The blazing sunlight poured down from the sky. From above, in the southern part of Konoha, not far from the Uchiha Clan's territory, hundreds of villagers and shinobi were working together to construct a massive building.
At the center of it all, Yamato wore a white safety helmet, directing the craftsmen with calm efficiency. Every so often, he'd rush in to form wooden structures manually using his Wood Style, shaping framework in a matter of seconds.
Thousands of people were putting their strength into building this monumental structure.
Elsewhere, high above on Hokage Rock, Uchiha Hikaru sat in the shade of a tree, overlooking the entire village, with Konan beside him.
"Even though I've seen this kind of scene before," Konan said softly, "it still leaves me speechless."
She turned her head to look at Uchiha Hikaru, who sat calmly under the tree beside her.
"Do you think the Hidden Rain Village will ever look like this?"
"Of course," Hikaru replied, his tone steady. "Humans are incredible. No matter how grand Konoha looks now, it was all built—brick by brick—by people with vision and will."
"In about a month, the branches of the Ninja Association across the Five Great Nations should be complete. By then, Konoha and Iwagakure will help the Land of Rain divert water into the Wind Country."
"There'll be surprises. Just wait."
As he finished speaking, Hikaru leaned back against the tree trunk, letting the forest breeze wash over him. The gentle wind brought a coolness that contrasted the heat of the sun, and he closed his eyes in comfort.
Konan inched closer, her face slightly flushed. Carefully, she laid her head on Hikaru's shoulder.
Just a little closer… it should be okay to lean on him like this…
She had arrived later than others in Hikaru's life. If she wanted to catch up to those ahead of her, she needed to be brave and take the initiative.
In her mind—armed only with the ideas from a few light romance novels—resting her head on Hikaru's shoulder already felt like a bold leap forward.
"The rain in the Land of Rain almost never stops…" she murmured. "I hope the plan works and things go smoothly."
Hikaru heard the disappointment in her voice. He gently lifted his arm, wrapped it around her back, and rested his hand on her shoulder with a soft, calming touch.
Konan felt a sudden jolt where his hand met her shoulder—a tingling rush like lightning arcing through her body. She stiffened instantly, ears reddening so fiercely they felt like they'd melt.
But Hikaru wasn't paying attention to her reaction. His mind was preoccupied with a different frustration—the bizarre, unnatural weather of the Land of Rain.
Geographically, the Land of Rain wasn't close to the ocean. Nearby coastal nations didn't have nearly the same rainfall. So how did it suffer from constant, year-round downpours?
In the shinobi world, this doesn't make sense from a scientific standpoint… Hikaru narrowed his eyes. It must be chakra-related. Some hidden force must be influencing the weather.
Once my Rinnegan fully matures, I should be able to dispel the storm clouds hanging over the Land of Rain. But that could take three years.
If, after clearing them, the clouds return… then it may mean the Land of Rain harbors a natural node of water-aspected chakra—an energy-rich terrain that gathers storms naturally.
As he pondered this, his fingers subconsciously pressed a bit more firmly against Konan's shoulder.
"I'll fix the weather in the Land of Rain within three years," he said at last. "One bite at a time, one step at a time. We'll get there."
But when his words reached Konan's ears, she misunderstood.
One bite at a time… one step at a time?
Is he saying I'm being too forward? Does he think I'm the type to throw myself at him?
Her mood dropped instantly. The light in her eyes dimmed, her posture slumped.
Hikaru immediately noticed her sudden change.
Wait—does she think I'm just giving her empty promises? That I'm not serious about helping?
Three years... three more years... then what? What if it's just another lie?
But then he thought more deeply—after all, the Land of Rain had suffered this unnatural climate since the founding of the shinobi world. If fixing it were easy, someone would have done it long ago.
He bent his right arm, pulling Konan into a warm embrace. His eyes were firm.
"Konan," he said quietly. "If I say I'll solve the weather issue in the Land of Rain in three years, then I will. I'm not someone who gives false hope."
Konan's breath caught. She tilted her head up slightly to look at him. His expression wasn't teasing—it was steady, determined.
Did I… misunderstand him just now?
Her lips were now pressed lightly against Hikaru's chest. Even through the fabric, she could feel the warmth and the solid strength beneath.
And Hikaru could clearly feel the soft pressure of her body against him—especially the delicate weight of her chest as it shifted with each breath.
He quickly released his embrace and stepped slightly away.
"Ahem… anyway, trust me. Let's start by eliminating the flooding in the Land of Rain."
Trying to change the subject, Hikaru stood and looked out over the village again.
Konan glanced up at him, noticing his awkwardness.
He looks… younger than me all of a sudden.
It's kind of… cute.
In the past, it was always "Brother Hikaru" and "Sister Saya" looking after her.
But now? Now, she was older than them—at least by age.
That's not a bad feeling…
That small change in mindset gave Konan a new burst of confidence.
She stood up too and moved to stand beside Hikaru, looking down at the Konoha skyline together.
"Yes," she said softly. "Let's start with the flooding."
"Oh—and didn't you say you had a surprise for me when the time comes?"
She gave him a sly look.
"Then close your eyes. I've got a surprise for you."
Hikaru turned to look at her. For a moment, he felt like something about Konan had changed. But at the same time… maybe nothing had changed at all. Was it just his imagination?
Still, he closed his eyes obediently.
"You're being mysterious. This is embarrassing."
"You're the president of the Ninja Association. I'm your secretary-general. Why should you be embarrassed when I prepared the surprise?"
Hikaru gave up trying to argue. He waited silently for the surprise to come.
And then… he felt it.
Soft. Warm. Tender.
Her lips brushed his for just a second—but it was enough to leave him frozen.
When he opened his eyes, she was already walking away, her back turned.
"Well… the gift has been delivered," she said with a teasing smile. "Time for me to return to the Hidden Rain."
With that, Konan's form dissolved into dozens of delicate white paper cranes. They scattered and soared into the sky, vanishing on the wind.
A single paper crane fluttered down in front of Hikaru.
He caught it, unfolded the small note inside.
[Once the flood in the Land of Rain is solved—there'll be another surprise~]
Hikaru touched his lips gently.
He stared after the cranes, then tucked the note safely into his cloak.
"…I never thought someone like me would get played like that."
At that very moment, Konan—flying high among the clouds—struggled to keep her chakra steady.
Was I… too bold just now? But it felt so… thrilling~ (〃ﾟ3ﾟ〃)
-------
Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
---------------------
Join my Patreon and get access to 50+ early chapters before anyone else! 🔥
https://www.patreon.com/UK21
Your Support is Truly Appreciated 🫂