"Yuzuru, I... I think I'm pregnant…"
During lunch, Karura spoke up nervously.
Uchiha froze for a moment, then asked, "Did you go to the hospital?"
Karura nodded. "I went this morning."
Yuzuru pulled her into his arms, gently touching her stomach with a smile. "That's wonderful news… Kushina… did you get checked too?"
At that, Kushina Uzumaki's expression turned a little gloomy. "Yuzuru, my belly hasn't shown any signs."
"It's fine. I'll just have to work harder," Yuzuru said softly to comfort her.
Pregnancy was strange—when you didn't want it, the odds were always sky-high. But once you were ready, it often became frustratingly difficult.
So the most important thing was to keep a calm mind.
Upon hearing that, Kushina slammed her hand on the table and declared loudly, "Aren't you leaving for the Land of Rain in a few days? Before that, you're not going anywhere!"
Seeing her domineering stance, Yuzuru immediately straightened his back and saluted. "Understood! Mission accepted!"
——
It took Yuzuru an entire week just to walk from his room door to the courtyard gate.
But from the Hidden Cloud Village to the Land of Rain, he took less than half a day.
Back when he had been searching for a temporary Uchiha settlement, he'd left spatial markers all along the Fire Country's borders.
And now, possessing the Uzumaki's Sage Body, he no longer had to worry about his Mangekyō Sharingan causing blindness. Thus, he directly used Kamui for travel.
The Land of Rain was desolate—filled with ruins and broken walls.
Other than the dense wild grass, there was almost no other vegetation.
The ground was littered with bones and corpses.
Thick black clouds blanketed the sky, while a constant drizzle fell, as if trying to wash the crimson land clean.
As Yuzuru walked along the road, several wild dogs followed him at a distance.
From the drool dripping from their mouths, he could see the greed buried deep in their hearts.
"The sorrow of the weak..."
He threw a few shuriken, ending the pack's pursuit. He hated being treated like prey.
After walking for half a day, Yuzuru arrived at a decrepit village.
There was no sign of life, only oppressive silence.
Then, he heard faint sobbing.
When he approached, he found a baby crying beside a woman's corpse.
The baby's voice was hoarse and weak—it had been crying for a long time.
After ensuring there was no danger, Yuzuru gently picked the child up.
The swaddling cloth was soaked through, and on it was a single card written on it:
"Ajisai..."
Reading the name, Yuzuru's mind conjured up the image of a cute little girl.
In the original story, Ajisai was a loyal ninja of the Hidden Rain Village, devoted to Konan.
Gifted in summoning and space-time ninjutsu, she had been assigned to an S-rank mission.
After her death, her body became the Animal Path of Pain's Six Paths.
Though her role was brief, her sweet appearance had left a lasting impression on Yuzuru.
He hadn't expected to encounter her here.
After thinking for a moment, Yuzuru took out a soldier pill, ground it into powder, and mixed it with rainwater to feed to Ajisai.
Soon, she drifted into deep sleep.
Yuzuru held her close and continued walking forward.
After only a few steps, he stopped. "Come out."
Silence.
He threw a shuriken toward a nearby wall—three shinobi with Hidden Rain forehead protectors appeared.
Seeing them, Yuzuru raised an eyebrow.
Yahiko, Nagato, Konan...
What a lucky day.
"Excuse me… are you Uchiha Yuzuru?" Yahiko asked politely.
He wore a friendly smile, the kind that put people at ease.
Yuzuru nodded. "You know me?"
"We've seen your portrait," Yahiko explained before continuing. "I'd like to ask for your help with something."
"What is it?"
"Please make the Hidden Cloud forces withdraw from the Land of Rain," Yahiko said seriously. "You've seen the situation here yourself. These people were supposed to live happy lives, but war has destroyed everything."
"Please don't repeat the same mistakes. War isn't the only way to solve problems. If there are conflicts, we can sit down and talk them through."
Yuzuru smiled faintly. "Why did you come to me, then? Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
Yahiko smiled back, pointing at the baby in Yuzuru's arms. "Because we saw your gentle side. We believe you wouldn't do something like that."
"When you look at that baby, don't you feel any guilt?"
Yuzuru shook his head. "No. To achieve a greater dream, one must sometimes endure present sacrifices."
"If your dream is truly noble, then just by speaking it, people will understand," Yahiko argued.
Finding the conversation mildly interesting, Yuzuru continued, "And why do you believe people can understand each other?"
"Because that's how Akatsuki works," Yahiko said firmly. "We started with just three people, and now we have dozens of comrades."
"As long as we're honest and sincere, there's no problem that can't be solved."
"One last question," Yuzuru said calmly, glancing at the silent Nagato and Konan behind him. "In what capacity are you negotiating with me?"
"If I'm not mistaken, the leader of the Hidden Rain Village is Hanzō the Salamander. Wouldn't he be furious about this?"
Yahiko paused, then replied naturally, "We're also supporters of Lord Hanzō. Everything we do is for the good of the Rain Village. I'm sure he'll understand us."
"Heh..." Yuzuru chuckled softly and turned away. "Naivety always has a price. My eyes have already seen your future."
"When you have nowhere else to turn to, come find me at the Hidden Cloud Village."
He paused. "Oh, and by the way… the Cloud forces will be withdrawing from the Land of Rain in the next few days. Beyond that, I can't help you."
With that, Yuzuru waved casually without looking back.
After all, the Cloud's withdrawal had already been decided beforehand. He didn't mind using it to boost his image in the trio's minds a little.