Haruki left Number One at Yuma's blacksmith shop.
On his way back to his single apartment, he saw countless Amegakure ninjas gathered around the public notice board from a distance.
The Amegakure ninjas were all red-faced, veins throbbing, and filled with indignation.
Haruki's eyes darted, and he knew this was a good time to collect emotional value. He strode towards the crowd, a look of simple curiosity on his face.
"Haruki?"
Mizuna caught a glimpse of Haruki from the corner of his eye and asked, "Is training over?"
Haruki stood beside him, nodded, and curiously stood on his tiptoes to look inside. "What is everyone looking at?"
Mizuna paused, glanced at the notice board, it's better to keep this from Haruki lest he secretly run to the battlefield again like the previous two times.
The scale of this war is not a minor skirmish. For Haruki, it was still too dangerous.
"Nothing."
Mizuna smiled and changed the subject, "Have you had dinner yet?"
Haruki looked at Mizuna, then cleverly squeezed into the crowd and ran towards the innermost part.
"Hey!"
Mizuna's eyes widened, and he didn't react for a moment. By the time he reached out to pull Haruki, Haruki's figure had already scurried into the innermost part.
The Amegakure ninjas in the innermost part all looked down at the suddenly appearing Haruki.
"Haruki?"
Haruki was looking up, intently staring at the scroll posted on the notice board.
The Amegakure ninjas all noticed Haruki's presence. They exchanged glances, it was too late to stop Haruki from continuing to read.
"Sunagakure is going too far."
After finishing, Haruki's eyebrows immediately shot up, and he turned to all the Amegakure ninjas and said, "We absolutely cannot let them succeed."
Seeing him like this, the Amegakure ninjas all smiled.
"Of course."
"How could we let them insult us like this?"
"We will drive Sunagakure out of the Land of Rain."
"Let them never set foot in the Land of Rain again."
...
The rising and falling voices entered Haruki's ears.
Haruki's gaze swept over everyone, his eyes sparkling, and he declared loudly, "I also want to go to the battlefield with everyone. We will drive out the ninjas of Sunagakure together. I will definitely bring everyone back to Amegakure safely."
The originally excited Amegakure ninjas fell into a dead silence after hearing Haruki's words.
[Ding!]
[System detected Mizuna's gratitude value + 2000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Takigawa's gratitude value + 2000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Tetsu's gratitude value + 2000.]
...
[Currently, a total of 28000 gratitude points have been collected, and your Cursed Spirit Land God's rank has increased to 62.5%.]
Mizuna's hand rested on Haruki's shoulder, he bent down and looked at Haruki seriously, saying, "Haruki, you just wait for us to return safely in the village, you are still a child, war has nothing to do with you."
Haruki's smile vanished, his lips straightened, his face full of defiance, pointing to the headband on his forehead. "I am also a ninja of Amegakure! Why does war have nothing to do with me? I am also everyone's medical ninja, I want to treat everyone on the battlefield."
[Ding!]
[System detected Mizuna's affection value + 1000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Takigawa's affection value + 1000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Tetsu's affection value + 1000.]
...
[Currently, a total of 14000 affection points have been collected, and your Companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 69.3%.]
"You are a ninja of Amegakure, but you are still too young, and the battlefield is full of danger. You are more important than all of us, you cannot be harmed." Tetsu said earnestly after a moment of silence.
Haruki's gaze shifted to him. Tetsu's face was expressionless, like an iron tower standing silently in the rain.
"A ninja's strength isn't measured by age, is it?" Haruki retorted.
Tetsu had no rebuttal.
Takigawa's voice poured down like ice water.
"You are a genius, very strong, but the battlefield is a place specifically designed to stifle geniuses."
"Once Sunagakure discovers your talent, they will specifically target you until they confirm your death."
"But I am not afraid of death. I just want everyone to live." Haruki spoke with conviction.
His clear childish voice echoed in everyone's ears.
An eight-year-old child stood before them, fearless of the approaching war, and told them firmly.
He was not afraid of death, he just wanted everyone to live.
[Ding!]
[System detected Nagi's affection value + 2000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Mizuna's affection value + 2000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Tetsu's affection value + 2000.]
...
[Currently, a total of 28000 affection points have been collected, and your Companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 72.1%.]
"Sensei has already agreed for me to go to the battlefield with everyone. No matter what, I will not change my mind." Haruki shouted to them.
"I'm going to prepare my things." Haruki pushed through the crowd and ran towards his apartment.
Midway, he suddenly turned around and waved to the Amegakure ninjas who were staring intently at his retreating figure.
"See you tomorrow!"
[Ding!]
[System detected Mizuna's gratitude value + 2000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Takigawa's gratitude value + 2000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Tetsu's gratitude value + 2000.]
...
[Currently, a total of 28000 gratitude points have been collected, and your Cursed Spirit Land God's rank has increased to 65.3%.]
"Did Hanzō-sama really agree?" Mizuna watched Haruki's figure disappear and asked doubtfully.
"Haruki shouldn't be lying, Hanzō-sama really agreed for him to go to the battlefield with us."
Mizuna's eyes were full of worry.
"What is Hanzō-sama thinking?" Nagi asked abruptly.
"Hanzō-sama is Haruki's sensei, there must be a reason for him to do this." Tetsu said.
"Amegakure cannot afford the cost of losing Haruki." Nagi stared at Tetsu, saying each word distinctly.
"I know, but we can't keep him confined in Amegakure forever." A helpless expression appeared on Tetsu's face.
"Keeping him in Amegakure and protecting him until he has sufficient strength is the safest approach." Nagi's gaze moved from Tetsu's face, coldly watching the lead-gray clouds in the distance.
"How do you know he doesn't have enough strength?"
Suzaku's figure appeared in everyone's sight. He walked to Nagi, gently patted his shoulder and said, "I know you're worried about him, but trust Hanzō-sama, trust Haruki, and trust us, we will protect him, won't we?"
Nagi lowered his eyes and nodded.