Blood-stained weapons, and craters created by ninja techniques and explosive tags.
Flames boiling in the rain.
Lightning piercing through earth walls.
A raging dragon of water surged into the enemy's camp, bringing destruction and death.
Sharp Wind Blades advancing through the rain, mixed with blood, let out a beast-like roar.
Hidden Sand Ninjas and Konoha Ninjas clashed here.
On both sides, faces twisted with ferocity and bloodlust, anger and hatred.
By now, the reasons for fighting no longer mattered.
For survival, for their families, for their country, to avenge their fallen comrades, ninja techniques and blades must be driven into the enemy's chest.
"Are these great nation ninjas crazy? There are still civilians in this village!"
On the cliff, a group of ninjas in black cloaks watched the battle between the Hidden Sand and Konoha ninjas.
They are the ninja organization from the Land of Rain, self-proclaimed as 'Akatsuki'.
Their leader's name is Yahiko.
Yahiko looked incredulously at the battlefield below, where there were many panic-stricken civilians running frantically, crying out to escape this hell of war.
The ninjas did not intend to kill them, but the kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and ninja techniques that flew were mindless tools of slaughter.
At the moment they are thrown, the fate of the civilians is left to chance.
"Damn it! Why are there civilians here? Weren't they supposed to evacuate beforehand?"
A member of the organization was also growing anxious.
These civilians caught up in the battle are their fellow countrymen, civilians of the Land of Rain.
"Go over and stop them! If this goes on, those civilians will surely..."
Among them are women, the elderly, and children. Yahiko saw this scene, feeling both angry and having to suppress his fury, knowing that this is not the time to act impulsively.
Stopping the battle between both sides is naturally the best outcome.
So Yahiko led the Akatsuki members down from the cliff, heading to the heart of the battlefield, to stop the conflict between the Hidden Sand and Konoha.
This was a chance encounter, with over a hundred participants.
At first, neither the Konoha nor Hidden Sand ninjas anticipated the battle would break out so suddenly.
By the time they realized, the battle was already happening.
"Wait, we are Hidden Rain ninjas, there are civilians here, please stop your fighting immediately!"
When Yahiko rushed over, he immediately shouted at the Konoha and Hidden Sand ninjas.
But his shout had no effect; the faces of the Konoha and Hidden Sand ninjas were filled only with madness and ferocity, the blood in the air stinging their bodies, rendering their minds nearly blank.
Grabbing their weapons, killing the enemy, that was their only thought.
Although educated not to harm civilians during war... that only applied when they had the strength to spare.
After all, this is war; civilians being affected is the most normal thing.
And the Land of Rain isn't a powerful country, with a Daimyo who is corrupt and incompetent, they couldn't possibly reproach them.
Because they all understood, if their blades hesitated even for a moment, they would die on the battlefield.
To stop the blades that could kill the enemy for civilians who are not of their country, no thought was needed to know the answer.
"No, they won't listen at all!"
Frustrated with their recklessness, but knowing weakness is the original sin, Akatsuki dared not intervene in such a battle.
They might be collectively targeted and killed by the insane Konoha and Hidden Sand ninjas.
"Get the civilians out first! Quick actions!"
Seeing his efforts in vain with these ninjas, Yahiko swiftly changed tactics, focusing on rescuing the innocent civilians of the Land of Rain first.
The Akatsuki members were all skilled ninjas. While they might be defeated in battle against Konoha and Hidden Sand ninjas, rescuing civilians was relatively easier.
Since the civilians who didn't escape the core of the battlefield were already dead, there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
The surviving civilians were at the battlefield's edge; with careful maneuvering, they could be safely extracted.
A red-haired boy among Akatsuki also witnessed what Yahiko saw, silently clenching his fists, eyes filled with anger and pain.
Among Akatsuki, he had saved the most civilians, numbering over a dozen, including two children.
One child's right arm was affected by an explosive tag's detonation, now a bloody mess, crying in the rain as the Akatsuki medical ninja tended to him.
"These heartless beasts from the great nations! Makes me want to kill them!"
The Akatsuki medical ninja showed a look of indignation, hating these great nation ninjas immensely.
But he also knew that killing these great nation ninjas was unrealistic, and if exposed, would lead to a frenzied retaliation from them.
In the end, it would be these unarmed civilians of the Land of Rain who suffered.
Yahiko patted this individual's shoulder, turned to the red-haired boy, and said, "Thank you, Nagato."
The red-haired boy named Nagato shook his head, indicating it was no bother.
Yahiko approached a rescued civilian, offering him some of his food. Here, quite a distance from the battlefield, there was no concern of being caught in the crossfire.
Yahiko, puzzled, looked at the villager: "I recall an evacuation order was issued earlier, why haven't you left yet?"
The villager stared blankly at Yahiko's young and vibrant face, commenting, "Evacuate? Evacuate to where? This country is either ninjas fighting or bandits running rampant, where can we evacuate to?"
That was the gaze of a person without hope, with numbness and despair written all over their face.
Yahiko stood stunned in the rain, silent.
The sound of rain drizzling, seemingly drenching Yahiko's heart. Looking up at the gloomy sky, an endless chill surrounded him.