139 CH - 136 Mysterious Young Ninja?

{Team Leader, we've received some news. The war has concluded, and the Land of Grass and the Land of Rain have emerged victorious.

Speaking of which, I bet you didn't expect to receive a letter from me, did you? In truth, I haven't penned this letter myself; it was written by a very patient young ninja. This young graduate from the Grass Ninja Academy may appear quite youthful, but he is truly remarkable. He willingly endured my ramblings. I heard that he has recently completed his studies at the academy.

I must confess that I sometimes tend to prattle on. I assured him that he needn't write such an extensive letter, but he insisted. Well, it's in the letter now, and I hope it won't prove too tedious.

By the way, we've been quite worried about your extended absence. Many days have passed, and there's still no sign of your return. We've observed other ninjas returning, such as Leader Akihiko and Leader Hanzo, which has only deepened our concern for your well-being. This prompted us to send you this letter, although we were uncertain of your whereabouts and if you'd even receive it.

Fortunately, the young ninja who penned this seems to have heard about you. Thus, he will take the responsibility of delivering it. We merely addressed it to you, and it's now on its way. We sincerely hope it reaches you.

..

So many events have unfolded in the Land of Rain during these times. A great no. of ninjas have been arriving and departing. We've heard that Leader Akihiko and Leader Hanzo are collaborating to 'clean up' the Land of Rain. Although we're not quite sure what they mean by 'cleaning up,' we wonder if they're implying that it's a bit messy here or if they're merely tidying up the garbage strewn about in the Land of Rain.

There's been talk circulating that peace is on the horizon for the Land of Rain, and it's quite exhilarating news, isn't it? We hope that it brings you happiness when you hear it.

Recently, we've witnessed numerous refugees from the Land of Rain coming here. They bear the same worn faces and lost expressions that I once did. Back then, I was no different from them, but now, I am overjoyed that I made this journey, and I'm ecstatic about the approaching peace. Furthermore, We have overheard that our children will soon have the opportunity to attend school. It's simply astonishing, and the thought of my grandson receiving an education brought tears to my eyes.

In addition, something else of note is that many workers are constructing what appears to be a peculiar road, consisting of iron bars. They claim it's intended for a kind of vehicle. Although I'm not entirely certain what this entails, it's purported to transport us swiftly to the Land of Grass. I'm not certain how 'fast' this vehicle will be, but I'm genuinely excited about the prospect of visiting the Land of Grass. Perhaps we'll even have the chance to travel in this vehicle.

I should mention that a message arrived recently from above. It appears the engineering team requires additional manpower, so they've reached out to us, the miners, for assistance. Our days are about to become even busier, but I couldn't be happier about it.

I won't hold you any longer. It's time for us to commence work. Lastly, we eagerly anticipate your return. Do you recall when you mentioned inviting us for a drink upon your return? We all look forward to that day.

—Mining Team 007}

Daisuke, after finishing his letter, couldn't suppress his smile. It was a letter delivered by a Grass Ninja that had arrived earlier in the day, indicating that life in the Land of Grass was gradually returning to normal, and the interrupted mail service had resumed. However, he hadn't really expected to receive letters from anyone.

"Ugh, why do you guys get letters, and I don't?!" Hato looked at the four people reading letters beside him, his lips pouting in a slightly annoyed manner. "I've been working hard too!"

Hato couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't received any letters. Did nobody care about him? Even someone like him had been putting in the effort.

At this point, the three individuals who had just finished reading their letters raised their heads and glanced at Daisuke with a mixture of curiosity and puzzlement. Yahiko had received a letter from Mubuki's family, Nagato had a letter from his mother, and Konan's letter was penned by Kana. But when it came to Daisuke, who would write to him? In the end, they didn't dwell on it for too long, because the heartfelt letters from their families had put a smile on their faces, reminding them of the warmth of home.

Daisuke received the letter and smiled faintly, though he appeared somewhat reserved. "It's from my co-workers at the mining site," he explained. "It's nothing special."

Hato, however, seemed unconvinced. "Really?" he inquired with curiosity. "Let me see it!"

Daisuke paid no heed to Hato's request and continued speaking. "Honestly, it's just about what's been happening in the Land of Rain lately," he said casually, but he carefully stored the letter without revealing its contents. "You'll find out when the time comes. No need to read it now."

With that, he left the room, seemingly unfazed by the skepticism in the eyes of his friends. In truth, it was really a letter from his mining colleagues, simply discussing recent events in the Land of Rain. But for some reason, reading this letter had stirred up an emotion he had never experienced before. As he walked out the door, touched the letter in his pocket, and looked in the direction of the Land of Rain, a faint smile graced his lips as he murmured to himself, "Could this be... the peace of the Land of Rain?"

…

"Medical ninjas! We need medical ninjas! Hurry!" The Grass Camp in the Rain Village was in a state of chaos, with frantic ninjas seeking assistance.

"Maintain order, everyone! Keep the lines orderly! Clothes and baths are available to my left, and if you're hungry, head to the right! Remember to queue up and no pushing!" Despite the commotion caused by the sudden influx of people, the ninja responsible for maintaining order was diligent. "Maintain discipline!"

"Where are the medical ninjas? We've been asking for them! This person appears to be poisoned!" One ninja questioned a nearby Grass Village ninja.

"We apologize, and we'll arrange for someone to come immediately. We've reported the shortage of medical ninjas to Leader Akihiko, and we believe the situation will improve in a few days," the Grass Village ninja informed them.

In the Rain Village, such cries and requests had become increasingly common since the initiation of the 'Cleaning Campaign.' The entire Rain Village was in motion, but due to the vast areas and a large number of people in need, even with assistance from the Grass Village, there was a significant shortage of personnel. The relief station, as a result, was a scene of chaos.

However, thanks to the continuous supply of resources from the Grass Village, the situation was not a major issue and would likely be resolved soon. In fact, without the aid from the Grass Village, relying solely on the Land of Rain itself would have made the situation even worse.

At this moment, a young man, his tattered brown cloak and red short hair marking him out, gazed at the Land of Rain with a perplexed expression. The scene before him seemed different from the information he had gathered. He had heard rumors of chaos in the Land of Rain, but the chaos… was entirely unlike what he had imagined.

He had come to this place with a specific purpose - to perfect his Red Secret Technique. In order to practice his secret technique, he required a considerable number of ninja corpses, making a chaotic country like the Land of Rain appear to be the ideal location. Additionally, he had another purpose, which was to hide his identity.

However, as he observed the situation before him now, doubts began to creep into his mind regarding his initial decision. If it weren't for the presence of a Rain Village ninja standing nearby, he might even question if he had come to the wrong place altogether.

Moreover, as he witnessed the cooperation between Grass and Rain shinobi, his uncertainties deepened. While he had heard of the alliance between Grass and Rain and the efforts of the Grass Leader to repel shinobi from the Four Great Villages and maintain peace in the Land of Grass, he couldn't fathom how these developments related to the Land of Rain. If peace had been achievable in the Land of Rain so readily, why had the former ninja world demigod waited until now to act?

However, A sudden shout disrupted his thoughts, "Hey, you there! The guy with the red hair!"

Turning to the source of the call, the young man with red hair became inwardly puzzled. Was the Grass Ninja addressing him? Furrowing his brow, He glanced at the nearby Grass Ninja who was holding a sound-amplifying device and pointing at him. Why was he being called out? Had he been discovered?

"Yes, it's you! We've called you several times already. Why do you look so clueless?" the Grass Ninja exclaimed. "What are you standing there for? If you're hungry or in need of food, register over there and join the food line. Why are you just standing there?"

With those words, the young man raised an eyebrow, retracting the hand that had been about to emerge from under his cloak. He paused and looked at the Grass Ninja, And after a moment of contemplation, he decided, 'Alright, I'll stay here for now and observe the situation.'

This place seemed to be a good location to maintain his cover. Besides, there was no urgency to immediately commence training in the Red Secret Technique. He could first gather information about the situation in the area.

With this in mind, he walked forward and joined the line. Fortunately, there were six registration stations, so the process moved relatively quickly.

He thought for a moment and then decided to proceed to the middle registration group. It didn't take long for him to reach the front of the line.

"Name?" asked the Grass Ninja, directing the question at the young man with red hair standing before him.

Pausing for a moment, the young man considered whether he should provide his real name. After a brief thought, he concluded that it might not be necessary to hide his identity. It was unlikely anyone would recognize him.

Turning his attention to the Grass Ninja, who didn't seem to be much older than him, he remained silent for a brief moment before answering with indifference, "Sasori."