Although Ranmo looked only five years old on the outside, he was already keenly aware of certain things. Lately, Tsunade had been gambling under the guise of fun, but Ranmo could tell she was actually gathering intel. Her sudden attack tonight confirmed his suspicion—the men were from the Hidden Cloud Village.
The Third Great Shinobi War was still ongoing. Any ninja operating in foreign territory undoubtedly carried out covert missions—and these three, in disguise, were no exception.
Ranmo reached into the clothing of one of the captured enemies. As expected, tucked inside the headband was a hidden letter.
"What are you doing? Who are you? How can you use Wood Style? What are you really?" the man cried out in panic. From their surveillance earlier that day, this child hadn't shown any signs of using ninjutsu. So how was he suddenly this powerful?
"Shut up. One more word and I'll kill you."
Ranmo unfolded the letter and read it carefully. It revealed a plan from the Hidden Cloud: they intended to ambush and seize a shipment of supplies Konoha had secured in the Land of Iron. If successful, the materials would be handed over to the Hidden Stone Village as part of a tactical alliance—aiming to sandwich Konoha between the two forces.
Ranmo frowned. This damn war has dragged on for eight or nine years now. Aren't they tired of fighting already?
He tucked the letter away and began descending the mountain.
"Hey! Let me go! This has nothing to do with you—you're just a kid! We won't trouble you if you let me go now. Otherwise, my comrades will hunt you down…" the captured man shouted, desperation clear in his voice.
Ranmo paused and looked back. "Oh, right. I almost forgot—you threatened to break my legs and rip my mouth open, didn't you"
Suddenly, wooden branches sprang forth. Cries of agony echoed across the clearing as the three enemy ninja were dragged underground and buried alive.
When Ranmo returned to the inn, Tsunade and Shizune were gone—out searching for him. He eventually blew a signal whistle to help them locate him. Once they reunited, Tsunade immediately decided they needed to leave and head for the Mystic Port.
As soon as they left the town, Ranmo handed over the letter he had found.
"No need to rush, big sisters," he said cheerfully. "Take a look at this. I accidentally found it while hiding."
Tsunade opened the letter—and her heart skipped a beat. "No wonder there's been no movement at the port. They're planning to ally with the Hidden Stone Village? This is critical intel!"
She turned to Ranmo, her expression serious. "Ranmo, you've done a great service. But… Shizune and I need to handle something, and we'll be gone for a while. Will you be okay on your own?"
Ranmo nodded firmly.
"No," Tsunade said. "I'm still not at ease leaving you alone. There's a small coastal town about 200 Kilometers from here. Two people live there—rogue ninja I once saved. They've left the shinobi world behind. You can stay with them for a while."
"Ranmo… thank you. If we were in peaceful times, I'd give you the life you deserve. But… I'm sorry. I can't be there for you till the end."
At that moment, Tsunade was so serious—so different from the wanderer she would become after the war. Ranmo smiled. "You've already been good enough to me."
Hearing that, Tsunade's nose stung with emotion. "Good? I've barely done anything. We've either been on missions or I've been using you for bait. I haven't even taught you much about medical ninjutsu…"
She sighed. "Forget it. Take these—everything I've learned over the years. I hope you can understand some of it. If not, then wait till I return. When we meet again, I'll personally teach you ninjutsu."
She placed several scrolls into his backpack, along with the money he'd earned from gambling. "Use it however you like. These are my treasured ones—take care of yourself. I hope this war ends soon."
She kissed his forehead gently, then turned to Shizune. "Take him there tonight. Afterward, go to the port and confirm the situation. We'll stay in touch using Katsuyu."
"Yes."
With that, Tsunade ruffled Ranmo's hair one last time and disappeared into the night.
Shizune carried him away quickly. She still believed the three Kumo ninjas had fled. She didn't realize—they were already dead.
As dawn approached, the two arrived at the small coastal town. After some parting instructions, Shizune left.
The two rogue ninja who welcomed him looked him over, then exchanged glances. One reached out a hand and said, "Don't worry. You can stay with us. Our town may be small, but it's naturally protected—surrounded by mountains with only one entrance. Thanks to us, it's also quite safe."
They introduced themselves. One was named Alai, the other Uyi—a chubby, cheerful man and a lean, talkative one. Both were rogue ninja who had given up the shinobi life.
"So you're from Konoha?" Alai asked, eyes full of envy.
Uyi shot him a look. "Don't assume everyone from Konoha is a ninja. He's five years old! A newbie. Besides, even though we're rogue ninja, our skills aren't lacking."
"Otherwise, why would Lady Tsunade—one of the Three Legendary Sannin—entrust her student to us?"
He glanced at Ranmo, seemingly waiting for confirmation. Ranmo nodded slightly, the morning light making his eyes blur.
Seeing that, the two men became even more excited.
"Tsunade is a legend in medical ninjutsu. No one has guts to claim they're better than her!"
"Kid, we know you don't know ninjutsu yet, and your chakra is minimal—but it's okay. With us guiding you, you'll become a top-tier ninja. Jōnin, Kage—you'll surpass them all!"
"Hahahaha!"
The two laughed heartily, dreaming big on Ranmo's behalf.
A few black lines metaphorically slid down Ranmo's forehead. As the two chatted on, he coughed softly and said, "Actually, you don't have to teach me."
"What are you saying? A man should have ambition! You already have chakra—that's the first step toward becoming a ninja. You don't want to live in this chaotic world without the power to protect yourself, do you?"
Alai nodded vigorously. "That's Right!"
The thin one was the chatterbox, the chubby one loyal and honest—but both were a bit clueless.
Ranmo had only agreed to come here so Tsunade and Shizune wouldn't worry. But now these two were dead set on teaching him ninjutsu. It was troublesome. Not that he looked down on them—but could they really be stronger than the Third or Fourth Hokage?
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