Forests, bushes, and grasslands were left behind by Shiratori Rin.
His footsteps landed on a scorched piece of land.
The air was filled with an earthy smell mixed with the scent of rust.
Shiratori Rin looked around, and before his eyes stretched a completely dead wasteland.
As far as the eye could see, there was only boundless, dark brown scorched earth, cracked inch by inch.
There was no grass, no trees, not even a single intact stone.
Only rusty, unrecognizable Kunai and shuriken were half-buried, half-exposed, sticking out of the ground.
"This is a battlefield."
Senba Suzume's words confirmed Shiratori Rin's guess.
"Countless Amegakure Ninja lost their lives here."
Kuroai and Sakikawa stood solemnly in place.
Shiratori Rin suddenly squatted down, his hand gently stroking the ground.
Senba Suzume and the other two watched his actions.
"Rin, what are you doing?"
Kuroai asked in confusion.
Shiratori Rin looked up, his dark eyes clear and free of Impurities, allowing anyone to see the sadness in his eyes at a glance.
"I am apologizing to them."
Shiratori Rin lowered his head again, "I came too late and couldn't bring them home…"
"Ding!"
"The System detected Senba Suzume's affection value + 1000."
"Ding!"
"The System detected Sakikawa's affection value + 1000."
"Ding!"
"The System detected Kuroai's affection value + 1000."
"A total of 3000 affection points have been collected, and your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika Orimoto, has increased to Rank 67%."
Senba Suzume squatted down, his hand resting on Shiratori Rin's shoulder, his palm warm.
"Rin," Senba Suzume looked at Shiratori Rin's focused profile, "you never have to say sorry; your appearance was already timely enough."
Kuroai sniffled; he realized that ever since Rin appeared, he had become prone to crying.
He patted Shiratori Rin's other shoulder: "That's right! Rin! Don't take everything upon yourself! Do you know how old you are this year?"
Shiratori Rin looked up at Senba Suzume and the other two, smiling slightly with pursed lips: "When I turn nine, I want to make a wish. I hope to always appear by everyone's side in time, so that everyone in Amegakure can return to the Village safely!"
"Ding!"
"The System detected Senba Suzume's affection value + 1000."
"Ding!"
"The System detected Sakikawa's affection value + 1000."
"Ding!"
"The System detected Kuroai's affection value + 1000."
"A total of 3000 affection points have been collected, and your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika Orimoto, has increased to Rank 67.3%."
"Then when I turn sixteen, I'll wish to protect Rin for life!"
Kuroai said impatiently.
Shiratori Rin looked at Kuroai, his face showing unconcealed shock.
Was Kuroai really only fifteen?
This damned war!
Before the Transmigration, Kuroai was still a middle school student!
Senba Suzume and Sakikawa both laughed.
"Let's continue forward."
Senba Suzume stood up.
Their speed had slowed down considerably.
Because they had already entered the border of the Land of Rain, the further they went, the closer they got to the border with the Land of Fire.
Senba Suzume narrowed his eyes, heightened his vigilance, and sharply scanned the edge of the scorched earth closer to the Land of Fire ahead.
The wind picked up dust, sweeping past Shiratori Rin and the others. Shiratori Rin saw the blurred outlines of figures in the distance.
The distance was still far, but an extremely subtle, cold, and slippery sensation, like a poisonous snake, had silently spread over the scorched earth, gently touching Shiratori Rin's location.
This feeling was a bit familiar!
Shiratori Rin narrowed his eyes.
In the distance, a crow perched on a carbonized, scorched tree branch cawed twice.
Its black pupils looked downwards.
The figure standing at the very front was wearing a Konoha Ninja vest, his long, straight black hair swaying slightly in the wind.
His skin was as pale as a corpse, and under his narrow eyes, two heavy purple-black eye shadows extended downwards.
Orochimaru?
The crow tilted its head.
What a coincidence!
Half a step behind Orochimaru, Nara Shikaku looked straight ahead. Further back were two Konoha Ninja with solemn expressions and tense muscles.
Suddenly.
A pair of golden vertical pupils stared at the crow on the branch.
Orochimaru's lips curled slightly upwards, a smile devoid of any warmth, only a chilling, almost pleasurable interest.
The crow flapped its wings, leaving the branch.
No more playing!
Orochimaru was too sinister!
The distance gradually shortened. When Shiratori Rin and the others were only ten meters away from the Konoha Ninja, Senba Suzume was the first to stop, and Shiratori Rin followed suit.
Dead silence spread between the Ninja on both sides.
Orochimaru's gaze slowly swept over Senba Suzume and the others.
His eyes finally rested on Shiratori Rin's face.
This child…
Looked a little familiar.
Nara Shikaku raised an eyebrow, why bring a child to sign a contract?
Nara Shikaku took a step forward, pulled out a scroll from his Ninja tool pouch, and threw it towards Senba Suzume.
At the same time, Senba Suzume also threw a scroll to Nara Shikaku.
Senba Suzume and the other two had tensed up the moment they saw Orochimaru, like a fully drawn bow, ready to strike.
Senba Suzume opened the scroll and carefully scanned its contents.
After confirming its accuracy, Senba Suzume signed the names of Amegakure and himself on the scroll.
The two sides exchanged scrolls once again.
Senba Suzume checked the contents of the scroll and carefully placed it in his Ninja tool pouch.
"Please inform all Konoha Ninja within the Land of Rain to withdraw from the Land of Rain, Your Excellency!"
Senba Suzume said to Nara Shikaku.
Nara Shikaku nodded: "Don't worry."
"You…"
Orochimaru suddenly took a step forward.
Senba Suzume and the other two instantly had their weapons in their hands.
They watched Orochimaru warily.
Orochimaru ignored them, his gaze fixed on Shiratori Rin, a smile curling his lips: "I've seen you before."
The child he thought would die in the chaos had actually joined Amegakure.
The life trajectory he had envisioned for this child seemed to have changed.
But where was Jiraiya?
Wasn't he supposed to stay in the Land of Rain to take care of these children?
"Do you remember me?"
Orochimaru asked.
Shiratori Rin nodded: "I remember."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow.
He had to admit, this child in front of him had piqued his curiosity.
Judging by the attitude of these three Rain Ninja, this child seemed to have some value.
"What do you want?"
Senba Suzume questioned.
Orochimaru's gaze shifted to Senba Suzume.
Senba Suzume swallowed.
Orochimaru curled his lips: "Just saying hello."
He retreated to his original position.
"Let's go."
Nara Shikaku glanced at Orochimaru, reminding him.
Orochimaru slowly turned and walked towards Konoha.
It wasn't until the Konoha Ninja completely disappeared from sight that Senba Suzume and the other two finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Sakikawa wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead and asked: "Rin, do you know Orochimaru?"
Senba Suzume and Kuroai both looked at Shiratori Rin.
Shiratori Rin nodded slightly: "When I was wandering, I met him after he was defeated by my teacher, and I was almost killed by him."
Senba Suzume and the other two instantly froze in place.