The scene initially focused on Kakashi's perspective, the time should be after Naraku was discharged from the Hospital.
Lights and shadows flickered, he sat blankly in his empty home, in a daze, not knowing how much time had passed, letting time slip by amidst the occasional sharp pains in his mind.
Finally, at a certain moment, his unfocused pupils refocused, regaining a faint glimmer of light.
Kakashi shook his head as if waking from a long dream, loneliness and hunger made him instinctively ask the question he had repeated countless times.
But no one answered.
[This feeling of being left alone in an empty house...]
[Kakashi, your Naraku is gone!]
[Damn, you're so ruthless, I acknowledge your attack power]
[This is nothing, it's not as ruthless as The Old Thief's knives in the first two episodes]
[The Old Thief definitely needs to give an explanation, Kakashi is clearly in trouble]
It wasn't until Minato knocked on the Hatake Household's door, saying he needed to take Kakashi on an escort mission, that he was pulled from his extremely poor state.
After dinner, at Minato's insistence, Kakashi finally lay down in bed immediately upon arriving home, closing his eyes to sleep and recover his strength.
[If Minato hadn't come, would Kakashi have just died at home?]
[I think it's very possible]
[I'm starting to believe the forum's theory about Kakashi being affected; who else would nearly starve themselves to death?]
[Actually, The Old Thief's hints are already quite obvious...]
Early the next morning, the two, one tall and one small, packed their bags and left the village, following their employer's caravan westward into the Land of Rain.
Several scenes were shown consecutively, accompanied by the employer's old man's voice.
"The Land of Rain has newly renovated two trade routes..."
Minato and Kakashi took turns scouting ahead of the caravan, ensuring the road conditions were good enough to continue;
"It is said to be an organization called 'Akatsuki'..."
Occasionally, mountain bandits or Rogue Ninja would attack, but most were eliminated by shuriken, Kunai, or senbon before they could even get close to the caravan, and the remaining few were finished off by Kakashi's exquisite swordsmanship;
"Even now, they..."
At night, while on guard duty, the two sat in a vacant cart in the caravan, chatting casually about trivial matters, with a bonfire burning not far from their feet, its warm, yellow light reflecting on their hair and faces;
"...They are truly incredible people, hahaha."
The old man's words ended just as the caravan entered the Land of Rain.
Coinciding with the rising sun, clouds rolled and unfurled, and amidst the overwhelming morning glow, the audience saw the very simple gravel road, gleaming in the morning light from the dew clinging to it.
The light-colored road at this moment flowed like a river across the wilderness, its end disappearing into the boundless jungle, guiding countless travelers and merchants who trod upon it, leading them towards distant horizons.
Sunny days are few in the Land of Rain, yet its diligent people have personally forged a "sun" to tread upon and illuminate their future.
[How amazing! Yahiko and the others really did it!]
[Even if it's paved with gravel, it's still a broad road leading to happiness]
[Tears welled up, Akatsuki is the light of hope for the Ninja World!]
[With an organization like Akatsuki, the Land of Rain will definitely get better and better]
— —
Across the screen, Naraku was also awestruck by everything Akatsuki had accomplished.
He had only mentioned it as a favor back then, yet Yahiko had truly embraced hope, leading others day and night, enduring hardships to complete it.
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