Chapter 9: The Man Who Stayed
Rain fell harder than usual.
Not gentle.
Not steady.
But violent.
Nagato stopped mid-step.
"…Something's wrong."
Yahiko looked around.
"…Again?"
Konan closed her eyes briefly.
"…I feel it too."
The air was different.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Chakra.
Massive.
Not one.
Multiple.
Nagato's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Follow me."
He moved first.
Fast—but controlled.
They climbed up a broken structure overlooking a wide clearing outside the village.
And then—
They saw it.
Three figures stood facing each other.
The ground was already shattered.
Trees broken.
Water pooled unnaturally.
"…What is this…" Yahiko whispered.
Nagato didn't answer.
He was watching.
Analyzing.
One woman.
Blonde.
Calm—but deadly.
"Precise chakra control," Nagato noted.
"Medical… and monstrous strength."
One man.
White hair.
Cold eyes.
Snake-like.
"Unstable."
"Obsessive."
"Dangerous."
And the third—
Nagato's focus sharpened.
White-haired.
Relaxed stance.
But alert.
"…This one…"
Something about him felt different.
Not just power.
Awareness.
"…He's watching everything," Nagato thought.
The battle erupted.
The ground exploded as the blonde woman struck.
CRACK.
Even from this distance, the force was terrifying.
Yahiko flinched.
"…That's insane…"
The snake-like man countered with unnatural movements.
His body bending—
stretching—
Konan's eyes widened.
"…That's not normal."
Nagato remained still.
Watching patterns.
Predicting movements.
"…They're not fighting to kill," he thought.
Testing.
Holding back.
Except—
The snake.
"…He wants something."
The fight escalated.
Summons.
Massive creatures filled the battlefield.
The rain turned chaotic.
Water surged.
Fire clashed.
Earth shattered.
Yahiko whispered—
"…This is what real shinobi are like…"
Nagato didn't respond.
Because his attention was locked on one person.
The white-haired man.
Even while fighting—
He was observing.
Watching his allies.
His enemies.
The battlefield.
"…He thinks ahead," Nagato realized.
A strategist.
Like him.
That made him dangerous.
The battle reached its peak—
Then—
It ended.
The snake retreated.
The blonde followed.
Silence fell.
Only one remained.
The white-haired man.
He stood still in the rain.
Then—
Slowly—
He turned.
Toward them.
Yahiko froze.
"…Did he—"
Nagato didn't move.
"…Yes."
Their eyes met across the distance.
For a moment—
Neither moved.
Nagato's thoughts sharpened instantly.
"He sensed us."
"High perception."
"Experienced."
"…Threat level: high."
The man smiled slightly.
Then—
He walked toward them.
Yahiko panicked.
"…He's coming!"
Konan stepped back slightly.
Nagato stayed.
"Don't run."
"…What?!" Yahiko whispered.
Nagato's gaze remained fixed.
"If we run, we look like prey."
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Confident.
The man stopped a few meters away.
Up close—
His presence felt even heavier.
But his expression—
Was calm.
Curious.
"…Kids?" he said.
Nagato didn't answer immediately.
He was observing.
"Relaxed posture."
"No immediate hostility."
"But cautious."
"…He's evaluating us."
Nagato stepped forward.
"We're not enemies."
The man raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Smart answer."
Yahiko stayed quiet.
For once.
Konan watched silently.
The man crouched slightly to their level.
"What are you doing out here?"
Nagato answered.
"Surviving."
The man's eyes lingered on him longer than the others.
"…You don't talk like a normal kid."
Nagato didn't react.
"Neither do you," he replied calmly.
A small pause.
Then—
The man laughed lightly.
"…Fair enough."
But his eyes sharpened slightly.
"Careful," Nagato thought.
"He's probing."
"What are your names?" the man asked.
"Yahiko."
"Konan."
Nagato paused—
just for a fraction—
"…Nagato."
The man nodded slowly.
"I'm Jiraiya."
Nagato's mind moved instantly.
"Jiraiya."
"One of the three."
"Teacher type."
"Influential."
"…Opportunity."
But also—
"…Risk."
Jiraiya studied them.
"…You're orphans, aren't you?"
Yahiko stiffened.
"…Yeah."
Jiraiya sighed slightly.
"…This war…"
Nagato watched carefully.
"…He cares."
But not blindly.
Calculated compassion.
Interesting.
Jiraiya stood up.
"You shouldn't be out here."
Yahiko snapped slightly—
"…We don't have anywhere else!"
Silence.
Jiraiya looked at them.
Then at the rain.
Then back.
"…Tch."
Nagato noticed it.
"…Internal conflict."
Decision point.
Jiraiya scratched the back of his head.
"…I was supposed to leave."
Nagato's eyes sharpened slightly.
"But…"
He looked at them again.
"…I can't just ignore you."
Yahiko's eyes widened.
"…Really?"
Konan looked up quietly.
Nagato said nothing.
But inside—
"Predictable."
Jiraiya exhaled.
"…I'll stay for a while."
Silence.
Then Yahiko lit up.
"…Seriously?!"
Jiraiya smirked slightly.
"Yeah."
Konan's shoulders relaxed just slightly.
Nagato watched him.
"…Why?"
Jiraiya blinked.
"…Huh?"
Nagato's gaze didn't waver.
"Why help us?"
The question was direct.
Sharp.
Jiraiya looked at him carefully.
"…Because someone should."
Nagato held his gaze.
"Not good enough."
Yahiko whispered—
"…Nagato—"
But Jiraiya raised a hand slightly.
"…He's right."
A pause.
Jiraiya's expression shifted.
"…Because I've seen what happens when no one does."
Silence.
Nagato studied him.
Heartbeat.
Tone.
Eyes.
"…Truth."
He turned away slightly.
"…Fine."
Yahiko blinked.
"…That's it?"
Nagato walked past Jiraiya.
"We'll accept."
Jiraiya smiled faintly.
"…You're the leader, huh?"
Nagato didn't answer.
But Yahiko grinned.
"…Not officially."
Konan said nothing.
But she knew.
Jiraiya watched them.
Especially Nagato.
"…That kid…"
His smile faded slightly.
"…He's different."
Nagato, walking ahead, thought—
"Powerful."
"Smart."
"Emotionally driven—but controlled."
"…He'll be useful."
But also—
"…If necessary…"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…I can not eliminate him, even if I wanted to."
The character I ld admired doesn't seem that great after experienceing it for real
Rain fell steadily.
A new piece had entered the board.
Not an enemy.
Not yet.
But not safe either.
And Nagato—
Was already planning around him.