129.Porridge

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Within the Land of Rain,

Under the gloomy sky, dark clouds rolled incessantly as if preparing for a heavy rainstorm.

Inside a cave,

A young boy with orange hair sat forlornly by a burning fire, his clothes tattered, resembling a child abandoned after a war.

Outside the cave, dark clouds gathered, and the sky remained overcast, periodically punctuated by the howling of fierce winds.

This made the young boy huddle closer to the fire, drawing warmth from it as if it could drive away the darkness of the world and bring him closer to the light.

Over the fire, a pot of porridge was cooking. Besides the orange-haired boy, there was a kind and gentle old lady and a wide-eyed little girl.

At the cave entrance stood a tall figure, standing upright with an expressionless face. His gaze occasionally drifted towards the cave entrance, maintaining a vigilant stance.

"Hiss..."

The porridge over the fire was boiling, emitting a sizzling sound and releasing white steam.

Upon seeing the porridge ready, and smelling its fragrant aroma, the little girl's face lit up with a happy smile. However, when she glanced at the desolate-looking young boy next to her, her expression turned somber again.

The old lady ladled the porridge slowly, wearing a kind smile as she offered it to the little girl, kindly saying, "Konan, have some first; you've been working hard these past few days."

But Konan gently shook her head, holding the steaming bowl of porridge and walking towards the young man standing at the cave entrance.

"Saki-nii-san, you should have some first."

Konan gazed up at the tall figure with her innocent, big eyes, holding the bowl of porridge and speaking softly.

Hearing her words, Saki slowly turned his head to look at her. His expressionless face gradually softened, and his eyes revealed a hint of tenderness.

He bent down gently, taking the bowl of porridge from Konan's hands and said softly, "Thank you, Konan."

In response, Konan flashed a sweet smile and spoke with her childish voice, "Saki-nii-san, you've saved Konan so many times; it's only right for Konan to do these little things for you."

Afterward, she skipped back to her seat.

Meanwhile, the old lady watched the two of them with complex emotions. However, when Konan returned, she smiled warmly.

Back at her seat, Konan helped the old lady serve the porridge. She first scooped a bowl for the old lady and then filled another bowl, offering it to the lonely-looking orange-haired boy, attempting to comfort him.

"Yahiko-nii-san, have some porridge first; you haven't eaten anything for days."

"Yeah, Yahiko, have some porridge; otherwise, your body won't hold up."

The old lady also smiled gently, squinting her eyes at Yahiko with a benevolent expression.

Hearing the comforting words from the old lady and Konan, Yahiko's body trembled slightly, and he hesitantly raised his head to look at Konan and the kind-hearted old lady.

A trace of gratitude appeared on his previously desolate face, and he stammered, "Th... thank... thank you."

Then, he slowly lowered his head again, burying himself in the porridge bowl to hide his emotions from the two.

"Hu... slurp..."

The sound of slurping porridge masked the inexplicable sobs. Strange eating noises filled the cave.

"Take it slowly, Yahiko-nii-san," Konan said softly.

The old lady watched the scene with a complex expression, her face showing a gentle affection as she looked at Yahiko, who was bowing his head and crying.

Saki, on the other hand, maintained his emotionless expression and merely observed the scene.

Even as the outside world was filled with overcast skies and thunderous winds, he found this bowl of porridge exceptionally sweet, with a warm flavor that made him hesitate to swallow...

Meanwhile,

Within the village of Konoha,

Early in the morning, the streets were devoid of any signs of life.

At the village entrance, a thick morning mist enveloped the area.

Three figures stood there.

Sōsuke, stationed at the village entrance, carried essential items. He wore a gentle smile on his face as he gazed lightly at the two people before him and softly said, "It's just another trip, no need to be so serious about it."

Hearing his words, Himiko sighed and rolled their eyes at him without saying a word. Their cold and stern expressions contrasted with the thick morning fog, making them look exceptionally beautiful.

On the other hand, Dai was visibly excited.

"Sōsuke, you have to be careful this time!"

"I heard from Captain Shimura that Iwa-nin Village is different from Amegakure! They have numerous skilled ninjas even though we're both part of the Five Great Shinobi Villages!"

"Even though... you're strong, Sōsuke, you must never let your guard down!"

"Sōsuke, you have to come back safely!"

As Dai spoke, it seemed like he suddenly imagined some tragic ending for Sōsuke!

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he cried out in anguish.

Hearing Dai's words, Shimura slapped her forehead.

This fool!

She had a pound sign appear above her head and displayed a helpless expression on her beautiful face.

Why... did all three members of her team have some kind of issue or another?

Shimura couldn't help but think helplessly.

There was the expressionless Saki...

Dai, who ran after the setting sun every day like a kid with intermittent brain malfunctions...

And now, the stinky Sōsuke in front of her!

"Stop smiling at me like that! Captain, I'll punch you!"

Before her, Sōsuke, with a smile on his face, looked at Dai and the somewhat helpless Himiko, then spoke softly.

"Alright, Dai, it's not like I'm already dead on the battlefield. You don't need to be this sad."

Hearing Sōsuke's words, Dai suddenly stopped his actions. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Sōsuke before him.

He shouted, "Right! Sōsuke, you're fine! I got too carried away just now... I'm really sorry, Sōsuke."

In response, Sōsuke smiled, shook his head gently, and didn't take Dai's outbursts to heart. He then turned to look at Himiko, speaking warmly.

"Thank you for your concern, Captain Shimura."

"I accept this care... When we part ways today, I hope that when we meet again, you and I can still be the same as before..."

After saying this softly, Sōsuke smiled warmly.

Without paying much attention to Himiko, whose faces were turning somewhat red, he turned around and began walking out of the village.

His figure quickly disappeared into the thick morning fog.

Himiko were left standing there, dazed, staring at his departing figure. In their minds, Sōsuke's words seemed somewhat strange.

Could it be... this guy just confessed to me!!!

This shocking thought appeared inexplicably in Shimura's mind.

Her face turned slightly red, and she didn't know how to react. She could only stand there, watching the silhouette slowly vanish in the dense fog.