Nagato pursed his lips and smiled. He reached out and hugged Haruki.
[Ding!]
[System detected Nagato's affection value +2000.]
[Your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika's rank has increased to 62.9%.]
This hug was worth a fortune!
Haruki released Nagato.
"Since Haruki is back today, how about we have a seafood feast tonight?" Jiraiya shouted excitedly.
"Good!" Yahiko jumped up and yelled.
Konan and Nagato also nodded happily.
Jiraiya's big hand landed on Haruki's head, ruffling it vigorously. "Yahiko and the others missed you terribly. You four get along well, I'll go prepare dinner for you."
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei." Haruki looked up and said to Jiraiya.
Seeing the familiar smile on Haruki's face, Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that Haruki hadn't changed.
Jiraiya patted Haruki's shoulder and said, "No need to be so polite with me."
He strode forward, took a large iron bucket from the wooden house, carried the bucket, and walked towards the distant shallow beach.
Haruki was pushed and shoved into the house by Yahiko.
They sat down in a tight circle. Three pairs of eyes stared intently at Haruki.
Yahiko squirmed excitedly on the tatami mat, his eyes wide, and asked with immense anticipation, "Haruki, what have you been doing all this time? Has the war not stopped yet? Have you participated in battles between ninjas?"
Yahiko didn't give Haruki any time to answer, chattering endlessly. With each question he asked, his eyes grew brighter.
"Yahiko, you need to give Haruki time to answer." Konan covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"Oh, right."
Yahiko scratched the back of his head sheepishly, then grinned widely at Haruki. "Haruki, quickly tell me, what have you been doing all this time?"
"I've been saving people and training at the same time." Haruki spoke truthfully.
"Is there still fighting outside, then?" Yahiko's eyes widened as he asked nervously.
Haruki nodded.
He brought new information. "You might not know this, but we are about to sign a contract with Konoha, which means we are going to stop fighting Konoha."
Currently, under Hanzo's deliberate actions, this news had already spread throughout the Ninja World.
Yahiko and the others lived in a secluded wooden house by the sea, so they might not have received this news yet.
"Really?"
Just as Haruki expected, Yahiko and the others knew nothing.
Upon hearing this news, Yahiko jumped up excitedly.
"That's great!"
Yahiko had only one thought in his mind: the Land of Rain was about to usher in peace. They would no longer have to live as difficult a life as before.
"Haruki, how did you know this news?" Konan hugged her knees, looking at Haruki curiously.
Haruki smiled at her and said, "It's already spread everywhere outside."
Konan breathed a sigh of relief, a smile also appearing on her face. "So that's how it is."
Yahiko's cheers suddenly stopped, and he sat down on the floor in disappointment. "So it's just rumors from outside. News from outside has no credibility at all. They said they would stop fighting a long time ago, but the war hasn't stopped until now..."
"No, it's not." Haruki shook his head at Yahiko.
He earnestly explained to the three of them, "This news is credible. Hanzo-sama said it himself."
Yahiko was stunned, looking at Haruki blankly, and opened his mouth, "Haruki, how do you know Hanzo said it himself?"
Konan's heart leaped into her throat. She looked at Haruki nervously, afraid of what terrible words might come out of Haruki's mouth.
"I've been working by Hanzo-sama's side. This is news I heard with my own ears." Haruki said, looking at Yahiko.
Flames suddenly shot up in Yahiko's eyes. He leaped up and yelled at Haruki, "How can you be by Hanzo's side? Don't you know who turned the Land of Rain into what it is now? It's Hanzo! He started the war. He caused us to become orphans..."
[Ding!]
[System detected Yahiko's anger value +5000.]
[The Cursed Spirit activation value has not been reached. Anger value has been stored.]
"Yahiko..."
Konan was startled by the enraged Yahiko and called out tremblingly. Unfortunately, Yahiko couldn't hear anything now.
He stared at Haruki, Haruki's words constantly echoing in his mind.
Haruki stood up, looked at Yahiko sternly, and reprimanded, "Yahiko, I won't allow you to speak of Hanzo-sama like that. You don't understand anything at all. Hanzo-sama is not what you say he is..."
[Ding!]
[System detected Yahiko's anger value +8000.]
[A total of 16000 anger points have been collected. Activating Cursed Spirit Jogo.]
[Jogo (16%)]
"Haruki! How could you say that about me for Hanzo's sake?! Is Hanzo more important to you than me? More important than Nagato and Konan? Hanzo is a fanatic who only knows how to wage war. He killed your family. He killed our family. And now you're defending him?"
Yahiko was like an angry young bull, his chest heaving violently, his words coming out in a rapid-fire torrent.
"You're too agitated."
Haruki looked at Yahiko, his voice overpowering him, "You've misunderstood Hanzo-sama. You only want to immerse yourself in your own fantasies."
[Ding!]
[System detected Yahiko's pain value +5000.]
[The Cursed Spirit activation value has not been reached. Pain value has been stored.]
Pain value?
Haruki looked at Yahiko in front of him. Did Yahiko feel pain because of him?
"Haruki! You've changed! You've become Hanzo's lackey! I don't want to see you!" Yahiko let out a sharp roar.
[Ding!]
[System detected Yahiko's anger value +4000.]
[Your Cursed Spirit Jogo's rank has increased to 20%.]
Nagato and Konan stood up, their gazes darting back and forth between the fiercely arguing Haruki and Yahiko, feeling helpless.
Haruki looked at Yahiko, his voice lowering. "You will understand Hanzo-sama one day, Yahiko."
"Don't you dare mention him in front of me!" Yahiko's eyes were red, staring fixedly at Haruki.
Haruki took a step back, watching him with disappointment. "Yahiko, we can't communicate right now. You'll understand later."
He turned and walked towards the wooden house door. At that moment, he bumped into Jiraiya, who was returning with a full load.
Jiraiya looked at Haruki, who was rushing out of the room, in confusion. "Huh? Haruki? Where are you going?"
"Jiraiya-sensei, I still have things to do, so I'll be leaving first."
Haruki bowed to Jiraiya. "My apologies."
[Ding!]
[System detected Yahiko's pain value +5000.]
[A total of 10000 pain points have been collected. Activating Cursed Spirit No. 007 - Living Cursed Object Kenjaku.]
[Kenjaku (10%)]