"Rinnegan?!"
Inside the small hut, Nagato lifted the bangs that hid his eyes—revealing those concentric-ring pupils.
Jiraiya shot to his feet in shock, staring as though the world had tilted.
Yahiko and Konan tensed up instantly.
Beside them, Kaito scratched his head, narrowed his eyes at Nagato's, then turned toward the stunned Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya-sama, what's the Rinnegan? Some kind of kekkei genkai?"
"That's… cough. Something I'll explain privately to Nagato," Jiraiya said quickly.
He understood human nature. These kids were good—but the moment others learned Nagato had a Sage Eye, everything would change. Their bond would collapse, and Nagato would be hunted.
Kaito nodded knowingly and made to leave.
Before he stepped out, Jiraiya stopped him and quietly asked him not to reveal Nagato's ability to Konoha.
Kaito blinked, then nodded.
"Don't worry, Jiraiya-sama. I didn't see anything today."
Rain Country — Farewell
At a distance from the hut, Kaito and Jiraiya stood in the rain.
"I still need to report my Rain Country intel to the village."
"That's fine," Jiraiya said. "Nothing here changes the war's outcome anymore."
After their goodbyes, Kaito waved once to the children—and disappeared from the area.
Meanwhile, in Konoha
The message of Kaito's death had already spread through the village.
A genin who rose to Third-Class Commander—
completed more than a month of high-level intel missions—
and kept his eight-man team alive with minimal losses…
Such achievements were practically impossible.
Information Unit One returned with only a single, heavily injured special-jōnin.
Units Three and Four suffered similar devastation.
Yet Kaito's small, underpowered squad had only lost three chūnin.
A miracle.
But even with extreme caution—switching routes, opening map-scrolls only at specific GPS marks—
they were still ambushed.
Because Amegakure somehow always knew their position.
Autumn wind blew gently across the Konoha Memorial Stone.
Kaito's name had already been engraved at the corner.
And in the hero's cemetery, a miniature statue—commissioned by Team 11 a year ago—stood quietly.
It looked exactly like Kaito, only smaller.
Team 11 stood before it, frozen in grief.
Mikoto laid flowers before the statue and folded her hands.
"Sensei…
I became a jōnin," she whispered.
"The youngest jōnin in the village.
B-But… hic…"
Nonō, already crying, hugged Mikoto tightly.
"M-Mikoto became a jōnin, and… and I—I got certified as a chūnin-level medical-nin!
Sensei!!
W-We'll work hard!!
We'll earn money and burn offerings to you so you… so you'll never have to be stingy again! sob—"
Guy's father, Might Duy, wiped his tears loudly, hating himself for not being on the battlefield—
maybe he could've saved Kaito.
The grave had only been finished two days ago.
To them, Kaito had been "dead" for nearly a week.
Rustle, rustle—
A three-man ANBU squad arrived, led by none other than Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang.
"Remove it," Sakumo ordered.
The two ANBU behind him stepped forward with shovels.
Team 11 instantly blocked their path.
"What are you doing?!"
"You want to destroy a hero's resting place?!" Mikoto's three-tomoe Sharingan sprang open, killing intent surging.
The ANBU turned to Sakumo for confirmation.
"Remove it," he repeated calmly.
"This monument does not belong here."
Might Duy opened the Third Gate, chakra flaring.
"IF THIS IS THE WILL OF THE VILLAGE, THEN—!!"
"Kaito isn't dead."
"…Even if he's not dead, YOU CAN'T JUST—what?"
Guy's father froze mid-sentence.
Mikoto and Nonō also stopped breathing.
Sakumo sighed behind his mask.
"Today, Jiraiya returned intel from the Land of Rain."
"Kaito is alive."
"R-Really?!"
"Is he truly alive?!"
Mikoto and Nonō rushed forward.
"I'm not sure," Sakumo admitted, "but the message came from a hidden ally—a strong, unknown individual in the Rain Country."
"The Third Hokage believes the intel is credible."
"So remove the grave. It would be inauspicious if Kaito returned and saw it."
"Oh, right," he added, turning to Nonō.
"The village compensation of three million ryō—return it to the treasury.
And have the bank restore Kaito's frozen accounts."
"Y-Yes!!" Nonō cried, smiling through tears.
Might Duy collapsed to his knees, sobbing.
"Kaito lives! My son's future godfather is still alive!!"
Orochimaru's Lab — New Obsession
In a small research chamber belonging to the Konoha Research Division, Orochimaru finally resumed work after the war.
A chūnin entered, carrying a duplicated scroll—the one Jiraiya had transmitted via toad.
"Orochimaru-sama!
ANBU said the Hokage instructed us to deliver this intel to you."
"Leave it on the table."
The chūnin left.
Hours later, Orochimaru finally noticed the scroll.
He opened it—
And froze.
Then a low, eerie chuckle filled the lab.
At last—
He burned the scroll, whispering:
"So… you survived. Good."
"But only barely."
"As long as one lives, one will eventually die."
"Even the God of Shinobi—Senju Hashirama—still met his end."
"Second Hokage, creator of countless forbidden techniques…
Left only his work behind."
"Forbidden Scroll…"
His eyes gleamed.
He'd long been searching for the key to immortality, but progress was slow.
If he could access the Forbidden Jutsu Archive—the sealed legacy of the Hokage line—
He would take a leap.
But he couldn't break in.
Not yet.
He needed more merit, more power, more leverage.
"Soon," he hissed.
Inside the Uchiha Compound — Collapse and Reversal
Within the luxurious residence of Uchiha Clan Leader Uchiha Yueya, the man sipped tea quietly.
Crack—
The cup fractured in his grip.
A bad omen.
His daughter-in-law-to-be—Mikoto—had returned from war deeply changed.
She had always admired Kaito.
His death meant the Uchiha political factions could finally unify under his authority…
But now—
"Clan Leader!" an Uchiha messenger called from outside.
"Report," Yueya said.
"New intel from the village:
A reliable source in the Land of Rain claims Third-Class Commander Kaito is alive."
CRACK—!!
The tea cup shattered fully in Yueya's hand.
"Accuracy?" he growled. "Could the Hokage be lying?"
"N-No, sir…
Many who knew Kaito also received confirmation.
The hero's grave in the cemetery has already been removed."
"..."
Silence stretched dangerously long.
Finally—
"Understood. You may go."
"Yes, Clan Leader!"
The messenger fled.
Outside the compound, two factions—Elder Satsuna's hawks and Elder Kenshi's moderates—celebrated quietly.
Kaito's survival meant their political balance remained intact.
Yueya's hopes of total clan unification—
shattered.
Other Reactions Across the Village
"Ugh… lost everything again!"
Tsunade kicked the street post after walking out of the gambling hall, pockets empty.
"No wonder my luck was awful—
Kaito the cursed brat is still alive."
She said it with irritation,
but her face was relaxed.
She bought a cheap bottle of liquor with her last few coins and leaned against a wall, sipping it.
"Orochimaru will be glad," she murmured.
"He won't have to lock himself in that lab forever."
Ten Days Passed… No Sign of Kaito
Doubts grew.
Was the intel wrong?
Was Kaito truly alive?
Then—
Konoha Main Gate
Kaito finally returned.
He first went to the hospital to check on Yūhi Ryuun's condition,
sending an intel clone to deliver the Rain Country reports to the Hokage.
Hospital — Fifth Floor, Single Room
Inside lay a girl wrapped almost entirely in bandages.
Yūhi Ryuun.
Massive burns from explosive tags.
Her organs were intact—she would recover physically.
But emotionally—
She was broken.
Her beloved commander had "died,"
and she had starved herself for days.
Only ten days ago, when she heard rumors Kaito might be alive, did she begin eating again—barely.
The door opened.
Her mother, Yūhi Tsuki, entered slowly with homemade porridge.
"Ryuun… guess what Mom made today—"
"Any news about Kaito?" Ryuun asked instantly.
Tsuki faltered.
Silence was her answer.
"I'm… not hungry. Maybe later."
"You've barely eaten. If Kaito returns and sees you like this—"
"If he's alive," Ryuun whispered,
"He won't see me."
"WHAT are you saying?!" her mother cried.
"You're all I have left! Do you want me to lose you too—?!"
"I don't mean that," Ryuun said weakly.
"I just…"
Click.
The door opened again.
"Uh… did I come at the wrong time?"
A breathless young man stepped inside, slightly embarrassed.
Kaito.
Ryuun's eyes widened—relief exploding across her face before she suppressed it ruthlessly.
"I heard you died," she said stiffly.
"Looks like you're annoyingly hard to kill."
"Ryuun!!" her mother scolded, then bowed deeply to Kaito.
"Kaito, thank you… if not for you, my daughter would have never returned alive."
"Please allow me to thank you properly—"
"Ahh—Aunt Tsuki, please don't," Kaito said quickly, helping her up.
"I failed to protect her as I should have.
If I'd been a better commander… she wouldn't be like this."
Ryuun's mother left to give them privacy.
Kaito sat beside Ryuun and gently blew on a spoonful of porridge.
"Please eat. You look like you've lost so much weight…"
"What?" Ryuun murmured bitterly.
"Not pretty anymore?"
She slapped the spoon away, porridge spilling across the blanket.
Kaito didn't react—just calmly wiped it clean.
"I don't need your pity!"
"And—And I DON'T LIKE YOU anymore!
Get out!"
The words stabbed her own heart like a blade; tears leaked uncontrollably.
Kaito said nothing.
He replaced the blanket with a clean one and spoke softly:
"I'm not pitying you."
"I just don't want the girl who vowed to become a great kunoichi to die like this."
"You said you wanted to revive the Yūhi clan.
Are you giving up now?"
Ryuun froze.
He… remembered?
Kaito continued, eyes disappointed:
"Looks aren't the key to your future."
"And besides…"
"This world is huge. There might be a jutsu someday that heals scars naturally."
"But if you die—
nothing can save you."
"I… but I…"
Ryuun trembled, lip bitten bloody.
Kaito smiled softly and pulled a red rose from his pocket.
Her breath stopped.
Her whole bandaged face flushed scarlet.
"Y-you—!!"
"My message ends there.
Don't give up.
I'll be behind you whenever you need help.
Don't worry your mother anymore."
He placed the rose gently into her hand and walked out.
Her eyes spun into a swirling pattern—
barely processing anything.
Outside, Kaito asked Tsuki:
"How is she?"
"Not good… but thank you. Truly."
"By the way, who's her attending doctor?"
"Originally Lady Tsunade.
But now it's Dr. Kitada Aina."
"Ah… I see."
"I'll rest first. Too much running lately—I need sleep."
"Go, go. And please… visit her often. Don't hurt her."
"I'll try my best."
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
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