Hearing Shiratori's question, Amanagi's eyes turned red. He lowered his head and let out a bitter smile.
"Is Ame still going to continue fighting now?"
A hidden village… yet the number of surviving ninjas wasn't even three hundred.
If it weren't for Shiratori, perhaps there wouldn't even be a hundred left alive.
Hanzō shook his head, his hand falling on Shiratori's shoulder. "I don't know."
Although Suna had suffered tremendous losses this time, it was still a great village backed by a powerful nation.
Ame, however, couldn't bear losses the way Suna could.
Who knew if the Third Kazekage would stubbornly persist in continuing the war against them?
Even Hanzō couldn't say for sure. His gaze swept across the few ninjas remaining before him.
In every one of their eyes was only sorrow and pain. After all, they had watched their comrades march to the battlefield, yet not a single one had returned alive.
"Sensei…" Shiratori called out.
Hanzō's gaze fell upon his face. The confusion vanished from Shiratori's expression, leaving only firm determination.
"Even if we still have to fight, I'm not afraid."
His voice echoed through the tent as his eyes turned to the silent ninjas. "Even if it's only me left, I will protect Ame! I will protect everyone!"
He reached out and grasped Hanzō's sleeve. "If Suna insists on continuing, then let me go alone!"
Hanzō's body shook, and he rebuked him sternly, "What nonsense are you saying!"
How could Shiratori be allowed to go alone? If so, then what were the rest of them worth?
He looked at Hanzō with a faint smile. "I'm not speaking nonsense. I'm serious. I don't want to see everyone dying before my eyes…"
His voice broke, carrying a sob.
His eyes reddened further.
He shook his head gently. "I don't want to see anyone else… sacrifice themselves in front of me…"
"I can stop them… This way, no one else has to die!"
"Then what about you?"
Hanzō's furious eyes also carried deep pain.
"I'm not afraid of dying…"
Tears welled in Shiratori's eyes. "What I fear is everyone leaving me… what I fear is being left all alone…"
Hanzō's eyes stung, a suffocating pain rising in his chest. His trembling voice came out: "You think… we're afraid of dying?"
The silent ninjas turned their eyes toward him. A faint smile tugged at their lips. "We're not afraid of death."
[Affection detected]
[Multiple sources: +3,000 points each]
[Total accumulated: 60,000 points]
[Curse Growth - Love: 6%]
The "Curse of Love," naturally, the more the better!
One day, when he activated Suguru's Cursed Spirit Manipulation, he would fuse many "Curses of Love" together. By then, his strength should be astonishing.
Hanzō took a deep breath, his sharp eyes settling on the sand table before him.
"If Suna insists on fighting, then we will fight them to the bitter end!"
"Yes!"
The ninjas responded in unison.
Hanzō turned toward Shiratori. "Train well. Only with true strength can we achieve victory."
"Mm!"
Shiratori nodded heavily.
---
In the Land of Wind, at the daimyō's residence.
The elders and the daimyō sat together in one chamber. Among them was the Third Kazekage.
The daimyō's gloomy eyes fixed upon him.
"It's not that I refuse to support you, but I've already given you far too much…"
He spoke slowly, his gaze sharp and unfriendly as it pinned the Kazekage.
"And yet, what you've given me in return… is nothing but failure."
"Konoha, fine, let's set that aside. But even Ame… you couldn't take them down either."
He let out a heavy sigh.
"You should know how much money, grain, and weaponry I poured into supporting your war. And yet, the things you promised me, I haven't seen a single one."
The Kazekage lowered his head, his fist on the table slowly tightening.
"Please… grant me a little more time!"
The daimyō rolled his eyes. "More time? I've already given you plenty. Yet the Land of Fire territory you promised me, there isn't even a shadow of it."
"Konoha is one of the Five Great Ninja Villages. Defeating them easily isn't that simple…" the Kazekage tried to argue.
The daimyō raised a hand. "Enough. Don't say more. I only care about results."
The Kazekage fell silent.
Judging by the results, it was true, he had lost.
"I've decided to cease providing you with support."
The daimyō cast him a cold glance and waved him away. "Leave."
"Trust me once more!"
The daimyō closed his eyes. "Listen to yourself. How many times have I trusted you already?"
Before the Kazekage could speak further, the daimyō's low voice lashed out: "Leave!"
Ebizō and Chiyo placed their hands on the Kazekage's shoulders, their eyes quietly warning him. If he clashed with the daimyō now, he wouldn't even be able to keep his position.
The Kazekage lowered his head and left the residence alongside Ebizō and Chiyo.
"Without the daimyō's backing, we won't last long," Chiyo said calmly.
Ebizō cast the Kazekage a helpless glance.
He had advised against attacking Ame from the very beginning. Had they not fought that war, perhaps the daimyō would not have completely lost faith in them.
"The war with Konoha and Ame is destined not to end so soon," Chiyo said, her gaze flickering over the Kazekage with unreadable meaning. "If we end the war with Konoha, the Nara clan in Konoha, like hyenas, will surely discover our weakness, seize the chance to press us, and force us into signing an unequal treaty…"
Ebizō froze, turning to look at Chiyo.
Chiyo met his eyes, her gaze cold.
Ebizō lowered his head.
The Third Kazekage asked, "Are you suggesting we negotiate with Ame?"
Chiyo replied lightly, "In time, we won't be able to sustain even one war, let alone two. I am simply choosing the more suitable side for peace talks, between Konoha and Ame."
The Kazekage's brows furrowed tightly.
Chiyo's analysis sounded in his ears.
"Ame is just a small village. What they have always sought is equality. All they require is acknowledgment of their existence and status, and for their Land of Rain not to be infringed upon."
"Konoha, however, is different. We were the ones who first initiated war against them. They lost so many men on the battlefield, if we seek peace now, Suna will be flayed alive by them."
"Of course," Chiyo's voice turned faint, "the choice still rests with you."
"Then, just as you say, let's choose peace talks with Ame."
After a moment of deep thought, the Kazekage spoke decisively.
Chiyo nodded slightly.
"Konoha is the real priority."
The Kazekage's black eyes darkened.
Ebizō remained silent.
In his view, whether it was Konoha or Ame, both wars should end. Suna had already lost far too much in this war.
"Chiyo, I'll entrust the matter of signing the contract with Ame to you."
The Kazekage looked at Chiyo beside him.
Did he not know her personal feelings?
Of course he did.
Her daughter-in-law had died on the battlefield, and her son had been gravely injured. How could she possibly be willing to just let Konoha go?
That was why she guided him toward ending the war with Ame, so that they could focus on dealing with Konoha.
He had no need to expose her intentions, because her reasoning was, in fact, sound.
He was well aware that once Suna showed weakness in their battle with Konoha, Konoha would seize the opportunity and never let go.
By then, the losses to Suna would be unimaginable.
Therefore, they had to concentrate their full attention on the battlefield against Konoha.
"Very well."
Chiyo nodded.
She had fought Hanzō countless times, having her handle the negotiations was not a bad choice. After all, she truly was the natural enemy of that poison-using old man.
---
Inside the Ame camp came welcome news, Suna had taken the initiative to express its desire for peace talks.
The draft treaty from Suna had already reached Hanzō's hands.
After reading it through, he found no unfair terms within it.
The tension in his heart finally eased.
He quickly ordered the news to be spread at once, just in case Suna changed its mind. He immediately sent a reply back to Suna.
That very night, every Ame ninja in the camp knew the news. Bonfires roared in the wide square of the Ame camp. On this night, there was no rain on the borders of the Land of Rain.
Flames licked at the firewood, crackling loudly, scattering sparks. The firelight lit up the faces gathered around it. The exhaustion on each person's face was, in that moment, dispelled by joy.
"We're finally going to have a ceasefire…"
The voice of Kenji, an Ame ninja of only fifteen, trembled as tears welled in his eyes.
"Yes!"
"After so many years, we're finally at peace!"
The face of an older ninja bore the weight of hardship.
The Land of Rain had always been a nation consumed by war. The battles between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind would forever claim sacrifices from the Land of Rain. The people of the Land of Rain fled everywhere in the middle of the flames of battle.
For so many years, they had never known a stable life. Even when it wasn't the Land of Fire or the Land of Wind, there were samurai and missing-nin slaughtering civilians here.
Before the establishment of Ame, the people of the Land of Rain had no one to protect them.
After Ame was founded, Hanzō declared war on the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, determined to completely drive out their ninjas and bring everlasting peace to the Land of Rain. They had fought so many battles, and now they had finally all come to an end.
Their dream had come true!
The Land of Rain was about to welcome peace.
The old ninja closed his eyes, let out a long breath, and when he opened them again, his clouded gaze was fixed firmly on the dancing flames.
He would remember this day forever.
The emotions suppressed for so long finally burst forth that night, laughter, tears, and sighs of relief mingled together, spreading in the light of the bonfire.
Shiratori sat beside Hanzō. Hanzō had been silent the entire time, but his eyes glimmered with a gentle light.
He shifted his gaze from Hanzō to the firelight illuminating faces streaked with tears.
Amanagi's hand rested on his shoulder.
Shiratori turned his head and saw Amanagi's tearful smile.
"I've waited far too long for this day… We truly drove the enemy out of the Land of Rain!"
As Amanagi spoke, tears streamed down his cheeks.
All these years, they had endured unimaginable psychological pressure. The people of the Land of Rain had believed it was they who brought war to the country. So whenever civilians saw them, it was as if a mouse had seen a cat. Now, they could finally stand tall and reclaim their honor.
"Shiratori, thank you… If not for you, who knows how much longer our battle would have lasted."
He rubbed the back of his head. He knew that without Shiratori, they would surely have lost that final war.
He was the greatest hero.
But Shiratori shook his head. In his mind, he saw the bloodied faces of Chiba, Mizu, Kuroi, Tetsuma, and many other fallen Ame ninjas.
"No, I didn't do anything…"
"It was Chiba-nii and the others' sacrifice that gave us this chance for peace…"
He sniffled, wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes with his sleeve.
Amanagi looked at him. If not for Shiratori, they all might have died already.
If not for him, that final battle could never have been won.
Knowing the boy's character, he didn't argue further.
[Affection detected: Amanagi +5000 points]
[Curse Growth - Love: 6.5%]
"When the contract is signed, we'll finally be able to return to Ame!"
Shiratori's voice carried a joyful lilt.
"I miss home so much!"
His words were filled with deep longing. His sentiment stirred the hearts of all the Ame ninjas. There was no one who didn't want to go home. Every single one of them wanted to go home.
Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I'm going to bring Chiba-nii, Mizu… I'll bring every one of them back with me!"
His brows were firm, and tears shone in his eyes.
"They must miss home too…"
[Affection detected]
[Multiple sources: +5,000 points each]
[Total accumulated: 85,000 points]
[Curse Growth - Love: 15%]