The shinobi with the scar across his face frowned in confusion.
But there was no turning back now.
Since they had already made their move, there was no possibility of ending this peacefully.
"Attack together!"
The scar-faced shinobi shouted as he charged toward Kiyohara first.
Behind him, the rogue shinobis rapidly formed hand seals at the same time. Fire Jutsu, Earth Jutsu, and a barrage of kunai all flew toward Kiyohara simultaneously.
Rin slowly closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, a faint crimson light appeared deep within her pupils, making them resemble the vertical slit eyes of a Tailed Beast.
Behind her, a pale crimson chakra tail suddenly condensed into existence.
It swept through the air like a flexible whip.
Smack!
The first wandering shinobi who rushed forward was struck head-on and sent flying backward. His chest caved in visibly as blood gushed from his mouth.
Rin lifted her head and looked toward Kiyohara.
He was standing calmly in place, his hand seals already complete.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation."
He opened his mouth.
An endless sea of flames poured out.
The fire burned with a pure orange-red brilliance, its temperature unimaginably high.
Like a gigantic tidal wave, the inferno surged forward.
The remaining rogue shinobis did not even have time to scream before the flames completely engulfed them.
The fire shot into the sky, illuminating the entire courtyard as though it were broad daylight.
When the flames finally subsided, nothing remained ahead except a stretch of scorched earth and several corpses that had already been burned into blackened charcoal.
Kiyohara withdrew his chakra before turning around.
Rin was still standing where she had been, the crimson chakra tail behind her having already disappeared.
"Let's go inside and have a look."
Kiyohara spoke.
Rogue shinobis were a common sight, especially during times of war.
The war had only ended not long ago, so encountering rogue shinobis here was perfectly normal.
What truly interested Kiyohara, however, was the chakra signature hidden in the deepest part of the village.
There was something unusual about that chakra.
He suspected its owner possessed a Kekkei Genkai.
The chakra of someone with a bloodline limit always differed slightly from that of ordinary people.
Such individuals naturally refined a unique kind of chakra, much like the ocular power possessed by the Uchiha Clan.
It was a special form of Yin Release chakra.
That was why the Uchiha were known as the inheritors of the Sage of Six Paths' Yin Release power.
"Kiyohara-kun, did you discover something?"
Rin asked curiously.
"I sensed something."
Kiyohara answered.
Ever since inheriting the Uzumaki Clan's bloodline, combined with the continuous improvement of his own sensory abilities, his perception had been steadily growing stronger.
He even suspected that one day he might awaken the Uzumaki Clan's unique sensing technique.
The Kagura Mind's Eye.
The sensing radius of that technique alone reached an astonishing range of several dozen kilometers.
Many members of the Hyuga Clan could not observe such distances even with their Byakugan.
For most Hyuga, their Byakugan allowed them to perceive everything within roughly one kilometer with perfect clarity.
Only by sacrificing awareness in other directions and focusing all of their vision into the distance could they barely observe something as far as ten kilometers away.
The Kagura Mind's Eye, however, possessed not only an enormous range but also incredible precision.
It could detect exact locations, movements, the number of enemies, their physical characteristics, and even the speed at which they were traveling.
It could even distinguish the temperature of another person's chakra with astonishing accuracy.
Rin nodded quietly and followed beside him.
Ten minutes later.
Kiyohara and Rin arrived in front of a dilapidated wooden cabin.
Kiyohara pushed open the door.
Inside the dimly lit room, he saw a little girl.
She was curled tightly into a corner like an abandoned animal.
The clothes covering her tiny body had long since lost their original color. Torn rags hung loosely over her frail frame.
Her exposed arms and legs were covered in bruises and wounds that had already begun to scab over.
Her hair was blue.
It was long and hopelessly tangled, covering most of her face.
Yet through the gaps in those strands of hair, he could still see her eyes.
They were completely hollow.
There was no light.
No spirit.
No emotion.
They simply stared blankly ahead.
When she heard the door open, her body trembled slightly.
She did not raise her head.
Instead, she instinctively curled herself up even tighter, shrinking into an even smaller ball.
Standing at the doorway, Rin looked at the scene before her.
Her heart could not help aching.
This was the suffering brought about by war.
"Kiyohara-kun..."
Rin called softly.
Kiyohara walked over to the girl before crouching down.
Those empty eyes still could not focus.
She only instinctively shrank farther away.
"What is your name?"
Kiyohara asked.
As he spoke, he reached out his hand.
A gentle green medical chakra flowed into the girl's body, beginning to heal her injuries.
Looking at her blue hair, Kiyohara already had a vague guess.
Could she be...
Guren?
He silently studied the little girl before him.
In the anime, Guren was the wielder of the Crystal Release Kekkei Genkai and later served under Orochimaru.
She had also been remarkably loyal.
Only because Orochimaru treated people as disposable tools, combined with Naruto's famous Talk no Jutsu, had she eventually switched sides.
The girl felt warmth spreading throughout her body.
The wounds covering her skin were slowly healing.
Yet she remained frightened, curling herself up defensively.
Rin also knelt beside her.
She took out a water flask from her clothes and gently held it out.
"Have some water."
Rin said with a warm smile.
The girl stared at the flask.
Then she looked at the hand offering it.
Slowly, she raised her head.
Through the curtain of blue hair, she finally saw the two strangers clearly.
A man.
And a woman.
Both wore clean clothes.
Both wore shinobi forehead protectors.
The symbol engraved upon them looked like the shape of a leaf.
"What is your name?"
Kiyohara asked once more.
The girl parted her lips.
She had not spoken for so long that her voice had become dry and hoarse, almost impossible to hear.
"...Guren."
She answered quietly.
So it really was Guren.
Kiyohara could not help feeling delighted inside.
She happened to be at the lowest point in her life.
Helping her now would earn her complete gratitude.
If he brought her back to Konoha and allowed her to receive proper shinobi training, she could become one of his subordinates in the future.
"Where are your family and friends?"
"They're all dead."
Guren replied flatly.
Hearing that, Kiyohara extended an invitation.
"Come with me. If you stay here any longer, you'll only end up dying."
He gestured toward the abandoned village around them.
Those wandering shinobis had only happened to stay here temporarily.
As Kiyohara glanced around, he noticed several expired food supplies scattered inside the cabin.
Apparently, Guren had managed to survive this entire time by relying on scraps like those.
"..."
After drinking some water, Guren's mind became a little clearer.
She understood that remaining here would only lead to death.
But she also had no idea who Kiyohara and Rin actually were.
"We're shinobi from Konoha. You don't need to be afraid."
Rin said gently.
"Konoha..."
Guren had heard that name before.
After connecting it with the leaf-shaped symbols engraved on their forehead protectors, she believed them for the most part.
"...Alright."
She nodded softly.
Since staying here meant certain death, she might as well take a chance.
Seeing her agree, Kiyohara stood up.
"Rin, help her change into some clean clothes."
He took out a fresh set of clothing from a sealing scroll and handed it to Rin.
They were actually his spare clothes.
They were far too large for Guren, but they were still infinitely better than the rags she was currently wearing.
Rin accepted the clothes with a nod.
Kiyohara turned around, walked outside the cabin, and quietly closed the door behind him.
This was obviously not a situation where he should remain inside.
Within the cabin, Rin knelt in front of Guren once more.
She gently reached out and brushed aside the tangled blue hair covering the girl's face.
Her appearance was finally revealed.
Thin.
Pale.
Yet beneath the signs of hardship, her delicate features could still be seen.
Graceful eyebrows.
A small nose.
Thin lips.
Had there been no war...
Had she never experienced such suffering...
She would surely have grown into a very beautiful young woman.
A wave of bitterness rose within Rin's heart.
But she did not let it show.
Instead, she simply smiled gently.
"Come. Let's get you changed."
Guren quietly looked at her.
Slowly, she reached out and accepted the clothes.
The fabric felt soft.
Clean.
She could not even remember how many years had passed since she had last worn clothing like this.
Outside the cabin, Kiyohara stood with his back facing the door.
This was the border of the Land of Fire, not far from the Land of Rain.
Naturally, the surrounding environment shared many similarities with the gloomy landscape of the neighboring country.
Dark clouds hung low across the sky.
The wind swept through the abandoned ruins overgrown with weeds, producing endless rustling sounds.
A few moments later, the door behind him opened.
Rin walked out.
Following behind her was Guren, now dressed in clean clothes.
The outfit was far too large for her.
The sleeves extended well past her hands, while the hem reached below her knees.
Rin had carefully rolled up the sleeves, revealing Guren's painfully thin wrists.
She stood quietly at the doorway, raising her head to look at Kiyohara's back.
Within those empty eyes, that tiny spark of light still remained.
Kiyohara turned around and looked at her.
"Let's go."
He said.
The current Guren was far too thin, but once she recovered with proper nutrition, she would likely grow into the same breathtaking beauty she had been in the anime.
Guren nodded silently.
Rin reached out and gently took hold of the little girl's hand.
The three of them left the abandoned village together and continued heading west.
Guren walked beside Rin, her tiny body wrapped inside those oversized clothes.
She walked slowly.
Her footsteps were weak and unsteady, making it obvious that she had not eaten a proper meal in a very long time.
Rin deliberately slowed her own pace to match Guren's.
Walking at the front, Kiyohara formed a lump of white clay in his hand.
The clay quickly transformed into a white dragon.
He led both women onto its back.
Guren's eyes widened in amazement as she watched the enormous clay dragon come to life.
Only then did she truly realize that the shinobi who had decided to take her home was an incredibly powerful person.
...
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain.
At the Akatsuki headquarters.
Hidden deep within a secluded mountain valley stood a heavily concealed structure.
From the outside, it resembled nothing more than an abandoned shrine.
Inside, however, it had been extensively reinforced, making it both exceptionally sturdy and extremely well hidden.
After Kiyohara and the others approached the area, a lone figure came forward to greet them.
It was Konan.
She wore her signature black cloak decorated with red clouds. Her short blue hair was neatly combed back, and the paper flower tucked into her hair swayed gently in the breeze.
However, Kiyohara immediately noticed that she looked considerably more haggard than the last time they had met.
"Kiyohara."
Konan greeted him quietly.
Her gaze swept across Kiyohara before shifting to Rin behind him. Finally, her eyes rested on the frail little girl whose hand Rin was gently holding.
Feeling Konan's gaze upon her, Guren instinctively shrank farther behind Rin.
Konan quietly withdrew her gaze without asking any questions.
"Where's Yahiko?"
Kiyohara asked.
Konan's expression stiffened ever so slightly.
She remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"Yahiko... had a disagreement with Nagato."
A faint ripple crossed Kiyohara's expression.
"What kind of disagreement?"
Konan slowly shook her head.
She did not elaborate.
"In any case... Yahiko isn't here right now."
Seeing that she clearly had no intention of explaining further, Kiyohara did not press the matter.
"Take me to Nagato."
Konan nodded before turning and leading them deeper into the building.
Kiyohara followed behind her.
Rin led Guren by the hand and quietly followed as well.
Deep inside the headquarters, within a dimly lit room.
Nagato sat leaning against a specially made wheelchair.
Calling it a wheelchair was not entirely accurate.
It resembled a sophisticated machine assembled from metal components and puppet mechanisms.
Numerous tubes, gears, and transmission devices intertwined around it, barely supporting his severely weakened body.
The first thing Kiyohara noticed upon entering the room was the pair of eyes hidden beneath Nagato's long red hair.
Ever since his own eyesight had improved tremendously, he could clearly see through the gaps in those crimson strands.
The Rinnegan.
The purple irises resembled concentric ripples spreading endlessly outward.
Even from where he stood, Kiyohara could feel the overwhelming ocular power contained within those eyes.
After all, a single Rinnegan had once been enough to nearly overwhelm Obito's mind.
One Rinnegan alone also possessed enough power to suppress the Ten Tails and allow someone to become its jinchuriki.
However, Kiyohara's attention quickly shifted away from the legendary eyes and settled upon Nagato's body instead.
His limbs...
No.
It was not merely his limbs.
His entire body had wasted away.
His skin sagged loosely over his skeleton, making it look as though an oversized layer of skin had simply been draped over bare bones.
The exposed portions of his arms revealed bulging veins beneath paper-thin skin, while the outlines of his bones were clearly visible underneath.
Nagato slowly raised his head and looked toward Kiyohara.
"You came."
Kiyohara walked over before crouching beside him.
"Let me examine you."
He reached out and gently placed his fingers against Nagato's wrist.
Soft green medical chakra flowed from his palm, gradually entering Nagato's body.
The chakra traveled through every pathway of his chakra network, carefully examining each damaged area and every abnormality hidden within.
Nagato quietly closed his eyes, allowing the healing chakra to circulate through his body without resistance.
Time slowly passed.
Konan stood by the doorway.
Without realizing it, both of her hands had clenched tightly together.
Behind her, Rin stood with Guren, both watching anxiously.
Only after a long while did Kiyohara finally withdraw his hand.
He stood up and looked toward Konan.
"His life force..."
He paused briefly.
"It has deteriorated very severely."
Konan's complexion instantly turned pale.
"How severe?"
Kiyohara looked directly at her.
"If an ordinary person's vitality can be compared to a bucket filled with water, then Nagato originally possessed a bucket much larger than anyone else's."
"But now... It's as though that bucket has developed a massive hole and that water is constantly leaking away."
"How could that..."
"The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
Kiyohara immediately identified the cause.
"He relies too heavily on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Every time he uses its power, it consumes both his own life force and his chakra."
"I know."
Nagato answered calmly.
But he had no choice.
The Land of Rain was simply too large.
The members of the Akatsuki were nowhere near numerous enough to control every region.
Rebellions constantly broke out throughout the country, while Amegakure itself frequently stirred up trouble as well.
Without relying upon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, he simply could not suppress everything.
"Can it be treated?"
Konan immediately asked.
"Yes."
Kiyohara nodded.
Hope instantly appeared in Konan's eyes.
"How?"
"You'll need to come back to Konoha with me."
Kiyohara answered.
"I'll need proper equipment and sufficient time to conduct a thorough study."
Konan froze.
"Konoha?"
Kiyohara nodded once more.
"The Land of Rain isn't suitable for treatment."
"Medical resources are scarce here."
"You lack proper medicine."
"You lack proper equipment."
He continued while looking directly at her.
"Besides, what Nagato requires isn't a single treatment."
"He needs long-term care."
"His life force has deteriorated far too severely."
"It cannot possibly be restored all at once."
Konan fell silent.
She slowly turned toward Nagato.
Nagato was already looking back at her.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke for a long time.
Eventually, Nagato quietly opened his mouth.
"I won't leave the Land of Rain."
He rejected Kiyohara's proposal without hesitation.
Truthfully...
Nagato himself had never liked Konoha very much.
He respected Jiraiya because he had once saved and taught them.
He was also grateful toward Kiyohara for helping them in the past.
But that did not mean he had completely let go of his resentment toward every shinobi of Konoha.
Even now...
Nagato still remembered that his parents had died at the hands of Konoha shinobi.
From that very day onward...
He had become someone without a home.
Had he not met Konan and Yahiko...
He probably would have starved to death long ago.
"Nagato..."
Konan frowned.
Nagato was just like Yahiko.
Both of them could be unbelievably stubborn at times.
Konan also understood at least part of Nagato's history with Konoha.
Because of that, she did not know how to persuade him.
But if Nagato continued refusing treatment...
Perhaps one day his original body would lose even the ability to fight.
At that point, he would truly become nothing more than a living battery that supplied chakra.
The current Nagato had not only mastered controlling the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
He had also developed several independently mobile puppet bodies.
Those puppets each inherited portions of the Rinnegan's abilities.
"In that case..."
Kiyohara proposed a compromise.
"Konan can return to Konoha with me first."
"Nagato can remain here."
Naturally, Kiyohara had his own plans.
By treating Nagato's condition, he could also seize the opportunity to study the Rinnegan in greater detail.
Furthermore, if Konan stayed in Konoha, he could learn Paper Release ninjutsu directly from her.
"No."
Nagato instinctively refused.
"It would be too dangerous for Konan to go to Konoha alone."
"Nagato..."
Konan interrupted gently.
"I should be the one to go."
"It'll make things much easier."
She wanted reassurance regarding Nagato's treatment.
Besides...
The Akatsuki still had plenty of members.
There would be more than enough people to take care of Nagato while she was away.
Seeing the determination in Konan's eyes, Nagato understood that all of this stemmed from her concern for him.
He could no longer find the words to object.
After a brief silence, he simply said,
"If you have the time..."
"Go visit Yahiko as well."
Although Nagato and Yahiko had fallen into conflict...
The bond between them had never truly disappeared.
"I understand."
Konan nodded.
After seeing the two of them reach an agreement, Kiyohara spoke again.
"I'll need to collect some of Nagato's cells."
As he spoke, he took out a set of medical instruments.
Right in front of Nagato, he carefully drew a sample of blood before collecting several tissue samples.
Nagato quietly watched every movement Kiyohara made.
Hidden within the darkness of the room stood six puppet bodies.
Each of them observed Kiyohara from a different angle.
Their vision was interconnected, allowing them to monitor every movement without leaving a single blind spot.
Only after Kiyohara finished sealing away the collected samples did the six puppet bodies finally lower their vigilance.
"You should all stay here for the night."
Konan personally prepared rooms for Kiyohara and the others.
That evening.
Inside one of the side rooms of the headquarters.
Rin knelt before Guren, holding a steaming bowl of rice porridge in both hands.
"Here."
"Eat a little."
Guren sat quietly on the edge of the bed with her head lowered, staring at the bowl.
The porridge was pure white.
The rice had been cooked until it was soft and tender.
Several finely chopped green vegetables floated gently on the surface.
She slowly reached out and accepted the bowl.
It was hot.
So hot that her fingertips gradually turned red.
Yet she never loosened her grip.
Instead, she simply held the bowl tightly in both hands, silently enjoying the warmth radiating from it.
"Drink slowly."
"Don't burn yourself."
Rin reminded her softly.
Guren nodded.
She lowered her head.
Leaning toward the bowl, she carefully took one small sip after another.
As she ate...
Tears quietly rolled down her cheeks.
They dripped into the warm porridge below.
Rin gently reached out and stroked Guren's tangled blue hair.
"From now on..."
"You'll never have to live that kind of life again."
Guren's movements paused.
She slowly looked up at Rin.
Involuntarily...
Kiyohara's figure appeared in her mind.
Had Kiyohara not been willing to take her away from that abandoned village...
She would never have been wearing clean clothes.
She would never have been eating warm food like this.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Guren truly experienced what it meant to be saved.
(End of Chapter)