Naruto and Sasuke found a hotel in the village to take a break. Sasuke placed the unconscious little girl on the tatami mats, and the two of them stood guard, waiting for her to wake up.
Several hours passed, and as the sky began to darken, the girl slowly regained consciousness. The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was Sasuke Uchiha sitting beside her. Before he could say anything, the corners of her mouth turned down, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
The sound of her crying woke Naruto, who had been resting with his eyes closed. Hearing the sobs, he left the other room and walked over to Sasuke.
"You're awake? Why are you crying?" Naruto scratched his head, looked at the tearful girl, and patted Sasuke on the shoulder as he asked. Sasuke, clearly unsure how to respond, spread his hands helplessly.
"I don't know. She started crying as soon as she woke up. Maybe she was just too scared."
Naruto touched his chin thoughtfully and looked at the girl. "Don't be afraid. We're good people. I want to ask—where's your family? We can take you back to them."
Hearing this, the girl seemed to recall something painful and cried even harder. Her voice had already turned hoarse from the sobbing.
"..."
"This is..."
Naruto looked at the girl speechlessly, not understanding what had triggered her reaction. He was momentarily at a loss.
"She doesn't have any family left. They're all gone."
"Otherwise, she wouldn't have ended up begging and being used by others."
Sasuke lowered his gaze slightly as he spoke, feeling a trace of sympathy for the girl's situation.
"If that's the case, let's bring her to the Hidden Sound Village. If we leave her here, she'll continue living as a beggar."
"We can't just walk away."
Naruto knelt and gently reached out to pat the girl's head.
Whether it was Naruto's gentle tone or the fact that she realized she wouldn't be left behind, the girl gradually stopped crying. She glanced back and forth between Naruto and Sasuke.
"By the way, what's your name?" Naruto asked, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"Hanako... My name is Hanako." Her voice was hoarse, but still audible.
"Hanako, huh? That's a beautiful name."
"How about coming with us? That way, you won't need to beg anymore."
Naruto spoke gently. Sasuke opened his mouth as if to say something but held his tongue when he saw Naruto's expression.
"Yeah!" Hanako, clearly old enough to understand, hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly.
"Alright then, go take a bath first. Once you're clean, have something to eat. We'll head out tomorrow morning."
"Sasuke, can you ask the clerk to take Hanako to the bathhouse? I'll go buy us some food."
Naruto ruffled Hanako's messy hair, stood up, and left the room. Sasuke waved at Hanako and took her downstairs.
There was a bathhouse inside the hotel, and with the proprietress's help, Hanako washed up. Wearing clothes the proprietress had once worn as a child, Hanako followed Sasuke back to the room. Not long after, Naruto returned with a food box.
Due to the war's impact, business in the Land of Sound had declined, and few shops remained open at night. Naruto had only managed to buy some bread and a few cartons of milk.
But for Hanako, even that was a feast. Before this, it wasn't even a question of bread or milk—sometimes, it was uncertain whether she'd have anything to eat at all.
Despite her hunger, Hanako didn't scarf down her food. She chewed slowly and gracefully, revealing a surprisingly refined demeanor for a child her age.
In contrast, Naruto had already bitten into a baguette, his messy eating creating a stark contrast with Hanako.
"This child... is different," Sasuke thought as he watched her eat. A person's upbringing is often revealed in subtle ways. The fact that an eight or nine-year-old could maintain manners even when starving spoke volumes.
Though he had confirmed through the Sharingan that Hanako had no relatives, Sasuke hadn't investigated their identities. Now, it seemed she wasn't from an ordinary background.
Without saying anything to Naruto, Sasuke silently observed Hanako, gradually growing fond of her.
"Get some rest once you're full. We've got a long journey ahead tomorrow," Naruto said with a smile as Hanako finished her meal. He cleaned up and left the room.
"You should rest too. We'll wake you in the morning." As Sasuke stood to leave, Hanako grabbed his hand with her small fingers.
She didn't speak—just held onto him with her head down.
Sasuke could sense her fear. She was afraid he'd leave. After all she'd experienced, it was only natural for her to feel insecure.
"I'm not going far. See? I'll sleep right there."
Sasuke squatted down, gently patted her head, and pointed to the floor under the window sill—close to her tatami mat. Hearing his reassurance, Hanako slowly let go of his hand and looked up at him, nodding slightly.
As night deepened, Sasuke remained awake, half-sitting at the window sill with his back against it, gazing at the stars.
Since returning to Konoha, his methods had taken on a hawkish tone, often supporting Raiden's recent decisions. But after witnessing the suffering caused by war firsthand, Sasuke began to question the validity of Raiden's policies.
The closer they got to the Hidden Sound Village, the more uncertain Sasuke felt. Should he side with Naruto to persuade Raiden to end the war—or support Raiden and convince Naruto?
But after today's close interaction with someone like Hanako, Sasuke began to reflect more deeply.
"If it's Lord Raiden, he won't be easily swayed."
"This time, we must be ready to fight. If he could be convinced through words alone, this war would never have begun."
Sasuke closed his eyes as the cool night wind brushed his face, calming his thoughts.
"Are you saying there are Konoha ninjas coming to the Hidden Sound Village to find me? Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke?"
"Why would those two come? Even if it were a summons, why them?"
That night, in the Hidden Sound Village, Raiden was meeting with a group of Iwa-nin who had just completed a mission. From their report, he learned Naruto and Sasuke were headed toward the village, albeit delayed by unforeseen events.
Though Raiden found it odd, he still sent a team to retrieve them. If it were anyone else, it might not matter—but Naruto and Sasuke were different. He couldn't afford for anything to happen to them.
Though Raiden believed their status as "sons of fate" would keep them safe, decades had passed and much had changed. He preferred to take precautions.
"I understand. I'll send someone to escort them."
"They really are Konoha ninjas. There's no issue with their identities."
"You mentioned a human bomb earlier. Any idea who's behind it?"
Raiden's focus shifted away from Naruto and Sasuke as he asked about the attack.
"No, the children weren't targeting us intentionally. They were being used. The mastermind is still unknown, and the surviving girl didn't know anything. This has been confirmed by Uchiha Sasuke's Sharingan."
The young Iwa-nin kneeled in front of Raiden's desk as he reported.
"Hmm. I'll have Kitsuchi lead a team to investigate. The attack was too close—likely remnants of the Sound Village."
"Your report gave me an idea. I'll contact Konoha and suggest setting up temporary orphanages in war-torn areas to keep innocent children from being exploited."
"Go rest. I'll handle things from here."
"Yes!" the young Iwa-nin responded, vanishing from the room.
After he left, Deidara, who had been standing behind Raiden, spoke up.
"Master Raiden, can I take care of this?"
"I've been cooped up here too long. If I get hit with one more summons, I swear my art will degrade!"
Raiden turned and narrowed his eyes at Deidara. It was rare for him to use the title "Master Raiden"—usually a sign he wanted something.
"I sent Kitsuchi to find the culprit, not to blow up countries. What would you even do?"
Raiden shook his head. He didn't see Deidara as suited for this kind of task.
"Come on! I can handle this too. I swear, I'll complete the mission flawlessly!"
Clearly stifled, Deidara was desperate to be let out of the village.
"...Fine."
"But if you mess this up, you're staying here and acting as my messenger. No more running around."
Raiden tapped the table as he spoke. This incident was indeed a good test. If Deidara could pull it off, it would mean he could think beyond destruction—a sign of growth.
"Hahaha! Don't worry, I'll do it perfectly! I won't let something like this happen again!"
"I'm off!" Deidara cheered, dashing from the tent. He created a giant clay bird, climbed aboard, and soared off toward the incident site—intent on completing the mission that very night.
Watching Deidara's enthusiastic departure, Raiden felt a hint of satisfaction.
"This kid still has potential."
In the night sky, Deidara rode his white clay bird, thinking deeply.
"I'll handle this beautifully."
"Whoever planned the attack is probably still there. A village this close to Hidden Sound, after so many cleanups, still hiding rats? That means they're confident in their methods."
"They won't flee after just one failed attempt."
"I'll prep in advance."
"C3·No. 18 should do it. With my current strength, I can wipe out the whole village. The so-called mastermind... can die beneath my art!"
The massive white bird shrank to a speck and vanished into the night.
Early the next morning, Sasuke and Naruto left the village with Hanako. After leaving, they climbed a nearby mountain.
Suddenly, a massive white bird soared overhead, causing powerful gusts that nearly knocked them over. Naruto held Hanako's hand with one hand and shielded his face with the other. When the wind passed, he looked up in surprise.
"What was that?"
As the three stood stunned, a white clay ball dropped from the bird above. It expanded midair, aimed at the village below.
"This guy is..." Sasuke had already activated his Sharingan. He spotted Deidara on the bird's back and sensed the immense chakra within the clay ball.
"Is this an attack?"
"It's an attack!!!"
Sasuke's voice sharpened instantly. He moved in front of Naruto and Hanako, and the tomoe in his eyes spun.
The clay sphere reached midair—its light so blinding it outshone the sun.
"Boom!"
"BOOM!!!!"
(End Of Chapter)
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