"Let's dig in!"
By a small river in the remote reaches of the Land of Rain, Jiraiya sat with four young students in a newly built wooden cabin, sharing a simple dinner.
The meal was humble—just a single large grilled fish over a meter long, with nothing else on the table.
Though the war with Konoha had ended, the Land of Rain was still caught in conflict, fighting against Iwagakure and Sunagakure.
Rain always poured over Amegakure, rarely letting the sun break through. This made agriculture challenging, leaving the country heavily reliant on external trade for food. But with most trade routes severed due to the ongoing war, food shortages were severe. Even shinobi struggled to secure enough to eat, let alone ordinary citizens.
Fortunately, the Land of Rain was rich in rivers, and fishing offered some relief. The large grilled fish on the table tonight was caught by Jiraiya and Yahiko from a nearby river.
Looking at the fish, Jiraiya beamed with pride. "See? A bit of Fire Release, and you've got yourself grilled fish! Hahaha!"
"Mm, delicious!"
Yahiko nodded enthusiastically, his face lit up with joy as he ate with chopsticks.
"Sensei, I've figured out the trick to fishing now!"
"Is that so? Yahiko, you're becoming more dependable!"
"Haha!"
While the cheerful chatter surrounded him, Nagato sat quietly, his chopsticks untouched. Tears welled in his eyes as he let out faint sobs.
Yahiko noticed and paused his eating, asking in surprise, "Nagato, what's wrong?"
Nagato wiped his tears and whispered, "I was just thinking about my family..."
"Bang!"
Before Nagato could finish, Yahiko slammed the table and stood, shouting at him angrily.
"Stop crying! You're a man, aren't you? It's people like you who make the men of Amegakure seem weak and spineless!"
"..."
Nagato flinched at Yahiko's words and quickly stifled his sobs, though his shoulders still trembled.
Aburame Shigeo, who had been quietly eating, put down his chopsticks and sat beside Nagato, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Nagato. If you feel like crying, let it out. Crying isn't a sign of weakness. True courage is about facing the harshness of life and confronting the bloodshed that comes with it."
Nagato's shoulders stopped shaking. He murmured, "Facing the harshness of life... confronting the bloodshed..."
Jiraiya, watching from across the table, nodded with a faint smile.
"Well said, Shigeo. Besides, the war surrounding the Land of Rain can't last forever. One day, when you all grow up, nations will understand each other, and this place will become peaceful..."
"That's just wishful thinking!"
Yahiko interrupted, his expression suddenly intense.
"Our families were all killed. If understanding is possible, then the other side should feel our pain first. That's what it means to share pain, right? But I know that's impossible, and that's why the war will never stop!"
His grip on the chopsticks tightened, and his voice fell into a gloomy tone.
"I hate the rain. This country is always crying. It's pathetic. I want to change this country. I want to protect everyone. So, Jiraiya-sensei, please teach us ninjutsu!"
"..."
Jiraiya fell silent.
As a Konoha shinobi, teaching children from a foreign nation ninjutsu—especially one still at war—was unthinkable.
---
Days later, Jiraiya sat at the table, staring at blank sheets of manuscript paper, unable to write a word. Frustrated, he thought about consulting Aburame Shigeo, hoping for inspiration. However, when he turned to look, he found Shigeo sleeping in the corner.
Seeing this, Jiraiya's face twitched.
"This guy... always talking about serving his master diligently, but all he does is sleep! What's the point?"
Despite his grumbling, Jiraiya took his cloak and gently draped it over Shigeo before returning to his manuscript.
Shigeo, half-awake, noticed but didn't move or speak, pretending to stay asleep. It wasn't intentional; he was genuinely exhausted.
Since receiving orders for Konoha's withdrawal, all supplies, including the rations he depended on, had been cut off. Without his specialized food pills, he couldn't sustain his chakra-feeding insects, which started dying in droves.
Even so, Shigeo refused to abandon them. In a war-torn country like the Land of Rain, where danger lurked everywhere, his insects were his greatest defense.
Lacking alternatives, he shouldered the burden, feeding his insects with his chakra while pondering a replacement for his food pills. But inspiration eluded him, and exhaustion often dragged him into sleep.
---
One rainy day, Konan burst into the cabin, her face pale with urgency.
"Jiraiya-sensei! Something's happened to Yahiko and Nagato!"
Jiraiya's heart sank. He grabbed his coat and rushed out, shouting, "Take me to them, Konan!"
"Me too!" Shigeo, jolted awake, quickly followed.
They arrived at the base of a nearby cliff, rain drizzling down. Yahiko lay face-down on the ground, injured, while Nagato sat in a daze.
Not far from them, a ninja wearing an Iwagakure headband lay lifeless in a pool of blood.
Jiraiya knelt to lift Yahiko, his voice filled with concern. "What happened?"
"Remnants of the enemy," Yahiko managed weakly, his face smeared with dirt.
"He wanted us to hand over our food and valuables and tried to kill me. Then Nagato..."
Before he could finish, Yahiko fainted.
Jiraiya glanced at the dead Iwagakure ninja, then turned to Nagato.
Nagato sat silently, his breath uneven. The rain slicked back his crimson hair, revealing a pair of pale lavender eyes with concentric rings.
"This... these eyes... Could it be..."
Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock as realization struck.
He recognized the Rinnegan—said to be the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
In that moment, Jiraiya recalled the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage at Mount Myoboku.
The Sage had predicted that Jiraiya would one day guide a student who would bring great change to the shinobi world, forcing him to make a life-altering choice.
"Could Nagato be the one?"
Watching Nagato as Konan helped him to his feet, Jiraiya made a silent but crucial decision. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"This must be destiny's call."
Unbeknownst to Jiraiya, Shigeo, standing behind him, also smiled faintly.
"Finally found him."
(End of Chapter)