War, for everyone living in this chaotic Ninja World, was not an unfamiliar concept; in fact, it was quite common. Yet, no matter the time, this thing that brought suffering was always unwelcome.
This was true for the great nations, and even more so for the people of smaller countries caught in their midst.
Perhaps Hanzo of the Salamander's initial intention in provoking war with the two great nations was to change this very situation.
At least, that was how Nagato, who grew up in the Land of Rain, believed.
Especially after witnessing his own parents murdered by two Leaf ninja who had broken into their home, the young Nagato's heart harbored the same brave defiance and desire to end war as Hanzo.
With a final glance at the house, destroyed by the power erupting from his eyes, Nagato, enduring the biting rain, stepped onto the path of seeking peace without looking back.
Even though the ruins buried the bodies of his parents and those two Leaf ninja.
He had not yet learned how to control the potent power within his eyes that could instantly kill two ninja. Clearing two bodies from the rubble of the collapsed house was too difficult for a four-year-old child!
But it didn't matter!
As long as he could find a way for the people of the Land of Rain to live in peace, his parents would surely forgive him, right?
...
"Mmm..."
A warm sensation repeatedly brushed against Nagato's unconscious face. Nagato moaned and lifted his head from the mud pit, half his face buried in the muddy water.
"Cough, cough!"
With a violent cough, Nagato finally spat out the mud that had flowed into his nose and mouth.
His vision was obscured by his wet, stringy red hair. Through the gaps in his hair, Nagato vaguely made out what was waking him.
"A puppy?"
Using his slender arms to support himself, Nagato struggled to climb out of the mud pit. He parted a gap in the hair on his forehead, finally seeing the creature before him.
It had white fur, covered in rain and mud. Its head, which should have been fluffy and soft, was dripping wet, looking as disheveled as Nagato currently did.
"Woof woof!"
The little white dog yipped at Nagato in a childish voice. It lifted its front paws, clinging to Nagato's muddy pant legs, its tail splattered with mud flinging everywhere.
"Heh heh!"
"You don't have a family either?"
"What a coincidence, neither do I!"
Looking into the dog's innocent yet happy eyes, Nagato's heart softened. He bent down and picked it up from the muddy water.
The puppy immediately became excited, propping up its trembling body and incessantly licking Nagato's mud-covered face, desperately trying to please the strange boy before it.
Nagato's nose twitched. He gritted his teeth and reached into his embrace, pulling out a small paper packet that had long been soaked by the rain.
He opened it layer by layer, revealing a small, mushy piece of flatbread inside, bitten once.
After a moment of hesitation, Nagato carefully tore the flatbread in half. He rolled it in his hand, then carefully rewrapped the remaining portion and tucked it back into his embrace.
"This is all I have!"
"If I give it all to you, I might not make it to the Village hidden in the Rain to find companions who can help me achieve peace!"
"Consider it repayment for waking me from my stupor!"
"After you eat, we go our separate ways!"
The little white dog swallowed the food in one gulp and continued to lick Nagato's face, its tail wagging even more vigorously.
Nagato hardened his heart, pulled the dog out of his embrace, and gently placed it on the ground.
"Go on!"
"I don't owe you anything now!"
He tugged at the tattered hood of his clothes, concealing his conspicuous red hair, and continued to walk forward, limping with each step.
"Woof woof!"
The little white dog watched Nagato walk away, whimpering in confusion. Seeing that Nagato didn't respond to its calls, it lifted its four little legs and trotted after Nagato.
"Go away!"
"My dad is gone, my mom is gone, I have nothing left!"
"Don't keep bothering me!"
The little white dog remained undeterred, even thinking Nagato was playing with it. It pounced, hugging Nagato's small leg and whimpering in a fawning manner.
"Woof!"
Nagato felt annoyed and wanted to kick the dog away, but he overlooked his own weakened body from prolonged hunger. He tumbled headfirst into the mud again.
Feeling wronged, helpless, and angry...
Various emotions surged into Nagato's young heart. With an angry shout, Nagato took out the remaining half of the flatbread and threw it as far as he could.
"Get lost!"
"I can't even feed myself, how can I help you!"
The little dog, seeing Nagato willing to play with it, yipped and darted towards where the paper packet had landed.
"Heh heh..."
"Companions are just an illusion, aren't they..."
"Even a dog leaves me for food, truly..."
Nagato's heart suddenly felt empty for no reason. His vision went black, and he fainted.
The little dog panted as it rushed to the spot where the paper packet landed, tumbling head over heels in the muddy water due to its haste. But it paid no mind to that, grabbed the paper packet in its mouth, and wagged its tail happily as it rushed back towards Nagato.
"Woof woof!"
Tumbling all the way back to Nagato, the little dog dropped the paper packet and wagged its tail excitedly at him, anticipating Nagato would get up and interact with it again.
"Woof woof!"
After a few calls, seeing that the human wasn't responding, the puppy couldn't help but lick Nagato's face.
Still no response.
The puppy's whimpers gradually turned into sobs. It circled anxiously around Nagato, looking utterly lost.
...
"Konan, do you hear that? It sounds like something's barking up ahead!"
"If it's a person, I'll ask for some food. If it's an animal..."
"Then we'll have meat to eat today!"
Excited voices pierced through the rain. From the tone, it could be judged that the speaker was a young boy.
"Yahiko, maybe we shouldn't go?"
"It's raining so hard, how could anyone be here!"
"If it's an animal, coming out in this weather, it must be looking for food too!"
"Let's not hurt it!"
After the boy's voice fell silent, a gentle and soft girl's voice reached the puppy's ears.
The puppy listened intently for a moment, as if judging whether the owners of these voices were good or bad.
"Woof woof!"
After hesitating for a long time, the puppy looked at Nagato, who was unconscious face down in the mud and water. It whimpered twice and then dashed with all its might towards the direction of the voices.
"Wow! Yahiko, look! It's a little dog!"
"It's so dirty, but so cute!"
The girl named Konan's eyes crinkled happily as she saw the little white dog running from a distance.
Yahiko pulled the slightly too-small raincoat on his body towards the girl's direction, lamenting with regret.
"It's too small!"
"There probably isn't much meat on it!"
Konan gave him a sideways glance, lifted her raincoat, and headed towards the charging puppy.
"Little one, little one, come to big sister!"
Seeing Konan approach, the little white dog's eyes immediately showed fear. It dodged sharply to the side, causing Konan to miss her grab.
"Woof woof!"
The little white dog bared its teeth and barked at the two, then turned and ran.
"Yahiko, hurry, chase it!"
Konan exclaimed, got up from the mud, and stumbled after the puppy.
Yahiko helplessly rushed to her side and draped his raincoat over her.
"I'll chase it!"
"I really don't understand why such useless little things appeal to girls!"
Muttering under his breath, Yahiko bent down and, like a small tiger, chased after the fleeing puppy.
"Little thing, you run pretty fast!"
"Hoo hoo..."
Yahiko pinned the struggling puppy to the muddy ground, grabbed its mouth that was trying to bite him, and panted heavily.
"If Konan didn't like you, I'd eat you today!"
"But it doesn't matter!"
"It's good as a reserve food source. When Konan stops liking you, I can still kill and eat you!"
Facing the threat, the little white dog struggled fiercely in Yahiko's hands. It whimpered and its eyes kept looking in the direction where Nagato had fallen.
"Huh?"
Seeing the puppy's unusual gaze, Yahiko frowned in confusion. He glanced in the direction the puppy was looking, and his pupils constricted.
"A dead person?"
A surge of immense joy suddenly welled up in Yahiko's heart.
If someone was here, there might be food. If there was food, it meant he and Konan wouldn't have to go hungry today.
As for whether the things found on a dead person were edible?
Heh!
They were practically starving to death, who cared about such things?
Excitedly throwing the puppy in his hand aside, Yahiko turned and shouted loudly to Konan who was catching up.
"Konan, hurry over here, someone's dead here!"
"We might have food now!"