The drizzle fell endlessly from the half-lit sky into the forest, and dark clouds stretched boundlessly toward the horizon. This autumn rain had begun so subtly that no one could tell when it would finally stop.
"So cold."
The leaves, continuously soaked by rainwater, gleamed with a vivid emerald hue, and the droplets that filtered through layers of foliage felt even colder as they hit the ground.
Especially when one of them landed precisely on the boy's neck.
A chill ran through his skin, making him quickly wipe the water off his neck with his elbow. Deep in this seldom-visited woodland, he crouched silently beneath the shelter of a massive tree... sharing the same name as the current weather—he was called "Yu," more specifically, Haseo Yu.
Be it drizzling rain, the jungle, or people—none of them were anything unusual enough to raise an eyebrow. And yet, there was something here worth real surprise...
"What an absolutely terrible way to die."
Besides the pattering raindrops, the only sound in the woods was Haseo's soft murmur.
In such an eerily quiet environment, these subtle sounds—the soft yet chaotic rainfall, the isolated whispers of human voice—were merely faint embellishments. Unrelated to the natural ambiance of the rain, there had been ear-splitting explosions here not long ago, driving all nearby animals away in panic.
The louder the previous commotion, the deeper the present silence—each emphasizing the other. Clearly, this area had once been a battlefield where conflict had already ended, explaining why a horribly mutilated corpse now lay before Haseo's eyes.
Rain tried its best to wash away bloodstains around them but couldn't erase everything completely in such a short time.
Haseo didn't fear corpses—not out of bravery or courage, but simply because he was used to them. The world was at war; death had become too common to shock anyone.
He'd never approach living people who radiated danger like neon signs flashing a warning, but dead bodies posed absolutely no threat.
There were three bodies altogether around him. From their clothing, it seemed they belonged to two opposing sides. The earlier battle must have been a one-on-two fight whose process remained unknown, but the result was clear—one side had wiped out the other entirely.
The corpses lay scattered in three different directions, each roughly ten meters apart.
Haseo casually searched the bodies, hoping to collect anything valuable or usable. Surviving alone in this world largely meant relying on things like this. Just now, he had retrieved a gourd-shaped container and a broadsword that looked somewhat impractical.
Then he slung the gourd onto his back and gripped the blade with both hands, heading toward the third body. Burdened by these two items, he moved quite slowly.
Still, the distance wasn't far, and soon enough, he reached the final corpse.
At least in death, this guy looked better off than the last two. Although half his face was a bloody mess and the other half covered in mud, he still maintained a relatively normal human form—something that prevented others from resorting to descriptions like "mashed meat" or "pulp."
For someone like Haseo, the difference with this corpse was that its belongings were easier to collect... It was simply far more convenient to take things off a body than to fish them out of a pile of mush.
Yet just as Haseo was about to kneel down and reach out a hand toward him, the dead man's eyes—which had shown no trace of life—suddenly flew open.
Calm as a deep lake, but filled with cold determination. In that fleeting moment, those eyes alone were enough to reveal what kind of person their owner truly was.
Shocked by the intense emotions conveyed in the other's gaze, Haseo froze instantly. By the time he quickly regained his senses, he already knew things were going south—just like he had mentioned earlier, such a dangerous individual was absolutely not someone he should have approached.
A wave of danger crashed over him without warning. In that split-second crisis, Haseo barely managed to lift up his other arm, holding the broadsword before him like a shield.
And he didn't even have time to feel relieved when, in the next instant, a jet of water in the shape of an arrow came hurtling toward him—too fast for him to react.
[Water Arrow Pierce]
Unfortunately, the shield offered no protection. The water pierced right through it and cleanly impaled his body before slamming into the gourd behind him like a hammer blow.
Intense, unbearable pain, the sharp jet of water, and fragments from the shattered weapon flying wildly—all of these converged upon Haseo's mortal body within a blink of an eye.
A subtle change flickered across the otherwise emotionless eyes of this "dead" man—but none of this was something Haseo could notice or care about anymore, for under such impact, he immediately lost consciousness.
By the time Haseo slowly regained awareness, dazed and groggy, he forced his eyes open only to see pitch darkness above. Turning his head slightly sideways, some light finally passed through his pupils… revealing that he was lying inside a massive tree hollow.
Outside the tree cavity, a fine drizzle continued to fall.
Pain shot from his shoulder through his upper body again and again. It reminded him that what had happened was all too real.
Using the dim external light, he inspected his injuries. The minor scrapes scattered over his body weren't worth mentioning, but his left shoulder bore a clean, direct penetrating wound.
Luckily, it was just his shoulder—if the attack had landed an inch lower, it would've torn through his throat. Thinking about it, Haseo found his current injuries somehow bearable.
His wounds had already been treated—he wouldn't bleed to death while unconscious.
"Um... I don't think I was unconscious for very long, right?" Haseo asked cautiously in a calm tone.
Of course, he wasn't alone inside this tree hollow. There was also the man who had "died" earlier. Right now, the other person was sitting in the corner on the opposite side of the hollow, facing toward its entrance... His armor, stained with dried blood into a brownish hue, and his numerous wounds made him an especially conspicuous sight.
This was the man who had injured Haseo before—and now, surprisingly—he had saved him.
"Mm, only a few hours have passed."
Even though he spoke, the man still appeared practically lifeless. His voice was low and hoarse. His breathing was barely perceptible, almost completely drowned out by the faint sound of rain outside.
"In that case… that's good," Haseo said.
Though the man radiated a dangerous aura from head to toe, at least one piece of good news was that he could communicate. The problem, however, was that Haseo clearly didn't know what to say to someone like him.
All of this was completely unexpected misfortune for Haseo, yet he could understand the other's actions—anyone would instinctively attack someone approaching without caution while they were dying and disoriented right after finishing a battle. If anything, it was simply Haseo himself who had been too careless.
"Still, thank you for treating my injuries." He pressed a hand against his shoulder and struggled to sit upright. Even such a simple movement sent sharp pain through his wound, causing sweat to trickle down his brow.
He expressed gratitude because the other man could have easily ignored him.
But the other man gave no reply. After a pause, Haseo couldn't help speaking again: "Don't you need your own wounds treated?"
The guy was in way worse shape than Haseo. That he was alive at all seemed nothing short of miraculous.
This time, the man finally responded. His words were brief yet conclusive: "No need."
So saying, he slightly lifted his shoulder, revealing the gaping wound beneath his ribs... It wasn't just skin or flesh; the internal organs had also sustained serious damage, their functions already lost.
Yes, it was undoubtedly a miracle for this man to remain alive until now—but miracles couldn't last forever. Knowing death was inevitable, there was no point in receiving aid.
"If not for being disturbed by you, I believe I'd already be dead," the man added.
Then, with difficulty, he shook his head slightly. There was no reason for him to say more about himself.
"As for you, why are you—a person of your age—here in this place?"
After all, the surrounding area was dense forest devoid of human presence. Even if people occasionally appeared, they shouldn't be someone like Haseo.
"To survive... Let me introduce myself. My name is Haseo Yu, and I'm a homeless orphan," Haseo replied.
In times like these, orphans showing up out of nowhere wasn't unusual. Their disappearance from anyplace was equally common. All of it was merely for survival.
Finishing his words, Haseo glanced at the other man, who quickly understood the meaning behind that look...
"Me? Is it my turn now?"
He had absolutely no need to introduce himself. In fact, given his highly significant status and the fact that this was enemy territory, he had no business introducing himself at all. Yet in the end, he still managed a faint, reluctant smile, gazing into the rain-laden mist ahead:
"My name is Tobirama Senju...
I'm a ninja."
............
P.S.: The previous book could no longer continue writing due to changes in review standards. Ironically, the plot had just reached the part I wanted to write the most. In the end, it proved this saying true... Those who stand others up always end up getting stood up themselves. It's poetic justice—the world has a way of balancing things out.
After thinking it through, I've decided to return to writing Naruto once again—it's a return after "many years" apart. Friends who enjoy my work, please continue your support. Thank you very much.
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