"Then, may I ask..."
As soon as Ren finished speaking, Yahiko looked at the two of them and asked impatiently.
"Do you know Lord Jiraiya? How is he doing now?"
"Hmm?"
Minato was startled when he heard Yahiko speak, then he carefully scrutinised the people in front of him. He had indeed heard Jiraiya mention that he had three disciples in the Land of Rain, who were also his junior brothers. Could these be them?
Although he was three-tenths convinced of their identities, for safety's sake, Minato decided to test Yahiko and the others.
"It sounds like you know Lord Jiraiya. When did you meet him?"
Minato asked calmly, while Konan's face showed a hint of joy. She took two steps forward to stand in front of Yahiko and eagerly said to the two of them.
"We met Lord Jiraiya at the end of the last Ninja World War. He took care of us for a while and then left. Can you answer our question now?"
Minato's expression softened considerably. What Konan said about the timing indeed matched what Lord Jiraiya had told him. It seemed they were the ones.
Just as Minato was about to speak, Ren, who was next to him, quietly interjected.
"Uh, do you mind finding a place to shelter from the rain first before we chat?"
"Uh..."
Looking at the gradually intensifying rain, the group finally realised. Yahiko took a step forward and said to the two with a gentle expression.
"If you don't mind, come with us. We know of a cave nearby where we can make a fire and shelter from the rain."
The two readily agreed. After all, there was no need to gather intelligence in heavy rain, and besides, there were a few locals here. Why would the two of them bother to go out and scout and investigate further?
As for whether there would be danger if they followed, that was not within their concerns.
"We're here."
Following Yahiko and the others, they hurried along. Soon, a cave about two meters high appeared ahead. From the outside, the interior looked quite dark, but it was very clean, as if someone had been regularly cleaning it.
The group walked straight in. The two people following behind Yahiko immediately ran to the back of the cave, took out some firewood and a tinderbox. Soon, a bonfire was lit in the centre of the cave, slightly dispelling the dampness inside.
The group sat down around the bonfire, and the flickering flames brought a hint of warmth to those who had been drenched. As the atmosphere grew somewhat subdued, Minato looked at the people in front of him and spoke first.
"Lord Jiraiya is doing very well. You don't need to worry too much."
"Is that so... That's good."
The two, who had been worried about Jiraiya for several years, finally breathed a sigh of relief. After all, to them, Jiraiya, who had cared for them for three years and led them onto the path of a Ninja, was both a teacher and a father. Now that they had news of their benefactor, Konan's gaze towards the two showed less wariness and more closeness. Yahiko, however, keenly noticed a keyword in Minato's words and asked with some confusion.
"Lord Jiraiya?"
Before Minato could answer, Ren, next to him, explained with a smile.
"That's right, Minato is also a disciple of Lord Jiraiya. In that case, you should call Minato your senior brother."
"Ren, stop messing around."
Minato Namikaze raised his hand and ruffled Ren's hair, then turned his gaze to the two astonished people opposite him and said softly.
"I'm very happy to meet you. When I go back, I will greet Lord Jiraiya on your behalf."
"Is that so? Thank you then, Senior Brother Minato."
Yahiko stood up and bowed slightly to Minato Namikaze. Konan also expressed her gratitude to the two.
Just as Ren felt the timing was right and was about to inquire about some information from Yahiko and the others, Yahiko, as if he had seen through Ren, spoke directly.
"You two must be here on a mission today, right?"
"Uh... yes."
Although the two were a bit awkward, there was no need to deliberately hide such a thing. After all, Yahiko and the others weren't fools. What else could two Leaf Ninja be doing in the Land of Rain, dressed in civilian clothes, at the time of the Third Shinobi World War, if not on a mission?
"Is war coming again...?"
Konan murmured. No one responded, it was clearly an accepted fact.
"Why? Why is there such a thing as war...?"
Listening to Konan's murmuring, the others remained silent. Only Yahiko reached out and patted Konan's back, comforting her.
"Don't worry, Konan, these things won't last too long. With everyone's efforts, this chaotic era will definitely end by our Akatsuki Organisation."
"That's right, Lady Konan, trust the leader. One day, we will surely realise our ideal and make this world free of war and suffering forever."
"Exactly, please cheer up, Lady Konan."
The three's comfort somewhat improved Konan's mood, but Ren's words instantly made the group glare at him angrily.
"No war? Ending the chaotic era? I think it's better if you're more realistic."
Ren said indifferently, because in his opinion, ending the chaotic era and making the world free of war forever were simply impossible. At least for now, it wasn't something they should be considering.
The essence of war is aggression, it is the product of various hatreds mixed with desires and all other negative emotions.
Why did the Ninja World War begin? Wasn't it a war waged by various countries to plunder the Land of Fire's land, wealth, and resources, coupled with the deaths of loved ones at the hands of enemies, which further ignited the fuse of war with the flames of revenge?
Such hatred cannot be resolved with a few words. Yahiko's ideal, though it sounded passionate and inspiring, his reality as a war orphan would not play along. Any kind of justice also needs strength to support it. If it's just pure passion, it won't protect the people around you; instead, it will put your loved ones in danger.
Have you not seen the tragedy two years later? Trusting others too much, falling into their traps, and ultimately committing suicide by the hand of a comrade. His death led to the complete darkening of his comrades and Akatsuki!
"What did you say, kid!"
"How dare you question the purpose of our Akatsuki!"
The two Chunin immediately stood up, their eyes filled with anger as they looked at Ren. If they weren't mindful of Minato Namikaze by his side, they might have already rushed forward to teach Ren a lesson.
"Little brother, war will definitely end at the hands of our Akatsuki. We will definitely protect this country, which constantly rains, from you great nations. We will fight alongside Hanzō, the guardian god of this country, and bring peace to the Ninja World!"