The backyard of the Breeding House was illuminated by fiery light.
Charmander stood beside the forging stand, the flame on its tail burning fiercely.
With a gentle exhale, it enveloped scattered kunai and shuriken in a blaze of intense heat, the metal glowing bright crimson under the high temperature.
As the flames flickered, sizzling sounds filled the air, heat waves distorted the surroundings, and beads of sweat trickled down Shiroishi's cheeks.
Shiroishi stood nearby, his gaze focused.
"Good, slow down the cooling now."
Charmander let out a low hum, its flames shifting from blazing orange-red to a soft golden hue.
Once the metal lost its scorching red glow, Shiroishi handed over several grinding stones.
"Use Metal Claw."
Charmander extended its claws, coating them with a faint metallic sheen.
It lightly raised its claw blades and began polishing with deft movements.
"Clink, clink, clink!"
Each touch produced a clear, crisp sound, sending sparks flying.
Shiroishi watched the familiar rhythm of the polishing.
Time passed gradually.
The night shifted from blue to black, the sound of raindrops falling from the eaves intertwining with the clinking of metal.
Finally, Charmander retracted its claws and let out a soft breath of fire.
Shiroishi picked up a kunai from the table, examining it carefully.
The metal surface was smooth as a mirror, the edges so sharp they seemed capable of slicing through the air, reflecting both the firelight and the moonlight.
He nodded in satisfaction, murmuring softly, "Well done, Charmander."
Charmander let out a proud "Gah!" and flicked its tail.
Meanwhile, outside the Breeding House, a squad of Amegakure ninja waited.
The night breeze carried a damp chill as the rain ninja, cloaked and silent, stood guard at the entrance.
Their captain leaned against the doorpost, his expression calm yet betraying a hint of contemplation.
One of the younger team members glanced around and whispered cautiously, "Captain, this Breeding House... seems unusually well-off."
A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes. "How can a place like this still have so many supplies, medicinal herbs, and Ninja Tools? Could it be an intelligence outpost from another country?"
The captain paused briefly, then shook his head with a faint smile.
"Don't be so tense. The heart of the Land of Rain is in Amegakure; this is just a peripheral residential area. If there were any spy operations, Lord Hanzo would have cleared them out long ago."
The young ninja still seemed uneasy, muttering under his breath, "But the owner doesn't seem like an ordinary person..."
The captain pondered for a moment, his gaze fixed on the light emanating from the Breeding House.
"Precisely because of that, we shouldn't act rashly against him."
He paused, his tone carrying a note of reflection.
"Look around—the houses are tidy, the streets clean, and you can even hear children laughing. In a land plagued by war and hunger, a place like this is nothing short of a miracle."
The team members exchanged glances, falling silent.
They were ninja of Amegakure, accustomed to missions involving assassination, infiltration, and destruction.
Words like reconstruction and farming were almost foreign to them.
Yet here, they witnessed someone revitalizing a slum with their own eyes.
The captain looked at the wooden door still aglow with firelight, his voice growing steady and resolute:
"To organize a slum so methodically—this young man is no ordinary person."
With that, he sighed softly, a trace of admiration in his eyes.
Lord Hanzo rules the nation with iron and blood; Amegakure's machinery can forge weapons, but it cannot produce food.
And this Breeding House owner, through his own efforts, ensured the people had food to eat and medicine to use...
That was true skill.
This was the inner monologue of the Rain Ninja captain, though he couldn't voice it aloud.
As they spoke, the door creaked open.
Heat and the scent of medicine wafted out together as Shiroishi emerged carrying a tray of freshly polished ninja tools.
Charmander trotted at his feet, its tail flame swaying.
"Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting."
Shiroishi bowed slightly and placed the tray on the wooden table.
Kunai and shuriken gleamed under the light,
each one polished to exquisite perfection.
The Rain Ninja captain picked up a kunai, weighing it gently in his hand.
The blade was razor-sharp, with a faint chakra vibration barely perceptible between his fingers.
He smiled genuinely.
"Truly excellent... This craftsmanship surpasses even our village's blacksmith shop."
Shiroishi smiled faintly. "As long as they last, it's worth the effort."
The captain carefully stored the kunai and bowed solemnly.
"Thank you, proprietor. We'll definitely return after our next mission."
Rain began falling again, fine droplets forming a silver curtain beneath the eaves.
As the captain prepared to take his leave, he suddenly noticed the Eevee perched on Shiroishi's shoulder, its eyes narrowed contentedly.
Its smooth fur shimmered softly in the light, its gaze lively yet carrying a certain wise composure.
After watching for a long moment, he couldn't help asking:
"This Ninja Beast... is quite special."
Shiroishi looked down and stroked Eevee's head, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
"This is Eevee, the first Ninja Beast hatched in my Breeding House."
"Hatched?"
The captain looked puzzled.
"More accurately, bred," Shiroishi replied calmly, his tone as mild as ever.
"The Breeding House provides Ninja Beast Eggs that anyone can receive. But to truly hatch and raise them, one needs to regularly purchase special food, or buy my Breeding Formula outright."
"Providing eggs for free?"
At these words, the Rain Ninjas exchanged glances, surprise evident on their faces.
The captain looked at Shiroishi suspiciously.
"You said... they're free?"
Shiroishi nodded, gently adjusting his glasses.
"But not everyone qualifies."
He walked to a nearby wooden cabinet and opened the bottom drawer.
Inside lay six white eggs arranged neatly, each emitting a warm luster.
Their patterns were so fine they were almost invisible to the naked eye.
Shiroishi carefully took them out and placed them on the table one by one.
"These are newly generated Ninja Beast Eggs. Only those with compatible Chakra Frequencies can awaken them."
The captain looked down at the white eggs, his expression growing serious.
"You mean they can recognize their masters?"
"Exactly," Shiroishi nodded.
"Just by touching them, you'll know if you're compatible."
He made an inviting gesture.
"Would you like to try?"
The captain hesitated briefly before extending his hand.
His palm was rough, covered with calluses from countless missions.
His fingertips lightly touched the surface of one egg.
Instantly, the eggshell vibrated slightly, its surface rippling with faint waves.
Then, on the originally pure white shell, a pale blue pattern slowly emerged,
like water stirred by wind, creating subtle ripples.
"This..."
The captain stared in astonishment.
The surrounding Rain Ninjas gathered closer, their eyes filled with wonder and curiosity.
"It seems it has chosen you."
Shiroishi smiled, his tone understated yet approving.
"If you take it back and raise it properly, it will soon hatch and become a partner fighting alongside you."
"Really?"
The team leader reached out to take it back.
Shiroishi looked up at the other members of the team.
"The rest of you can try as well."
The Rain ninjas followed suit one by one, reaching out to touch the remaining eggs.
Yet no matter how they tried, the eggs remained pure white, showing no reaction at all.
A brief silence fell over the room.
Shiroishi lightly tapped his fingers on the table and spoke calmly:
"Only those who can truly resonate with a Ninja Beast can awaken the egg."
The team leader looked up at him, his expression shifting from surprise to respect.
"So that's how it is..."
Shiroishi continued to explain:
"Of course, those who cannot activate them aren't completely without opportunity—they simply need to purchase one."
"It costs about one thousand ryo in silver to buy one egg."
Ordinary white eggs can also hatch, but the outcome is random.
At this stage, the World Tree's production of Pokémon eggs is limited, so Shiroishi naturally wouldn't waste resources.
Unless you're willing to pay.
"...One thousand ryo?"
The figure made several of the younger team members gasp in shock.
One thousand ryo was nearly several years' worth of savings for them.
The team leader, however, showed no dissatisfaction, instead gazing thoughtfully at Shiroishi.
"So, those who can resonate with an egg don't have to pay."
Shiroishi's tone was calm, yet carried a hint of deeper meaning.
"You could interpret it that way."
He reached out, took back the egg with the blue markings, and handed it to the team leader.
"Take it. After it hatches, come by regularly to buy food, and I'll teach you how to care for it."
The Rain ninja team leader accepted the egg, his hands instinctively gentler,
the warmth passing through his palm stirring a strange, profound feeling in his heart.