Yahiko chewed on his bottom lip, his gaze fixed on the sodden earth as it blurred past beneath his feet.
For almost a year, the enemy had been clear.
Shinobi.
Those foreign monsters who had destroyed his home. And their supposed 'protectors' who allowed invaders to do whatever they wanted with their country.
He hated them all.
Or at least, he used to.
His brows gradually drew together as Callisto Yamanaka's trembling eyes flashing through his mind.
The Konoha kunoichi.
Nagato might try to hide it from them, but Yahiko wasn't stupid.
It was clear what had happened to her.
"We're almost there, Big Bro!" the young boy they had rescued shouted. "Do you see it? That's my village!"
He pointed forward as he tugged at Nagato's sleeve with unrestrained excitement.
With two civilians in tow, a journey that should have taken them no more than an hour, had stretched into many instead.
"I see it, Kaito," Nagato answered, taking the boy's hand into his own. "Didn't I already tell you that me and my friends have been here before?"
Yahiko exchanged a sidelong glance with Konan.
Ever since they left the cave, Nagato had barely spoken a word to either of them. The child beside him occupied his full attention as he rattled on about the 'nice lady' who had given him treats and the 'bad man' who had abducted him.
As time passed, their friend's smile had slowly grown into something more familiar.
"I know you have!" Kaito exclaimed, before giggling slyly. "My mom says you're naughty kids who steal our food."
Yahiko's jaw dropped as he registered the boy's words.
They knew?
A wide grin stretched across the Kaito's face.
"That's why she gave you such funny names!"
"Ah yes," Nagato scoffed. "I'm graced with the auspicious moniker of 'The Crimson Orphan', am I not?"
"You are!" Kaito laughed. "It is very awspishus!"
The child turned his head and smirked back at them.
"You two are the Blue Angel and the Orange Menace!" His little brows drew together as he peered at Kuvar. "I don't know who you are, though."
Yahino's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Hold on!" he shouted. "Why am I the menace?"
He snapped his head toward the softly smiling Konan.
"And why is she the angel?"
Kaito shrugged as he swung the hand holding Nagato's.
"One of the older boys said he saw her dancing in the rain once, and that she looked pretty—like an angel!"
His eyes lit up with childish amusement as he snickered to himself.
"My mom said you always take the most food, so you're the menace!"
Yahiko's arm lowered slowly.
Such logic was difficult to argue against.
Konan did look very pretty when she danced.
His thoughts screeched to a halt as Nagato threw his head back and burst out laughing. It was a full belly laugh—the kind he had rarely heard from his friend before.
"Thank you for telling me about that, Kaito. I'll make sure to remember those nicknames." His smile widened as he squeezed the young boy's hand "Let's talk more about that later. For now…"
They stepped through the village gate.
"I think there are quite a few people who will be very eager to take you off my hand."
Yahiko's shoulders tensed as he glanced around.
Grey stone walls.
Gutters lining every building.
He had grown up in a village much like this one.
Instead of sneaking from roof to roof as he had grown used to doing, they openly strode toward the town square.
"Kaito! Is that you?"
It did not take long for them to be recognized.
"Everyone, look! It's Kaito!" the same woman shouted again.
"What's he doing with those troublemakers?" a middle-aged man asked grumpily.
He had opened his window the moment the first shout rang through the street.
Yahiko flinched as someone suddenly tapped his shoulder—and then pulled him back.
It was Kuvar.
He turned toward the older boy, Konan doing the same beside him.
"While your friend is busy with that," Kuvar began, gesturing to the crowd of civilians rushing to swarm Nagato and Kaito, "would you mind answering some of my questions?"
Yahiko inclined his head as he assessed the other boy.
This was the first time he had spoken to either of them this directly.
"Not really."
Kuvar's expression eased as he looked at Konan next.
She simply nodded silently, not saying anything as her her brows furrowed.
"Alright. That's… good. Thank you," he said, his shoulders loosening as he cleared his throat. "I was wondering… How did you meet the reincarnated Sage? He is—"
"Don't call him that!" Konan snapped, her frown deepening into a glare. "His name is Nagato! He is not the Sage!"
Yahiko' eyes widened as she stepped forward and poked the tall boy's chest.
"Neither you, nor anyone else has any right to put your insane expectations on his shoulders. He owes you nothing!"
She glowered up at him.
"Do you understand?"
Kuvar jerked back from the girl's touch—as if it had burned him—his gaze dropping to the ground while he hid his trembling hands in his sleeves.
"I… I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to upset you… That was meant to be a… compliment."
Yahiko blinked.
His hands…
Why were they shaking?
The glare vanished from Konan's face as she studied the older boy's expression.
"You…"
She retreated a couple steps.
"It's okay… as long as you don't do it again."
A strange silence settled between them as neither of the two spoke up again.
"Konan brought him home one day!" Yahiko burst out. "He was drenched to the bone, like a stray dog."
He chuckled as he shifted his gaze from Kuvars's wide green eyes to Nagato.
The redhead had somehow managed to attract the villagers' undivided attention, standing surrounded by a group of adults, all of them gaping down at him.
"When I first saw him, I thought for sure he would be a burden," Yahiko continued, meeting the older boy's gaze again.
A faint smile curved his lips.
"I was wrong. These days, it's really us who seem like the burden."
"Like a… stray dog?" Kuvar whispered, his jaw dropping slightly. "So when that child said 'Crimson Orphan,' what he meant was that …"
"Nagato is an orphan," Konan said. "Do you finally understand what I meant now?"
"Understand? I… I'm not sure."
"When we first met, those eyes were all he had," she added, turning toward the redhead, "and nobody ever taught him how to use them—nobody ever even taught him how to use chakra. He had to figure it out by himself. And the moment he did, he taught it to us without expecting anything in return."
Her chest rose with a breath as she turned to Kuvar again.
"He was going to fight those shinobi—without any help—because he thinks it is his responsibility to save the world. And because of what you said to him… he'll continue to think that way."
Yahiko bit down on his lower lip as he he gently squeezed the girl's trembling shoulder.
"I see," Kuvar said, watching them closely.
"Do you really?" Yahiko asked.
"I do."
His voice deepened as he straightened his posture.
"And I have made my decision... I will join you. I will serve the Sa—Nagato for as long as he'll have me. I will repay the debt I owe."
Serve him?
Yahiko blinked.
What the hell is he talking about...
Konan tilted her head as she peered up at Kuvar.
"Why didn't you let Nagato take your memories?"
"I couldn't," he answered without hesitation. "Making my savior go through that… I couldn't do it."
His gaze grew distant as he shook his head.
"Callisto… was selfish. She should not have accepted his offer either."
"Good."
A familiar smile curved Konan's lips.
She had worn that same expression when she first brought Nagato back to their home.
"If that's really how you feel, then I don't min—"
"Am I interrupting something?"
Yahiko flinched as Nagato's voice sounded from behind them.
His eyes widened as he whipped around and stared at the other boy.
How much of that did he hear?
"Because if I am, then that's on you." Nagato shook his head as he advanced toward them. "You missed everything. I even had to make up an excuse for why you didn't come over to say goodbye to poor little Kaito."
Yahiko's gaze flickered past Nagato to watch the young boy being carried away by an older woman—a carefree smile stretching his lips as he waved at them.
"Do you at least want to know about the deal I made with his mother?" Nagato asked, coming to a stop before them. "We really lucked out this time."
"Of course," Konan said brightly. "What kind of deal did you make?"
"And since when was making deals with anyone here on our to-do list?" Yahiko added.
Nagato's lips curled into a smirk.
"As it turned out Kaito, isn't just some random child."
He paused—then huffed quietly.
"That brat is actually the son of this village's mayor!"
They have an actual mayor here?
Yahiko hummed quietly as he glanced at the lingering group of people still gawking at them.
"In return for rescuing her son," Nagato continued, "a bag filled with Ryō—and the promise that we'd protect the village from any further attacks—she gave me this."
His face lit up with a pleased expression as he retrieved a key from his pocket.
"I bought us a house!"
He… bought us a house?
Yahiko's jaw hung open as Nagato's smirk widened into a smile.
"What do you say? We're no longer homeless!"
Yahiko stared blankly at the unassuming metal object.
So there really had been treasure in those scrolls.
"That is amazing, Nagato!" Konan exclaimed, beaming at the preening boy. "You did great!"
"Heh," Nagatis huffed, lifting his chin proudly. "I'd say it's about time we wrap this thing up and go get our things from the cave… Inu is probably fuming right now."
His smile dimmed as he turned toward the silent Kuvar.
"Did you decide what you want to do from here on out?" He pointed toward the bag on his shoulder. "There's still plenty of Ryō in there for you to get back on your feet. About the same amount I gave… Callisto."
His expression grew strained as he mentioned the Konoha kunoichi's name.
"I did." Kuvar nodded. "I want to join your group."
"… Join us?" Nagato repeated slowly.
"Yes."
"That is, well… we weren't really looking for… you know."
Kuvar cocked his head in confusion.
"I'm afraid I don't… Do you not want me to join?"
Nagato grimaced and cast them a look.
"What do you two say to this? This isn't just up to me to decide."
"I like him. He can join," Konan answered easily, a bright smile blooming on her face as a hint of colour spread across Kuvars's cheeks.
Yahiko simply shrugged as Nagato's gaze fell on him.
"We're a bunch of orphans. He's an orphan. I think he'll fit just fine."
——————-
Kuvar was tired.
Physically and mentally, he was exhausted.
And yet, none of it showed on his face.
If there was one skill he had mastered to perfection over the years, then it was suppressing any signs of discomfort.
He maintained a pleasant smile on his face as he followed the Sage and his friends to their former home.
The three children practically glided across the ground as they walked ahead of him, their feet never sinking into the muddy earth like his did.
Even though he was half a decade older and towered over them, he was not foolish enough to think that meant anything.
He had spent years living with a kunoichi.
He knew better than to mistake people who could use chakra for simple children.
"We're almost there, Kuvar," Konan said, slowing her pace to walk beside him.
The young girl's expression was angelic as she smiled up at him.
To think it was that same girl who had killed Zara.
He stifled a snort.
That unbeatable woman, the one with had dominated his mind and body for years—dead at the hands of a girl a third her age.
"Thank you for telling me," he said, returning Konan's smile. "And for slowing down your pace so that I can keep up."
"It's no problem." She hummed lightly. "I offered to carry you there… but Nagato said that wouldn't be a good idea."
Kuvar suppressed a wince as an unpleasant image formed in his mind.
He would need to thank the Sage later.
"That is—"
The words died in his throat as a bone-chilling howl echoed across the land.
His head snapped upward to the top of the hill they were ascending.
The cave.
The sound had come from there.
His pulse thundered in his ears as the Sage surged forward, turning into a blur before he vanished entirely into the dark entrance.
A moment later, he shot back out.
But he was no longer alone.
A huge silver wolf had sunk its claws into him and was pushing him into the ground.
Kuvar froze as he watched his savior being mauled to death.
His knees nearly buckled.
"Is that…?" Yahiko asked slowly, his head cocked to the side.
"Oh yes," Konan answered, quiet laughter colouring her voice.
"What are you two doing?" Kuvar yelled, his head whipping toward the amused children.
"Help him! He's going to—"
"Inu!" the Sage shouted as he pushed the man-sized beast off him, a thick layer of saliva coating his face. "You've grown! How? When? Since when were you keeping secrets from me?"
Kuvars's mouth opened and closed repeatedly.
The wolf had not bitten him.
It licked him.
"Can someone…"
The beast whined loudly as the Sage pulled on its bushy tail and inspected it from every angle—a wide grin splitting his face.
"Please tell me what's going on."
Kuvar's gaze dropped as Konan rubbed his arm.
"That…" she explained patiently, gesturing toward the towering silver wolf. "Is Inu. He's our friend."
She hesitated for a moment, before a soft smile tugged at her lips.
"Think of him as another member of our little family."
"A member of your family?" Kuvar echoed, staring blankly at the baffling scene unfolding before him.
Somehow, the terrifying wolf had burst into a cloud of smoke—leaving behind a small dog of the same color.
Kuvar had no words.
"I knew it!" the Sage shouted, laughing loudly as he lifted the barking dog into the air. "Did you think I wouldn't notice? You're still not there yet."
"Come," Konan said, nudging his side. "Let's get you inside."
—————-
The cave interior was as orderly as could be expected of a place that had housed a group of children—and their dog—for months.
"Do we even need all this stuff if we have an actual house now?" Yahiko asked as he gathered the cushions that served as his bed into a bundle.
"The mayor told me it'll be fully furnished… so probably not," Nagato answered as he drew on a piece of paper. "But I really hate throwing things away. What if we need them later?"
"I doubt we will," Yahiko grumbled.
Their dynamic was nothing like what Kuvar had expected.
He shuffled slightly in place as he met the ripple-eyed gaze of the Sage.
"Are you not going to help?" Nagato asked.
"Actually… there is something I've been meaning to tell you."
He slowly approached the crate the younger boy was sitting on.
"Is that so? Well, get on with it then."
"It's about the organization. They–"
"Wait!"
His speech cut off as the Sage held up his hand.
"Konan! Yahiko! Come. This is important," he called, gesturing for his friends to gather around him.
Kuvar swallowed and lightly scratched the side of his throat as three sets of curious eyes peered up at him.
It was fine.
Zara was dead.
Nobody was going to punish him for spilling her secrets.
He cleared his throat.
"Zara—the kunoichi—was lying low because a 'special product' will soon pass through this country."
He hesitated for a moment.
"And when I say 'product'… I mean a person—likely a child—They're going to traffic someone so valuable they expect the whole country to be swarmed with enemies looking for them."
"We can't let them do that," Konan interjected, her expression hardening.
"They won't get away with this," Yahiko added, his hands clenching into fists. "Not again."
"Calm down, you two," the Sage said, studying Kuvar closely. "When and where exactly will they pass through here?"
"I… I don't know."
Kuvar's brows drew together as wrecked his brain, trying to remember everything he had heard about the operation.
"It'll happen in a month, and that they'll use a path near the base. That is all I know."
Konan perked up as she rounded on her friend.
"Nagato! The Mind's Eye! Your range, it—"
"Yes," the Sage said without missing a beat. "I'll find them."
"In a month…" Yahiko muttered, chewing on his bottom lip. "There's bound to be a bunch of strong shinobi this time…"
"Undoubtedly so," Nagato agreed, leaning back against the crate.
He turned his head slightly.
"Inu."
The terrifying dog Kuvar had done his best to ignore until now strolled over to them, his silver tail wagging.
A smile touched the Sage's lips as he crouched down and petted the beast behind the ears.
"How do you feel about joining the battle next time? You've proven yourself. If you want to come, you can."
Kuvar blinked.
Is he… speaking to the dog?
Inu's golden eyes glinted as he nodded rapidly.
And the dog… understands?
"What about you?" Nagato asked, turning toward his friends—only to snort as they returned his gaze with matching scowls.
"Sorry," he chuckled. "Force of habit."
"Excuse me."
Kuvar pursed his lips as their attention fell on him.
"I don't know much about shinobi combat, but… are you sure about this? The way Zara made it sound—"
"Don't worry about that."
Kuvar's lips slowly parted as Nagato rose from the ground, sitting down in midair as he hovered before him.
"You see, in death, the shinobi I killed served a greater purpose than he ever did in life."
The Sage peered down at them.
"It is through him… that I now have access to this."
His hands blurred—and a radiant flame flickered to life at the top of his extended index finger.
Konan gasped sharply.
"Is that?"
"That is Ninjutsu!" Yahiko shouted, vibrating with obvious excitement. "Actual Ninjutsu!"
The Sage's face broke into a smile.
"How about we proceed to the next part of your training?… My most eager students."