The Land of Grass, primarily composed of vast grasslands and dense forests, boasts a relatively abundant natural environment, yet its resources are not particularly outstanding. And across those boundless grasslands, there isn't solely vibrant greenery. Many glaring patches of scorched black earth, like enormous festering sores, remain, their deeply buried roots unable to sprout again, even after enduring wind and rain. The bridge known as "Kannabi Bridge," destroyed by Minato Namikaze's team during the Third Great Ninja War, a vital economic lifeline, has yet to be rebuilt.
"Shadow."
"Hm?"
"Tell me, if Hanzō had truly accepted Yahiko's ideals back then, would the Land of Rain have fallen into this same state?"
In the forest, Nagato stood on a tree, gazing at the distant ruins and broken walls, and asked.
"Probably," the 'Shadow' behind him chuckled. "The Land of Grass's approach to facing oppression from larger nations is similar to Yahiko's advocated 'diplomatic negotiation.'"
"As for the result, I presume you've seen it."
The Land of Grass might be in a slightly better situation than the Land of Rain, but it too is situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. The diplomacy of the Land of Grass, to put it nicely, is skillful maneuvering among powerful nations through diplomatic means. But to put it bluntly, just like its name implies, it's no different from a weathervane (literally "grass on the wall"). It tends to align itself with the currently most powerful force to seek protection, thus adopting a wavering, fence-sitting policy and diplomatic strategy.
During both the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, it allied with either Konoha or Iwagakure, but sometimes it even provided intelligence and convenience to both opposing sides simultaneously. This might have been a necessary measure for survival in the cracks between powerful nations, but it also caused them to be viewed only as unreliable pawns or variables to be wary of.
Consequently, the result of countless compromises was becoming one of the main battlefields of the Third Great Ninja War. The battle that decided Kakashi and Obito's fates took place here. Yes, due to Hanzō's strong stance and power displayed in the Second Great Ninja War, Iwagakure and Konoha both bypassed the Land of Rain, choosing the Land of Grass as their battlefield. This alone sufficiently proves how naive and childish Yahiko's original ideals were. If Hanzō had truly endorsed his so-called philosophy of seeking understanding and peace through negotiation, the Land of Rain would likely not even have had the decade of peace before and after the Third Great Ninja War.
"..."
Nagato was increasingly able to understand Yahiko's past mistakes, and his mind was no longer just the simple, extreme concept of "pain." He was thinking. Under the guidance of Jiraiya-sensei, the first generation of Akatsuki, led by Yahiko, marching towards death was almost an inevitable outcome.
With this thought, Nagato sighed inwardly, then turned to look at the 'Shadow' behind him and asked, "You mentioned earlier that there are members of my clan in the Land of Grass. Is that information accurate?"
The 'Shadow' paid no mind to his skepticism. He glanced at Kakuzu, who was frowning beside him, and chuckled, "Stop looking at your manicure and tell us what you know about the situation in Kusagakure."
Hearing this, Kakuzu, who had been staring at his green fingernails, couldn't help but darken his face, but he still spoke: "The specific situation isn't clear."
"However, I did hear that Kusagakure has a red-haired woman whose bite can heal injuries. I used to dismiss that as a rumor."
Kakuzu might not know much, but Nagato, also a member of the Uzumaki clan, couldn't possibly be unaware, could he? Such a body, powerful enough in its physical energy that a mere crude bite could heal injuries. This was something only the Uzumaki clan could possess.
"Kusagakure..."
The thought of his own clan members being treated this way brought a touch of gloom to Nagato's usually indifferent face. The 'Shadow' discerned Nagato's thoughts and saw no need to rush. He proactively said, "So, before going to Hozuki Castle, do you want to make a detour to Kusagakure?"
"I don't care," Kakuzu said indifferently, already numb to the ugliness of the ninja world. He had lived from the very founding of Konoha until now, and had witnessed far too much darkness. It was precisely because of this that he regarded money as the only solace he could trust.
As Nagato silently nodded, the three figures instantly vanished into the forest.
Kusagakure, in a dilapidated house.
The flame of the oil lamp swayed continuously in the night wind that seeped through the cracks in the door, casting distorted shadows on the walls of the decaying hut, and illuminating a withered, spectral figure on the bed. The woman leaned against the wall, her once blood-red hair now mostly a striking frost-white. Only a few strands hidden by her ears retained a dim crimson hue, like the lingering embers of a life barely sustained.
"Get over here!"
A burly Kusagakure ninja clutched his abdominal wound, his expression grim as he yanked the woman's arm, dragging her closer. The woman's arm skin was pale, almost transparent, covered in bruises and layers of old and new teeth marks. But the Kusagakure ninja showed no mercy or concern, savagely opening his mouth and biting down, sinking deeply into her flesh like a hyena gnawing on rotten meat.
"Ugh!"
Eerie, crimson blood snaked down her pale skin. The intense pain made the woman's numb face twitch, and an utterly suppressed whimper escaped her throat. Sweat soaked the few withered white strands of hair on her forehead, and her breath flickered like the light of the lamp. All her strength was used to tightly shield the red-haired girl huddled behind her, trembling uncontrollably. A bony arm stretched out from the side, covering the girl's wide, terrified eyes.
"Don't look... Karin... it'll be over soon..."
Her faint whispers of comfort were the only protection she could offer. But those eyes, belonging to Uzumaki Karin, could already inevitably see the horrific scene through her trembling fingers. In the dim, flickering lamplight, it was like a monster preying on humans.
The Kusagakure ninja gnawed and swallowed greedily. With his brutal movements, the color in the woman's face further receded, and a few more strands of white appeared in her already withered hair. In contrast, the wound on the Kusagakure ninja's arm, which had been haphazardly bandaged, began to scab over at a visible rate, even growing new skin and flesh...
Gradually, the woman's breathing weakened, only the faint rise and fall of her chest proving she was still alive.
Karin stared blankly at the scene. A primal urge, beyond fear, suddenly gripped her small body.
"Enough! Let go of my mom!"
A sharp, trembling, childish voice rang out. The Kusagakure ninja raised his eyes in astonishment, seeing a small figure crash into him.
Bang.
The Kusagakure ninja was caught off guard by the sudden impact and staggered backward. His teeth involuntarily released their grip on the woman's arm. He had completely underestimated the tiny creature who had always hidden behind the woman.
But soon, his astonishment turned into rage.
"You little beast! You're looking for death!"
His eyes flashed with brutality. He cursed, then violently raised his arm, swatting Karin away like a fly.
Thud!
With a dull impact, Karin's small body flew like a tattered sack, hitting the cold dirt wall with a muffled groan. Her vision darkened, and she was almost suffocated.
"Hmph!" The Kusagakure ninja snorted, then roughly grabbed the woman's hair again, savagely biting into her neck. This time, it wasn't just gnawing, but an act of revenge, of venting anger, his teeth sinking deeper and harder into her flesh!
"Ugh..."
The woman, now unable to make a sound, let out a pained whimper. The hand she had tried to raise fell weakly. Finally, the Kusagakure ninja violently lifted his head, roughly shaking off the woman's arm.
"Pah!" He smacked his lips, spitting out a mouthful of bloody saliva. There was no gratitude or guilt on his face, only disgust, as if he had tasted something inferior. Then he ripped off the blood-soaked bandage, saw the incomplete wound on his arm, and couldn't help but curse: "Bit for half a day, truly useless!"
Karin managed to stand up at this moment, her pupils trembling as she looked at her mother.
"Mom?" she called out cautiously.
But this time, her mother didn't respond gently as she used to.
The Kusagakure ninja also heard her voice. Looking at her blood-red hair, he seemed to suddenly realize something, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Although he had been told not to touch the little one for now, he was still risking his life for the village. A sneaky bite shouldn't be a problem, right?
With this thought, a hint of undisguised covetousness flashed in his eyes. His blood-stained lips curled into a grin, and he reached out for Karin, who was frozen in place...
"You... deserve to die."
A voice, already chilling to the extreme, came from behind him. The Kusagakure ninja didn't even have time to react before he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest.
Pfft!!
Blood bloomed like an ephemeral flower, slowly flowing down.
"Blech!"
The Kusagakure ninja spat out a mouthful of blood. All his strength was instantly drained, his lips trembling as he looked down at his chest. He saw a hand protruding from his chest, holding a fresh, beating heart.
"Even the heart of a beast like you is red, huh?" a cold voice said from behind him.
Pfft! Thud!
Nagato withdrew his hand from the Kusagakure ninja's chest, letting the corpse fall to the ground with a dull thud, a trace of bewildered confusion still lingering on its face.
After killing the Kusagakure ninja, Nagato's anger subsided slightly, but when he looked up and saw the woman's appearance, a fresh wave of fury ignited within him.
These damn beasts!