Chapter 5
Yahiko didn't know what made them hate him more: the fact that he did something stupid, or that he wasn't wrong. He didn't dare say he was right, though. He could feel Konan wanting to strangle him.
But Yahiko was more concerned about Nagato. He couldn't blame him for wanting revenge, for wanting to kill the shinobi who threatened their lives. But it felt wrong how eagerly he wanted to do it. Was it really so easy to kill someone? Was it that easy a decision?
Yahiko couldn't understand. Maybe it was because of his previous life and morality. Maybe he should let it go and adapt to this world. It would probably be easier.
"What are you doing, Nagato?" Yahiko could only ask as he saw Nagato practicing with the weapons he had looted.
"Training."
"Why?"
"You saved me. I will never forget how you cared for me. And yet, I couldn't do anything. If you were ever in danger again, I want to be able to protect you."
"I thought I was a fool," Yahiko replied.
"You are," Konan said. "So, we are going to protect you, because you're too stupid to do it yourself."
Well, it was sound logic, so he couldn't argue. Though he knew they would not achieve much by throwing a few kunai and trying to land them on a target. Still, he said nothing and let them have their fun.
It wasn't like they were hurting anyone. Even if they were just kids, they weren't stupid enough not to know to be careful with sharp blades. So, there was no problem with them trying it out.
Yahiko was worried about other things. He hoped that would be the last shinobi or anyone else to come here. But he wasn't certain. So, he did everything he could to hide the path to the cave and cover its entrance.
He didn't know what else to do. Even if he wanted to leave, he didn't know where he would go. It might even be more dangerous on the road than it was here. In the end, he had no choice, did he?
He would have to seek out Jiraiya and hope he could train and teach them to protect themselves. As much as he didn't want to get involved in the shinobi world, with Nagato, it wasn't a choice. And even without him, they needed to get stronger to live freely.
At least they had something to occupy their time. Since Yahiko didn't want to risk it, he decided to bunker down for at least a few days. They had enough supplies to last without going out. And so, they stayed in the cave all the time.
...
Days passed fast, and although with each night it got colder, Yahiko didn't allow any fire to be lit. So, when the nights got too cold, they would bundle together by the wall under a couple of blankets, with Chibi, the little dog, on Nagato's lap.
It was quite calm. Nothing seemed to be happening nearby. But something made Yahiko a bit anxious. It had been some time since wild dogs or other animals came by. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen any since he brought Nagato.
He guessed they were scared off by the shinobi he found dead. Even though Yahiko hadn't noticed or heard the fighting, the animals did and left the area. But he wondered why they hadn't returned yet.
Maybe he was overthinking it. And there wasn't much he could do about it anyway. So, he spent his days in the cave trying their best to be unnoticed by anyone passing by.
They ate the rations Yahiko had looted and bread most of the time. There was plenty enough for them. Sleeping together, they never really were cold. So, the days passed peacefully without anything of note.
"Do you think that shinobi told anyone about this place?" Konan asked, clearly still worried.
"It wouldn't surprise me," Nagato replied.
"I don't think so," Yahiko said. "I don't think we would be a priority for anyone. And that shinobi was probably too embarrassed to tell anyone what happened to him."
"Well, next time anyone else comes, I'm going to kick their asses," Nagato said.
"I will kick your ass if you don't stop spouting such nonsense," Yahiko playfully hit Nagato's shoulder. "You're nowhere near the level to hurt anyone. Just leave it all to me."
"I trained. I can now hit someone from ten meters with a kunai," Nagato tried to defend himself.
"And I can hit you from here," Yahiko hit Nagato's shoulder again. "But it still wouldn't hurt anyone."
"I just hate this. Being so powerless and always afraid," Nagato said. "I wish I could kill them all, so we could live in peace. Go wherever we want and do anything we want."
"We don't need to kill anyone to do that," Yahiko replied. "One day, we will be strong enough to do whatever we want. And it will be them who are afraid of us. But we don't have to be like them. We can be better."
"But when will that time come?" Konan asked, burying her face in her hands.
"In ten years? Maybe twenty?" Yahiko gave a realistic estimate. "We find a good shinobi who will teach us. But before that, rather than thinking about when that time will come, why don't you think about what you want to do? Where do you want to go?"
"I want to see the sea," Konan said. "I heard it is so vast that you can't even see the end of it. It just stretches and stretches as far as your eye can see."
"I want to see snow," Nagato said. "I remember seeing it once, when I was little. I don't remember much. But even now I dream about it. It is white and fluffy. What about you, Yahiko?"
"I want to see you two grow up and realize your dreams," Yahiko smiled.
"Stupid Yahiko," Konan replied with a punch into Yahiko's shoulder.
"Arf! Arf!"
"Even Chibi thinks that you're stupid, Yahiko," Nagato laughed.
"Arf! Arf!" But suddenly, Chibi left Nagato's lap and started barking at the entrance of the cave.
"Take the bags, and be ready," Yahiko quickly instructed as he pulled out a kunai from his sleeve and went to Chibi.
Firstly, he calmed the dog down before walking up to the entrance. He hid his kunai for now, as it would only be useful if he caught someone by surprise. Otherwise, it was just a toy in his hands.
At first, he tried to hear anything but quickly gave up. There was no sound apart from Nagato and Konan picking up the bags where they stored most of their supplies and preparing to leave through the tunnel they had dug over time.
It was just big enough for them to crawl through. Chibi continued to stare at the entrance and bare his teeth. Something was out here. And the silence made Yahiko more anxious. He tried to see anything through the gaps of the branches covering the entrance, but he couldn't make out anything.
Seeing that Nagato and Konan were ready to leave anytime, Yahiko walked closer. Slowly and silently. With each step, he got closer and could see better that there was nothing outside. When he was about to calm down and think it was a false alert, he heard it.
Heavy breathing next to the entrance. It wasn't human as it carried immense weight. It was close, just outside the entrance. And it was something big and dangerous. Either way, Yahiko didn't risk it and turned to Konan and Nagato.
"Go." Before his first word even came out, the tree branches broke down as a massive claw came in.
A giant bear broke in. Yahiko didn't even have time to react as its teeth settled on his shoulder. The pain almost made him pass out. And as he was lifted into the air, he knew if he didn't do something, he would die before he hit the ground again.
"Yahiko!" Konan cried out his name in fear.
Nagato responded by throwing a kunai. It seemed he wasn't boasting about his skills for nothing, as it hit the bear in the eye. Causing it enough pain for it to let Yahiko go. But by this time, he had already lost any feeling in his left arm, and the bear didn't seem to want to let him go so easily.
As the bear bared its teeth at Yahiko to finish what it started, Yahiko stabbed the kunai he somehow was still holding in his right hand into its other eye, blinding it completely.
Even in pain, Yahiko quickly rolled to his feet, picking up Chibi, who continued to bark at the bear, and ran to the tunnel. Nagato had to drag him through the tunnel as it took all Yahiko's strength just to hold on to Chibi.
Konan was already ahead with the bags, leaving only the bear trashing the cave, destroying everything inside. From one wall to another, probably searching for him. But by the time it got to him, he and Nagato would already be outside.
"Run," Yahiko said once outside.
There was nothing else they could do but run. Yahiko was losing his strength quickly, and Konan and Nagato had to hold him up to keep him on his feet. And so, they just ran until Yahiko simply couldn't go on anymore.
They settled him by a tree, and Konan quickly took out bandages to treat Yahiko's wound. Nagato watched their back, looking out for the bear. But it didn't seem to follow them. It would have caught up to them by now.
"Thanks," Yahiko said to Konan as she quickly bandaged him and stopped the bleeding. "Good job, Nagato. You saved me."
"You would have done the same," Nagato replied.
"I would have tried, but I would have never hit its eye," Yahiko said. "Because you did, you saved our lives. So, thank you."
"What now?" Konan asked. "Should we go to town? Your wound looks serious."
"We don't have any other choice," Yahiko replied. "We probably have enough money for a doctor and to stay for a week at a cheap inn. But you will have to help me. I don't think I'll be able to walk just yet."
As much as he disliked it, there was no other choice. Yahiko couldn't feel his left arm at all—just pain from his shoulder—so he guessed that if he didn't see a doctor soon, he might lose his arm.
While Konan took the bags, Nagato put Yahiko's right arm around his shoulder and helped him walk. They knew it would take longer than usual to arrive in town. And it was already dark.
…
Yahiko was losing consciousness. Even though Konan managed to stop his bleeding, he had already lost too much. But he continued to hold on as they neared the town.
"Go to the market," Yahiko instructed. "The fishmonger will help us."
"Fishmonger?" Konan asked.
"I will lead the way," Yahiko said as he was losing strength. "First, go to the market, then turn left at the main street. I know where he lives."
Yahiko remembered the first few days in this world. He thought that because the fishmonger was fat, he was probably quite rich too. So, he followed him back to his home and thought that, while he was in the market, he would break in and steal from him.
It seems now that he was lucky, since in the end he decided against it. If he had been caught back then, nobody in town would have helped him now. All his stuff would just be taken away, and he would be thrown outside the town to die.
"This one," Finally, they reached the house. "Knock on the door hard; he snores loudly, so he might not hear."
Nagato nodded as he handed Yahiko to Konan before he went to the door and started kicking it. Soon enough, they heard a sound from inside.
"Who is it? Is this some joke? You'd better prepare for some ass kicking!" The fishmonger opened the door angrily, glaring at them before he noticed Yahiko. "Yahiko? What the hell happened? Did a bear eat you and spit you out?"
"Yes."
"What?"
"A bear had a taste of me, now the beast is blind."
"Shit, if you're already this delirious, then we need to hurry. Give him to me, girly, and follow me."
Yahiko felt the fishmonger's arms around his body as he was lifted and carried off. By this point, he barely had any strength to keep his eyes open. He was just so tired and sleepy. But he tried his best to stay awake.
A.N. As always, thanks for reading and supporting me, so I can continue writing without any concerns, and if you want more, up to 7 more chapters of his story and 28 chapters in total with all my other stories combined, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852.