Chiyo carried Sasori's body from the border of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain, crossing into the border of the Land of Wind and the Land of Birds.
"We're now in the Land of Wind."
Pakura scanned the surroundings, letting out a slight sigh of relief. "I didn't expect Amegakure shinobi to show up, and in such numbers. They seemed quite strong too. We almost got into serious trouble!"
"Those two kids from Konoha were incredible. Thank you, Pakura-sama."
One of her subordinates, a chūnin, panted heavily.
During the battle, he had nearly been killed. If not for Pakura's intervention, he would've been a corpse by now.
"No need. You're under my command. It's my duty to protect each of you."
Pakura glanced at the sky before walking over to Chiyo.
They had found a secluded stone pit in a mountain hollow, a relatively hidden spot to rest for the night.
Chiyo stared at the body, her mind filled with hesitation.
Should she save him?
Yes.
She knew in her heart that Sasori's creation of human puppets was forbidden.
If he lived, he might become a greater threat. But if she didn't save him, the grief would be unbearable.
She had already lost her son and daughter-in-law. Now, she was about to lose her only grandson—killed right before her eyes, with her tacit approval…
Chiyo's body trembled.
Hearing footsteps behind her, she suppressed her emotions and said, "Pakura, let me be alone for a while, okay?"
Pakura opened her mouth to speak but found no words.
Witnessing her grandson's death firsthand—such grief was unimaginable for most.
Chiyo-sama…
"Yes, Elder."
She sighed inwardly before quietly walking away.
Leaving the stone pit, Pakura glanced at the three shinobi sitting outside and said, "Patrol the area and set up some traps. We don't want desert wolves bothering us tonight."
"Yes!"
The three shinobi left to carry out their orders.
Pakura sighed softly before also distancing herself.
Chiyo had made her decision.
She took out a blank scroll and began writing on it with a brush.
"Sasori, I hope you walk toward the light and protect Sunagakure in my place."
"This is your grandmother's final request."
Her eyes dimmed.
"I don't know if what I'm doing is right or wrong, but… I'm sorry, Kazekage-sama. I simply can't abandon my grandson."
With a deep breath, Chiyo formed hand seals.
First, she healed him.
Under her medical ninjutsu, Sasori's wounds slowly closed.
Once the injuries were treated, she changed her hand seals, her expression resolute.
Forbidden Technique: Life Reincarnation!
She placed her hand on Sasori's chest, using her own life force to revive him.
Chiyo had never imagined that the technique she had researched for so long would one day be used on Sasori himself.
Her chakra continued to flow.
As her life force dwindled, Chiyo felt Sasori's heartbeat return, followed by his breathing. Soon after, she vaguely saw him sit up.
But—
Chiyo had no strength left.
As she collapsed, Sasori finally regained consciousness. He looked at his own body, then at the fallen Chiyo and the scroll beside him…
Sasori fell silent.
He read the words on the scroll, his vision blurring. He wanted to cry but couldn't.
Looking up—
Whoosh!
A figure appeared in an instant.
Pakura stared at Sasori, who was now sitting up in the stone pit, her expression grim.
Sasori smiled faintly. "Living beings are so fragile, aren't they? Even I can have my body destroyed and be killed so easily. Only eternal things are truly perfect."
"You?!"
Pakura was speechless.
Sasori…
How could he show no sorrow after being revived by Chiyo?
She couldn't find the words.
"What's wrong?"
Sasori stood up, looking down at the "sleeping" Chiyo, a hint of sadness flickering in his eyes. "Did you expect me to be moved to tears? Don't be ridiculous."
Then, he picked up Chiyo and vanished in an instant.
But before leaving, he added, "I'll return to the village, but not now."
With that, Sasori disappeared.
…
That night, on the southern side of the mountain bordering the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan sat with Kyohiko and his team, though Gai and Kurokawa had been sent to join the other Amegakure shinobi.
Around a separate campfire, Yahiko roasted some meat.
"I didn't expect it was you who helped Konan on the mountain, Kyohiko-kun. It's been a while. How's sensei?"
"Sensei?"
Minato and Kakashi looked at Kyohiko and Yahiko in surprise.
Neither was foolish.
The fact that Yahiko would ask Kyohiko about "sensei" clearly indicated that this was someone they both knew.
The likely candidate…
Wasn't hard to guess.
"Sensei's doing well, though he's been busy with village affairs lately and hasn't had much time to lead teams."
Kyohiko smiled.
Then, he pointed to Minato and Kakashi.
"Minato-senpai graduated a few years before us and is also sensei's student. This is Hatake Kakashi, who became sensei's student around the same time as me."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yahiko. I studied under sensei for three years. These are Nagato and Konan…"
Yahiko introduced them in turn.
Nagato nodded slightly, remaining silent and somewhat reserved.
"Hello, I'm Konan."
Konan had met Kyohiko before and had fought alongside them earlier, so she was naturally more familiar.
Minato was stunned.
He looked at the three, then at Kyohiko, as if silently asking for clarification, but eventually softened, a smile forming on his face.
"Haha, I didn't expect sensei to have students in Amegakure too. Nice to meet you."
He greeted them warmly.
Kakashi was initially shocked, but after the initial surprise, he fell silent, deep in thought.
Then…
He realized it wasn't that surprising after all.
Jiraiya had always been eccentric and carefree, often lurking in less-than-respectable places. If not for his reputation as one of the Sannin, he'd probably be ostracized in the village.
Despite his irreverent nature, Jiraiya yearned for peace and an end to war.
With such a personality and ideals, it wasn't out of character for Jiraiya to do something like this.
The only question was—how did Kyohiko know them?
Kakashi's gaze lingered on Kyohiko, hoping for an answer.
Minato had the same question, and Kyohiko quietly explained how they had met, clearing up the confusion.
With everyone present being Jiraiya's students, certain topics were easier to discuss.
Otherwise, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.
Yahiko then shared the story of how he and the others had met Jiraiya, and everyone couldn't help but marvel at the coincidence.
However—
Minato had a more pressing question.
"You're Nagato, right?"
"Huh?"
"Do you have any family from the Uzumaki clan?"
Minato asked curiously.
Nagato looked up at him, remaining silent for a moment before saying, "I'm not sure what you mean by the Uzumaki clan. I've never heard of it."
"The Uzumaki clan members I've met all have red hair and possess greater chakra reserves than ordinary people…"
Minato described the Uzumaki clan's traits.
Nagato was initially confused.
But as Minato continued, he gradually realized, "The person you're describing might be my mother. Her name was Fusō."
"Fusō."
Minato repeated the name, then wisely didn't press further about her whereabouts.
Given the war…
Since Nagato himself wasn't an Uzumaki, there was no need to ask about the clan's opinion of Kushina.
He sighed inwardly.
"Minato, is something wrong?"
Yahiko noticed the change in Minato's expression.
Minato shook his head.
"Nothing."
The group didn't push further.
As they chatted and exchanged stories, they gradually grew more familiar.
Yahiko, however, pulled Kyohiko aside.
"Kyohiko, I need to thank you."
"For what? Heading south was your own decision. But you need to be careful. Moving south increases the chances of encountering Suna and Konoha shinobi. You need to protect yourselves."
"Right. Recently, we've been active in the southern regions, taking on more missions related to the Land of Birds, avoiding the main areas of the major villages."
Yahiko replied in a low voice.
Then, he added, "The king of the Land of Birds even invited us to develop there. We're still considering it."
"The Land of Birds?"
Kyohiko thought for a moment, then remembered.
It was a decent country, with few ninja forces—mostly rogue shinobi who might not even have reached the Land of Birds yet.
For Yahiko and his group, it was indeed a good option.
After some thought, he said, "It's worth considering."
"Yeah, I think it could be a good backup plan. The Land of Rivers, though…"
Yahiko sighed.
Chaos.
That was his impression of the Land of Rivers.
Here, there were many merchants, but also numerous rogue samurai and shinobi.
Many of them were no different from bandits.
But—
The true source of this chaos…
Was Suna and Konoha.
Two powerful villages, squeezing it from both sides.
"Hanzo's not having it easy!"
"If Amegakure had a few more Hanzo-like figures, maybe the war could truly end. But…"
Kyohiko shook his head with a sigh.
Then, he added, "Konoha has no desire for war, but with Iwa to the north, Suna to the west, and Kumo and Kiri eyeing us from the east and south, we're in a tough spot."
Yahiko thought about it and realized it was true.
The Land of Fire occupied the most fertile land.
The surrounding great nations all wanted a piece of it. Since Hashirama's death, the Land of Fire had been under constant siege. Hanzo's rise in Amegakure had somewhat diverted the pressure.
But now, Hanzo might not be as formidable as he once was.
After some consideration, Yahiko understood Kyohiko's meaning. "So you're saying…"
"Yahiko-senpai, I'd like to form a private alliance with your group. You can help us gather intelligence on Iwa and Suna, and we'll pay you for it."
Kyohiko proposed. "What do you think?"
Yahiko pondered for a moment, then nodded.
"If it's just information, we don't need payment…"
"A long-term relationship needs to be mutually beneficial. You might not need money, but what about your people?"
Kyohiko countered.
Yahiko scratched his head.
That was true.
Currently, their funds mainly came from Konan's explosive tags, with mission rewards being secondary.
In fact—
Since they often helped civilians, many of their missions didn't bring in income. Instead, they often had to cover expenses themselves.
Without Konan, they would've starved long ago.
Establishing a mutually beneficial relationship would indeed be more advantageous…
Yahiko agreed.
"By the way."
Kyohiko suddenly remembered something else. "Be careful of Danzo!"
"Danzo? The Darkness of the Shinobi World?"
"Yes. You know his reputation. Sensei is supporting Tsunade-nee for the next Hokage, putting him at odds with Danzo. If Danzo finds out about your connection to sensei…"
Kyohiko explained in a low voice.
Yahiko wasn't Nagato—he grasped the implications immediately.
"I'll be cautious. Oh, about the Uzumaki clan that Minato mentioned…"
"Minato-senpai's wife is from the Uzumaki clan. She stayed in Konoha and wasn't affected when the clan was wiped out."
Kyohiko replied.
Yahiko nodded in understanding.
No wonder Minato had asked about Nagato. It made sense now.
"Kyohiko, let's go."
"Yes!"
Kyohiko responded, then whispered, "I'm leaving. Focus on developing quietly through civilian missions in the Land of Birds and the northern part of the Land of Rivers. Don't attract too much attention from other factions."
"Got it."
Yahiko nodded.
They were still a small group.
Missions from the Land of Birds and northern Land of Rivers, combined with the intelligence payments from Konoha, would be enough to sustain them.
From there, it was about growing stronger.
And then, finding a way to take control of Amegakure and make the Land of Rain stronger!
Yahiko exhaled, extending a hand.
"Kyohiko, even though we met through sensei, I promise I'll never do anything to betray him or Konoha!"
"Good!"
Kyohiko reached out and shook his hand.
Then, he waved and followed Kakashi and Gai, leaving their camp.
Yahiko watched them leave, filled with mixed emotions.
Eight years old.
When he was eight, he was still a clueless kid, but Kyohiko was already discussing the shinobi world's politics with ease.
What a gap!
…
Meanwhile, Kyohiko glanced at his system panel.
[You've formed an alliance with Yahiko's rogue group, securing an external ally for Konoha.]
[Reward: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique (Proficient)]
Water Dragon Bullet.
Proficient?
Kyohiko was slightly surprised.
After checking his memories, he understood why it was directly at the "proficient" level.
First, the Second Hokage's books had provided significant insight.
Second, his mastery of Water Wall and Wild Water Wave, along with the "hand seal simplification" knowledge from Water Wall's mastery, contributed greatly.
Combined, these factors meant that upon learning Water Dragon Bullet, he had already reached the "proficient" threshold, with the ability to reduce the hand seals to six.
While not as fast as the Second Hokage's three seals, it was comparable to Maruboshi Kosuke's speed.
Kyohiko was quite satisfied.
"What were you discussing over there?"
"I asked them to keep an eye on Suna and Iwa's movements and provide us with intelligence on those two countries."
Kyohiko didn't hide this from Minato.
Minato thought for a moment and approved of Kyohiko's decision, though—
"How will you communicate with them?"
"Heh, that's sensei's problem. I just handle the task, not the follow-up."