Chapter 2 — First Meeting with Konan
The two walked through a relatively bustling street when a small figure suddenly rushed out from ahead.
She ran unsteadily, glancing back at the people chasing her—and slammed straight into Ryusuke.
"I'm… I'm sorry."
The girl's voice was very young. Judging by her size, she was only five or six years old.
She looked back in panic. Before Ryusuke could respond, she darted around him and ran past.
Only a streak of blue-purple hair slipped out from beneath her rain hood.
"Damn little thief! Don't let me catch you!"
The shopkeeper chased after her. Slightly overweight, he ran only a few steps before he was out of breath and could only wave his fist angrily.
"She stole something from you?" Tsunade said, her brown eyes turning toward Ryusuke.
"Mm, I know. Just a few coins," Ryusuke replied casually.
When it came to people in war-torn countries—especially children—he would help if he could.
Tsunade said nothing more, but inwardly she thought, He really is a gentle person.
Naturally, Ryusuke had no idea he had just been handed a "nice guy" card by Tsunade.
They continued down the street. Their top priority now was to find a place to settle in.
Judging by what they had seen of Amegakure's patrol squads, guests in inns were routinely inspected multiple times a day.
For Ryusuke and Tsunade, the best plan was to find a remote area and borrow lodging from a local household.
They wound their way through alleyways and side streets, gradually moving toward a more desolate part of town.
A dilapidated house ahead caught their attention.
It looked crude and poorly maintained—clearly unrepaired for a long time.
Suddenly, a man's pleading voice came from inside.
"This is our last bit of food… Please—cough, cough—please don't…"
Bang!
Another heavy impact echoed from within.
Before long, two ninja walked out, cursing.
"Half a bag of rice? Protect what, exactly?"
They froze when they noticed Ryusuke and Tsunade outside. Apparently unwilling to complicate matters, they shot the pair a vicious glare as a warning not to interfere, then quickly vanished into the rain.
Ryusuke and Tsunade exchanged a look. Tsunade gave him a slight nod, and they stepped inside.
There was barely any furniture—just a worn-out quilt and a few clay jars.
A thin man lay on his back, unconscious. Blood stained the corner of his mouth, and his face was pale.
Tsunade stepped forward and quickly examined his injuries.
"Fortunately, just light injuries."
She poured a bottle of medicinal solution down his throat. Chakra gathered in her hands as she began repairing his damaged organs.
Ryusuke stood guard at the door, watching for any further trouble.
At that moment, a figure stumbled toward the house through the rain.
The downpour blurred her vision; she could only make out a vague silhouette at the entrance.
Thinking it was her father, she waved happily and quickened her pace.
But as she drew closer and saw the figure clearly, she froze. Her small body stiffened noticeably.
In the end, she gritted her teeth and walked resolutely toward Ryusuke.
He recognized her—it was the same girl who had stolen his money earlier.
The little girl trembled as she approached. In her right hand, she tightly clutched medicinal herbs she must have just bought. In her left, she held out the remaining coins to Ryusuke.
"I… I'm sorry. I—I won't do it again. Please don't hurt my father."
She did not beg for mercy for herself. Her small body shook constantly—whether from cold or fear, it was hard to tell.
She glanced toward the interior of the house and saw her father lying on the ground, dried blood nearby.
She trembled even harder.
But from the way her fists clenched tightly, Ryusuke could tell that this time, she wasn't just afraid.
She was angry.
"We didn't injure your father. In fact, it's the opposite—my wife is treating him."
Ryusuke explained.
The little girl nodded. Whether she believed him or not was unclear.
When the treatment was finished, she quietly went to her father's side and tried to help him onto the bed.
But she was too small and weak. After several attempts, she still couldn't move him.
Ryusuke walked over and lifted the man onto the bed.
The man was extremely thin—barely over eighty pounds. Nowhere near the weight of a healthy adult.
Silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of breathing.
Ryusuke returned to Tsunade's side and slipped an arm around her slender waist.
Tsunade's face immediately flushed.
This brat dares to take advantage of me at a time like this?
Then she felt the coded signal from his hand on her waist:
Should we switch houses?
A ticklish sensation ran up her spine, goosebumps rising across her back. She couldn't help but shudder.
Posing as husband and wife allowed them to exchange information through physical contact while others were present.
That had been Tsunade's original intention for the disguise.
But was this how he was supposed to use it?
Relying on her excellent ninja discipline, she endured it and sent a signal back by pressing against the back of his hand:
Wait a little longer.
Then, with a sweet smile on her face, she grabbed the hand around her waist.
Ryusuke immediately felt an overwhelming force crush down.
This tigress!
Though he maintained a pleasant smile outwardly, faint sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Cough, cough~"
A voice broke the oppressive silence just in time, sparing Ryusuke from further suffering.
He quickly withdrew his hand behind his back and discreetly rubbed his numb palm.
The man slowly opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Then he exhaled deeply.
Thank goodness I'm not dead. If I had died… what would happen to my daughter?
When the little girl saw her father safe, the tension in her heart finally snapped. She threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.
She couldn't imagine how she would survive without him.
The man stiffened slightly before regaining his senses. He looked tenderly at his tear-streaked daughter and gently stroked her hair.
"It's alright, Konan," he said softly.
"Ahem. Sorry to interrupt this touching father-daughter reunion, but we'd like to ask for your help with something."
Ryusuke stepped forward awkwardly.
The man looked at the two of them in terror. He sat up at once and pulled Konan protectively into his arms.
"My lords, we truly have no food left. Please… please spare us," he pleaded weakly.
Ryusuke raised his hands reassuringly.
"It was my wife who treated you just now."
"We're merchants who came to the Land of Rain to purchase local specialties. But our identification papers were stolen on the way, so we can't stay at an inn."
"We were hoping to borrow a place to stay for a while. My wife knows some medical skills and can continue treating you."
The man paused after hearing this. Then a faint smile forced its way onto his pale face.
"Thank you for saving me. My name is Seiichi. This is my daughter, Konan."
"You are my benefactors. Of course you may stay here."
Ryusuke smiled at them.
"Thank you. There's no need to call us 'my lord.' We're just merchants."
"Just call me Ryusuke. This is my wife, Kogane."
Tsunade hooked her arm around Ryusuke's and gave them a gentle smile.
"Sorry for the trouble."
Ryusuke inwardly jolted.
Again?
At that moment, he felt Tsunade's coded message on his arm:
I'll keep an eye on this man. Go notify the other two teams that we've arrived safely. Meet at 2 a.m.
Understanding immediately, Ryusuke smiled and asked,
"It's almost noon. I'll go buy some supplies. What would you like to eat?"
The man shook his head.
"Anything is fine, my lord."
Tsunade replied succinctly, "Whatever. Anything's fine."
Ryusuke immediately wore the expression of an old man staring at a phone on the subway.
"Alright, alright. Straight to nightmare difficulty, huh?"
He turned to the little girl with a smile.
"Konan, would you mind showing me where to buy some things?"
The man's brows furrowed slightly, but he quickly smiled and patted his daughter's shoulder, gently pushing her forward.
"Go on. Show him the way."
Konan nodded and handed over the apples and herbs she had stolen earlier to her father.
The two of them put on their rain hoods and disappeared into the curtain of rain.