"Lord Kazekage, with all due respect, why did we offer such ridiculously favorable terms? If you ask me, we could have simply crushed the Land of Rain and forced them to surrender unconditionally."
Walking away from the towering steel of Amegakure, Sunago voiced his indignation to Shiro.
"Fight, fight, fight. Is that all your brain can process? Then let me ask you: what exactly do we gain from conquering a destitute, rain-soaked wasteland like this?"
Shiro retorted impatiently, not slowing his pace.
"Well... if we win, we wouldn't have to provide aid! We could simply seize those three mines directly. Besides, Sunagakure is already short on supplies. Where are we supposed to find the resources to fulfill our end of the bargain?"
"Does war not cost money? Do reparations not cost money? You know our treasury is empty, yet you still clamor for battle like a fool."
Hearing Sunago dare to continue his grumbling, Shiro immediately reached out and delivered a sharp slap to the back of the subordinate's head.
"Who said anything about using our own supplies? Aren't those corrupt nobles preparing to sell a massive shipment of supplies to Konoha for profit? Sunago, take your men. Go and... reappropriate that shipment."
"Ah? But Lord Kazekage, those belong to the Daimyo's nobles. If we do this, what if we're discovered..."
"So what if we're discovered? We'll simply release an official statement: 'Due to critical wartime shortages, Sunagakure was forced to reduce security forces, which regrettably allowed rogue ninja to raid the caravan.' We will express our deepest sympathies and say there was nothing we could do. If they want us to investigate further, we'll simply bill them for the extra manpower."
"Ah... it can really be done that way?"
"'Ah' what? Get moving! If that batch of supplies slips through your fingers, you can prepare yourself for a new career digging in the mines."
"Oh! Oh, understood! I'll go immediately. Lord Kazekage is truly Lord Kazekage... so devious... ah, no, I mean, so brilliant."
Seeing Shiro's face darken ominously, Sunago quickly corrected his phrasing before fleeing into the mist with ten Jonin trailing behind him.
***
Two days later.
In a dilapidated alleyway within the Land of Rain, Shiro stood silently, looking down at a small girl with blue-purple hair tied in a bun. She lay motionless on the wet ground, looking frail and translucent.
*Has she... has she already fainted from hunger?*
*Did I arrive too early in the timeline?*
After ensuring Konan was fed and recovered, Shiro decided to take her with him. There was nothing he could do; Lord Shiro was inherently kind-hearted and simply couldn't bear to see children starve.
*So, where is the red-haired brat?*
"Stop! Stop right there, you stinky brat! Give me back my fish!"
"Nyah nyah nyah! What's in my hand is mine! Nyah nyah—Oof!"
Shiro found it somewhat amusing as he watched an orange-haired boy crash directly into his legs while looking backward to taunt his pursuer.
Finally, after Shiro paid the irate vendor for the stolen fish, he also took the orange-haired boy, Yahiko, under his wing. There was nothing he could do; Lord Shiro was inherently kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see children bullied or turned into criminals.
*So... where was the red-haired brat?*
Now that two of the future trio were secured, the last one had to be nearby. Could these three kids, in this chaotic, war-torn Land of Rain, really traverse the entire country just to meet? Fate seemed to be pulling them together regardless of logic.
Finally, on the afternoon of the second day, Shiro located the home of the last child. However, his timing was dangerously close. Piercing cries of terror echoed from inside the small house.
Shiro rushed forward, bursting through the door to see two ninjas wearing Konoha headbands ransacking the meager dwelling. On the ground lay the lifeless body of a middle-aged man—clearly Nagato's father.
Nagato was currently huddled in a corner, hiding behind his trembling mother, his eyes wide with horror.
Shiro moved like a phantom. He dispatched the two rogue Konoha ninjas instantly, rescuing Nagato and his mother, Fusae, before tragedy could strike again.
Eventually, with the help of the other two children, Nagato and his mother buried his father in the rain-soaked earth, enduring their grief in silence.
The bodies of the two Konoha ninjas were completely destroyed by Shiro to erase any evidence. Considering that night had fallen and traveling with four civilians—three of them children—was unsafe, Shiro decided they had no choice but to stay at Nagato's house for the night.
Moreover, they had just buried a family member today. Dragging them away immediately would be heartless; they needed time, however brief, to process the trauma.
After a simple, somber dinner, the three children went to bed early. Yahiko and Konan were exhausted from travel, and Nagato was emotionally shattered.
Now, only Shiro and Fusae remained in the small, dimly lit dining room.
Having just witnessed her husband's murder, Fusae's face was etched with sorrow and deep confusion.
The war had not yet ended, and she had lost her partner. How could she and her orphaned child survive in this chaotic hellscape? And... if her identity as a member of the Uzumaki clan were exposed... Thinking of this terrifying possibility, Fusae could no longer hold back her tears and began to weep silently.
Shiro, observing her distress, quietly walked over to the table. "Madam Fusae."
"I apologize, Ninja-sama." Seeing Shiro approach, Fusae realized her loss of composure. She quickly wiped away her tears, forcing a pained, fragile smile onto her tired face.
She was filled with gratitude for this powerful stranger who had suddenly appeared to save her and her son.
However, her and Nagato's bloodline was special. It absolutely could not be exposed to the wrong people.
"It is alright. Do not apologize." Shiro waved away her concern, sitting opposite her.
To be honest, he was in a bit of a bind. Originally, his plan was simple: find Nagato, pack him up, and leave. If the parents were alive, grab the whole family—one in each arm, one on his back—and run. With his speed, no one could catch him. But now, the logistics were awkward. He had four civilians to transport. If he used his Magnet Release to fly them out on a platform of gold dust, it would be a beacon announcing his identity to the world.
If word got out that the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure was kidnapping children from foreign nations, his reputation would take a hit. If it were just random war orphans, he could spin it as humanitarian aid. But the red hair? That was too obvious. If Konoha investigated and found he had taken Uzumaki survivors, they would accuse him of stealing bloodlines—which, to be fair, was exactly what he was doing.
But there was no other way. He couldn't leave them here to die.
Now that the children were asleep, he needed to secure the mother's cooperation. It was the perfect time; she was vulnerable and terrified. Convincing her to leave the Land of Rain for a safe haven should be easy.
However, as soon as Shiro opened his mouth to start his persuasion, the atmosphere shifted bizarrely.
"Madam Fusae, surely you don't want your child to grow up in this war-torn country forever, do you? I can offer you a way out."
"????"
Shiro meant exactly what he said—a literal escape route. But in the dim light, with a handsome savior speaking in a low, intense voice, the implication seemed... different.
Fusae's face first showed surprise, then turned pale, then flushed a deep crimson. Finally, she whispered tremblingly, "I... I understand. If it is for Nagato..."
With that, she slowly stood up, her hands shaking as they moved to her waist to begin untying her obi sash.
Shiro: "??????"
That night, the rain outside was heavy.
It was very noisy, and very unrelenting.