Naruto: Akatsuki

How amazing is it to be alive? If you are going through a harsh situation, perhaps it isn't amazing at all. However,

"T-this... it's so good, Akashi!"

just as Nagato exclaimed, when in confrontation with the salivating food in front of you, it was a different story.

Long story short, we didn't get meat. What a foolish dream it was, to think that they will sell something that can't be stored for a long period of time, in this heavy rain. I've learnt something new.

Instead, we got some buns.

"Yum." Konan giggled while swinging her legs in joy. With the bread crumbs on her cheek, she was sitting next to Nagato, enjoying our meal.

Yahiko was too busy munching to take a look at the surrounding. His cheeks were full akin to the hamster's. Quite an amusing scene it was to look at.

After staring down at my portion for a moment, I took a bite.

"Now this is life."

Though it was wet, the food in my hands was incomparable to any other that we've come across for years—it reminded me of the house that I used to live in, within my dead parents' care.

And it seemed that I wasn't the only one. Upon filling stomach with such a wonderful meal, I heard the sniffing sound. It was from Nagato.

He was trembling. Visibly retraining himself, he covered his mouth to prevent himself from crying.

"...M...om..." Nagato whispered, and with his word being a cue, Konan and Yahiko tensed up.

In the end, we were just kids. No matter how mature I tried to come off as, I too was one. Although it was now hazy, I still feel the warmth whenever I try to remember the events from far past—it was thanks to this that I motivated myself to survive.

Because I know that peace exists.

Yahiko bit his lips. Lowering his hand that was holding onto the bread, he covered his eyes with his other hand, trying to hide his sadness.

Konan, with a crestfallen expression, couldn't prevent the tears from flowing out of her eyes.

It was nothing but bread, however, it was enough to remind us of the time before the war.

__________

Under the heavy rain, I stood in front of a tree. Placing my left foot on top of its trunk, I took a deep breath before lifting up my right foot from the ground and placing it on the tree as well.

That's right—I finally managed to achieve my goal after around a week or so.

I couldn't help but wonder, 'Was it supposed to be this easy?'

Perhaps it was just for me. Controlling the flow of chakra within my body, and displacing an appropriate amount at the soles of my feet to achieve what I currently am doing right now—I wondered if this is something possible by the others as well, without any aid from the actual ninjas.

"Ah!"

Then, I fell while in midst of my thought. Due to the raindrops trickling down on the tree trunk, I slipped and fell. Grimacing from the pain, I stood back up while rubbing the back of my head.

There was one reason why I was trying hard to master this technique of 'walking on a vertical plane,' fire. I realized that when I engage myself in this kind of chakra-using practice, not only did it came easier for me to maneuver the chakra in accordance with my will, but also had the chakra itself grow in its amount within myself.

So I thought, 'If I continue practicing, then the fire that I generate through the use of my chakra too will grow.'

We can dry up the cave, and find a better way to keep ourselves warm rather than to cuddle up and visit the distant civilization occasionally for dry clothes.

Then, once we are better fed, I will teach the other three of these chakra exercises that I managed to figure out.

Those were the goals I lived for in the present. Maybe they are wistful and baseless. Perhaps what I am doing with my chakra right now is self-destructive. With no one to guide, I could only self-accommodate.

Sometimes, I felt my will weakening. Though I put up a confident facade and lead those kids in this heavy rain, my shoulders were shaking from the sheer weight of the burden on me. Weak, small, poor—I too was no different from them, in the end.

But nonetheless, steeling my resolve was all that I could do. After all, rain doesn't last forever, and if I continue to withstand this harsh weather, one day, the cloud will clear up.

Loosening up my fists, I turned back, about to return to the cave.

"Akashi!!"

Then, all of a sudden, Yahiko came running to me with an urgent expression on his face. Not a good sign, I thought.

Subconsciously, my breath quickened. My heart started beating fast, instinctively knowing that something happened. With my mouth closed tight, I braced myself for what Yahiko was about to speak.

"Haa... haa..." Yahiko huffed heavily and placed his hands on his knees, after stopping in front of me.

Drenched in water, Yahiko raised his terrified face to me and said with a shaky voice,

"N-Nagato..."

Cave. Unfit for living. Yet, the only suitable space available for kids like us to survive within this war. Upon hearing Yahiko saying Nagato's name, I already knew what he was about to say.

Something that I didn't want to hear. The worst-case scenario that can happen to the current us.

"He's... he's sick."

No words came out of my mouth. The rain seemed to have become even heavier. All of a sudden, the surrounding felt cold, and I couldn't help but once again be realized,

of what a hopeless world that we were living within.