Chapter 7 Return
Morning.
Nagato, who had yet to see his mother emerge, was growing more and more anxious.
"Brother Saito, why hasn't Mom come out yet? Did she get hurt?"
Saito could only give an awkward smile, suddenly feeling a little guilty. This was probably the only side-effect of the merger—there was no helping it. In his previous life he'd more or less known what Hua Ye was like, always obsessed with making that thing stronger. While Saito wasn't twisted to that degree, the deeper the fusion went, the more he was affected. Add to that all the buffs Momona had stacked last night… well, understandable, totally understandable!
Saito ruffled Nagato's hair. "Your mom's fine. She just overexerted herself yesterday. Let her sleep a little longer."
He then turned his gaze toward Konan and Yahiko. "Since you're up, go eat breakfast. After that, help pack. Then we'll set off."
"Set off?"
Nagato, worried about his mother, froze at those two words.
"Brother Saito, are we all leaving this place?"
"That's right, Nagato. Last night I spoke with your mother. We're going to start a new life somewhere else—a place without war, without bad people. There you can go to school, make friends, never fear hunger, and never worry about villains breaking in."
Naturally Nagato was thrilled. He wolfed down his food and began packing at once.
Perhaps the three kids made too much noise, rousing the still-sleeping Momona.
"Lord Saito." Momona hurried over and bowed repeatedly.
"Hey, no need to call me 'lord' anymore. Just use my name."
"Understood, Mr. Saito."
He had already told her his background the night before.
When she learned he was the Kazekage of Hidden Sand Village, she was stunned for a long while, then readily agreed to follow him to the village.
Although Hidden Sand Village's environment was harsh—the very opposite of the Land of Rain, one place drought-stricken, the other water-logged—it was still one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, its safety unquestionable. Nagato could grow up in peace, no longer living in terror of intruders.
After the events of last night, she trusted Saito would look after Nagato.
"Mom!"
Spotting her, Nagato scampered over, suitcase in tow. No matter how strong he might become, right now he was just a little kid.
"Mom, are we going to live in a new place?"
"Yes, sweetheart. Mom and you are heading somewhere new—somewhere safe, where you'll make lots of friends."
Nagato nodded brightly. "Wherever Mom goes, I go."
"All right, let your mom eat; we'll be on the road soon."
"Okay, Brother Saito. I'll keep packing."
And off he darted.
"Such an energetic child."
Watching him go, Saito turned back with a smile. "Eat your breakfast; we'll leave once you're done."
After she finished, the luggage was nearly ready. The group of four prepared to depart.
Before leaving, they stopped at Nagato's father's grave.
"Well then…" Saito said gently, seeing the downcast mother and son and the two eager children, "let's go!"
He couldn't help it—Saito was softhearted and hated seeing a widow and her child bullied.
Meanwhile, the war in the Land of Rain seemed to intensify overnight, no doubt thanks to certain village's supply aid.
Before, Rain Ninja had charged into battle with nothing but swords.
Armor? What was that? The village had no money for such things; funds went to gas masks. If they could've afforded a decent life, who'd choose war? They weren't lunatics like the Uchiha or Kaguya clans.
But now it was different.
They wore flak jackets, Kunai clinked at their hips, and they even tucked in a couple of exploding tags—truly slaves-turned-singers.
Konoha was caught off-guard; casualties spiked and they lost ground.
Seeing this, Iwa jumped at the chance and stabbed Konoha in the back.
Konoha wouldn't stand for it. "Who do you think you are?" they fumed, and rallied more troops, dispatching Sakumo Hatake as well. Originally he'd been guarding against Hidden Sand Village, but with Suna lying low, he was free.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took one look and thought, "Who do you think you are? You're neither my pupil nor my junior—how dare you be idle? I'm so busy I haven't touched my telescope in days; how can you loaf at your age?" So he shipped him straight to the Rain front.
Thus the war inexplicably escalated.
In a single night Konoha nearly pushed the front line to Saito's doorstep, showing the Ninja World its might.
Amegakure reacted at once: Hanzo rushed to the front that very evening and halted Konoha's advance.
This caught Saito off-guard. In the original timeline the war wouldn't reach here for months after the three kids met, yet now the fighting was almost at his door.
His plan to quietly escort them to the Land of Wind died before it could hatch.
Looks like I'll have to reveal myself, he thought.
Just then, while lost in thought, Saito sensed something and stepped in front of the other four, frowning ahead.
The four, battle-hardened, knew what was coming and huddled behind him.
"Brother Saito…"
Before the words finished, three figures appeared. The leader had white hair and a short sword on his back—none other than Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake. (He hadn't earned the title yet, since Saito had ordered Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law sent home.)
"May I ask what the Kazekage is doing here?"
While Sakumo's group stared in shock at Saito, the three kids behind him gaped even wider.
"Y-you're kidding… Brother Saito… is actually the Kazekage?"
Knowing he could no longer hide, Saito unsealed a storage scroll and drew out the specially-made Kazekage cloak and ceremonial hat.
The white cloak shimmered with golden characters reading "Third Kazekage"; Saito had dusted it with gold sand—petty cash, but looking cool lasts forever.