It started to rain again.
The Ame ninjas began to retreat into the outpost.
They heard the sound of footsteps outside as a voice suddenly cut through the sound of rain and into their ears.
It sounded like a kid, but there was something strange about his words, “Have you hidden? If you’re hidden, we will start looking.”
“…”
The other ninjas were surprised, but the Ninja Captain’s expression twisted. He had just been assigned to this outpost.
The Ninja Captain was Hattori Hirakawa, holder of the title of Ame no Toge (The Thorn of Rain).
Some time ago, Hanzo’s Salamander, under the care and protection of Hattori Hirakawa, died at the hands of Konan. At the time, Uehara also killed several ninja teams.
Due to this incident, Hattori Hirakawa was banished by Hanzo to this outpost.
“It’s the Akatsuki!”
Hattori Hirakawa quickly grabbed his Ninja sword. If that kid appeared, the outpost was done for.
Since then, the news of the resurgence of the Akatsuki spread through the Land of Rain.
According to Ame Ninja’s intel, only a single woman and boy attacked but, their strength was incredible.
Hattori Hirakawa, who had witnessed it personally, understood that more than anyone else.
That boy was not someone they could defeat!
Hattori Hirakawa turned his head to look at his subordinates and said in a deep voice, “We will retreat separately and meet in the east canyon tonight!”
“Won’t we be branded as deserters?”
One of them suggested, “Captain, we should stay. As long as we can hold on for a day, Hanzo-sama’s reinforcement will come, and these guys will die!”
“Moron!”
Hattori Hirakawa opens his mouth and curses, “Even if we stay here, we won’t last long. Don’t ask any questions and retreat!”
“Yes…”
The Ame Ninjas helplessly accepted Hattori Hirakawa’s orders.
Just when these Ame Ninja left the outpost, a bone bullet suddenly flew over, hitting them in the chests and abdomen.
Only one of them survived.
Hattori Hirakawa, brandishing his ninja sword, barely blocked the bone bullet. Even so, he was still injured by the force behind the bone bullet.
Hattori Hirakawa looked up and saw a blue-haired woman in a black robe with red clouds. Next to her were three little kids. One of them was pointing his finger at him.
Obviously, it was his attack that destroyed his team!
“Let him live, Kimimaro!”
Uehara waves his hand to stop Kimimaro’s movement and then jumps down. While looking at Hattori Hirakawa, he chuckled, “This was an old friend of mine!”
“Okay.”
Kimimaro retracted his finger and humbly retreated to the side. It was he who killed several Ame Ninjas with his Tenshi Sendan (Ten-Finger Drilling bullets).
Konan frowned and looked at the Ame Ninja with doubt. She asked softly, “Naraku, do you know him?”
“Well, the last time we met…”
Uehara began to introduce Hattori Hirakawa.
Last time, when he and Konan went to kill the salamander, they happened to meet a ninja team led by Hattori Hirakawa, but Uehara easily defeated them.
This Jonin, the Thorn of the Rain, exchanged his life and that of two other subordinates from Uehara’s hands with a book.
“So he’s the man who gave you that dirty book?”
Konan’s eyes flashed. She worked hard to ensure a bright future for him and didn’t want to see any stains on her disciple!
“…”
Uehara couldn’t help but look up at Konan and remind her that her sensei wrote it!
Konan, who was full of anger, would obviously ignore his comments, though. She looked down at them and whispered, “Kill him, Naraku!”
“Well…”
Uehara sighed helplessly and looked at Hattori Hirakawa. He then said, “Sorry, my sensei is here this time. I’m afraid you’re out of luck…”
Hattori Hirakawa interrupted Uehara’s words and whispered, “I have another Icha Icha Paradise here. It’s volume two!”
The atmosphere suddenly became a little weird.
The Ninja-sama from the Amegakure wanted to use the Icha Icha Paradise in exchange for his life again.
What a pity he was too hasty this time!
If it were only Uehara, Uehara really would have spared his life and let him leave, using him to threaten Hanzo.
But this time…
Konan was staring at them!
Uehara was in a bad mood, “What do you mean by that? Who do you think I am?”
“…”
Hattori Hirakawa gave Uehara a faint look. The “Icha Icha Paradise” series was a treasure that all ninja had to have!
Uehara suddenly hesitated. There were still several side missions involving the “Icha Icha Paradise” series, so he had to get it. It just so happens that Hattori Hirakawa has them here as well.
If Hattori Hirakawa were killed, the book would be confiscated and destroyed by Konan…
Uehara took a deep look at Hattori Hirakawa and said softly, “If you want me to spare your life, this is not enough. If you have information about Hanzo…”
“I will never betray Hanzo-sama…”
Hattori Hirakawa firmly refuses Uehara’s request, but the next moment he seems to think of something. He lowered his head and said solemnly, “If you were willing to, I could tell you about Hanzo-sama’s right-hand….”
“We have no interest in small fry.”
Uehara waved his hand. Aside from Hanzo, the other ninjas were nothing to worry about. They were just small fry and minions.
Hattori Hirakawa was silent for a while, and he whispered, “What if the matter is related to the survival of your Akatsuki organization?”
“What?”
Uehara suddenly laughed, “Related to Akatsuki’s survival? You were overestimating yourself. Those who were capable of destroying Akatsuki were still attending ninja academy!”
“…”
Hattori Hirakawa didn’t understand what Uehara meant. After all, wasn’t the normal saying that all those who could destroy Akatsuki were not born yet?
Hattori Hirakawa didn’t have time to think it over, though. He just lowered his head and said, “What if I say, Hanzo-sama wants to cooperate with Konoha Shimura Danzo?”
“…”
Uehara’s eyes tightened. He slowly lowered his head to look at Hattori Hirakawa’s eyes and said coldly, “My sensei and I are interested in this information… But I want to know, why would you tell me this information?”
Up to now, the Ame Ninjas Uehara had met had been loyal to their leader, Hanzo. They even sacrificed their lives without hesitation.
The information about the re-cooperation between Shimura Danzo and Hanzo should be top-secret in Amegakure.
Hattori Hirakawa’s eyes turned red, and he gritted his teeth, “Because my parents were both killed by Konoha’s ninja during the Ninja War! Hanzo-sama could easily kill you by himself, but he still wants to collude with Konoha!”
“Sorry…”
Uehara automatically ignores the second half of the sentence, commenting, “Regardless, do you have any evidence to prove it?”