“Another new day!”
Feeling the warm sunlight streaming through the gaps, Rin opened her eyes, stretched her somewhat sore body, and yawned. As she sat up, she immediately recalled the thoughts she had drifted off to sleep with the night before.
So, Kakashi shouldn’t be in any danger now. After all, from what she heard, he had a grand battle with Naoki in front of everyone yesterday and earned the title of Konoha’s White Fang. In the midst of the village’s crushing defeat, Kakashi managed to draw his sword and earn a name for himself. He shouldn’t be in any danger, right?
What exactly is the danger Kakashi is worried about?
Rin pondered for a long time but couldn’t figure it out. She got up, opened the window, and breathed in fresh air.
Creak.
The window opened, and the sunlight was blinding. She raised her hand to shield her eyes. All she could see was a dense crowd of Hidden Mist ninjas with swords and weapons gathering in one place.
Is another battle about to start?
Rin’s heart raced. She immediately put on her mask and quietly followed without making a sound to disturb the ninjas, trying to piece together the truth from their words.
“Captain Shinji, why are we joining Naoki-sama’s coup? You always told me just to protect myself.”
Hearing the word “coup,” Rin’s body trembled, and she silently followed, listening closely.
“You idiot, how can you talk about such things in public?”
Shinji lowered his voice, scolding, but was nudged by someone beside him, moving his steps. Frowning, he looked up and found himself surrounded by an endless crowd, feeling a strange emotion burning in his heart.
Thus, he no longer suppressed his voice and began to speak normally.
“Isui, have you ever killed your classmates?”
Isui shook his head.
Shinji smiled bitterly, “I almost forgot, a kid like you, from the generations after Naoki-sama, doesn’t have to kill friends.”
His voice became somber, and the wind howled, echoing his words.
“I have killed.”
“My dearest friend.”
Isui clutched Shinji’s sleeve, wanting to comfort him, but the latter gently patted Isui’s head, smiling with his mouth but crying with his voice.
“I remember we agreed to a game of rock-paper-scissors, and the loser had to die.”
Shinji’s voice revealed some nostalgia.
“I made a fist, he made scissors, and he stabbed his own chest.”
“Since then, I’ve had no friends. My only motivation to live was to protect myself while carrying out those unavoidable missions.”
Isui listened and noticed many ninjas turning their heads because of what Shinji said.
They’re not laughing at Captain Shinji for being a coward, right?
Thinking this, Isui raised his voice.
“But Captain Shinji, you’ve changed.”
“What a kid!”
Many Hidden Mist ninjas looked at Isui’s flushed face and raised voice, immediately realizing what this kid was thinking.
They laughed, then raised their heads, letting some emotion return to its place, and patted Isui’s head.
“Kid, it’s good to be alive.”
“If it were my time, someone like you would have…”
The Hidden Mist ninja abruptly stopped, forcing out a clumsy smile and saying no more.
Listening, Shinji smiled.
“Yes, I have changed.”
Then, he felt he should make this kid understand something.
“Do you know when I changed?”
Isui shook his head, trying to shake off the rough hands from his head, but they clung like glue.
Shinji looked at those hands, understood something, and hesitated a moment before speaking again.
“My change happened many times.”
“One day, I returned to camp with a wound, not daring to let anyone see. I was about to hide in a corner and stitch it up with some rags when I was forcibly taken to the hospital.”
“Another day, I watched Naoki-sama make a rule that kids like you shouldn’t appear on the battlefield.”
Shinji said a lot, and seeing Isui’s slightly confused eyes, sighed inwardly.
These small things were once his extravagant hopes.
“And lastly, when Naoki-sama led the charge and slaughtered those Konoha scum.”
Isui nodded in half-understanding.
Naoki-sama is indeed amazing, and it is great to fight Konoha like that.
“So, that’s why I’m helping Naoki-sama!”
Shinji’s gaze grew resolute, and the hands rubbing Isui’s head involuntarily withdrew.
In this small corner, many cold eyes secretly looked at Shinji. They couldn’t speak, didn’t know who to talk to, but hoped someone would say it.
“If someone like me, who has experienced such darkness, doesn’t help, how can we see a better, more hopeful future?”
“Isui, you won’t understand. For someone like me, who lived just to live, seeing something better is my entire purpose for living.”
Isui nodded, half-understanding. He got it.
Captain Shinji wants to create a better world, and that world can only be created by Naoki-sama.
Thinking this, he gripped his sword tightly.
After Shinji and Isui finished talking, the ripples in this small corner quickly dissipated, but the fluctuations in their hearts were unknown to anyone.
The changes are this significant!
Rin still followed, but her steps were a bit unsteady.
In her mind, the images of Obito and Kakashi were still vivid, but the memories of Konoha were fading.
Am I also part of these people’s hope?
Rin clenched her fists, pushing the images of Kakashi and Obito away, constantly recalling the brief time she spent with these people.
At first, they were cold and unresponsive, not making a sound even with serious injuries. They only answered my questions with a few words.
Later, they did change.
Gifts, wildflowers, and greetings were clumsy and awkward, showing that they didn’t understand social interactions.
But, they did change.
Rin suddenly smiled.
So, I’m also the hope of the Hidden Mist.
She bumped into Isui slightly, making him turn his head. Looking into his eyes, Rin came back to her senses, realizing the entire team had stopped.
Through the gaps, she saw a low house.
Rin knew it was Naoki’s.
Looking closely, a red-haired woman was gently knocking on the door.
That was Mei.
At this moment, the sun finally emerged, casting its light through the dense ninjas onto the front of the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
The shadows moved, and the knocking sounded.
“Naoki.”
“Come in.”
A tired voice came from inside.
Mei felt the eyes representing a kind of fire behind her, took a deep breath, suppressed her nervousness, and slowly pushed the door open.
The door opened, light streamed in, and carrying the hopes of a thousand eyes, Mei walked in, turned around, and closed the door.
“Naoki.”
“Yes, Mei, what’s the matter?”
At this moment, Naoki finally put down his pen, rubbed his forehead painfully, and handed the scroll on the table to Mei.
“Mei, take a look at this and see if there are any problems.”
“Alright.”
Mei suppressed her thoughts and took the scroll.
“Hidden Mist-Konoha War Treaty.”
Mei became more serious.
After a quick glance, her heart started pounding, and she immediately asked.
“Naoki, are these conditions serious?”
“Konoha will never agree to these terms.”
Naoki stretched lazily and smiled.
“These are templates for you.”
“Templates?”
Mei still shook her head.
“Such conditions could never be just templates.”
“I have ways.”
“I have some methods to make Konoha agree.”
Naoki’s eyes showed confidence as he continued.
“Actually, it doesn’t have to be that strict.
As long as Konoha agrees to lease land, it doesn’t need to cede territory.
Agreeing to compensate military expenses means they don’t have to hand over war criminals like Minato or Orochimaru. Agreeing to free trade means we don’t need to establish a mission acceptance point in Konoha.
I’m a very reasonable person.”
“This.”
Mei looked into Naoki’s serious eyes and chose to keep quiet.
These terms, how could Konoha agree? But with Naoki’s confidence, maybe.
Thinking this, Mei suddenly looked forward to seeing the expression on Hiruzen Sarutobi’s face when he saw this treaty.
Coming back to her senses, Mei rolled up the scroll and quickly stated her most important task for the day.
“Naoki, it’s time to return to the village.”
Naoki lowered his outstretched hand and spoke seriously.
“Is everything ready?”
“Have those opposing me gathered enough strength?”
Mei nodded.
“Lord Hoshigaki Kisame has been spreading rumors about your weaknesses, gathering most of the wavering forces to deliver a fatal blow to you.”
Naoki nodded.
“Good. In that case, I’ll go back first.”
Standing up, Naoki was about to walk out, but Mei suddenly stopped him.
“Naoki, this time, don’t fight alone.”
“Take us with you.”
“There will be losses.”
Naoki shook his head, about to refuse.
Mei wavered but didn’t reach out to stop or persuade him, letting Naoki open the door.
Light poured in.
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