Chapter 33: Awakening in the Rain
Kenzo's eyes slowly fluttered open.
Immediately, a wave of weakness struck him like a physical blow.
His vision was still blurry.
Pain exploded from almost every part of his body.
His legs… his remaining arm… his chest…
Every part of him felt bruised and battered, as if his body had been dragged across stone.
Even breathing felt heavy.
His mind felt like it had been struck by a sledgehammer.
For a few moments, he could not even remember where he was.
Yet despite the pain, his eyelids slowly moved as he forced himself to observe his surroundings.
A small primitive wooden stand came into view.
It looked worn and simple, likely used to store farming tools.
The bed beneath him was clearly makeshift—constructed from rough wooden planks and layered cloth. It was crude, but stable.
Near the wall, a small window stood slightly open.
Through it, Kenzo could hear the soft, steady sound of rain falling outside.
The air carried the faint scent of wet soil and damp wood.
Rain.
Kenzo's mind slowly began connecting the pieces.
He tried to move slightly, attempting to inspect the condition of his body.
But the moment he shifted—
A sharp wave of pain surged through him.
"You shouldn't move your body."
A calm voice suddenly spoke.
Kenzo's eyes immediately shifted toward the door.
An old man had entered the room.
Kenzo's gaze quietly followed the man's figure.
Despite his age, the man's posture was still straight.
His face was covered with deep wrinkles, and his hair had already turned completely white.
His hands looked rough and calloused, the kind that came from years of manual labor.
A farmer.
Or someone who had lived a long life working with his hands.
Yet Kenzo did not show any hostility or vigilance on his face.
Instead, he forced himself to look confused… even slightly frightened.
"…Where am I?"
His voice sounded hoarse.
The old man walked closer and placed a small wooden bowl on the nearby table.
"You're in Shigure Village."
The old man spoke calmly.
"And I am the village chief."
Kenzo nodded quietly, calmly digesting the information.
His eyes moved slightly, looking directly at the man's face.
Meeting his gaze.
As if silently asking him to continue.
Noticing this, the old man continued.
"Three days ago," he said, "I found you near the riverbank."
"You were unconscious and half-drowned."
Kenzo's expression remained weak, but inside his mind moved quickly.
Three days.
That meant the river had carried him far away from the battlefield.
Most likely… this was the Land of Rain.
The old man sighed lightly.
"You're lucky you're still alive, boy."
His eyes briefly glanced toward Kenzo's missing arm.
"Most people would have died from injuries like yours."
Kenzo remained silent.
The old man then pushed the wooden bowl slightly closer.
"Drink this."
"It's just herbal soup."
"You've been unconscious for days."
Kenzo stared at the bowl for a moment.
Then slowly lifted his remaining arm.
Even that small movement caused pain to spread through his muscles.
But he still managed to hold the bowl.
He slowly drank the soup.
As a trained shinobi with basic medical knowledge, he could naturally tell that the soup was not poisoned.
The warmth spread through his body.
The old man watched him quietly for a moment before finally speaking again.
"You don't have to tell me where you came from."
His voice was calm.
Gentle, almost like a grandfather who understood his grandson's worries.
"But judging by your injuries…"
"You probably didn't arrive here peacefully."
Kenzo lowered his gaze slightly.
Acting perfectly.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Only the sound of rain filled the small wooden house.
Finally, the old man turned and walked toward the door.
"You should rest."
"Your body still hasn't recovered."
Before leaving, he paused briefly.
"Oh, and one more thing."
He glanced over his shoulder.
"In Shigure Village… we don't ask unnecessary questions."
The door closed gently behind him.
Leaving Kenzo alone once more.
Kenzo's eyes slowly narrowed.
He didn't believe a single word the man had said.
If he had truly been just a young boy—
After such a life-and-death ordeal—
He might have fallen for this act.
But unfortunately for that old man…
He had met the wrong person.
Kenzo.
Kenzo was an old fox himself.
One who had lived an entire lifetime before this one.
Naturally, he could see through the man's tricks.
The Land of Rain was extremely poor.
And to find a village where strangers were taken in and asked no questions?
That was simply impossible.
If a village were truly that kind—
It would have been devoured long ago.
In this harsh shinobi world, kindness was a luxury only the powerful could afford.
For ordinary people…
It was already good enough if they didn't betray each other just to survive.
Kenzo understood human nature far too well.
This was reality.
Not fiction.
Honestly speaking, he should have died back then.
But somehow—
Through luck and coincidence—
He had survived.
It almost felt as if something was deliberately helping him.
The arrival of the system…
And why it had specifically attached itself to him…
That was also a mystery.
There had been eight billion people back on Earth.
He didn't believe there weren't better candidates than him.
Kenzo slowly shook his head.
He didn't have the luxury of thinking about such things right now.
Even if he reached an answer—
What good would it do?
An ant was still an ant.
Even if it could carry objects several times its own weight—
It would still be crushed beneath the light stomp of a human foot.
For now…
He would wait until his injuries recovered.
Then he would make a plan.
His eyelids slowly grew heavy.
And soon—
He let himself fall asleep.
—
Meanwhile—
News had already begun spreading through the underground black markets of the shinobi world.
About a new S-rank bounty.