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The sun in the sky still shines brightly, and the leaves in the forest sway gently, creating a lush landscape.
As the bodies of the Sand ninjas fall to the ground, the kicked-up dust begins to settle slowly.
Everything on the battlefield has quickly come to a calm after the dust settles.
A gentle breeze passes through the forest, rustling Sōsuke's disheveled hair. The faint smile on his lips leaves Nawaki in awe.
So... Sōsuke-nii is really strong... incredibly strong...
"Still scared, Nawaki?"
Casually turning the bodies of the Sand ninjas he effortlessly defeated, Sōsuke looks towards Nawaki with a warm smile and speaks gently.
Hearing Sōsuke's words, Nawaki shakes his little head lightly, but tears start welling up.
His gentle sobbing soon turns into uncontrollable choking, and large teardrops stream down his small face.
"Plop..."
At the moment when Nawaki felt grief for the fallen Leaf ninjas who protected him, a warm hand gently pats his soft brown hair.
"Are you sad, Nawaki?"
"This is war... bringing misfortune to people."
"Their sacrifices are just errors in this world... not your fault... no need to be sad."
"If you really want to do something... then become strong. Become strong enough to change this sorrowful world."
Sōsuke lowers his head, looking at Nawaki. The smile on his face slowly fades, and he speaks with a calm tone.
As if speaking to Nawaki but also murmuring to himself.
Hearing his words, Nawaki lifts his pale little head, staring at Sōsuke with tearful eyes, nodding his small head gently.
At this moment, he seems to understand the weight of the responsibility to become a hero.
To become a hero...
First, one must become a strong protector for everyone...
....
Within the borders of the Land of Rain.
Inside a tent in Konoha's covert base.
Tsunade is looking at sealed intelligence reports one by one. Today, she always feels a slight tremor in her eyebrows, as if foretelling that something bad is about to happen.
She lightly shakes her head, dispelling the ominous thoughts from her mind.
At this moment,
"Swoosh!"
A Leaf ninja suddenly appears in the tent, hastily reporting.
"Captain Tsunade! The reconnaissance team is in trouble!"
Upon hearing his words, Tsunade's hazel pupils suddenly contract. An expression of disbelief fills her beautiful face, and the sealed intelligence slips from her delicate hand.
"Snap!"
The intelligence report falls to the ground, but no one pays it any attention.
Tsunade's figure has already disappeared from the tent.
At the outskirts of the base, several Leaf ninjas are transporting bodies, including those of Sand ninjas and their own.
At this moment, a graceful figure rushes in, looking at the Leaf ninja in charge and urgently asking with trembling breath.
"Wh... where is... Nawaki!?"
Seeing Tsunade's pale and panicked expression, the Leaf ninja also wears a serious look and speaks in a deep voice.
"Tsunade, calm down a bit. We received a signal and found the location where they encountered the Sand ninjas. Almost everyone there is dead."
"But... we didn't find Nawaki's figure. There's a very high chance he survived. Calm down."
Hearing his words, Tsunade's once rosy face turns pale, the light in her eyes dims instantly, and her entire being seems to lose its soul.
"Hash... Nawaki... you mean... Nawaki is missing... he's just a child, how could..."
Tsunade kneels down, utterly disheartened, on the ground. She murmurs in deep sadness.
"Our Nawaki seems to have really grown up..."
"This is the lucky kiss from sister to Nawaki..."
"Sister, I'm not a child anymore; please don't do such childish things. If others see it, they will laugh at me..."
"Regardless of when... you will always be my little brother..."
The voice of Nawaki's tender voice seems to echo in her mind, and in her pupils, she can still see his adorable smile.
Suddenly, Tsunade covers her pale and pitifully delicate face with both hands, tears uncontrollably streaming from her eyes.
"Nawaki!!"
She kneels on the ground, suddenly shouting in grief, her voice incredibly poignant.
Many ninjas in the base look at this scene, their eyes slightly moved, resonating with a sense of sadness.
At this moment, Captain Tsunade, who has always been perceived as extremely resilient, appears extremely fragile...
....
Returning to the Leaf base after completing the mission, Orochimaru immediately senses a slightly abnormal atmosphere upon entering the base.
His eyes narrow slightly.
"What happened while I was away?"
Orochimaru stops a Leaf ninja and asks with a low voice.
Upon hearing his words, the ninja looks uneasy and glances at the tent where Tsunade is. His tone carries a hint of sorrow.
"Captain Orochimaru... you better go console Captain Tsunade."
"Her brother arrived here earlier and, with a lot of persuasion, managed to get a mission from the captain. But in their first mission, they encountered the Sand ninjas... the entire reconnaissance team was wiped out... Captain's brother is still missing to this day."
"Now, Captain Tsunade has lost her spirit... only you can console her."
After hearing his words, Orochimaru's snake-like pupils contract suddenly, his facial expression trembles, and it seems he has not yet recovered from this news. He murmurs.
"You... are saying... Nawaki... is missing...!!"
Hearing Orochimaru's words, the ninja nods, his eyes filled with sorrow.
After all... Nawaki is a very cute and earnest child...
"I'll go ahead."
Looking at Orochimaru's increasingly gloomy face, the ninja says, then leaves after seeing Orochimaru nod.
Leaving Orochimaru alone, standing there with a pale face, his expression indiscernible. Only his snake-like pupils seem to carry some sadness and confusion.
Is life really so fragile...
....
Within the borders of the Land of Rain.
Three figures are slowly walking in a lush and vast forest.
The dappled sunlight through the leaves shines on the three figures.
One young boy, two tall youths.
"Sō... Sōsuke-nii, if we do this, will sister worry about me... After all, if I leave without telling her, she might think that I..."
The young boy walking behind hesitates and finally speaks with a childish voice.
Hearing his words, Sōsuke turns his head gently and says warmly.
"Don't imagine your sister as too fragile."
Speaking of this, he seems to think of something, pauses, and then continues.
"Maybe she will be hurt... but it's temporary... compared to the training you can get... this is an essential cost."
"No power comes easily... you should understand that, Nawaki."
Hearing Sōsuke's words, Nawaki slowly relaxes.
Sōsuke-nii is right. Instead of being unable to protect his sister in the future, it's better to let her worry a bit now!
As long as I follow Sōsuke-nii, gain that astonishing power, I can truly fulfill my words!
Protect sister, protect everyone!
Thinking of this, a firm expression flashes across Nawaki's small face.
Like this, the three figures slowly disappear into the darkness here.