The Tailed Beast Ball exploded in the mountains, and the howling storm swept outward.
In Aoyagi Town, people heard a loud noise from afar almost instantly. Looking into the distance, they saw that the clouds in the sky had been dyed red.
The explosion caused some panic. Upon noticing it, the mayor quickly gathered the young men in the town and sealed off the area.
Uchiha Itachi, Kakashi, and the others also noticed the battle in the distance. As ninjas, they perceived more than ordinary people. The chakra emanating from the explosion was familiar to them—it was a technique performed by Uzumaki Raiden.
Realizing this, they grew anxious. Uchiha Itachi even wanted to leave town to investigate, but Kakashi stopped him.
"Itachi, don't worry. All we need to do now is wait."
"You know Master Raiden's strength well. There are very few in the ninja world who can pose a threat to him."
"Besides, from the explosion, it's clear that the enemy is powerful. Not only would you be unable to help Lord Raiden, but you might also distract him."
Although young, Uchiha Itachi was intelligent. He knew Kakashi was right, so he didn't argue. He followed Kakashi's advice and settled down in their hotel, waiting quietly for Uzumaki Raiden's return.
However, Itachi was still worried about Uzumaki Raiden. Instead of staying in his room, he went to the hotel entrance and gazed anxiously down the road.
Due to the lockdown in Qingye Town, the streets had become sparse. The young Uchiha Itachi stood silently at the door, watching the sky darken.
As night fell, the stars began to shine, and the houses on both sides of the road lit up. Disappointment filled Itachi's small face, and tears glistened in his eyes.
Raiden had been gone for too long, and there had been no follow-up battles in the area of the explosion. This meant the battle had long since ended. Yet, despite the time that had passed, Uzumaki Raiden had not returned. This made Itachi fear something had happened to him.
Uchiha Itachi had long understood the cruelty of the ninja world. At this moment, he believed he had lost his beloved master.
Thinking of this, tears streamed down his face. Just then, a gentle voice spoke behind him.
"Itachi? Why are you crying? Are you homesick?"
The voice was so familiar. Turning around, Itachi saw Uzumaki Raiden standing behind him, holding several bags in both hands, looking at him curiously.
"Master!" Uchiha Itachi exclaimed. He wiped his tears and hugged Raiden's waist. The sudden hug caught Raiden off guard, leaving him unsure why Itachi was acting this way.
"Alright, don't be sad."
"Is this where Kakashi and the others found accommodations? The environment looks decent."
With his hands full, Uzumaki Raiden could only comfort Itachi with a gentle voice. Then, he glanced at the hotel and nodded in approval.
"Senior Kakashi and the others are inside. I'll take you to them, Master."
Itachi quickly regained his usual composure. Seeing the bags in Raiden's hands, he now understood why his master had been gone for so long. After leading Uzumaki Raiden to Kakashi's room, Raiden began distributing the gifts he had bought.
He had brought everyone a share of the finest spring tea from Aoyagi Town in the Land of Tea. Whether for personal enjoyment or entertaining guests, it was a prized item. Along with the tea, he had also brought an assortment of refreshments.
That evening, everyone retired early. Uzumaki Raiden and his companions spent two days strolling around Aoyagi Town before setting off for the Land of Water on a clear morning.
While in Aoyagi Town, Uzumaki Raiden met Yahiko, Orochimaru, and others. He realized that Akatsuki had begun to change. To investigate its current development, he decided to travel to the Land of Water.
In his memory, Akatsuki's base was in the Land of Rain. However, before that, they had attempted to control the Land of Water. At that time, Mizukage Yagura had fallen under Obito's control.
Uzumaki Raiden wanted to determine whether Akatsuki would attempt to control the Land of Water in this timeline. Additionally, he was highly interested in Kisame's abilities and wanted to see if he could recruit him into Konoha.
If successful, he could pair Kisame with Might Guy, forming a "Monster Duo" for missions. That would surely be beneficial for the village.
The Land of Tea lies south of the Land of Fire. Traveling from the Land of Tea to the Land of Water required crossing a vast waterway. However, Uzumaki Raiden disliked boats. The boundless sea, with its whirlpools and gusts, gave him no sense of security.
Thus, he chose an alternative route—traveling by land through the Land of Tea, then passing through the Land of Fire, the Land of Lightning, and the Land of Whirlpools. From there, they would cross a short stretch of water to enter the Land of Water.
By this time, more than a decade had passed since the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools. Its territory had become unclaimed land after the fall of Uzushio Village. During the Third Great Ninja War, the victorious Land of Fire repelled the Land of Water's invasion and annexed the Land of Whirlpools.
Over the years, as peace returned, many people resettled in the former Land of Whirlpools. Among them were people from the Land of Fire, as well as surviving Uzumaki clan members who had escaped the war. However, most of these survivors kept their identities hidden and no longer used the Uzumaki name.
The ancestral land of the Uzumaki clan remained desolate.
Since its destruction, Uzushio Village's ancestral land had been frequently visited by foreign ninjas searching for valuable scrolls and lost secrets of the Uzumaki Clan.
However, these intruders often came with high hopes but left disappointed. Despite this, many persisted, convinced they would eventually uncover something valuable.
As Uzumaki Raiden and his party neared the border of the Land of Whirlpools, they learned the location of Uzushio Village's ruins. Curious, Raiden led Uchiha Itachi and the others toward it.
In early spring, the sea breeze was cool.
Having traveled from the inland, Uchiha Itachi instinctively pulled his clothes tighter against the wind.
Among the ruins of Uzushio Village, a large group of people rummaged through the rubble. Their faces were filled with anticipation, resembling gold diggers from Raiden's past life.
(End of this chapter)