"Uncle, uncle! You're from the Land of Fire, right? Then you must have heard of Konoha's Golden Flash!"
On the way to the treasure's location, Yahiko walked ahead with an umbrella in one hand and the map in the other.
Konan stayed close beside him, shielding herself from the rain as she looked curiously at Kizaru.
"The Golden Flash?" Kizaru held his umbrella in his right hand, his left hand tucked lazily into his pocket. He tilted his head slightly, speaking in that slow, drawn-out tone of his. "Oooh… that guy is Konoha's genius, isn't he? They say he's strong enough to be called a monster."
"Yeah, yeah!" Yahiko immediately became excited as he remembered the battle he had seen before. "Konan and I saw him fight Hanzō-sama! He was seriously amazing!"
As he spoke, admiration and longing appeared clearly on Yahiko's face.
His expression practically said it all.
He wanted to become the Golden Flash's student, learn ninjutsu from him, grow stronger, and someday change the Land of Rain with his own hands.
"I see…" Kizaru smiled faintly and lowered his gaze toward Yahiko.
"As far as I know, that Golden Flash only turned ten this year. I don't think he's old enough to take students yet."
"What? Ten years old?!"
Yahiko stopped in shock and stared straight at Kizaru, his eyes full of disbelief.
Beside him, Konan, who had been looking at the map, also raised her head in surprise.
Kizaru took his left hand out of his pocket and touched his chin, still smiling lazily.
"That's right. Only ten years old."
"How can he only be ten?" Yahiko looked completely confused as he remembered the tall figure from that battle. "Uncle, you're lying, aren't you? Konan and I saw him fight Hanzō-sama with our own eyes. How could someone like that only be ten?"
When he heard that the two children had actually witnessed his battle with Hanzō, a strange glint flashed through Kizaru's eyes.
What a coincidence.
No… maybe this was fate.
After sighing quietly in his heart, Kizaru continued, "Compared to his age, I think there's something else you should worry about."
"What is it?" Yahiko asked quickly.
"Konoha ninja don't usually accept children from other villages as students. Especially not children from another country."
Hearing that, Konan looked at Yahiko with a little worry.
She was afraid those words would hurt him.
Yahiko's mood visibly sank, and he lowered his head in silence.
But only for a moment.
Soon, he raised his right fist and pressed it against his chest, his eyes becoming firm again.
"Then I'll prove myself through my actions and my will. I'll make the Golden Flash acknowledge me."
Kizaru shook his head lightly and continued pouring cold water on him.
"Even if the Golden Flash himself wanted to take you in, Konoha wouldn't agree. To prevent ninjutsu and village secrets from leaking, they wouldn't allow it so easily. Unless…"
He deliberately paused there.
"Unless what?" Yahiko immediately asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
"Unless you pass Konoha's examination and become one of their ninja."
"Become… a Konoha ninja?"
Yahiko muttered the words to himself.
"That's right," Kizaru said. "But if you do that, you'll belong to Konoha. You won't be able to return to the Land of Rain and change this place the way you want."
At those words, Yahiko's head lowered again.
"Yahiko…" Konan softly called his name, concern clear in her voice.
"But living in Konoha wouldn't be so bad, would it?" Kizaru said casually. "It's not as chaotic as the Land of Rain. The villagers live stable lives. You two could probably live happily there."
"No."
Yahiko suddenly raised his head and looked at Kizaru firmly.
His tone was serious.
"Don't you want that kind of life?" Kizaru asked, pretending not to understand.
"Of course I do!" Yahiko answered without hesitation. "But not just for me and Konan. I want everyone in the Land of Rain to live a happy and peaceful life someday. I want to make that happen with my own strength."
"What a grand dream…" Kizaru said with a faint sigh.
"I'll make it real," Yahiko replied passionately.
"Then let me help too, Yahiko."
Konan, who rarely voiced her own opinions, spoke up at that moment.
She looked at Yahiko gently. Her voice was quiet, but her resolve was clear.
"Konan…"
Yahiko turned toward her, then broke into a bright smile.
"Yeah! Let's work hard together!"
"When we find the treasure, I'll take you two to Konoha in the Land of Fire."
Looking down at the two little ones smiling at each other, Kizaru reached out and placed his hand on Yahiko's head, rubbing it lightly as encouragement.
"Hehehe…"
Yahiko looked up at Kizaru with a sincere smile.
"Thank you, uncle!"
What innocent children.
Matatabi, who had followed them the entire way and listened to their conversation, could not help sighing inwardly.
As a tailed beast that had lived for hundreds of years, she understood the darkness hidden in this world far too well.
She could almost see the future waiting for a child like Yahiko.
A dream like that was beautiful.
And because it was beautiful, it was fragile.
No…
If Kizaru guided them and protected them, perhaps that tragedy could be avoided.
Matatabi's gaze shifted toward Kizaru.
For the first time, she found herself hoping that he would take these two children as his students.
After seeing so much sin and malice, something as rare as kindness and innocence became precious.
Thinking that, Matatabi looked at the two children beside Kizaru and unconsciously revealed a gentle, almost aunt-like smile.
As if sensing something, Kizaru, who had been talking with Yahiko and Konan, turned slightly and looked back toward Matatabi in the distance with a smile.
The moment Matatabi noticed his gaze, she quickly suppressed her smile, restored her elegant and composed posture, and leapt lightly onto a large tree ahead.
How cute.
After silently praising her again, Kizaru withdrew his gaze and looked back at the two children beside him.
"We're almost there," Konan said while studying the map. "The end point on the treasure map should be on the mountain ahead."
"Oooh, impressive, Konan."
As he praised her, Kizaru placed his hand on Konan's head.
He rubbed it gently, then pulled his hand back with a smile under Yahiko's wide-eyed stare.
Once they knew the destination was close, Yahiko and Konan became visibly excited. They spoke less and quickened their pace together with Kizaru.
The three of them walked for another two hours.
Just before sunset, they finally arrived at the place marked on the treasure map.
The end point was in front of a cave halfway up the mountain. The ground around it was relatively flat.
This cave had been created in advance by Kizaru's shadow clone after Konan drew the route.
Standing before the cave entrance, Yahiko peered inside curiously.
But he could see nothing.
Only deep, bottomless darkness.
"Are we… going in?" Konan asked, a little frightened despite herself.
She was still only a child.
"Konan, you can wait outside," Yahiko said immediately when he noticed her fear. "I'll go in with uncle."
Konan shook her head hard.
"No. I'm going with you."
"Alright." Yahiko did not try to stop her after seeing the look in her eyes. Instead, he patted his chest confidently. "Then I'll protect you."
By then, the rain had stopped.
Kizaru, no longer holding his umbrella, stretched out both hands and placed them on the children's shoulders.
"Don't worry, uncle! I'm pretty strong!"
The moment Yahiko said that, red light suddenly flared from inside the cave.
A ball of fire shot out from the darkness.
Kizaru's expression changed instantly.
He grabbed the two children into his arms, turned his back toward the cave entrance, and rushed to the side.
Boom!
The fireball exploded at the entrance of the cave, blasting loose the rocks above it.
A huge boulder flew forward and landed directly on Kizaru's right leg.
"Uncle! Are you okay?!"
"Uncle!"
Yahiko and Konan struggled out of Kizaru's arms and hurried to their feet, their faces filled with worry.
"Ah…"
Kizaru let out a pained cry with astonishingly convincing acting.
He half-turned to the side and reached down, clutching his trapped right leg.
The two children immediately rushed forward, trying to help him.
"Roar!"
A beast's roar echoed from the cave.
Matatabi, who had recovered to one-third of her original size, slowly walked out from within.
Blue flames burned across her massive body.
"Ah!"
Konan screamed in terror as she saw the enormous blue-flamed tiger emerge from the cave.
Yahiko, who had been desperately trying to push the stone away, also saw Matatabi's imposing figure. Fear and panic instantly appeared on his face.
"Konan, help me!"
Yahiko shouted while pushing against the stone with all his strength.
Hearing his voice, Konan snapped out of her panic.
Her body was still trembling, but she gritted her teeth and reached out to push the boulder with him.
"Go…"
Kizaru clutched his thigh, forcing a weak smile toward the two children.
"There's no room for me on the great ship of the new era. Just leave this old uncle behind."
"I'm not leaving you, uncle!"
Yahiko pressed his head against the stone and pushed with both hands, shouting with everything he had.
"Me neither!"
Konan shouted too, her voice already carrying a sob.
Standing at the cave entrance, Matatabi watched the two children struggle desperately to move the stone.
While maintaining a posture as if she might pounce at any moment, she secretly glanced toward Kizaru.
You bastard.
Haven't you tested them enough?
Noticing the look in Matatabi's eyes, Kizaru understood that if this performance continued any longer, the proud cat would truly become angry.
So, he gave her a slight nod.
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