Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Chapter 100 Arrival of Rinnegan Nagato, Three Young Heroes Gather

**In a small town...**

Amidst the evening rain, even the refugees sought shelter to rest, but a persistent knocking echoed through the town's streets.

"Sorry to bother you, but could you spare a bit of food?"

A small figure wandered along the street, tapping on the doors of every home with lights on, weakly asking for food. However, the war-torn town's residents, already on edge, stood inside, peering nervously out. Each held an axe or a kitchen knife and responded in harsh voices:

"No, we’re barely surviving ourselves."

It was only after a prolonged silence that they finally relaxed. They weren't being overly cautious; tragedy had struck too many times. In the past, some who kindly shared a bit of food with refugees were killed when the refugees returned at night to ransack their homes.

In the rain-soaked streets, a red-haired boy in a cloak walked feebly, trailed by a skinny little yellow dog. Together, they drifted from house to house, and when the boy's final knock received no response, his eyes reflected despair.

In the shadows, a pale figure emerged from the ground – it was White Zetsu.

"Food… Lord Madara said to have Nagato probe that Uchiha kid, Yosuke."

"If this Uchiha kid shows any greed for the Rinnegan, we’ll activate the seal on Nagato and take him away."

White Zetsu murmured to himself. Ever since the Rinnegan had been transplanted into Nagato, he’d been under constant surveillance, his life path already set.

Meanwhile, deep underground in a hidden cavern, Uchiha Madara reclined in a stone chair, listening to White Zetsu’s reports and occasionally chuckling hoarsely.

"Heh, this kid is even prouder than I imagined, with a strong, unshakable ambition. Someone like that would never covet the Rinnegan. I believe in it!"

Madara was confident that Uchiha Yosuke wouldn’t be tempted by the Rinnegan. His pride as a Uchiha was ingrained deeply; he wouldn't desire anyone else’s power, even the Rinnegan.

Yosuke’s personality and the book he’d written reassured Madara. Yosuke sought peace in a way even more open-minded than Madara and Hashirama once had.

"Respecting each person's ideals of peace, not forcing one’s beliefs on others, since no one’s ideals are necessarily right. Did he realize the flaws in Hashirama’s dream?"

Madara muttered as he glanced at the red book in his hand, which even contained an unpublished manuscript by Yosuke.

"Hashirama, the new generation of Uchiha surpasses you. Why were you so certain you were right and rejected others’ visions? This current ninja world proves it..."

His voice cracked with emotion. He hadn’t felt this fulfilled, not even when he awakened the Rinnegan.

Someone finally pointed out Hashirama’s failure, and even his granddaughter Tsunade had acknowledged it!

"Ha! Hashirama, do you see? Even your own descendant understands your failure. You once confidently clung to your ideals of peace, but where is that peace?"

Madara laughed out loud in the empty cave, his voice resonating.

"Hashirama, you might think your dream was right, but why impose your ideals on others while dismissing theirs? Look at this ninja world. Wars have never ceased, and peace has never arrived. Your so-called peace only escalated family feuds into battles between villages, and Konoha still sends children to the battlefield..."

If not for his own plans, Madara might have already resurrected Hashirama just to point out these truths to him.

"Where is your promised peace, Hashirama? Children are still on the front lines..."

After a moment’s pause, Madara returned to Yosuke’s manuscript, reflecting with a sigh.

"This kid, as he wrote, isn’t powerful because of his own might but because he stands on the shoulders of giants. Hashirama’s legacy revealed the failure of seeking mutual understanding among people—a naive peace."

Madara was eager to see Yosuke in action, to watch him reshape the ninja world and test whether his own past convictions were right.

For now, though, Madara recognized that Yosuke might need a little help from him, especially with Hashirama’s descendants.

"Hashirama, let’s see how you react when your own granddaughter lies in the arms of an Uchiha!" Madara smirked, whispering Tsunade’s name to himself with glee.

**In the small town...**

The red-haired boy collapsed in the mud, while the small yellow dog whimpered beside him. As he braced for death, a figure appeared, holding an umbrella to shield him from the cold rain.

"Here, eat this."

A young girl with light blue-purple hair and an angelic smile handed him a piece of bread.

"For... me?"

The boy looked up, and the girl nodded with a warm smile.

Sheltered from the rain, the boy tore his bread in half, sharing it with the yellow dog that had stayed by his side.

The girl smiled, touched by his kindness, as she recalled her own past.

"Konan, what are you doing? We’re still on patrol!"

Yahiko called out from a distance, waving to her.

As Konan waved back, she folded the bread wrapper into a tiny dog shape, placing it near the boy and his yellow companion.

"Stay here, we’ll come back for you in two hours."

---

**The Next Morning**

"Lord Yosuke, this child has the potential to cultivate chakra."

Uchiha Yosuke smiled approvingly.

"Then, starting tomorrow, Nagato will train with you."

Hearing Yosuke’s decision, Konan beamed with joy.

"Nagato, you heard that? We’re teammates now."

But Nagato’s gaze wavered with conflicting emotions as he looked at the ninja with Konoha headbands. His parents had been killed by people wearing that very symbol. His home had been destroyed by them!

While Konan was full of joy, Yosuke watched him thoughtfully.