Chapter 419

"Crackle~ Pop~"

Inside the cave, a scorching flame flickered in the stove. The three temporary teacher and students sat in a circle, the spacious table filled with steaming food.

However, facing these delicacies emitting an alluring aroma, Konan and Yahiko showed little interest, looking absent-minded.

"What are you waiting for? Eat up?"

Uchiha Gin broke the silence first, placing two bowls of rice in front of the two, only to find them still indifferent.

"If you don't eat now, it'll get cold~"

"Gin-san, don't you want us anymore?"

Konan slowly raised her head, water mist already faintly appearing in her eyes.

Uchiha Gin, who had just picked up his chopsticks, paused upon hearing this. After gently putting the chopsticks down, his lazy expression gradually became serious.

"You guys saw it just now too. The battle between ninjas is no child's play. Children like you, following me, will only become a burden."

"But..."

Yahiko, on the side, just wanted to say something, but Uchiha Gin raised his hand to stop his voice.

"There are no 'buts'. I said, I am a wanderer, it's impossible to linger in the same place for too long."

Uchiha Gin shook his head, his dull eyes showing a profound light.

"You guys definitely don't want to leave your hometown and live a wandering life with me."

"..."

Yahiko lowered his head, his two little fists clenched until the veins popped out. He indeed couldn't leave.

He still had his own ideals. He wanted to use his own power to change this painful country and let everyone in the Land of Rain live a peaceful and harmonious life.

"I'm willing."

Konan raised her head, looking at Uchiha Gin with a firm gaze.

"I'm willing to go with Gin-san."

Compared to Yahiko, who had great ambitions, Konan, as a female, was more emotional.

Although the time spent with Uchiha Gin was very short, she already had some hard-to-let-go feelings in her heart: teacher-student affection, family affection, or other feelings with unknown meanings.

"Stop it, the outside world is dangerous. A kid like you will be eaten clean if you're not careful."

Patting Konan's stubborn little head, Uchiha Gin sighed slightly in his heart.

"Eat, you won't have worries once you're full."

"I... mmm mmm mmm!"

Konan just wanted to say something more, but Uchiha Gin, quick-eyed and fast-handed, picked up his chopsticks and forcibly stuffed a piece of sweet and sour pork into her little mouth that wouldn't stop chattering.

"Don't talk while eating, don't talk while sleeping."

After saying that, he went back to digging into his rice. Seeing that Uchiha Gin didn't want to say more, Konan and Yahiko wiped their shriveled stomachs and had no choice but to pick up their bowls and start devouring their food.

"Burp~"

Soon, the table of delicacies was wiped out by the three teacher and students. After Uchiha Gin burped, he cast his gaze on the two children who were also full.

"Yahiko, the supplies purchased during the day should be enough for you two to live for a long time."

The topic returned to the parting segment. Konan and the other, who were happy just now, were once again devastated.

Yahiko, silent, placed the scrolls in his backpack in front of everyone. The tons of supplies inside didn't make the two feel excited.

Compared to these materials, they wanted to stay by Uchiha Gin's side more, because he could provide the most important sense of security for the two orphans.

Even if they returned to the life of having one meal and missing the next, Konan and the other were willing, as long as Gin-san was by their side.

"Mm... Konan, this is for you."

Looking at the storage scroll on the table, Uchiha Gin pondered for a moment, then took out another scroll from his body and placed it in the hands of Konan, who was in low spirits.

"Gin-san, this is..."

"A little pocket money. Take it out and use it when you encounter an insurmountable obstacle."

After gifting the scroll containing tons of gold bricks to Konan and the other, Uchiha Gin finally felt relieved.

With money and supplies, they wouldn't go hungry again, right?

"Gin-san, are you leaving now?"

Holding the scroll with Uchiha Gin's body temperature, Konan endured the sadness in her heart and asked tremblingly.

At this moment, she knew that parting was an irreversible conclusion.

"Soon."

Looking at the countdown that was running out in his mind, Uchiha Gin nodded lightly.

"Oh."

Knowing the answer, Konan was extremely calm, which was a bit beyond Uchiha Gin's expectations. He thought this little girl would at least cry a bit.

"Gin-san, what about mine?"

On the other side, Yahiko, who also knew the outcome couldn't be changed, returned to his usual optimism, leaned over like a bootlicker, and stretched out his hands to ask for the storage scroll labeled with the word 'Gold'.

"Go away, I don't trust you with the accounts."

Kicking Yahiko's butt, Uchiha Gin rolled his eyes.

This kid was too simple, even believing in hidden words. If he gave him the money, he would probably be tricked by someone before it even got warm.

"Gin-san is biased!"

Yahiko, baring his teeth, clutched his butt and jumped to the side, full of resentment, but the sadness in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

"Sorry, I'm just biased toward girls."

Uchiha Gin picked his nose, not hiding his preferences at all.

"There's still some time, I'll give you guys a little extra training."

Signaling the two to come forward, Uchiha Gin began to use the little time left to answer their questions about training.

Konan sat obediently to the side, her two eyes fixed on Uchiha Gin, not knowing if she remembered the important knowledge points.

Time ticked away.

"I have to go."

Compared to leaving without saying goodbye, waving goodbye is actually more heartbreaking.

"Wait."

"Yahiko, is there anything else?"

"Gin-san, we will meet again, right?"

"The Ninja World isn't that big. If we're fated, we'll meet again."

"Wait for me, I will definitely become a ninja who shakes the world and make you, Gin-san, be shocked!"

Shocked by what?

The rice you carry?

Uchiha Gin waved at his two cheap disciples, picked up his black wooden sword, and turned to leave a memorable back for the two.

After walking out of the cave, the drizzle continued to fall. The world in Uchiha Gin's mind had entered the final countdown.

【Countdown -144s】

Tap, tap, tap...

Suddenly, accompanied by a crisp sound of footsteps, Konan, panting, rushed out of the cave. Uchiha Gin stopped and turned his head in confusion.

"Gin-san, please put this flower on my head."

This girl, who had been silent for a long time, held up a pure white rose with both hands, her big watery eyes filled with a hint of pleading.

The white paper flower had been dampened by the rain and was starting to turn slightly yellow. Uchiha Gin couldn't bear to refuse, so he took the paper flower from the girl's hand.

Casting his gaze on the girl who was closing her eyes and waiting, Uchiha Gin suddenly remembered the scene of Konan's tragic death in this timeline, and his hand movement paused.

They were his disciples after all, so he would help if he could.

Uchiha Gin immediately used paper ninjutsu to restore the paper flower in his hand to the state of white paper, and then mobilized all his existing chakra.

As the chakra light lit up, a trigger-type ninjutsu was written on this sheet of white paper.

"Hoo~ Hoo~ Hoo~"

After finishing this series of actions, Uchiha Gin, whose body was instantly emptied, almost collapsed. Fortunately, he had the wooden sword for support, so he didn't make a fool of himself.

"Gin-san, what's wrong?"

Konan, who had been waiting for a long time, heard Uchiha Gin's panting sound and immediately opened her eyes.

"It's okay, I'll put it on for you right now."

Forcing himself to be spirited, Uchiha Gin waved his hand and gently put the re-folded paper flower on Konan's head.

"Does it look good, Gin-san?"

Feeling the temperature of Uchiha Gin's big hand, a few red clouds floated on Konan's face. Biting her lips in embarrassment, she asked like a mosquito.

"That's natural, our Konan is the cutest in the world~"

Rubbing the little head of the future White Tiger Angel with indulgence, Uchiha Gin's smile was very brilliant.

"Gin-san, come down a bit, I have a secret I want to tell you."

Looking at Uchiha Gin's smiling face, Konan felt as if she were drunk, her cheeks flushed. Summoning her courage, she beckoned to her teacher.

Uchiha Gin didn't refuse. He leaned down and leaned his ear over. He was indeed a bit curious about what Konan had to say to him.

"Gin-san..."

The girl's breath was warm and carried a faint fragrance. Uchiha Gin only felt his ears itching.

"I..."

【3, 2, 1, 0, countdown ends】

Just then, the bell of the countdown ending rang, Uchiha Gin's body began to become illusory, and his consciousness fell into darkness.

Before disappearing, he seemed to feel his cheek being lightly touched.

Just after Uchiha Gin was quietly teleported away, only Konan was left standing alone on the spot.

Konan, who didn't notice Uchiha Gin's departure, closed her eyes tightly, her cheeks as red as a big apple, her little pouty mouth puckered high.

However, the legendary touch was only a flash. Feeling empty, she slowly opened her shy eyes, only to find that Uchiha Gin in front of her had evaporated like a human, disappearing without a trace.

"Gin-san? Gin-san!"

The girl's voice, like a cuckoo crying blood, echoed in the gray rain, unable to dissipate for a long time.

Uchiha Gin's departure made Konan and the other depressed for a long time, but people can't always immerse themselves in the past.

"Konan, what are you going to do?"

Yahiko, who was concentrating on meditation, looked at Konan, who had put on a raincoat. Since Uchiha Gin was gone, the two of them hadn't been out for a long time.

"I'm going out to relax, and by the way, inquire about information regarding Gin-san."

Konan believed that a ninja as excellent as Uchiha Gin couldn't have left no traces in the Ninja World. As long as they could grasp a little clue, they might meet again.

This time going out, Konan indeed gained something.

"Konan, didn't I tell you not to pick up strange things?"

"I just picked up a puppy."

Holding a cute Shiba Inu, Konan said righteously.

"Then what about him?"

Yahiko, who was a bit breathless, raised his finger and pointed at the shy red-haired boy behind Konan. Wasn't this the little 'boy-girl' Gin-san once mentioned?

"Sent as a bonus when picking up the dog."

"Hello everyone, my name is Nagato, thank you for saving my life."

Nagato, who was saved by Konan with a piece of bread, lowered his head timidly. His thick bangs covered most of his face, and his exposed skin showed an unhealthy paleness.

"Nagato, is it? We don't need men who are sissies."

Yahiko walked to Nagato and wanted to lift his hair to see his appearance, but was nimbly dodged by the other party.

"I'm not a sissy!"

Nagato, clutching his bangs, had a soft and weak voice.

Yahiko frowned. If someone like this was released, he was afraid that in a few days, he would be humiliated to death by perverts with special hobbies.

Thinking that his small goal still had one last chance left, Yahiko shook his head, with an expression of 'you kid hit the jackpot'.

"Sigh~ Who told me to be Yahiko who loves to help others? You kid really hit the jackpot."

Since then, the three-person group of the Akatsuki creation in the original work finally gathered together.

"Tobi, I need a reasonable explanation."

Looking at Nagato who joined Konan and Yahiko's team, a flash of ruthlessness appeared on Uchiha Madara's old face. Did Spiral White Zetsu take his words as farts?

"I'm wronged, Madara-sama. I observed for a long time and confirmed that the curly hair had left before sending Nagato over."

Spiral White Zetsu felt the killing intent emitted by Uchiha Madara and immediately cried out for himself.

"Left? Where did he go?"

Hearing the news of Uchiha Gin's departure, Uchiha Madara frowned every day.

"I don't know either. He seemed to have evaporated like a human. Maybe he was dug into a pit and buried by someone."

White Zetsu, named Tobi, spread his hands, indicating that he was powerless.

"Whew... forget it, you just be responsible for watching them, and by the way, find them a suitable teacher in these few years."

Uchiha Madara was already a bit tired. The climate in the Land of Rain gave him rheumatism, so he decided to find a place to retire in peace until Nagato grew into a suitable pawn before coming out of the mountains.

"Guarantee to complete the mission!"

Making a funny salute gesture, White Zetsu slowly merged into the ground and continued to monitor Nagato and the others.

"Black Zetsu, you let a few White Zetsu go and look for that person. Notify me as soon as there is news."

After being silent in the rain for a long time, Uchiha Madara suddenly turned his head and spoke to the empty space behind him.

"Is there anything special about that man?"

A half-black, half-white figure poked his head out of the ground. In the black half of his eyes, there was a faint look of confusion.

Black Zetsu had always followed Uchiha Madara, so he naturally had seen Uchiha Gin, but he didn't perceive any abnormality from that curly hair who looked a bit punchable. He was just a plain Jonin.

"You are just my will clone. Do whatever I tell you to do."

Without answering Black Zetsu's question, Uchiha Madara turned and disappeared into the rain. Black Zetsu curled his lips, and the disdain in his eyes flashed by.

"Just a tool man..."

"Yahiko, you are actually a ninja too!"

The positive and optimistic Yahiko soon accepted Nagato, who had a similar encounter, and showed off the Three Body Technique he had just learned in front of him, causing Nagato to exclaim repeatedly.

"Not at all, I'm still far behind~"

Being praised by the 'boy-girl' Nagato, Yahiko instantly felt a bit floaty.

"Then you must know many powerful ninjutsu, right?"

"Uh... about that..."

Before he could be proud for a few minutes, Yahiko, asked about his ninjutsu reserves, looked left and right, stammering for a long time without saying anything.

"He only knows the Three Body Technique."

Konan, who was playing with origami and teasing the dog on the side, mercilessly exposed Yahiko's true face.

"Nonsense, I clearly also know the unique ninjutsu Gin-san taught!"

"Then did you learn it?"

"That... still a bit off in heat."

Yahiko, who had just straightened up, instantly wilted again.

"May I ask, who is the Gin-san you keep talking about?"

Nagato, who had been with Yahiko and the other for a while, heard the name 'Gin-san' from them from time to time, and finally couldn't hold back his curiosity.

"Gin-san..."

Konan heard this question, the smile on her face gradually faded, and she lowered her head and stopped talking.

"Gin-san is our teacher. Although he only taught us for three days, he is the best teacher in the world."

Yahiko raised his fist, his voice firm, his gaze filled with incomparable determination.

After thinking for a moment, Yahiko suddenly spoke.

"Konan, let's set off!"

"Mm?"

Konan raised her head in confusion.

"We will never progress if we stay here. Let's go out and look for new opportunities, and by the way, we can inquire about Gin-san's news."

Uchiha Gin left in a hurry, and three days weren't enough to teach them too much. Yahiko knew that if he wanted to become stronger, he had to go and learn more.

"Okay."

Konan, who originally wanted to wait for Uchiha Gin on the spot, had her eyes light up when she heard the last sentence.

That's right, instead of waiting on the spot, it's better to take the initiative. When she becomes an outstanding female ninja, Gin-san will definitely come to find her.

By then, it will be her turn to protect Gin-san~

Konan, who fell into a beautiful fantasy, immediately made a decision. Under Nagato's bewildered gaze, the two quickly packed their bags. After carrying simple luggage and a pile of scrolls, the three-person team set off fully equipped.

Then came a long wandering journey. Fortunately, with sufficient supplies as a guarantee, the three didn't encounter any difficulties in life.

In addition, the unstable factors on the road were all cleared by White Zetsu following behind, so the three walked through most of the Land of Rain safely until they encountered a kunai falling from the sky.

"Quick, lie down!"

A kunai with an explosive tag landed not far from Yahiko and the others. Looking at the charm emitting an irritable aura, Yahiko roared, and the three quickly lay down.

"Boom!"

After the violent explosion, the three, covered in dust, shook off the debris on their heads and stood up.

"Woof~"

Because Yahiko notified them in time, the puppy that had been following them was also spared. The three and one dog, with curiosity, crept toward the battlefield where the roaring sound was constant not far away.

"That is... Hanzo-sama!"

In the field, an old man standing on the head of a giant salamander looked at the miserable 'Yellow, Gambling, Poison' trio at his feet, a flash of complexity in his eyes.

It's a pity, I can't keep these three people here.

Konoha, this towering tree, is not something their small country can shake. Better to form a good relationship.

After bestowing the shameful title of 'Three Ninjas' upon Jiraiya and the others, Hanzo turned and left.

"Yahiko, what should we do now? Are we going to follow Hanzo-sama?"

Yahiko and the others, who witnessed the whole process, frowned. Nagato's eyes flashed over the forehead protectors of Jiraiya and the others, his hatred for Konoha growing. He took the lead and suggested his teammates go and team up with Hanzo.

"No, let's try to make contact with them first."

Yahiko shook his head. He was a native of the Land of Rain, so he naturally knew how terrifying Hanzo was. How could such a big shot have time to teach them orphans?

Moreover, under Hanzo's governance, the Rain Village hadn't improved at all, but instead, the people were living in even more misery, and there were more and more orphans like him.

Yahiko didn't hate Hanzo, but he definitely didn't like him either. His goal was to become a true god who surpassed the demigod.

That's why he would give up on Hanzo and go find those younger ninjas instead.

Since they could get the demigod's recognition, it showed they still had something in them.

"They are Konoha ninjas, they kill without blinking."

Nagato got anxious as soon as he heard it. His parents were both killed by Konoha ninjas.

"How would you know if you don't try? I believe they shouldn't be the type to bother with children like us."

"Alright."

Nagato, who had already vaguely regarded Yahiko as his backbone, finally nodded and agreed to the other party's proposal.

"What if they are killed?"

Konan poked her head out and looked at the miserable Jiraiya and the others. They were so badly injured, it was unknown if they could walk out alive.

"Then go find the person who killed them. As long as we can learn new knowledge and change the future of the Land of Rain, it doesn't matter who it is."

Yahiko raised his fist, his gaze very firm.

And so, the three began the action of tracking the Three Ninjas, traveling over mountains and rivers, encountering countless dangers, but all of them were 'thrillingly' turned into safety, almost making Yahiko have the illusion that he was the Son of Destiny.

After arriving at a dilapidated town, the three continued to look for the traces of the Three Ninjas, but encountered a local war. The three happened to be in the center of the battlefield.

At the beginning, only a few kunai were shot, all of which were resolved by Yahiko using the Body Replacement Technique, but later there were more and more hidden weapons, and Konan's paper ninjutsu was powerless to resist.

"Puff~"

Nagato, who was protected behind the two, saw the kunai stuck in Yahiko's vital parts and revealed his eyes for the first time. A halo of light instantly lit up, bouncing all the incoming hidden weapons, but the stone slab under their feet couldn't bear the weight, and the three fell into the water at the same time.

Fortunately, the three had good luck after falling into the water, actually encountering a 'brand new' piece of driftwood. Konan and Nagato used all their strength to pull Yahiko, who had a kunai stuck in his chest, ashore.

And not far from them, Tobi, who had just left his post without authorization for a few minutes, wiped the non-existent cold sweat from his forehead with lingering fear.

"Konan, what should we do? Is Yahiko going to die?"

Looking at Yahiko, whose face was pale, Nagato burst into tears, his tears streaming down.

"Cough, cough, cough... I haven't died yet, you little punk."

Who would have thought that Yahiko, with a kunai stuck in his heart, would struggle to sit up and pull out the bloody kunai alive.

"!!!"

"Whew~ Fortunately, I have Gin-san's unique ninjutsu, otherwise I might have really died this time." (End of chapter)