"Nagato." I whispered with concern. Using the hem of my shift to cover my face, I slowly approached the young red-haired boy, whose face was red-hot in colour.
Although it seemed a cold of some sort, I couldn't tell. And I knew, that with the lack of proper nutrition, we were prone to diseases; I couldn't ignore the possibility of Nagato's disease being transmittable.
'...What now?' Ignoring the sense of dread, I pondered. Backing away, I saw Yahiko and Konan gazing back at me with a visible worry, not knowing what to do.
...I am no doctor. The only way to save Nagato, from my perspective, was to enter the Amegakure and seek help from a doctor.
'Perhaps his health will restore if he rests for some time—'
I slapped myself on the face brutally, earning a surprise from Yahiko and Konan.
'Haven't you learnt, Akashi? If you sacrifice Nagato for yourself, then what difference is there between you and those corrupt adults?!'
Just now, out of weakness, I thought of risking Nagato's life without trying even. Disgust and self-loathe dominated my mind for making such a thought.
Nagato was a little brother to me. The family member and the poor boy that I need to take care of—he was a timid boy full of virtues. How can I betray such a boy? Never will I think like that again.
If it's impossible, make it possible.
Taking a deep breath, I puffed my chest up, feigning confidence.
"Don't worry. Nagato is going to be alright."
Each word spoken out of my mouth made me more pressured, but I actively hid my nervous heart from reaching Yahiko and Konan's ears.
"R-really?" Konan said hopefully. Her eyes were red, and her lips were quivering.
"For sure."
I made a promise that I may be unable to keep. But it didn't matter, for even at the cost of my life, I'll make it happen.
Yahiko, however, had a dark expression on his face, as if my words weren't convincing enough.
__________
Before the sun is risen, Amegakure releases ninjas from the walls. Each one carries supplies for the frontline. Rotation of at least 200 guards, and the gap time between the shift... doesn't exist.
When the sun is risen, another round of ninjas is released. They swiftly travel the outskirts of the village, checking for any anomaly.
When the sun—ha... it's all pointless. I know. Their shifts and patterns change every day. I don't even know if there are any hidden ninjas sightseeing from unknown spots. A simple kid like me won't even be able to dare to infiltrate.
And that wasn't just it. What about entering the village itself? Do I bring sick Nagato in and beg a doctor to diagnose and treat him? Do I go by myself, try to find a book, try to read it, and diagnose what disease Nagato has? Do I sweep through all the medicines they have and successfully escape, before taking a guess as to which one Nagato should be taking?
Then how about the outside of the village, where the poor losers live every day in despair? Medicine? Please. The only medicines they have are the plants that are occasionally found randomly. You chew them and apply them on the physical wounds—that's all that those plants amount to.
'What do I do? What do I do?' I found myself grabbing my head, 'What do I do?'
What do I do? What do I do? What do I do—
I ceased all thought. Closing my eyes, I felt the rain soaking me wet. Opening my palms, I welcomed it.
It was cold. However, at the same time, it was familiar. Rain was something that everyone within this land lived with for ever. Just like an old friend would, it soothed me, and calmed me down.
'It isn't about what I do. Question is,' My eyes re-opened, 'what can I do?'
Amegakure can self-accommodate. During this warring period, Hanzo doesn't accept any merchants. There is no chance of entering the village. Then,
'Let's look elsewhere.'
Three major forces surrounded this land—the ones who were busy fighting one another. Konohagakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure. We were innocent kids—civilians—by identity. I found the chance of appealing to them as the kids who need proper care.
However, Iwagakure has the brutes as the leaders, from what I've observed up until now. There exists no chance with them—our immediate deaths is what I presume to happen if we approach them.
Additionally, Sunagakure was naturally well-known for its cold-heartedness. After all, in order to survive in the harsh desert, they had to become selfish and self-centric... is what I believe. They live by the law of jungle, just like we do.
...From the start, there was only one option to choose.
"Yahiko." Without turning around, I stated seriously, knowing that Yahiko was watching me from the back.
Yahiko, who was behind me since who-knows-when, whispered in a low tone, "...I know that you lied."
I listened with silence, with no visible response.
"If it was me months ago, I would've dreamt of a hopeful future. But as I joined you, I finally understood, that there exists no kindness for useless orphans like us. This village threw us away, Akashi! There is no hope for Nagato!!"
A rant. Yahiko has reached his limit, screaming without a control. A sorrow and anguish overwhelmed him, making him incapable of making any rational thought. But, I inwardly agreed with him. The village of rain—the rain didn't cease for a reason.
"I hate them! I loathe them! Just what have we done to deserve this?! Just what has Nagato done, that kind little brother of ours, to lose everything in a single day, and to face the risk of dying from... from something that could've easily been prevented?!"
"Nothing." I replied solemnly. That's all there was, really.
"But you too know well, that life is unfair."
While the four of us are suffering on this gloomy battlefield, a child from a wealthy family probably is being spoon-fed with love and hope by his or her parents, behind those thick walls of Amegakure.
While the four of us struggle to avoid any encounter with ninjas, the well-trained ones within those walls probably seek out the enemies actively, with absolute faith in their skills.
"But... you know what, Yahiko?"
I looked up at the sky. The thick clouds hovered above and dominated the entire sky, pouring down the rain continuously.
Red. They were red in colour.
"Nothing is impossible in this world."
I still remembered those days. The day I survived through the sacrifice of my parents' lives. The day I survived through the sacrifice of one shinobi. Within this war-zone, I somehow managed to stay alive up until now. If this wasn't a miracle, then what was?
"Do you believe that red cloud exists?" I stated, "For me, I thought it didn't. I've never seen it before. However, it exists. It's been proved today."
Yahiko, having calmed down, listened to me.
"Just like that, the world without rain exists. The world without war exists. The peace... it too exists.
The future where we can laugh, the future where we can become stronger than those ninjas, the future where we can eat as much as we want, certainly exists."
I turned around, meeting Yahiko's widened eyes with my resolve.
"I never give up to achieve what I want. And up until now, after you've been with me," I made a grin, "have I ever failed you?"
Yahiko let out an expression of amazement. Though his mouth was open, no word came out. Then, after a momentary pause, he finally answered,
"...No."
"Then shut up and watch." I said resolutely while grabbing the hem of Yahiko's shirt, glaring at him, "If you have the time to cry and whine about it, move, because I'm not going to see Nagato dying right now."
Behind the walls, though I didn't know at this time, Konan was silently listening to the conversation. Yahiko, whose eyes were locked onto me, eventually lowered his head,
"Yes... leader."
I let go of Yahiko's shirt. Uncaring of the way my brown hair was drenched, I turned my head to the nearby village.
If the circumstance requires me to become crazy, so be it.