had to go on.
If another place... had no war and no hunger, and his mother was there, that wouldn't be so bad.
He held back his reluctance, nodded, and said with a smile, "I'll go wherever Mom goes! I will protect you, Mom!"
"Then let's have breakfast first! We need the strength to leave after we eat!" Hearing Nagato's words, Fusō's face finally broke into a smile. "Thank you for the food, Lord Hikaru. He will be taking us away from here."
"Thank you, Lord (Brother) Hikaru!"
"..."
Hikaru smiled and patted Nagato's head, shaking his own. "Let's eat. We'll leave right after."
After a simple breakfast, they prepared to depart. Of course, before leaving... they paid a visit to the grave of Nagato's father.
Konan also folded a flower as a blessing and placed it on the grave, earning a "thank you" from Nagato.
"Well then..." Looking at his small team, Kusa Hikaru waved his hand grandly, let out an emotional sigh, and then said with a smile, "Let's go!"
First, send these people off, and then, come back.
After finding Yahiko, it was time to go home!
At the same time.
It seemed that because the war had reached its most critical moment, Konoha's main forces had already pushed deep into the Land of Rain.
And it was said that they were personally led by the three disciples of the "Strongest Hokage," the one known as the "Shinobi God"... Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Although the Hokage himself hadn't taken action, these were his students, and even the granddaughter of the first God of Shinobi was among them.
One could just imagine... they were definitely powerful shinobi.
In just one night, the entire Land of Rain became even quieter. The marketplaces, which once had some signs of life, were now also shuttered.
Instantly.
Upon receiving the news, Amegakure reacted swiftly, and even the village leader himself headed to the front lines against Konoha.
Even Kusa Hikaru hadn't expected the war to escalate so quickly.
And that the Konoha Sannin... no, they shouldn't be called the Sannin yet, but that Jiraiya and his team would advance so fast.
The battle where the Sannin fought the demigod Hanzō was supposed to happen after the three little ones met, after the sacrifice of Chibi (Nagato's dog), and after the incident with the explosive tags left by a shinobi.
Therefore, he had thought he had another two or three months, but he never expected it to be so soon.
Could it be because of the Land of Grass's sudden entry into the war?
But...
Their Kusagakure hadn't sent any troops at all!
That unscrupulous guy Mujina, what could he have done now?
Just then.
Kusa Hikaru, who was deep in thought, seemed to sense something. His eyes narrowed, and he stopped in his tracks, shielding Konan and the others as he stared ahead with a slight frown.
Fusō and the others seemed to understand, quickly stopping and standing quietly behind him.
"Lord Hikaru..."
Before she could finish.
A silky, androgynous voice spoke up, "To be able to detect the three of us! It seems you're a ninja of considerable skill."
Three figures appeared before them, wearing Konoha Jonin combat uniforms. One had white hair, one had blonde hair, and one with long, straight black hair wore a faint smile.
"I told you we should have just attacked directly! Jiraiya, you're too naive. This is a battlefield now!"
"He's with children. It seems the three behind him are civilians."
"There are no civilians on the battlefield."
"Whatever!" Tsunade said with some impatience. "Dan is still waiting for us!"
At her words.
The three of them frowned as they looked at Kusa Hikaru. "An Amegakure ninja?"
"No!" Kusa Hikaru's eyelid twitched. He hadn't expected to see these three here. He quickly shook his head and said, "I am an ally of Konoha!"
"An ally of Konoha?" Orochimaru looked at Kusa Hikaru with amusement. "I don't recall the Land of Rain and Konoha being all—"
However.
Before he could finish his sentence.
They watched.
As Kusa Hikaru silently took off the Amegakure forehead protector he was wearing and replaced it with a Kusagakure one, saying seriously, "Actually, I'm a ninja from the Village Hidden in the Grass."
The three of them: ...
They stared in stunned silence at the forehead protector, and then the corners of their mouths twitched in unison.
There's a move like that?
Is a forehead protector something you can just swap out whenever you want?!
They had long heard that Kusagakure ninja were opportunistic and shameless.
Seeing it today...
It was absolutely true.
In that moment... they believed he was a Kusa-nin.
A ninja from any other village would at most use a transformation jutsu; they would never do something as blatant as openly swapping forehead protectors.
He didn't even bother with a Transformation Jutsu!
But...
Why was he with three civilians?
"These are relatives of my secretary from the Land of Rain," Kusa Hikaru said with a smile. "Because the Land of Rain is currently at war and it's chaotic everywhere, she asked me to come and bring them to safety."
"Relatives?" Tsunade frowned, then glanced over them again. When she confirmed they were indeed civilians, she pursed her lips and said, "Yesterday, your Kusagakure representative said he found his long-lost son and was heading deep into the Land of Rain. Today, someone else says they're looking for relatives. Why are all you Kusagakure people running around in the Land of Rain?"
"..."
Mujina?
Long-lost son?
Could that be Yahiko?
Kusa Hikaru was stunned for a moment, then said with emotion, "Well, the Land of Grass was destroyed once, you know. They all fled here as refugees back then."
At his words.
Tsunade paused. She thought of the Uzumaki clan... and her gaze fell on the red hair of Fusō and Nagato.
The Uzumaki clan had also fled to all corners of the shinobi world after their country was destroyed.
However.
Due to the fear of the Uzumaki clan's power, even after the Land of Whirlpools was annihilated, the various clans of the world did not give up on hunting them down.
Tsunade let out a sigh, but said in an impatient tone, "If that's the case... then leave quickly! This place is about to become a battlefield!"
"Many thanks!" Kusa Hikaru waved, leading the three still-frightened people forward. He smiled at the future Sannin of Konoha. "The Land of Grass is hospitable, the scenery is beautiful, and the prices are fair! If the three of you come, you'll get a twenty percent discount on all expenses! Come and visit when you have time!"
"This guy..." Tsunade's face was dark with lines, while Orochimaru watched Kusa Hikaru's retreating back with an amused expression. "As expected of a ninja from the Land of Grass."
Even at a time like this, he was still trying to attract tourists to the Land of Grass?
What was there to do in that tiny country?
"I've heard that an incredible fellow has appeared in Kusagakure," Orochimaru said, licking his lips, his eyes narrowing. "His skills are said to be quite formidable. He quelled the civil unrest in the Land of Grass and rebuilt the nation. To be honest, I'm quite curious who it is that has such great ability."
"Why do you care so much?" Tsunade said, still impatient. "We have more important things to do right now. Finish up here, we need to get to Dan's position." Turning, she saw Jiraiya frowning as he stared ahead. "Jiraiya, what's wrong with you?"
"It's... nothing!" Jiraiya snapped back to reality and shook his head.
Those eyes...
Forget it.
He held out his palm and made a comical gesture with a grin. "Let me, the great Jiraiya, end this war!"
Now was not the time to think about other things.
Ending this war was more important.
Meanwhile.
On the other side.
After walking for less than half a day, he saw the Kusa-nin who had snuck in, with Mujina among them. When he saw Mujina nod at him, Kusa Hikaru knew...
The Land of Grass's first Project Heaven's Deception.
Was a perfect success.
He looked at the three people behind him and waved his hand grandly. "Let's go! We're going home!"
(End of Chapter)