Chapter 77: The Wounds of the Rain
Liumu envisioned a future for the Akatsuki organization, reborn according to his hopes. Even though every member in the original story carried a tragic past, that didn't have to dictate their path now. However, one potential complication loomed large: the future member codenamed "Scarlet," Uchiha Itachi.
Liumu was reluctant to interfere too deeply with the Uchiha clan's fate. As a living person, no one wanted to witness a massacre. But Itachi was pivotal to the entire story's backdrop. Currently, the tension between the Uchiha clan and Konoha's leadership hadn't eased, presenting a complex problem.
The "inconclusive" results Konan mentioned likely meant they couldn't locate many of the individuals Liumu had named. Some were key figures in their respective villages already, not easily swayed by recruitment.
"There's no need to rush that," Liumu reassured her. Based on the timeline, many future Akatsuki members, including Itachi, hadn't even been born yet. Others, like Kakuzu and Kisame, hadn't made their names—or broken from their villages. Their turn to the darkness required specific catalysts and time, not just an invitation.
His current proposal was merely for Yahiko to begin laying the groundwork, allowing the future Akatsuki—led from the shadows by Nagato—to take shape. Yahiko would manage the public affairs of the Land of Rain, but every nation needed a blade in the dark, just like Konoha's ANBU or Danzō's Root. Not everything could be handled in the light. Nagato, and the Akatsuki he would later lead, would become that necessary dagger for the Rain.
"Liumu," Konan finally asked, voicing the question that had lingered in her, Yahiko's, and Nagato's minds, "how do you know so many details about shinobi from other villages?"
"Uh…" Liumu stalled, then spun a half-truth. "Teacher Jiraiya and I have been traveling for a long time. We naturally meet all sorts of people."
"But—"
"I'm sleepy!" Liumu cut her off, tucking his head down. "Senior Sister Konan, I'm a little cold."
"Cold?" It was July, the height of summer. But the Land of Rain, under Nagato's perpetual gloom, was an exception. The constant drizzle brought a lingering chill.
Hearing the hint of a whine in his voice, Konan smiled softly. She pulled him into her embrace, cradling his head against her. "When will you grow up? You can't expect your senior sister to hug you to sleep every time you visit the Rain, can you?"
The night passed in quiet comfort.
The next morning, after a quick breakfast with Haku, Liumu made his way directly to the central tower where Nagato oversaw the village's defenses.
His arrival surprised Nagato. Since their first meeting, they had rarely spoken privately. Despite their nominal bond as fellow disciples, Liumu had always seemed to keep a deliberate distance.
"Liumu, what brings you here?" Nagato asked. A cold wind whistled through the open window, sweeping aside his long red hair to reveal those emotionless, concentric-ringed eyes.
Liumu offered a small smile, found a clear spot on the floor, and sat down cross-legged. "Just came to see you."
Nagato's Rain Tiger at Will Technique was vital to the Land of Rain's security.
Liumu watched Nagato's back for a moment before asking bluntly, "You know, don't you?"
Nagato: "..."
"Know what?"
"Your origins," Liumu stated, his voice dropping a degree.
Nagato fell silent.
Nagato was actually two years older than Yahiko. By the time the three orphans met Jiraiya during the Second War, Nagato was no longer an ignorant child. He had questions. Why was the Land of Rain constantly at war? What were his own origins? And the secret behind these Rinnegan eyes…
Sensing Liumu's unusually serious, almost cold demeanor, Nagato hesitated, then answered truthfully, "Yes. I know."
He didn't choose to hide it. "My parents died in the war Konoha helped wage here. I once vowed to avenge them."
A wry, almost imperceptible smile touched Liumu's lips, lost in the chill of the tower wind.
"But then," Nagato continued, "I met Yahiko and Konan. And later, Teacher Jiraiya." He looked up at the cloud-choked sky, a flicker of warmth softening his stern features as he recalled the past. "When I was little, I was often hungry. I couldn't go outside. The village was full of shinobi with different forehead protectors. My parents told me they were invaders, bad people. They kept me hidden."
"Then… they were gone. My home was gone. The whole village turned to ruins. It rained heavily that day. I hid in a cave at the base of the mountains, with nowhere to go." His voice grew quiet. "I was terrified. Shaking. I wanted to know why this had happened. If I could, I wanted to protect my village, my friends, my family. But…"
His voice hitched. Liumu stood and walked to stand beside him at the window, both looking out at the gray expanse.
"I thought about dying. A child alone couldn't survive. But then I met Yahiko. He was like me—his home was gone too. But he was brighter. His dreams were bigger. He told me he wanted to create a peaceful world without war." Nagato glanced at Liumu, a sad yet gentle smile on his lips. "When he said those words, Yahiko was like the rare sun in the Land of Rain. He was light. He was hope."
He shook his head slowly. "You grew up in Konoha. You can't understand what it was like for us children in a place torn apart by war. Later, Konan joined us. Then we met Teacher Jiraiya. He was nothing like the Konoha shinobi I had imagined. He taught us ninjutsu, taijutsu. During breaks, he'd play silly frog games with us. He… changed my view of Konoha ninja. Even though… Lord Orochimaru was rather difficult to get along with."
Nagato spoke on, recounting his past, Konan's, Yahiko's, the early days of the Akatsuki, sharing the story in detail with Liumu. The passage of time had taught him the harsh realities shinobi of the great nations faced, and his own youthful ideals had been completely reshaped by Yahiko's vision. Now, alongside Yahiko, he wanted to build a peaceful Land of Rain, a country free from war.
"Will you join us?" Nagato asked, turning fully to face Liumu. He extended a pale hand, his expression earnest, awaiting an answer.
"Me?" Liumu let out a soft, rueful chuckle.
"Yes," Nagato confirmed. "Two years ago, you refused us once. Now, I want to invite you again. Join the plan you yourself proposed."
(End of Chapter)
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