Naruto : Rise From The Rain

"Is this intel?" Asahi asked once again.

He demanded a clear response from the three Konoha ninjas immediately.

Aburame Shibi and his companions remained silent. The sudden appearance of this piece of paper had caught them off guard. However, the information written on it did indeed detail the enemy's camp.

What was going on?

Could it be that the dispatched team really had discovered the enemy's location?

Or was there something else about these Rain ninjas...

Aburame Shibi stared at the paper in his hand for a long while before reluctantly responding,

"Yes."

Asahi quickly followed up, "This is something they protected with their lives. We must return and deliver it to Lord Jiraiya immediately."

Lord Jiraiya...

Aburame Shibi glanced at Yahiko, his grip on the intelligence tightening instinctively.

As events unfolded, the three Konoha ninjas sensed that something was amiss.

This piece of intelligence, which had suddenly appeared, felt like a hot potato.

Aburame Shibi and his team didn't want to bring it back at all. One thing was certain in his mind: this information was definitely not obtained by the deceased! Their mission had nothing to do with scouting the enemy's camp.

Then, what was it? These Rain ninjas?

He couldn't determine whether the intel was genuine. If they brought it back and presented it to Jiraiya, who knew nothing about this matter, what would he do...

These Rain ninjas had such cunning instincts and schemes!

Aburame Shibi felt a chill down his spine. His only hope now was that the intelligence was real, so everything could progress smoothly according to appearances.

But was it real?

Aburame Shibi looked toward Yahiko and Asahi. The cave was now shrouded in darkness, leaving even their expressions indistinguishable.

"Since we've obtained the intel, let's head back quickly. This place isn't safe to linger," said Asahi.

With that, Asahi stepped forward and picked up one of the corpses.

The three Konoha ninjas, seeing this, decided to leave for the time being.

The group exited the cave and reunited with Kyusuke, who had been waiting outside.

When Kyusuke saw the corpses they carried, he was momentarily stunned. "Did the mission fail?"

Asahi replied, "Not exactly. The intel team sacrificed themselves."

Kyusuke asked again, "Did you get the intel?"

"Yes."

On the way back, the Konoha trio remained silent, their minds heavy with thoughts. Kyusuke assumed their somber mood was due to the loss of their comrades.

Yahiko couldn't hold back anymore and approached Asahi, casting him a questioning glance.

Asahi, knowing what Yahiko wanted to ask, subtly mouthed two words: Fake.

Upon returning to the camp, Asahi handed over the corpses to those who came to retrieve them.

Aburame Shibi requested to report back alone, telling Yahiko and the others not to follow.

Yahiko agreed and returned to the Rain ninja camp with Asahi.

Only when surrounded by their own companions did Yahiko finally exhale deeply. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way. If not for Asahi's quick thinking, their current situation could have become dire.

The Konoha ninjas had used such ruthless tactics, sacrificing their comrades' lives as bargaining chips!

"Brother Yahiko, what happened?" Kyusuke couldn't help but ask, still unaware of what had transpired in the cave.

Inside the tent, with only the four of them present, Yahiko slowly recounted everything.

Hearing this, Konan was also shocked. She had only found Asahi's actions unusual at the time but hadn't imagined it was such a grave situation.

If not for Asahi, they truly would have fallen into the Konoha ninjas' trap!

"Konan, do you think Jiraiya-sensei knows about this?" Yahiko suddenly asked.

Konan instinctively replied, "Jiraiya-sensei... he shouldn't know, right? He couldn't possibly make such a decision."

Yahiko gave a bitter smile and asked again, "Then, what will Jiraiya-sensei do when he finds out?"

The difference in their positions made it impossible for him to be honest with his former mentor.

By evening, Kyoso returned. Upon hearing about Yahiko's rescue mission for the intel team, he immediately sought Yahiko out to hear the full details.

"Those Konoha ninjas really don't give up, do they?" Kyoso sneered coldly.

"Yahiko, you can't stay here any longer. Your teacher seems to have no regard for old ties. Sooner or later, the Konoha forces will plot against you again. I'll report to Lord Hanzō to have you relocated."

Yahiko remained silent.

Kyoso continued, "Tomorrow, Konan will accompany me on a mission."

"What mission?" Yahiko asked, puzzled.

Kyoso's eyes turned icy. "Since Konoha is so greedy, let's make them spit out everything they've taken from us."

The night passed quietly. Yahiko received no news from the Konoha side.

The next day, Kyoso led a small team out, taking Konan with him.

Yahiko stayed in the camp and eventually received a visit from Jiraiya.

Seeing him, Asahi and Kyusuke tactfully left the tent, giving the teacher and student some privacy.

"Emergency rescue missions like this shouldn't require the Rain to intervene," Jiraiya sighed, sitting across from Yahiko.

Yahiko lowered his eyes and replied, "As allies, it's our duty to assist when needed."

Jiraiya gazed at him silently before saying, "Yahiko, you've changed a lot."

Yahiko didn't look at him. Instead, he smiled faintly with downcast eyes. "Jiraiya-sensei, are you blaming me?"

Jiraiya hesitated, opening his mouth to say Yahiko had misunderstood, but the words caught in his throat.

"...I'm sorry, Yahiko."

Yahiko shook his head lightly. "Jiraiya-sensei, if it weren't for you, the three of us orphans would have starved to death long ago. You taught us how to survive in this world."

He raised his head, looking at Jiraiya with a smile. "While staying at the camp, I often heard Konoha ninjas talk about the 'Yellow Flash.' To be honest, I envy him. I've often wondered—if Jiraiya-sensei had stayed with us, would things have been different?"

"Still, I haven't made any mistakes," Yahiko muttered, as if talking to himself.

"Since founding Akatsuki, I haven't made a single mistake. Jiraiya-sensei, do you remember the dream I once told you about?"

Jiraiya sat there in a daze.

Yahiko gazed at him calmly. "I want to change this world. I hate everything I've experienced. Jiraiya-sensei, please believe in me. Believe in your unworthy students. One day, I will make this world what it should be!"

By evening, Kyoso and Konan returned, bringing shocking news.

During their mission, they had wiped out five enemy front-line outposts in one fell swoop. Konan, in particular, demonstrated remarkable prowess, using her flying abilities to launch aerial strikes on the enemy.

Asahi, upon hearing the news, couldn't help but marvel at Kyoso's ruthlessness.

All the destroyed outposts belonged to the Grass Village. While the mission seemed highly successful, it exposed Konan's flying ability to the enemy entirely. The precision strikes on these outposts would also alert the enemy that their defensive arrangements had been compromised by Konoha and the Rain.

In response, Iwagakure and Kusagakure would undoubtedly overhaul their front-line outposts and develop countermeasures against Konan's flight capabilities.

This would make future reconnaissance missions across the border much more difficult.

At the same time, Yahiko received an order from Hanzō, conveyed by Kyoso. Akatsuki was to be relocated from the camp.