Chapter 163: 159: Surge
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The new residence remained a splendid two-story villa, complete with a reasonably large courtyard and a small training area. It was spacious enough for taijutsu, as long as they didn't involve large-scale ninjutsu.
The paths to the garden were thoughtfully designed with intricate carved marble, and a part of it was covered by a blanket of white snow.
Close to the gate, a rather luxurious pet house stood. It was a two-story dwelling for a creature that looked like a cat but was not quite a cat. This weird creature wad lazily lounging by the pet house's entrance, enjoyed the warmth of the sunlight.
After a while, a black-haired girl wearing a miko outfit emerged from the villa. Her pupils slowly changed color, spreading from the pupils to the whites of her eyes in rippling waves. She carried a lunchbox and approached the creature by the pet house, setting the meal down for it.
The creature leisurely rose from the ground, sniffing the lunchbox a few times before perceiving the mouthwatering aroma of the food.
"Ameyu-nee, your cooking skills keeps improving"
The creature praised the black haired girl.
This girl was Shiraishi's wind clone, Ameyu, a unique soul clone capable of using wind release and sage MODE. Despite being a clone, she had her independent personality, marked by her silence and lack of emotions from birth.
Ameyu affectionately stroked the soft fur of the creature, showing her skillful touch.
The creature, Raimei, was another of Shiraishi's soul clone, the lightning clone. A beast capable of using lightning release and sage mode as well. It wasn't merely lightning release, it had pure speed abilities that made it difficult even for Jonin to defend against its surprise attacks.
Raimei didn't resist Ameyu's touch, it was a gesture of the strong bond between them.
As Raimei enjoyed the meal, Shiraishi walked out of the villa, closed the door, leaned against the door frame, and exhaled deeply.
"Yo, Father,"
Raimei greeted, extending his paw. Ameyu also bowed slightly.
Shiraishi approached, but before he could speak, Raimei asked, "Have you being kicked out again?"
"No, the house was getting stuffy, so I came out for some fresh air," This chapter's initial release occurred on the n0vell--Bjjn site.
"Human beings will always have various disputes because of their unfulfilled desires. Whether father or mothers. In the end, it's caused by father's love, right?" Raimei said insightfully.
"Are you just lounging around here with nothing to do?" Shiraishi frowned.
"No, I'm simply stating the truth. Artificial life forms like us lack these extraneous desires. All we require is a comfortable environment and good food to be satisfied," Raimei stated proudly.
"It seems I should consider adding the function of breeding offsprings to you next time,"
"But my soul is a fragment of your own. If I were to breed an offspring, where would I find a female to mate with? Maybe cats would be a better choice, they are graceful and dignified after all like myself," Raimei analyzed.
"...you'll start work on the construction site tomorrow."
"...okay."
Raimei sighed. There was no choice but to comply. After all, he was his father, the great creator right? The creator was infallible, and if there were any mistakes, it was undoubtedly the stupid son or daughter's fault.
However, thinking on it, it was his father who resorted to bullying a clone composed of his own soul fragments because he couldn't bear the battle between the two women in the house. What a pitiful and sad father.
As Raimei reached for another piece of fried chicken from the box, he noticed that another chicken leg had disappeared, with Shiraishi munching on it.
"Father, that was my fried chicken leg,"
This was a nutritious meal lovingly prepared by Ameyu-nee for him. Was it reasonable for a father to steal food from his own children? Where was his shame?
"Ah, I knew you would share it with me if you couldn't eat it all. Aren't you supposed to be grateful and thankful to me?"
"Father, have you been squeezed by mothers to this miserable point where you have to steal food from your pet to live?"
"Go to the construction site the day after tomorrow. Your assistance will be needed,"
"Father, your generosity truly moves me," Raimei remarked sarcastically.
"It's never too late to recognize my big heart,"
Shiraishi responded, snorting as he finished the chicken legs and disposed of the bones in the nearby trash. Then he reached into Raimei's lunchbox once more.
Raimei sighed helplessly. Sometimes, as a son, one had to help their father occasionally.
.....
In the dead of night.
Raimei continued to rest at the entrance of the pet house, snacks and hot drinks thoughtfully provided by Ameyu as his supper.
Snow gently fell from the sky, the moon illuminated the night, creating a serene ambiance.
"What a beautiful night," He thought.
Despite the day's unpleasant events, he cherished the peace of enjoying his peace with these moments.
While snacking and admiring the snowy night, the villa unexpectedly shook. It seemed that the chakra bombardment caused the entire building to vibrate.
"It's starting again. Father must be struggling with the challenges of hugging the left and right side. Life can be quite unsatisfying,"
Raimei commented, taking a sip of his hot drink, exhaling contentedly, and swaying his tail.
Click!. The sound of a doorknob turning.
Shiraishi stood at the door holding a blanket and approached Raimei's pet house. A bad premonition swept over Raimei as he observed Shiraishi's strange behavior.
"What... Father, why do you have a blanket?"
"It's too noisy inside. Please keep quiet here. I'm going to sleep here with you tonight,"
This choice arose from Shiraishi's concern that the house might suddenly collapse in the middle of the night, burying him alive under the ruins.
Yet, Raimei's concern went beyond this. The pet house was his territory. This was not an ordinary invasion, it was a takeover of his living space.
Ignoring Raimei's dull expression, Shiraishi climbed into the pet house and lay down on the floor.
Only then did Raimei realize that Shiraishi was serious about this arrangement.
"Although it's a bit cramped, I didn't expect it to be so peaceful here, with such a lovely night view. You have a comfortable living environment, Raimei,"
Shiraishi said as he stretched inside the pet house, though he couldn't fuly stretch.
Even though Raimei's full form had never seen actual combat, Shiraishi was extremely confident in his abilities. He was in perfect synergy with Ayane's Byakugan.
With this settled, Shiraishi came up behind Ayane, embracing her still-warm body.
"Ah... are about to go again? I just got dressed"
"Relax, you can dress again. After all, we won't see each other for a while, so I'll make it up to you," Shiraishi murmured as he unbuttoned her kimono and ran his fingers along her white knee socks.
Ayane responded to his advances with a hesitant reaction.
What a wicked man. She wished she could be in control, but she found herself unable to resist.
.....
The Land of Rain.
This was a drab, colorless country, devoid of picturesque landscapes.
It rained constantly here.
Surrounded by three nations with formidable military might - the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Wind. The Land of Rain has found itself embroiled in war among major powers on multiple occasions.
For the larger nations, this land serves as a canvas for their reckless exploitation, with little regard for the lives dwelling upon it.
Countless people have lost their parents, their homes, their dignity, and some have even died from hunger and poverty.
Even in a relatively prosperous city within the Land of Rain, the constant rain serves to erode any vibrancy, rendering the city a bleak gray.
"Stop looking around here, if you're not buying, leave!."
The owner of the shop scolded Yahiko sternly, his eyes filled with contempt and disgust.
In his eyes, Yahiko was merely a ninja living in poverty, with a worn-out uniform and a rusty forehead protector, hinting at his inability to pay for the minimal maintenance fee for his ninja headband. He was far from the distinguished guests the shopkeeper wished to entertain.
Yahiko's companions from Akatsuki couldn't help but furrow their brows at the shop owner's harsh words.
"Why are you staring? You must be Ame ninjas, right? Everyone knows that the ninjas of Amegakure live in poverty in this country. If you intend to cause trouble, the ninjas from Sunagakure will come to take care of you. I advise you against using violence in this place."
The shop owner spoke arrogantly. His top-tier ninja tools were designed for Sunagakure, not the poor ghost ninjas from Amegakure.
"You're from the Land of Rain too, so why do you speak this way?"
One of Yahiko's comrades retorted, his anger simmering beneath the surface.
While their poverty was a reason they couldn't afford such items, being scorned by their fellow countrymen left them feeling both angry and sad, as if the very foundations of their country were crumbling. Didn't the shop owner feel a sense of belonging to their shared country?
"Hmph, the Land of Rain? I've grown to hate this weak country. Next month, I'm moving to the Land of Wind, where I can live under the protection of a powerful country."
"What?"
"The daimyo and the nobles only care about themselves, paying no attention to the life or death of the common people like us. Why should I continue to pay taxes letting them eat and drink as much as they like, playing with women everywhere?"
The shop owner uttered these words coldly. He once harbored hopes that the country would improve. Yet, observing the inaction of the daimyos and nobles, who remained hiding in their safe havens, enjoying lavish foods, drinking expensive drinks, and and enjoying companionship of beautiful women, left him feeling disenchanted.
These sentiments left the members of Akatsuki momentarily speechless.
"Leave this country as well. It's already rotten from its very core, with even the daimyo and nobles obedient to Suna's eords. You're still young; there's no need to waste your life here."
Looking at the relatively young faces of Yahiko and his companions, it was evident that they were all under the age of twenty.
At this point, the shop owner let out a sigh and stopped speaking harshly.
"Sorry, but we won't abandon this country," Yahiko stated resolutely.
Even though they could barely make ends meet and struggled to feed themselves, their funds were crucial for aiding the poor people teetering on the brink of life and death.
Despite their slightly worn ninja tools, they were not yet beyond use. Their organization could greatly benefit from individuals skilled in repairing and maintaining ninja gear, but such talent typically overlooked their group. After all, the repair and maintenance of ninja equipment required highly specialized people and were typically the domain of large ninja villages.
"A bunch of fools. This country is beyond saving."
With his arms folded, the shop owner looked at the backs of the youths slowly disappearing in the rain, shaking his head while sighing.
Yahiko and the others left the city with heavy hearts. Although the shop owner's words were harsh, they reflected a another serious problem.
The Land of Rain was on the brink of falling apart, with the daimyo and nobles having lost their credibility, and Amegakure remaining silent during the ongoing ninja world war.
A foreboding sense of dread began to take root within Yahiko and the others. If such a corrupt influence was allowed to spread, the Land of Rain would surely descend into chaos, its land soaked corpses and blood.
Running through the rain, their hearts weighed heavy.
"Brother, look over there..."
One of them from Akatsuki pointed ahead, sensing something strange.
All of them raised their gazes and, in an instant, their expressions changed dramatically.
The village in front, exposed to the relentless rain, was engulfed in a raging fire, its fire raging uncontrollably despite the downpour.
Thick black smoke billowed into the sky.
"Hurry!"
They hastened their pace, soon reaching the burning village.
On the muddy roads, behind windows, atop rooftops, and clinging to walls, they discovered numerous lifeless bodies.
Elders, women, children..There were no survivors.
This wasn't the aftermath of a battle; it was a massacre, one marked by unequal power.
Yahiko squatted beside the lifeless body of an old man on the ground, cradling a cold child in his arms. He pried open the old man's stiff hand, revealing a few grains of uncooked rice that had tumbled from his grasp.
It was evident that the old man had met a brutal end at the hands of looters desperate to secure this precious source of food.
"Was this the work of bandits?"
"No, it was done by ninjas! There are many young and middle-aged people in this village. Judging by the evidence, the entire battle ended under a minute. After our operations cleaned out the Land of Rain, we effectively eliminated any powerful bandits."
Yahiko's voice was resolute, his fists clenched in anger.
Was it Konoha, or perhaps the Suna? Why had they done such a horrendous act? What had these innocent villagers done to deserve this?
So many questions swirled within Yahiko's mind, and within him, confusion and fury continued to brew.
