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"Fire Style: Majestic Flame Annihilation!"
A slightly immature voice rang out as blazing flames surged toward Akio. But as they neared him, they split into two streams and swept harmlessly past on either side of his body.
"Not bad control," Akio said with a smile, looking at the panting Nagato in front of him.
It had been two years since Akio took Nagato as his disciple, and the boy's extraordinary talent had fully blossomed. At only seven and a half years old, he could already skillfully use an A-rank Fire Style jutsu. If it weren't for his young age, limited chakra reserves, and lack of battle experience, he could easily be considered Jonin level. Even so, he was more than qualified to be a Chunin.
"Of course it's possible. Kakashi became a Chunin at six. Minato shouldn't be any worse…" Akio mumbled to himself. Two years ago, Kakashi had been born, and Sakumo really did take his suggestion and named him 'Kakadon'. Now Akio found it unbearably awkward every time he had to say it.
"Sensei, has Brother Nawaki gone back?" Little Nagato asked between gasps for breath.
Akio chuckled at the messy hierarchy of seniority, but didn't mind it. "Your Brother Nawaki went back to chase a bride."
Nawaki had spent another two years training under Akio, improving significantly. Two years ago, he had just barely reached the level of Special Jonin, but now he could be considered an Elite Jonin. His physical development had accelerated due to his maturing Senju constitution, especially at age seventeen, giving him a noticeable boost.
Of course, Akio didn't dare let Nawaki travel alone. He sent a Shadow Clone to escort him—and also brought along a recent graduate from the Uzushio Ninja Academy: Sarutobi Shinnosuke. Though the Akatsuki hadn't made any moves in recent years, Akio wasn't about to let his guard down.
"What kind of girl is Brother Nawaki's bride?" Little Nagato asked with genuine curiosity. He had trained with Nawaki for the past two years and grown quite fond of him.
"She's not his bride just yet! If he wins her over, I'll take you to meet her," Akio said with a grin.
"But for now, how about I take you out to find your own bride?"
Nagato's face turned red, and he didn't respond.
Akio wasn't entirely joking. Two years ago, when he took Nagato as his disciple, he had received a whopping 100 Witness Points. That's when he truly began to care about raising "other people's kids."
Having gained one Nagato, Akio had now set his sights on Yahiko and Konan from the Land of Rain. Unlike the original timeline, the war's progression had changed drastically due to Akio's interference. Konoha had withdrawn from the battlefield much earlier, and Jiraiya—who would've otherwise been out "gathering material"—had gone to Mount Myōboku after learning that Tsunade had begun training in Sage Mode. That meant he'd never meet those two kids in the Rain.
"Those two may not be as valuable as Nagato, but together they should at least be worth 100 Witness Points. That's basically free!" Akio muttered eagerly.
The only reason he'd delayed was that he didn't know when the two orphans would begin wandering. But by his estimate, it should be about time.
"Let's go, Nagato. We're heading to the Land of Rain," Akio said, giving Izuko a brief farewell before setting off with Nagato.
Nagato hadn't left the Uzumaki Clan's domain since Akio took him in at just under five years old. Most of his memories from before that were vague at best, so this trip outside the village was a completely new experience for him.
To indulge Nagato's curiosity, Akio didn't fly. Instead, the two of them strolled and wandered for three whole days before finally arriving in the Land of Rain.
"Let's go take a look at your old home first," Akio said with a smile.
After his Yin affinity had reached level nine, Akio's travels had become much easier. He no longer had to conceal his presence—he could walk openly, even with Nagato in tow.
As the pair walked onward, they found the Land of Rain as chaotic as ever.
The slums that Akio had destroyed three years prior had been rebuilt. Unlike the Rinnegan's area-wide gravitational destruction, Akio's jutsu allowed directional control over the force. At the time, he had primarily targeted Black Zetsu.
Of course, other areas still suffered collateral damage. A portion of the slum dwellers had been caught up in the technique. Akio still felt a tinge of guilt for that—but sealing Black Zetsu had taken priority, and he could only offer a silent apology in his heart.
The remaining residents had clearly endured a lot in the past three years. Rebuilding all the housing from scratch had been no small feat.
"These folks sure are nostalgic," Akio muttered as he looked around. The slum's layout was nearly identical to his last visit. He could even spot where "Yuna's house" used to be—though different people lived there now.
After letting Nagato take in the scenery of his childhood home, Akio led him to a relatively livelier area of the Land of Rain.
There was no point looking for orphans in the slums—they'd probably starve to death there. Instead, they headed for a slightly more prosperous part of town. They couldn't enter the capital itself; that was Hanzo's personal domain.
"Should I pay the 'Demi-God' a visit?" Akio thought to himself with a smirk. Hanzo had acted like a scared little rabbit in front of him before, and Akio had lost all respect for him. But in the end, he decided to spare the man some dignity.
"…A bun shop?"
Within a civilian district, Akio spotted a bun shop that smelled absolutely delicious. He glanced at the sky and frowned.
"Damn this Rain Country… there's no sun anywhere. But it's probably noon. Want to grab a bite?"
As Akio hesitated, Nagato tugged on his sleeve and pointed behind the bun shop's owner—at a little blue-haired girl hiding nearby.
Akio blinked. "Konan? That was fast. Yahiko must be close too."
This trip was going far smoother than expected. Akio had assumed it would be difficult to locate two children without chakra, but they'd turned up almost immediately.
He scanned the area. Since Konan was here, Yahiko had to be nearby. Judging by her posture, she was likely acting as a lookout while Yahiko prepared to steal some food.
But things didn't go quite as expected—Konan herself darted out, snatched two buns, and bolted.
"You little brat! Not you again! Stop right there!"
The bun shop owner's voice echoed. Akio frowned. "Yahiko, letting a girl steal food for you? Pathetic…"
He glanced at Nagato and gave him a look. "Time for a heroic rescue, kid. The bun guy's just a civilian—don't hurt him."
Nagato didn't really understand what "heroic rescue" meant. In a dazed state, he managed to save the fleeing Konan from being caught. But he didn't exactly exude heroic charm—no dramatic spins while holding Konan, no stylish beatdown of the bun vendor. Nothing.
"This trip's going better than I expected…" Akio said, watching the two children thoughtfully.
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