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The little one stared with fearful eyes at Sōsuke and the other two, too frightened to move.
Sōsuke gazed gently at her, observing the tearful face, lost in thought. He softly murmured to himself,
"A war orphan..."
Even Saki, wearing a complex expression, exchanged a fearful look with the child. His mind churned with thoughts.
Suddenly, he turned respectfully to Sōsuke and softly spoke,
"Captain Aizen, this village has been devastated. If we leave her here, she'll likely face nothing but death."
Hearing his words, a slight smile curled on Sōsuke's lips as he turned to Saki, replying with warmth,
"Saki, do you wish to save this child? That doesn't quite align with your character."
Saki hesitated for a moment before stating firmly,
"In this tainted land, only a child remains truly pure. I want to place her in a village untouched by the ravages of war."
Pausing, he continued,
"If you believe she'll be a burden, I'll end her life right here, sparing her the pain of living in this wretched land."
Sōsuke's laughter was soft and mild upon hearing this, his tone gentle,
"No need to be so restrained, Saki. If you wish to care for the child, then go ahead. Her survival is evidence enough of her fortune."
"This kind of fortune is something we should continue to carry out on behalf of Heaven."
With Sōsuke's approval, Saki's face lit up with a touch of joy.
He then approached the child.
Seeing Saki getting closer, the child's fear intensified, trembling all over and unable to move.
"The ninja who massacred your village have been eliminated by us. Come with us, and we'll take you away from here. There's no longer a home for you here..."
Saki's expression remained emotionless as he addressed her.
The child perhaps couldn't fully comprehend his words, but she stared at him with wide eyes, her face void of tears.
Then, he took her hand and moved outside.
Whether out of fear or understanding, she obediently followed him.
By Sōsuke's side.
Holding her hand, Saki led her, gentle and cautious, like tending to a small creature. She observed Sōsuke and Shino cautiously, standing there.
Sōsuke bent down, his gentle smile warm as he softly greeted her,
"Hello, fortunate one. What's your name?"
Caught off guard by Sōsuke's question, the child trembled slightly, yet his tender smile seemed to infect her.
Though fearful, she managed to whisper,
"Ko... Ko-nan."
"Is that so? Konan, that's a beautiful name. And you have very lovely hair."
Sōsuke's tender words reached Konan's ears, prompting her to look up. She stared at his comforting smile with her wide, innocent eyes.
With a soft chuckle, Sōsuke stood up and said gently,
"Let's go, Saki. Take Konan with you. A child favored by fate should not remain in a place like this."
"Yes, Captain Aizen."
Saki responded solemnly.
Little did they know, their conversation was closely watched by the young Konan.
In this day of terror, like a nightmare, the child held on to two memories:
Her parents' brutal demise by the hands of the ninja.
The rescue by two ninjas.
One was a gentle older brother named "Aizen," and the other, a terrifying older brother named "Saki."
The elder brother known as "Aizen" with his gentle smile became the warmest memory to wake up to after countless nightmares.
.......
Inside the Land of Rain,
The most common sight is a gloomy drizzle, a fine rain falling gently.
Upon a narrow shaded path,
It's eerily quiet now. Due to the onset of war, this road no longer witnesses the presence of people as it once did.
"Patter!" "Patter!"...
Yet amidst this soft, gradual sound of footsteps, three figures emerge from the curtain of rain.
Upon closer inspection, there are actually four.
A young child lies on the back of a teenager whose clothing is soaked in rainwater mixed with blood.
The little one's face is slightly wrinkled in tired sleep, her body covered by a piece of clothing, struggling to ward off the light rain.
As if caught in a dreadful nightmare, her face is filled with fear.
Suddenly!
"Mo... mother! Waaah..."
The child awakens as if startled by a nightmare, crying out in fear before bursting into tears.
Witnessing this scene, Sōsuke and the others halt their steps, gazing gently at her.
Saki seems particularly unsure, not knowing how to handle the situation.
"If you cry again, we'll have to feed you to the wolves. They're quite hungry and fond of little ones like you."
Sōsuke speaks softly.
One sentence, and the effect is immediate!
The child stops crying immediately, her mouth puckered, her wide, watery eyes staring fearfully at Sōsuke.
Seeing her adorable deer-like panic, Sōsuke finds it amusing. He suddenly chuckles and says in a mild manner,
"I was just teasing~ Sorry to have scared you."
Looking at Sōsuke's gentle smile, the fear on Konan's face dissipates. However, she still speaks weakly,
"The wol... wolves... do they really like to eat Konan?"
"Of course not, Konan. You're a child favored by fate; wolves won't like to eat you."
Sōsuke says gently, then turns to Saki and softly adds,
"Let's pick up the pace; it would be troublesome if the child falls sick in this weather."
Hearing his words, Saki nods solemnly.
Meanwhile, Shino quietly observes Sōsuke's every move, thinking to himself,
Sōsuke... what kind of person are you, really... benevolent... or terrifying...
Soon, the group arrives at a relatively peaceful town.
They find a simple home, inhabited by a kind elderly couple whose own child has long passed away, leaving them alone.
After leaving a substantial sum of money, Saki finds that the elderly couple is willing to take in Konan.
Before parting, Konan stands by the elderly couple's side, looking weakly at Sōsuke and Saki.
Despite being unfamiliar with these two "big brothers," Konan senses they harbor no ill intentions and have saved her life.
"big brother... Saki big brother... th... thank you..."
Konan's voice trembles as she offers her weak gratitude.
Hearing these words, although Saki's expression remains calm, a soft glint of tenderness flickers in his eyes.
Sōsuke, on the other hand, bends down, smiling gently as he gazes at her. He extends a hand to gently rub her light blue hair and speaks with a tender tone,
"Konan, you have beautiful hair. Promise me, no matter what, you'll stay strong in the future, alright?"
Although young Konan might not understand fully, she realizes that her "Big brother" is praising her.
Slightly comforted, she nods earnestly.
"Yes, Konan understands."
Sōsuke slowly stands up, turns, and begins to walk away, saying softly,
"Saki, Shino, let's go. The war... it's still ongoing..."
In the innocent eyes of young Konan,
The silhouettes of the three slowly fade away along the street...