A week passed quietly, and the front line was unusually calm.
Chiye stood outside the Medical Team's tent, uncharacteristically looking up at the clear blue sky.
A gentle breeze blew, bringing a rare sense of peace.
The Sand Ninja Village had not invaded since their last attack.
Chiye felt that the Sand Ninja Village either wanted to sue for peace or was preparing a big move…
In the distance, a Konoha Ninja eagle cut through the sky, swooping down towards the camp.
This was the Village's Ninja eagle.
"It seems the Village's orders have arrived," Chiye murmured to himself.
Not long after.
"Lord Chiye, Lady Tsunade."
A Chunin quickly came over.
"Lord Sakumo has a meeting to attend; please come over."
Chiye and Tsunade, who was reading medical books in the distance, exchanged glances, then followed the Chunin to Sakumo Hatake's command tent.
Inside the tent, Konoha's elite Jonin had already gathered.
Sakumo Hatake stood in the center, a rare look of joy on his face.
He scanned the crowd, then slowly began to speak.
"Just today, the Sand Ninja Village has sent someone to deliver a peace treaty to our Konoha."
As soon as his voice fell, a low murmur of discussion instantly arose in the tent, and excitement appeared on everyone's faces.
"Sued for peace? No wonder there's been no movement recently!"
"Peace treaty? The always-strong Sand Ninja Village actually took the initiative to sue for peace, that's truly unexpected!"
"Is the war finally going to end…?"
"…"
Tsunade crossed her arms, a flicker of thought in her bright brown eyes.
"The Sand Ninja Village is suing for peace, but what about the Hidden Rain Village?"
Sakumo Hatake turned to look at Tsunade seriously, unrolling the scroll in his hand.
"The Hidden Rain Village also submitted a peace treaty, but…"
He paused, frowning slightly.
"The conditions they proposed are somewhat harsh, demanding that Konoha compensate them for a certain amount of war losses.
The higher-ups are divided on this and have not yet accepted it."
Everyone's expressions varied upon hearing this.
"Even the Sand Ninja Village, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, didn't have such a demand; what right does the Hidden Rain Village have?!"
"Is this really their attitude for peace? Compensate them? Who will compensate our Konoha's losses? This absolutely cannot be agreed to!"
"The Hidden Rain Village is so shameless; they started the war, and now they're suing for peace, yet they still demand that our Konoha compensate them for losses! I've truly lived long enough to see everything!"
"…"
Most of the Ninja showed dissatisfaction; after fighting so hard to win the war, they were still expected to compensate others.
Wasn't this humiliating?
Chiye watched everyone's reactions, a strange glint in his eyes.
Chiye seemed to remember that in the original story, after winning a war, Hiruzen Sarutobi really did compensate other Villages later.
Chiye looked up, at Tsunade, who was slightly frowning beside him.
Tsunade sensed his gaze and turned to look over.
Seeing the smile in Chiye's eyes, Tsunade smiled knowingly and unconsciously leaned closer.
Chiye took the opportunity to hold Tsunade's hand.
As long as a peace treaty had been issued, a ceasefire would surely only be a matter of time.
Regardless, both fronts showed signs of peace, and the end of the war seemed imminent.
Sakumo Hatake held the scroll, scanning the crowd with a resolute gaze.
"Regardless, our current mission is to stabilize the front line and await the Village's final decision.
During this period, no one is to relax."
Everyone responded in unison.
"Yes!"
After the meeting, Chiye and Tsunade walked out of the tent side by side.
"It's finally going to end."
Tsunade let out a long sigh, a look of relaxation on her face.
Chiye smiled slightly, looking into the distance.
"Yes, but before I leave, there's one more thing I need to handle…"
"Something?"
Tsunade turned her head to look at him, her eyes filled with confusion.
"It's about those three little ones from the Hidden Rain Village I told you about last time; I need to go see them."
"Although the war is about to end, their situation… may not improve."
Tsunade was silent for a moment.
She remembered herself, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya after their battle with Hanzō.
The three children who appeared in the rain.
"Should I go with you?"
Chiye gently squeezed her hand, then turned and walked out of the camp.
"No need!"
…
On the outskirts of the Hidden Rain Village, the dilapidated wooden house still stood in the wind and rain.
Chiye arrived there.
Pushing open the creaking wooden door, the house was empty.
"Not here?"
He frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the room.
He saw a paper crane placed on the wooden table.
Chiye picked up the paper crane and quickly searched the surroundings.
On a river about five li away, the water shimmered with golden light.
Konan squatted in the shallow water, her slender fingers gently stirring the surface, a thin piece of paper suspended in her palm, carefully guiding a school of fish towards the shore.
"A little closer…"
She whispered softly, her blue-purple short hair swaying gently with the breeze.
Yahiko stood beside her, holding a rough wooden fish spear, his eyes fixed on the swimming fish in the water, fine beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.
"Now!"
He thrust down fiercely, the fish spear cutting through the water, splashing, but only hitting the empty riverbed.
"Missed again!"
Yahiko annoyedly scratched his head, turning to look at Nagato.
"Nagato, how's it going on your side?"
Nagato stood a little further away, his red hair covering his eyes, and he shook his head slightly.
"The fish… are too agile."
Konan sighed, put away the paper, and picked up a bamboo basket.
"Looks like we won't be eating fish tonight again."
Just then, a rustling sound came from the distant forest.
Nagato suddenly looked up, a flicker of alertness in his Rinnegan.
"Someone!"
Yahiko and Konan immediately tensed, looking vigilantly in the direction of the sound.
Five Ninja from Iwagakure emerged from the bushes; they wore earth-brown Ninja uniforms, with Iwagakure headbands on their foreheads, and their eyes held disdain and greed.
"Hey, brats, what are you doing?"
The leading Iwagakure Ninja grinned, his gaze lingering on Konan for a moment, especially on the Chakra residue on her palm.
"Chakra? Are you Ninja from the Hidden Rain Village?"
Another Iwagakure Ninja narrowed his eyes, his tone suddenly becoming dangerous.
Yahiko instinctively shielded Konan and Nagato, feigning composure.
"We're just catching fish here, we're not Ninja!"
"Heh, lying!"
The leading Iwagakure Ninja sneered, suddenly raising his hand to form a hand sign.
"Earth Release: Earth Pillar Spear!"
The ground suddenly erupted with several sharp stone spikes, heading straight for the three of them!
"Watch out!"
Nagato pushed Yahiko and Konan away, but he himself was grazed on the arm by a stone spike, and blood immediately seeped out.
"Nagato!"
Konan cried out, just about to step forward, but she was instantly approached by another Iwagakure Ninja who grabbed her by the neck.
"Don't move!"
The Iwagakure Ninja grinned menacingly, a sharp kunai held beneath her throat.
"Move again, and I'll slit your throat!"
Yahiko roared, grabbing his fish spear and charging forward, but he was kicked to the ground by an Iwagakure Ninja, then brutally stomped on the chest.
"With just this much skill, you dare to resist?"
The Iwagakure Ninja sneered, pressing down with his foot, and Yahiko immediately arched his body in pain.
Nagato struggled to stand up, but he was swept away by a Water Release jutsu released by an Iwagakure Ninja, crashing heavily against a rock by the river, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
The Rinnegan, obscured by his red hair, seemed to flash with light, faintly visible.
"Hahaha, Hidden Rain Village brats, truly pathetic! Now I'll ask, and you answer!"
"Where are your Hidden Rain Village's nearby Ninja strongholds, and where are your stored provisions?!"
A flicker of fear crossed Konan's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by stubbornness.
"Let us go!"
"Still tough, huh?"
The Iwagakure Ninja sneered, applying a little more pressure with the kunai in his hand, drawing a streak of blood on her fair neck.
Just at this critical moment.
"Swish!"
A blurry dark shadow flashed by; the leading Iwagakure Ninja only felt a chill on his wrist, followed by intense pain.
"Ahhh—!" He screamed as he recoiled, looking down to see his wrist cleanly severed, blood gushing out.
"Who?!"
The other Iwagakure Ninja were greatly alarmed, turning their heads sharply.
Chiye's figure slowly emerged, his crimson Sharingan glowing with a cold light in the setting sun.
In his hand, a blood-dripping kunai slowly hung down.
"Bullying children, you truly are something."
His voice was low.
The Iwagakure Ninja's faces changed dramatically.
"Sharingan?! It's a Konoha Uchiha!"
"Retreat!"
One of them shouted, turning to flee.
Chiye's figure instantly vanished.
The next second, he had appeared behind that Iwagakure Ninja, his kunai precisely piercing his back.
"Want to retreat? Too bad… it's too late."