"This isn't good…"
The very next day—only a few hours after leaving the site of the incident—Yuusuke Ame became acutely aware of just how precarious his situation was.
Crossing dense forests, slipping over borders, and sneaking from one country into another should have been second nature to him. That, however, was only true when his body was in good condition.
The problem was that he had been badly injured the day before—seriously injured—and then soaked by the rain. For all these reasons combined, his physical state had deteriorated drastically. He was burning with a high fever, his thoughts muddled and unfocused.
Bringing Senju Tobirama's message back to Konoha was a rare opportunity for Yuusuke. Setting aside any grand ambitions, Konoha was at least a place where he could survive in this chaotic era. Accepting Tobirama's request hadn't been a difficult decision.
Entering Konoha meant an unpredictable turning point in Yuusuke's life. That turn might not necessarily lead somewhere better, but it certainly couldn't be worse than his current situation. Moreover, the sooner news of the Second Hokage's death reached Konoha, the better it would be for the village—and equally for Yuusuke himself. The problem was that he now realized his body might not be capable of enduring such a demanding journey.
Crossing the forest, slipping over the border, entering the Land of Fire, and then heading toward the nation's interior—under normal circumstances, Yuusuke estimated that half a month would be enough to reach Konoha. Although Konohagakure was called a "hidden" ninja village, its location was actually well known. Even someone who knew nothing about it could find one of the Five Great Ninja Villages. It was too famous to be isolated from the outside world, especially within the Land of Fire.
Yuusuke's condition, however, was far worse than merely "not good."
The damp soil of the post-rain forest, combined with the constant transpiration from towering trees and lush foliage, saturated the air with moisture. His clothes clung tightly to his skin, making it feel as though breathing itself had become difficult.
Under these circumstances, Yuusuke needed proper rest. Ideally, he should have waited until his condition improved before heading to Konoha. But—
First, the earlier battle had involved figures like the Raikage and the Hokage. Yuusuke feared that other ninjas might be lurking nearby to investigate.Second, the small amount of dry rations he carried was nowhere near enough to sustain him while resting in the forest.Third, he had no way of knowing whether rest alone would heal his injuries. He needed medicine—and further treatment.
And so, with no real alternative, he forced himself onward.
Given the circumstances of the previous day, the Second Hokage's treatment of Yuusuke had likely been extremely limited. Tobirama was never known for exceptional medical skill, and besides—what could truly be expected from someone whose life was already flickering out?
Yuusuke's head swam as he dragged his injured arm forward. Though he could still barely keep track of his direction, he had no idea that, as he passed through a certain area, a pair of hawk-like eyes had already locked onto him.
Just as Yuusuke had suspected, this supposedly deserted forest was crawling with scout ninjas from various factions.
Another hour passed before Yuusuke reached a stream. Parched with thirst, he bent down to drink—
"Don't move."
A completely unfamiliar voice sounded behind him.
At the same time, a sharp kunai pressed against his neck.
The situation changed in an instant. Yuusuke knew that whatever the other person said now, he had no choice but to obey. He raised the only arm he could still move, signaling that he had no intention of resisting.
In the reflection of the stream, he caught a glimpse of half the stranger's face hidden behind him—and the symbol on the man's forehead protector.
An Iwagakure ninja.
Of course, a headband alone wasn't absolute proof. The man could just as easily be a ninja from another village in disguise. From a geographical standpoint, the forest Yuusuke was in lay within the Land of Rice Fields, a small country wedged between the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Fire. Since the war began, this region had been one of the most chaotic zones, where multiple forces overlapped. It was perfectly reasonable for ninjas from all three nations to appear here.
"Don't turn around," the cold voice said again. "I'll ask. You answer. How did you get those injuries?"
Based on his observations, the Iwagakure ninja had already determined that the boy in front of him wasn't a ninja—just an ordinary person. The contradiction lay in the fact that, if he truly was ordinary, why was he here? And how could his injuries be explained?
That contradiction was exactly why Yuusuke had been targeted.
Compared to the Second Hokage's attitude toward him the day before, this was far closer to how a ninja treated a civilian—once deemed worthless or threatening, the civilian would be killed without hesitation.
The moment he was taken hostage, Yuusuke understood his predicament. He answered without the slightest delay.
"Yesterday, I accidentally stumbled into a ninja battle and was injured by mistake. Both sides died. Before one of them passed, he asked me to deliver intelligence to his village."
He didn't hold anything back. In fact, he deliberately used the more serious word "intelligence" rather than "message."
"Which village is it for?"
"Konoha."
"Where's the intelligence?"
"Here."
Carefully, Yuusuke took the note from his clothes and slowly extended it backward.
The ninja accepted the paper with one hand, while the hand holding the kunai remained firmly at Yuusuke's neck—though for a fleeting moment, Yuusuke felt the blade lift away.
The note contained only a short cipher. Unless one was a Konoha ninja—specifically from the intelligence division—it would be impossible to decipher quickly. The Iwagakure ninja had no idea what it said.
But at the very least, he could extract the events from the civilian before him and speculate on the intelligence's value. If it was valuable, then Yuusuke—the source—was also valuable. Which meant he wouldn't be killed immediately.
"Slowly turn your head. There are some things I need to confirm."
"Huh?"
Yuusuke turned instinctively—
And an overwhelming force slammed into his mind.
"Genjutsu…"
If he could still speak, that's exactly what he would have said.
"Do you know the identity of the Konoha ninja who asked you to deliver the intelligence?"
At this point, the interrogator no longer needed to worry about lies. To obtain the most accurate information in the shortest time, genjutsu interrogation was the optimal method.
"Senju Tobi—"
Just as the name was about to slip from Yuusuke's lips, the confusion in his eyes suddenly vanished.
At almost the exact moment his consciousness returned, Yuusuke's badly injured arm shot upward, clamping down on the hand holding the kunai.
A ninja who cannot form hand seals cannot use jutsu. By physically controlling a ninja's hands, the majority of their abilities can be sealed away.
"Impossible! How did you break free of my genjutsu? You're just an ordinary person—!"
In an instant, the situation reversed. The Iwagakure ninja had no idea what had just happened.
Genjutsu manipulates the five senses through chakra. To break it, the victim must disrupt their own chakra flow. Everything hinges on chakra—meaning an ordinary person who doesn't even possess chakra should be completely helpless.
"If your companion still hasn't appeared during the interrogation," Yuusuke said calmly, "then it means you really were acting alone."
That conclusion, at least, put him at ease.
The enemy sneered. Even if the boy had somehow escaped the genjutsu, did he truly believe he could defeat an experienced ninja?
Instinctively, the Iwagakure ninja tried to wrench his hand free.
It didn't budge.
Only then did he notice the sudden surge of chakra erupting from Yuusuke's body.
Tracing that power up Yuusuke's thin arm, he saw the hollow wound in Yuusuke's shoulder—dark, bulging veins spreading outward like twisted roots.
Yuusuke gritted his teeth and, with all his strength, drove the kunai toward the ninja's heart. He knew this was his only chance. If his opponent broke free, he stood no chance of victory.
The energy surging through him was so intense that even a ninja couldn't resist it.
The next instant, the blade pierced the man's chest.
"You… are… a ninja?" Despair and disbelief filled the Iwagakure ninja's face.
"I wasn't before," Yuusuke replied. "But I might consider that line of work in the future."
"What… exactly happened?"
I'd like to know that myself, Yuusuke thought, but he didn't answer. He let the man collapse to the ground in a pool of blood.
At the moment he had been caught in the genjutsu, something—some stimulus—had triggered a strange power to erupt from within him. That power not only shattered the illusion, but gave him the strength to assassinate a ninja.
But it came and went just as quickly.
A moment later, his arm fell limp again, just as before. Yuusuke looked down at his wound, keenly aware of the abnormality within himself.
It seemed that only the power used by ninjas could contend with powerful ninjas.
There was no time to think further. Yuusuke retrieved the note taken by the enemy and pulled the kunai free. But when he straightened up—
He found himself surrounded by yet another group of ninjas.
Not even a moment of joy after surviving disaster…
Yuusuke let out a bitter smile. He had truly done everything he could.
"Aren't they supposed to be lone operatives?" he wondered faintly. "Why are there others following behind…?"
He never had the chance to ask.
Exhaustion and fever finally claimed him, and his vision went black.
The one thing he failed to notice before losing consciousness was that the newly arrived ninja squad wore Konoha forehead protectors.