The team led by Hiashi Hyuga moved through the ruins of the three border towns, where the air was thick with the stench of scorched earth and blood. Beneath collapsed houses, faint groans could still be heard now and then. Konoha's medical shinobi were rushing to rescue the survivors—but far more lay cold and lifeless, their bodies beyond saving.
Rin clenched her fists so tightly that her nails pierced her palms. She had seen war before—she had seen the Bear Country engulfed in flames—but the human heart has its own priorities. No matter how tragic the suffering of other nations, it was always easier to stay detached. But now, when it was her own homeland being ravaged, the fury that rose within her was something beyond words.
Her gaze fell upon the small body of a girl lying lifeless amid the rubble. In her tiny hand, she still clutched a single flower—its pale petals now stained a deep, crimson red with blood. In that moment, it felt as though something inside Rin had been violently torn open.
"...This is war," she murmured, voice low, trembling with restrained fury and grief.
She stepped forward and carefully picked up the flower. Oddly, the blood seemed to feed the bloom, making it appear even more vibrant. A strange pulse stirred faintly in the depths of her heart, a flicker of something she could not name—but before she could dwell on it, Hiashi's voice cut through her thoughts.
Hiashi Hyuga stood beside her, his Byakugan sweeping across the devastated townscape. His expression was dark and unreadable.
"Amegakure and Sunagakure... they never intended to occupy this place," he said coldly. "They came here just to kill."
The strange feeling inside Rin faded. She sighed inwardly, disappointed, but there was nothing she could do. She tucked the flower into her sash and looked up at Hiashi.
"What should we do next, Hiashi-sama?"
Hizashi was silent for a long moment before speaking. "Our mission is to reclaim the three towns and pursue the remnants of the enemy. But..." His pale eyes swept over the smoldering ruins of granaries and supply stores. "I fear the enemy's true objective was to draw out our forces and weaken Konoha's position on the other fronts."
Rin bit her lip, frustration simmering in her chest. "And we're just going to let them go?"
Hiashi's gaze shifted to her, deep and unreadable. "No. We will make them pay. But not now."
At that moment, a Konoha shinobi ran up, kneeling on one knee in front of Hiashi. "Hiashi-sama! We've found Suna-nin ahead—they appear to be retreating!"
A flash of cold light ignited in Hiashi's eyes. "Pursue them!"
——
The Konoha squad swiftly gave chase. Soon, they caught up to the retreating Suna unit on a barren wasteland. The enemy force was small—clearly only a rearguard meant to cover their comrades' retreat.
"Konoha's hounds?" sneered the Suna leader, his voice mocking. "Persistent as ever."
Hiashi offered no reply, his command slicing through the air like steel. "Annihilate them!"
The battle erupted instantly.
Rin's silhouette flitted through the Sunagakure ranks like a phantom. Her silver short blade struck with surgical precision, piercing vital points without hesitation. Her movements were sharper, more furious than ever—like she was pouring all her rage into every strike.
In the moonlit wasteland, she was a ghost cloaked in silver light. Her technique Gutsuei Shunpo,traced blood-red arcs across the battlefield; every flash of her presence marked another enemy's fall.
"What is she—some kind of monster?! This can't be—"
A Sunagakure ninja's eyes widened in horror, the kunai in his hand still not raised when Rin's blade slit his throat. Blood spurted into the air, and by the time he fell, she was already gone, leaving behind only the shimmer of her afterimage.
"Don't panic! She's just fast!" another shouted, desperately forming seals. "Wind Release – Great Breakthrough!"
A violent gale roared outward, scouring the ground, trying to flush her out. But Rin's body dissolved like mist; the next instant, she materialized behind him.
"Not just fast," she murmured, slashing. Her blade cleaved through his forehead protector, and blood spilled from his shattered skull.
"Damn it! Surround her!" the remaining enemies rushed in, hoping to overpower her with numbers. But Rin's eyes gleamed coldly, and her lips curled into a faint smile.
"Fools."
Her body blurred—and then, impossibly, three of her appeared before them all at once.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
"Illusions? No—they're all real?!" the Suna-nin screamed, but it was too late. Her blades struck like lightning, and three chests burst open in unison, blood spraying across the barren ground.
Hiashi's Byakugan took in every detail from afar, and even he felt a chill at what he saw. Hanabuchi Rin... this growth rate is terrifying.
Two Sunagakure shinobi remained. They stood back to back, sweat pouring down their temples. They had never seen such speed—never faced an opponent who gave them not even a moment to strike back.
"Run… We have to run!" one of them shouted. He turned to flee.
Rin's eyes hardened.
"You think you can escape?"
She vanished and reappeared in their path like a ghost. Her blade was leveled in front of her, and blood dripped from its edge, reflecting the cold fire in her eyes.
"My fury," she said coldly, "will only be quenched with the blood of Suna."
Their screams were swallowed by steel and darkness.
The battle was over. Only the corpses remained on the wasteland, along with Rin's softly heaving form. Hiashi approached and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Well done."
Rin sheathed her blade. The killing intent in her eyes began to fade, replaced by a deep, bone-deep exhaustion. She looked down at the bloodied flower in her hand and whispered:
"It's still not enough... The blood debt they owe... is nowhere near repaid."
Hiashi was silent for a moment, then turned his gaze toward the horizon.
"Don't worry. There's still Amegakure."
While Rin and her team were purging the invaders from the Land of Fire, the Third Hokage was far from idle. In a rare display of aggression, he commanded Konoha's great clans to send elite shinobi for a surprise night raid on the Land of Rain—determined to show smaller nations the consequences of provoking Konoha.
---
Somewhere in Amegakure, beneath the ever-present storm clouds, a hidden cave flickered with torchlight. Rain fell in a constant drizzle outside, tapping against the rock like a thousand tiny fingers.
Inside, the early members of Akatsuki were gathered. Tension hung in the air so thick it felt like it might collapse on them.
"That senile old fool Hanzō!" a red-bandana-wearing young man slammed his fist against the wall, the flames dancing wildly with the shock. "Does he really think teaming up with Sunagakure will restore the Land of Rain? Konoha may be under siege on all sides, but a dying lion still has claws! We can't afford to provoke them!"
From a shadowy corner, a masked shinobi let out a cold snort. "I told you Hanzō can no longer lead this country."
"The fragile peace we struggled so hard to build…" a female member whispered, clutching a child tightly in her arms. "Is it really going to be shattered again?"
All eyes turned toward the three figures standing in the center of the chamber—Yahiko, the orange-haired youth; Konan, the calm blue-haired woman; and the silent red-haired boy with haunting eyes—Nagato.
"Yahiko, say something!" the red-bandana youth pleaded. "If Hanzō goes through with this, he'll drag all of us into hell!"
Yahiko's brows were furrowed. He stared at the flickering firelight on the wall, as if searching for answers in its unsteady dance. Konan glanced at him, worry flickering in her eyes.
"Konoha's retaliation… may come faster than we imagined," she said softly.
At last, Nagato spoke. His Rinnegan eyes glinted with cold insight.
"Hanzō is afraid. He senses the world moving on without him, and in his fear, he's grasping at violence."
The murmurs grew louder.
"So what do we do now?" "Are we supposed to take the fall for Hanzō's actions?" "We should overthrow him while we still can!" "What about the civilians? They'll be caught in the crossfire…"
"Enough!"
Yahiko's voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the room instantly. Everyone turned to face the young leader.
"Anger won't solve anything," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "Akatsuki was founded to create peace through dialogue. Now, more than ever, our nation needs us."
"But will Konoha even listen to us?" the red-bandana man cried. "They've lost so many people—will they care what we say?"
Yahiko took a deep breath.
"Then I'll go speak to them myself. I'll explain everything to Konoha's commanders."
The entire room seemed to freeze.
"No!" Konan seized his arm. "It's too dangerous! Konoha is furious right now—they won't… they might not…"
Yahiko gently placed his hand over hers, giving her a soft, reassuring smile.
"That's exactly why someone has to step forward. If we're too afraid to risk our lives, how can we claim to want to change the world?"
A flicker of emotion passed through Nagato's eyes. "Then I'm going with you."
"No, Nagato," Yahiko said quietly. "You and Konan must stay behind. If something happens to me, the two of you will lead Akatsuki. You must carry on, no matter what."
...
Unnoticed in the shadows, a white head slowly sank into the earth.
---