The sound of pitter-patter rain hits the ears.
Rainy days make people feel particularly irritable.
Especially the people of the Land of Rain, they especially hate their country that rains all year round.
What came into Nagato's view was a village in ruins, ravaged by the battle between Konoha and the Hidden Sand Ninja, making it uninhabitable now.
Lying there are not only the bodies of ninjas but also civilians of the Land of Rain.
They suffered the undeserved disaster of ninja battles.
Nagato looked up at the grey sky, his face slightly pale, and pressed his lips together, as if his vision was becoming blurred.
His expression was sad and silent, looking at the bodies scattered around, his eyes turned from sadness to confusion and doubt.
Why must the battles of the great nations drag our country into it?
The Akatsuki already dissuaded them from harming civilians in their battles, so why must they still bring such brutal pain to the innocent people of the Land of Rain?
Wasn't it the Five Great Nations themselves who set the rule that ninja battles should not harm civilians? Why are they the first to break their own rules?
Where is their justice, their self-discipline? What about the superiority they think they possess?
Is it extreme violence and power?
This is not the first time it has happened.
When he was young, his parents died at the hands of ninjas from the great nations just like this.
Now more people in this country are dying the same way.
And this chain won't disappear; more people will die in wars in the future.
Nagato closed his eyes, reminiscing about everything in this country.
Everywhere are homeless wanderers and orphans, emaciated with hunger lying by the roadside, their bodies being chewed by wild dogs.
Nagato suddenly realized a terrible thing: ever since he could remember, his eyes had reflected a chaotic, twisted world full of blood and slaughter every day.
"There you are, Nagato."
A voice came from behind.
It was a young woman with blue hair.
"Konan, is something the matter?"
Nagato slightly turned, revealing the side of his face.
"Seeing this scene, does it remind you of past events?"
Konan looked at the tragic state of the village, her eyes also showing sorrow.
"Yes."
Nagato nodded without hesitation.
In front of his companion, there was no need to hide his inner pain.
He went through this incident, but now many doubts and confusions arose in his heart.
"Don't think too much; one day, we will succeed. Everyone is working hard for this."
"I know. I'm fine, Konan. What did Yahiko say?"
Nagato asked about the main issue.
"He plans to negotiate with the Hidden Sand and Konoha ninjas."
"Negotiate?"
"Ask them to stop the war."
Hearing Konan say this, although Nagato supported Yahiko's approach, he felt uneasy.
Having witnessed this event, Nagato didn't believe those great nation ninjas would heed their pleas and lay down their weapons, each returning home.
In the end, it is still the Land of Rain that suffers the most, with no changes at all.
Thinking of this, Nagato couldn't help but recall the words of the guy in a certain organization who claimed to be the Insect Man when he came to recruit them for Akatsuki three years ago.
He said that Akatsuki was destined to end in failure.
Recalling this matter, Nagato realized it was as that Insect Man said.
They scrimpted and saved to give more supplies to the poor of the Land of Rain, even dedicating their strength to them without compensation.
Yet nothing changed.
The poor remain poor, and after the donations, their lives will again become a big problem.
"Before that, we need to distribute the recently collected supplies to the other civilians. Yahiko wants you and me to go over together."
"Alright, let's set off now."
Although puzzled about why nothing changed despite Akatsuki doing so much, now is not the time to dwell on such matters.
Saving the people of this country is the most urgent task.
In this war-torn era, every second counts.
This village, destroyed by ninjas, is an example.
◎
Nagato and Konan moved forward in the rain.
The two of them carried burdens heavy with supplies on their backs, all meant for the people of the Land of Rain.
The dilapidated small village had many buildings destroyed, most rooftops pierced with large holes due to ninja battles.
The houses were filled with rainwater.
Yet, in such dire conditions, many people of the Land of Rain were hiding here to take refuge.
They would only find somewhere else to hide when the ninjas came again. If they couldn't escape in time, they would just wait for death.
After all, nowhere in this country is much different; the Daimyo can't even take care of himself, and the nobles indulge in debauchery, seeking one last frantic act, ignoring the life and death of these civilians.
"Why is there so little this time?"
A male villager, poking his head out from a broken wooden door, seemed very dissatisfied with the meager supplies received this time.
"Sorry, we've been gathering less and less supplies recently. Next time, we'll bring more."
"With so little, my family won't last long."
The male villager weighed the total amount of supplies received this time, estimating it would be gone in half a month.
Then, he set his eyes on what Konan was carrying, with a look of greed.
"Isn't there more back there? Give me that too."