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Meanwhile, within the Land of Rain.
Dark, oppressive clouds filled the sky, casting an immense sense of gloom.
However, beneath these heavy clouds, the villagers of the Hidden Rain Village displayed a demeanor starkly contrasting the grim weather.
"Boom! Boom!"...
Two terrifying bolts of azure lightning suddenly sliced through the sky, followed by deafening thunderclaps.
"Whoosh..."
The thunder was accompanied by the sound of pouring rain.
Faced with the downpour and the thick clouds laced with lightning, the villagers of the Hidden Rain Village showed no fear. Instead, they moved about in the heavy rain with indifference, allowing the rain to drench them completely.
Their faces bore smiles they could hardly hide, as they walked in pairs or small groups, engaging in lively discussions and displaying joy.
Despite some villagers showing signs of emaciation, at this moment, their faces all radiated an unmistakable vitality.
Their eyes were no longer dull and empty; they shone with spirit, hope, and anticipation.
Because the Hidden Rain Village was no longer the place of despair it once was, with no future in sight!
After the new leader of the Hidden Rain Village, Jinnai, took office, a series of policies revitalized the village like never before, filling every villager with hope for the future.
In the center of the Hidden Rain Village, a tall building made of black stone stood.
At its summit, one could overlook the entire landscape of the Hidden Rain Village.
As villagers passed by this towering dark edifice amidst the rainy streets below, solemnity and deep respect from within their hearts reflected on their faces.
This was unlike the era of Hanzo's governance when the ordinary villagers did not enjoy the village's benefits.
Under Hanzo, the ninja clans reaped the profits.
Even promising ninja talents discovered among the ordinary villagers were either absorbed by these clans as vassals or outright eliminated.
After Jinnai's succession, a covert storm of blood and violence began to sweep through the Hidden Rain Village.
With the Rain's upper echelons gone, Jinnai quickly identified the ninja clans that were parasitically draining the village, through murky intelligence.
A cold and bloody purge followed, improving the village's situation and replenishing its resources.
The difficulty of implementing policies was minimized, allowing for smooth progress.
In an office atop the high black stone building,
"The new batch of supplies has arrived, Saki. Aren't you going to take a look?" asked a young man with pale skin, slightly mischievous eyes, and a hint of a roguish smile on his lips, resting his chin on his hand, looking at the emotionless young man in front of him teasingly.
Hearing this, Saki, dressed in a plain white kimono, remained as calm as water, replying indifferently,
"That is not my responsibility, and I have no interest in it."
Jinnai, sitting in the main seat, slightly pouted, his eyes narrowing slightly, softly saying,
"I wonder where Lord Aizen is now, what he's doing."
"It's been a long time since we last saw each other. Occasionally, I find that having Lord Aizen around would make the direction forward clearer."
Saying this, he smirked, glanced at the fine rain outside the window, and continued,
"Speaking of which, I was quite shocked when I heard some time ago that Lord Aizen was confirmed to be a rogue ninja of the Leaf Village."
His eyes twinkled with amusement, chuckling as he looked at Saki, softly murmuring,
"Saki, was it intentional for Lord Aizen to be discovered... or was there a slight flaw in his plan..."
To Jinnai's words, Saki seemed not to hear, showing no reaction.
However, from the moment Aizen's name was mentioned, Saki's gaze fell into a complex expression.
Lord Aizen... You shouldn't encounter any problems...
Regardless... I will steadfastly follow your orders...
The people on the list you gave me have been taken care of... As for those children, I will also guide them well... until your return...
With these thoughts, Saki paused for a moment, then slowly turned around and walked towards the door.
Jinnai didn't get upset by his disregard, merely smirking lightly without pressing further.
Near the door, Saki turned his head to glance at Jinnai with his cold, pale eyes, speaking calmly,
"As a subordinate, never doubt any decision made by Lord Aizen."
"The position Lord Aizen holds is something you and I could never reach in our lifetimes. Don't measure Lord Aizen's vision with your perspective."
"Such behavior is nothing short of foolish..."
Saying this, he turned his head back, opened the door, and walked out, adding,
"Everything in the Hidden Rain Village is on the right track now. I'll be leaving here with a few children."
"Miss Yuko's royal city might be a better option. If I'm not mistaken, Lord Aizen might have made contact with her recently. From her... perhaps we can learn about Lord Aizen's recent situation."
With those words, the door slowly closed, and Saki's figure vanished.
Hearing his words, Jinnai was slightly taken aback but couldn't help but smile lightly.
He slowly turned his head towards the window, his narrow eyes slightly squinting, looking out at the gloomy rain and the smiling faces of the villagers in the rain, murmuring softly,
"Even though you say that... Saki, aren't you worried about Lord Aizen too..."
"The new era hasn't arrived yet... so..."
"Lord Aizen... please, don't leave us before your dream is fulfilled..."
"A new system... one Hidden Rain Village is far from enough..."
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At the same time, in a lush forest.
"Ssss..."
With a strange slithering sound, a figure resembling a pitcher plant slowly emerged on a thick tree trunk.
"Crack crack..."
The pitcher plant slowly opened, revealing a pale figure within.
The figure slowly opened a pair of reddish-yellow eyes, glancing to the side.
"Zap!"
As a bolt of lightning suddenly fell from the sky, the intense light of the thunderbolt struck the ground!
From within the black lightning, a figure slowly emerged.
"Zetsu... it's here, right?"
Hearing him, the one inside the pitcher plant, Zetsu, responded softly,
"Yes, the Three-Tails has been hiding in this lake and river, unnoticed by any ninja village. This is information that Madara accidentally discovered before. I didn't expect it to be useful now."
The figure who emerged from the black lightning coldly said,
"Don't babble so much. Just knowing that this thing can help me defeat him is enough..."
"Let's go..."
With that, he took a step forward, revealing a cold and handsome face beneath his long black hair.
Underneath the fringe, a pair of crimson eyes flashed with malice.
Following behind him,
Zetsu quickly caught up, saying helplessly,
"Wait up, Shino."
The two of them then slowly disappeared into the dense forest.