A few days later, Konan was finally able to join us in our training sessions. She moved with a newfound grace, her movements fluid and calculated.
Her observation haki had grown stronger, allowing her to anticipate my attacks and dodge them with ease, maybe because she have a real battle situation.
Ame and Ranko would often watch from the sidelines, Ame with a flick of her tail and Ranko with an occasional caw of encouragement.
In the afternoon, Nagato and His parents returned to their house, leaving us to the quiet of the clinic. The rain always there, a constant companion to our days.
Me and Konan enjoying our meal together. Ame and Ranko had settled down, Ame curled up in a warm ball by the fireplace, and Ranko on a shelf above, his eyes alert but calm.
"It's surprising me, considering that the first time we went to this village, this village was still lively," Konan said, her eyes gazing out the window at the now desolate street.
"Yeah," I said, sipping my tea. "Even the market it's not open anymore."
"Really? Not even a stall or some people selling anything? " she asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Yes, nothing," I replied, setting down my cup.
"It's a shame," Konan sighed.
"They heard the news that there was a possibility of war reaching this village, and they must have left to find safety elsewhere," I said, trying to ease the sadness in her voice.
Konan nodded thoughtfully. "It's understandable," she said.
"Thank you, Haruto," she murmured. "For everything."
I nodded, "Don't mention it," I said, my eyes on the rain outside.
"You are my precious," I said, looking at her. Wait, that's sounds familiar.
But seriously, without her, I would have been alone for a time being.
"You too." She smiled.
I hugged her gently, not wanting to cause her any discomfort. "We're in this together," I said, my voice soft.
"Yeah," she whispered, leaning into the embrace.
"At that time, when I'm at my limit, I even thought, maybe I would die, but remembering you, Ame and Ranko, it gives me strength," Konan said, her voice barely a whisper.
I nodded, "I'm actually scared... But You, Ame and Ranko, you all give me the courage, to face anyone, anything." I said, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.
We enjoyed a comfortable atmosphere with the sound of rain which made it all feel like harmony. Blissful.
"...."
But all of that was disturbed by the sound of distant explosion, echoing through the quiet village.
"Looks like it's already started," I murmured.
Konan worried looked at me. "What do we do?" she asked.
I took a deep breath, "We'll stay here, and don't worry about the ninjas, I can deal with them, and you can too."
Her eyes searched mine for reassurance, and I gave her a firm nod. "You're right," she said, her voice gaining strength. "We can do this."
Not long after that, the sound of footsteps approached the Clinic.
"Konan." I whispered, my eyes on the door.
Konan nodded, and she tried to sense their chakra signatures. "It's Ise-san and his family," she said with relief.
They knocked on the door, and I went to answer it, my hand hovering over the doorknob. "It's okay, it's just us," Ise's voice called out.
As the door swung open, Fuso and Nagato stepped inside. "Are you two okay? We heard the explosion," Ise said.
"We're fine," I assured him.
I glanced over at Nagato, who looked paler than usual. "What about you guys?"
"We're okay," Ise said, though his eyes betrayed his concern. "Luckily Nagato heard it, he woke us up, and we went out to check on you two."
Fuso nodded, her hand on Nagato's shoulder.
"Yeah, we heard it too," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
There is silent moment between us, as we all knew what the explosion meant.
"How about you guys stay here, for now?" I suggested, looking at Ise and his family. "It might not be safe outside."
Ise nodded gravely. "Thank you."
"I should be the one to say that," i said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
We quickly made space for Ise and his family, arranging blankets to keep them comfortable.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Fuso asked, her eyes filled with concern.
"For now, just stay safe," I said.
"...."
We were together, enjoying the false peace of the moment.
"...."
---|||---
But the moment didn't last long. "Someone's coming," Konan whispered. We quickly composed ourselves, and Ise and Fuso took their positions, ready to protect their son.
"Should we get out of here? " Ise asked, his voice low and tense.
"Not yet," I said, my eyes narrowed as I focused my senses. "Let's wait and see who it is first."
"There are two people approaching," Konan whispered.
I nodded. "Be ready," I murmured.
As the door creaked open, two figures stepped inside. They paused, scanning the room with cautious eyes before they Saw us.
It was two ninjas, drenched from the rain and blood, wearing the headbands of the Hidden Leaf Village. They looked exhausted, but their expressions still cautious.
"Who are you?" one of them called out, their voice strained.
I stepped forward, my hands held out in a peaceful gesture. "We're civilians here." I said, my voice firm but calm. "What is your purpose here?"
The ninjas looked at each other before the taller one spoke up. "We just wanted to find a place to rest and treat our injuries," he said, his voice laced with fatigue.
"I'm a doctor," Ise said, stepping forward. "If you don't make trouble, you're welcome to rest here."
The ninjas looked at each other again before nodding in relief. They walked over to the patient bed and began to strip off their wet clothes, revealing injuries that were hastily bandaged. Me, Ise and Fuso immediately set to work, tending to their wounds while maintaining a watchful eye on them.
"How did you get here?" I asked, trying to gauge their intentions.
The one that spoke before looked up at me. "We were on a battle with Hidden Rock," he panted, his breathing shallow. "But we lost, and we had to retreat. Our team is scattered, and we barely made it here."
"How bad is the situation out there?" I asked, my mind racing.
The ninja hesitated before speaking, "It's... not good. The war is escalating. Both sides are suffering heavy losses."
"Is it telling us that, not a problem? " I asked.
The ninja nodded weakly. "Yes. It's not like that a secret."
"We can't stay here for long," the one who seriously injured said to his friend, "We need to get back and report."
"Rest," Ise insisted. "You're in no condition to move."
"It's not just about report, because we didn't know if there were ninjas from hidden rock chasing us," the injured ninja replied, his voice filled with pain.
Ise looking at me, asking for help without saying a word.
I nodded, "You guys rest here," I said, turning to the ninjas. "We'll handle it."
"Don't worry Gentoku, my injury is not serious, I can help them," the taller ninja said.
"You can leave me here and go to the base alone, with your speed, it's possible," the injured ninja, Gentoku, suggested to his comrade.
But his friend, the taller one, firmly declined. "We stick together, you bastard! I'm not leaving you," he said, though his eyes were filled with pain and exhaustion.
"Okay," I said, understanding the gravity of their situation. "Rest here, we'll need you guys power if things go sideways."
The taller ninja nodded, his eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you," he said, his voice strained.
"No problem," I said, turning to the ninjas. "Rest up and recover."
The taller ninja looked at me gratefully. "Thank you," he murmured.
"Okay-okay," I said, trying to maintain my composure as I studied the two ninjas. They were definitely not in a condition to fight, let alone leave.
"We'll keep watch," I assured them. "Just focus on getting better."
With the two Leaf ninjas resting, the night grew tense. We couldn't ignore the potential danger they brought with them.
But fortunately, nothing happened last night.
---|||---
The two ninjas, who introduced themselves as Gentoku and Kashiki, slept deeply under our watchful eyes.
In the morning, I went out to scout the area, but found nothing. When I returned, I found Nagato sitting by the fireplace, staring into the flames.
"What's on your mind, Nagato?" I asked, sitting down beside him.
He glanced at me, then back at the fire. "The war," he said softly. "It's... frightening."
"I know," I said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But we're here to protect each other."
"Can I do it too?" Nagato asked, looking up at me with hope in his voice. "Can I help protect everyone?"
I looked into his... Well his eyes were covered by his hair, preventing his Rinnegan from being visible. But I know it's there.
"You can," I said firmly. "I believe in you, Nagato."
He nodded. "But what if... what if I'm not strong enough?"
"Train harder," I told him, a gentle smile on my lips. "I'll be with you for every step of the way."
---|||---
Then we practiced throwing shuriken and kunai outside the clinic, Kashiki who have better conditions than Gentoku, joining our practice and help us in the training. His skills were surprisingly good, he said he was a Chunin.
Days passed, and the two Leaf ninjas recovered significantly under Ise's care.
Gentoku and Kashiki were grateful for our hospitality, Kashiki's condition is much better than Gentoku, so he is already healthy enough to fully join our training sessions.
He started to open up more, sharing some of his experiences from the battlefield and offering us valuable insights.
He also taught us basic jutsu like Transformation jutsu, Clone jutsu and substitution jutsu. They were simple but effective, and we practiced them tirelessly.
Gentoku also helped us in knowing our chakra affinity. Me and Konan have the same chakra affinity, they are water, earth and wind.
And for Nagato, he have five chakra natures, fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning.
It must be because Rinnegan.
---|||---
Next day, We saw ninjas from Hidden rock scouting the area. They were looking for something or maybe searching for the ninjas from Hidden Leaf. We immediately went into a defensive formation.
Ise, Fuso, Nagato, Konan and Gentoku stayed inside the clinic, ready to provide support if needed, while I was outside and Kashiki was hiding in the buildings surrounding the clinic.
"...."
The hidden rock ninjas that scouting the area around us retreated. It was a close call, but we had managed to avoid detection. After confirming that the area was clear, we all breathed a sigh of relief.
Kashiki and I entered the clinic.
"Thank you," Gentoku said, his voice weak but filled with sincerity. "If they had found us..."
"Don't worry about it," I said.
"There doesn't seem to be any sensor type ninja in their group," Kashiki murmured.
"Yes" Gentoku nodded, "Kashiki, we have to leave now. We need to report back to the Village and inform them about the situation here."
"You're right," Kashiki agreed, his eyes meeting mine. "We can't stay here for long. But we're grateful for the help you've given to us."
"It's the least we can do," I said, turning to Ise and Fuso.
Ise nodded, "Actually, your condition is still not stable enough," he said to Gentoku. "It's too risky for you to move around."
"But we have to do it, otherwise you will be dragged into this war. We don't want that," Gentoku said, his voice filled with determination despite his weakened state.
Ise looked at me with a solemn expression. "We can't just let them go out there like that," he said.
Kindness sometimes leads you to despair, and that's what I felt as I watched Gentoku and Kashiki prepare to leave. Their resolve was clear, but Gentoku health was not. I knew they were right, though. If we get caught helping them, bad things might happen.
"Haruto, we have to stop them," Ise whispered urgently. "If they go out there now, they won't survive."
I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "You two don't need to leave," I said firmly. "Just rest here until you are completely healthy. We can handle the Hidden Rock ninjas."
Kashiki and Gentoku exchanged a look, and then Gentoku spoke up, "Thank you, but we can't risk it. Our village needs us."
"I know that, but what if your situation worsens with your current condition? You'll only be a burden to Kashiki-san," Ise said, his voice filled with concern.
"We don't have a choice," Gentoku replied, his eyes determined.
"We're not asking you to stay for our sake," I said, looking at the two ninjas. "We're offering you a chance to heal completely. We can't guarantee your safety out there, but we can give you the strength to fight for it."
Gentoku's eyes searched mine, and I could see the conflict within him. "I understand," he said finally. "We'll stay."
"Good," Ise said with a nod.
Gentoku's eyes never left mine as he agreed, and I knew that he was weighing his options, the weight of his duty and responsibility towards us.
---|||---
We continued training and treating patients, the days blurring into a routine of preparation and vigilance.
I asked Kashiki how to activate the explosive tag and Kashiki taught me how to detonate it by infusing chakra into it.
"But be careful," Kashiki warned.
I nodded, "Can explosive tags be activated without infusing chakra?"
"Yes." Kashiki nodded. "It can after being ignited by flame."
"Thank you for teaching me," I said to Kashiki, as we finished our training session.
"Don't mention it," Kashiki said with a smile. "It's the least we can do to repay your kindness."
---|||---
After that, I practised alone in the rain, the cold water running down my face mixing with my sweat as I honed my skills. Focusing on the moment of impact and the precise timing needed for detonation.
It requires chakra, so even though I have a lot of explosive tags, it's not effective at all.
"...."
Wait a minute.
It can also be activated by igniting it with fire. Can I keep explosive tags that are about to explode in my Inventory?
But before that, I need to know how long it will take for the explosive tag to actually explode.
If I can store it one second before it explodes or faster than that. That would be amazing.
But first, I need to test it out.
---|||---
"Hey, Kashiki-san," I called out to the Leaf ninja, who was helping Fuso with the chores. "Could you spare a moment?"
He nodded and followed me outside, into the rain. "What's up?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I want to test something," I said, holding up an explosive tag. "How long does it take to explode after it's been ignited?"
Kashiki's eyes narrowed. "Five seconds," he said, his voice serious. "Why do you need to know?"
"Just a little experiment," I said with a shrug.
Kashiki nodded. "Alright, but be careful."
I nodded, "Don't worry, I will."
I took a deep breath, and with a swift movement, I ignited the explosive tag, store it in my inventory and then took it out quite far from me. As it began to flicker with flames, I'm counting down the time. Five... Four... three... two...
One...
I quickly stored it in my inventory. I waited for a moment before letting out a sigh of relief. "It seems to have worked," I said to myself.
I looked at my inventory, there was an explosive tag that was about to explode.
And then I copied it as much as possible.
I also decided to meet Konan who was practising her paper jutsu.
"Konan," I called out as I approached her. She looked up from her origami creations.
"Haruto, what's going on?" she asked, noticing the excitement in my eyes.
I took hundreds of explosive tags from my inventory.
And then gave it to Konan.
"Haruto, this? What are you planning?" Konan's eyes widened as I handed her the explosive tags.
"You can use these explosive tags with your paper jutsu," I told her.
Her eyes widened. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"I'm," I said, a hint of a smile playing on my lips. "Imagine the power you'd have if you could manipulate these tags with your paper jutsu."
Konan's gaze went from the tags to me, then back to the tags. She took one in her hand, examining it closely. "How does it work?"
"You just need to infuse your chakra into the tag, and then you can manipulate it like your paper," I explained. "And remember, you can detonate it remotely."
Her eyes lit up with understanding. "This could change everything," she murmured, her mind racing with the possibilities. "Can I shape it like a shuriken and make it look like a normal paper shuriken? That way, I can surprise our enemies."
"Exactly," I said, nodding. "The element of surprise is crucial in combat."
Konan's eyes sparkled with excitement as she took a deep breath. She placed the explosive tag in her palm and focusing her chakra, she moulded it into the shape of a shuriken. It was interesting to watch her manipulate the explosive tag. Once finished, she held up the paper shuriken, with the explosive tag seamlessly embedded in it.
"Wow," I said, genuinely impressed. "That's amazing, Konan."
"Thanks," she said, her cheeks flushing slightly. "But we should test it first, right?"
"It's not that, I don't want you to test it, it's just that our current situation doesn't allow us to do so. We can't risk attracting more attention, for now." I said.
Konan nodded in understanding, and we went back inside the clinic.
---|||---
The rain was getting heavier. We decided to train indoors, focusing on our Chakra control and medical skills.
As usual, I would meditate while Ame was on my lap. Her warmth and gentle purrs were calming.
But today, something was different. I could feel something inside me, a new understanding of my body.
I can feel it, but what is this?
The feeling was faint, but it grew stronger as I focused on it.
As I tried to focus deeper, I suddenly found myself in the dark.
That strong feeling, when I approached it, suddenly disappeared.
"...."
So, where am I?
I looked around. It was as if I had been transported to a different realm within myself.
Mindscape?
"Is it?" I murmured to myself.
As my eyes adapt to this darkness, I can see the flickering lights in the distance.
It was as, if I was standing inside a cosmic void, with stars of varying sizes and intensities scattered across the horizon.
I felt a strange sensation, as if my mind was being pulled towards one of the stars. It grew more intense as I approached it.
"What is this?" I whispered to myself, my heart racing with excitement.
The star grew closer, and the pull grew stronger.
As I approached it, I realized it was a universe.
The star grew into a swirling mass of colors, and suddenly, I was standing in a vast space, surrounded by stars.
No... It's galaxies.
When I wanted to get closer to one of the galaxies. Everything went dark again.
"...."
So... What was that?
I was about to ask myself again when I heard a sound echoing through the emptiness.
It sounds like... A cat?
But it wasn't just any cat, it was Ame. Her purrs grew louder, and the warmth from her body snapped me out of the mindscape.
"...."
I blinked, finding myself back in the clinic, the rain still tapping against the windows. Ame looked up at me with curiosity.
I stroked Ame's head, her purrs resonating with the beating of my heart.
What was that?