Several Days had passed since the 3 started moving towards the Capiral of the Hidden Rain Country.
It was then that Okada noticed a small sign signaling that they arrived at the outskirt of the Capital of the Land of Rain.
Okada "We've arrived, the capital of the Rain Country."
It was then that all 3 looked at the sign in front of them.
Sukiko looked up towards her mother " Mom, are we finally going to be safe ?"
Okada gently said, "I'm sure we will be Suki."
But it was Nagomo's words that made both of them turn their heads as he asked in a confused low tone. "Are you sure this is the Capital ?"
Both Sukiko's and Okada heads quickly looked the same way that Nagomo was staring at only to be frozen in place, their expression blank with shock.
Before them was the capital, surrounded by coldness and desolation.
The constant rain washed the Empty streets, the buildings around were mostly in ruins. Even though it was nearly dusk, there were no signs of life, no smoke from cooking fires, just rats crawling through the rubble.
This was nothing like they had imagined.
Even the overwhelming stench of rot and the piles of corpses far exceeded anything they had seen before.
The capital of the Land of Rain was surrounded a massive Stone Wall. But before this Wall was a deep, wide Trench that was filled with Spikes, Wire and other kinds of Traps. The Trench was filled with shallow red liquid with several corpses on the ground or still stuck inside of the traps. There was only one opening in the Wall, with only one bridge leading inside. But the gate was tightly shut, clearly under lockdown, with no one allowed in or out.
Amid this desolation several, ghostly figures moved slowly.
But they weren't ghosts; they were people, refugees fleeing from disaster.
Still, more and more refugees gathered at the walls, ignoring the cold rain soaking their bodies.
Countless figures slumped against the walls, their eyes too heavy to lift, their faces hollow and gaunt.
Their bodies were thin, skin clinging to bone, their eyes sunken deep, resembling living skeletons. Their stick-thin arms trembled constantly at their sides.
Their breathing was shallow and weak, like a flickering flame about to go out, ready to die at any moment.
Many were already dead, while others still clung to life.
Sukiko and Nagomo almost gagged at the sight, only to deeply inhale air shortly after which filled their nostrils with an overwhelming stench of Decay.
But amidst the rotting smell, there was another, more disturbing scent.
It was the smell of meat.
A smell so strong it even overpowered the stench of death.
"Ugh!!"
Whilst Sukiko and Nagomo were still shocked and horrified by the scene in front of them, the city gate began to creak open.
"The gate is opening!"
Nagomo's face lit up with joy, and he instinctively took a step forward, eager to run toward the gate.
It Was Okada who stopped him from moving towards the Gate.
But before he could speak, a figure appeared, blocking the bridge that led into the city.
The figure wore a straw hat to shield from the rain, dressed in dark clothes, with a headband marked by four vertical lines like falling rain.
It was a ninja from the Hidden Rain Village!
The Ninja loudly declared "Anyone who crosses the bridge without permission will die! Anyone who forces their way through the gate will die!"
He then spoke up. "Everyone, have you been hungry for a long time? Who made you like this? Who made you lose your homes?"
The ninja's voice was filled with emotion as he looked down at the crowd and shouted, "Our country is still crying, but the weak leader of the Hidden Rain Village continues to grovel before the great nations that have plunged us into war!"
"But what has their humility brought us?!"
He paused dramatically, noticing that the refugees were now fully focused on him, and a smile appeared on his face.
"During the First Great Ninja War, all the small nations were destroyed, leaving us to serve as nothing more than a buffer zone for the great nations' conflicts!"
"And now, our country has once again become a battleground for the great nations! Everything we have is being taken away by those vile Hidden Village!"
"As long as the incompetent leader of the Hidden Rain Village remains in power, our country will continue to cry! We need a true hero to lead us in fighting back against the great nations, to bring us peace through absolute strength!"
"And that hero is none other than Lord Hanzo! Lord Hanzo the Salamander!"
The Hidden Rain ninja looked at the crowd and declared loudly, "Lord Hanzo has said he is willing to give you his food to help you, and he hopes that those with the will can join us!!"
The ninja's passionate speech sparked a light in the refugees' eyes.