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NBB Chapter 70: Rain, Regrets, and Hot Springs
🕑 Added 2025-06-14 01:45:43 +0000 UTCGate of Konohagakure.
By the time Gen arrived, he discovered that Jiraiya and Kakashi were already there. He was actually the last one to show up.
“Geez, what took you so long today?”
Jiraiya grumbled as Gen landed nearby. Kakashi gave a casual chuckle.
“All right, it’s still early anyway. Let’s head out.”
“Yeah, time to move,” Jiraiya agreed.
And with that, the three of them left the village together.
Along the way, Jiraiya couldn’t help but add a word of warning.
“This time, be extra cautious while passing through the Land of Rain. Hanzo the Salamander isn’t someone to mess with."
"Even though he hasn’t shown himself in years, no one doubts his strength. Back in the day, even Tsunade, Orochimaru, and I couldn’t take him down together.”
“I see.”
Gen nodded, though internally he was thinking: 'Pretty sure that guy’s just bones by now…'
He distinctly remembered that Hanzo had been Nagato’s first target for revenge. But since the Land of Rain was so isolated, no news ever got out.
“Well, no need to worry too much.”
Jiraiya noticed Kitagawa Gen deep in thought and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“The Land of Rain is just like the Land of Fire—its secrets all lie at the heart of its shinobi village. As long as we stay away from Amegakure, there shouldn’t be any trouble."
"I have no intention of stirring up a hornet’s nest. Back when I trained those three kids, we always stayed in remote areas, far from the village itself.”
“I understand.”
Gen nodded. That much, at least, he was aware of.
If he remembered correctly, it was only when Jiraiya infiltrated Amegakure directly that he was discovered by the Rain Tiger at Will Technique.
Just like Jiraiya said—if they didn’t act foolishly and remained cautious, things wouldn’t get too complicated.
The three of them moved quickly. Along the way, they chatted and laughed, making the journey fairly lighthearted.
The weather in the Land of Fire was pleasant, and the scenery peaceful and picturesque no matter where they looked.
But a few days later, as they crossed into the Land of Rain, everything changed.
“Does it ever stop raining here?”
Fully clad in his cloak and straw hat, Gen looked up at the gray, overcast sky and shook his head.
“And this place… it feels so empty and oppressive.”
“That’s not just a feeling—it’s reality.”
Leading the way at the front, Jiraiya sighed as he responded.
“The Land of Rain feels like it’s been cursed by the heavens—forever weeping. It’s been ravaged by rebellion and war for years. Everyone here carries a heavy heart."
"The only place with any semblance of stability is probably Amegakure itself—thanks to Hanzo holding it down. But outside that bubble…”
“Not every country is like the Land of Fire.”
At this point, even Kakashi had tucked his book away, afraid the rain would ruin it. Walking beside Gen, he added: “Honestly, outside the Five Great Nations, it’s rare to find anywhere in the shinobi world that’s truly at peace.”
Gen nodded. He had already understood this even before arriving in this world.
After all, the great shinobi wars had all started in these smaller countries.
Konohagakure versus Iwagakure began in the Land of Grass.
Konohagakure versus Kirigakure began in the Land of Whirlpools.
Konohagakure versus Kumogakure began in the Land of Hot Water.
Back then, the entire shinobi world was thrown into chaos, and every small nation suffered for it.
The Land of Rain might have seemed like an exception—thanks to Amegakure and Hanzo the Salamander—but its geography and location had already doomed its potential.
It was the clash between Amegakure and Konohagakure that ignited the Second Great Ninja War.
If they had won, it might’ve been a chance for expansion and development.
But failure was even worse than returning to square one.
Clearly, the Land of Rain fell into the latter category.
“We’re here.”
As he spoke, Jiraiya brought them to a halt in front of a rundown wooden cabin. Looking at the familiar setting, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia.
“Can’t believe so many years have passed… and yet it feels like just yesterday. Same place, but everything’s changed.”
“Jiraiya-sama, here.”
Gen walked up from behind and handed over the flowers he had sealed inside a scroll. Jiraiya stared blankly for a moment.
“What’s this…?”
“I remembered something you said. So before we left, I figured I’d prepare a little something.”
Gen smiled nonchalantly.
“If we’re here to pay respects, we should come prepared. Showing up empty-handed just doesn’t feel right.”
“You little brat…”
Jiraiya rubbed his face, then suddenly looked up, letting the falling rain wash over him before shaking his head.
“You didn’t have to go through the trouble. But… thanks, Gen.”
He gently placed the flowers in front of the door, then silently stared at them for a while. Only after a long pause did he turn around.
“All right. Let’s go.”
“You’re not going to stay a little longer?”
Kakashi asked quietly. Jiraiya shook his head.
“No. I’ll come back another time if I get the chance. We’ve got more important things to do.”
“Got it.”
Kakashi didn’t press further. They were, after all, on a tight schedule.
As the three of them departed the abandoned cabin, a heavy silence hung over them. None of them spoke, each lost in thought.
“Hey, kid.”
Perhaps to break the gloomy mood, Jiraiya suddenly patted Gen on the shoulder with a grin—
“I’ll treat you to something good when we get back to Konoha.”
“Just something good to eat?”
Kitagawa Gen gave him a look of disdain, which made Jiraiya raise a brow.
“Say what you want—as long as it’s not too outrageous.”
“Really?”
Gen tilted his head, now getting a sense of what Jiraiya was implying. He grinned and replied bluntly.
“Great! I’ve been to the Land of Hot Water twice already, but I’ve never had the chance to enjoy the hot springs there. Next time, take me with you?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the hell are you saying?!”
Kakashi, who had just been lost in memories of the Land of Grass and the tribute they had just paid, suddenly lost his composure.
Those hot springs in the Land of Hot Water—Guy might be clueless, but Kakashi knew exactly what kind of places they were!
“The Land of Hot Water, huh?”
But Jiraiya just stroked his chin thoughtfully—then said something that completely broke Kakashi.
“Sure. But you’ll have to use your Transformation Jutsu properly—otherwise, I won’t be able to take you in.”
“Seriously?!”
“Of course!”
“You two! Can you not take it so far?!”
And just like that, the heavy atmosphere in the rain seemed to dissipate. The three of them slipped back into their usual banter, laughing and teasing one another as they walked off, their figures fading into the downpour.
The rain kept falling steadily. No one knew how much time passed, but as the breeze stirred, the chrysanthemums placed in front of the abandoned cabin began to ripple gently.
Just as the wind was about to blow away some of the petals, a figure with blue hair suddenly stepped forward, shielding the flowers from the gust.
She stood silently in front of the cabin, staring dazedly at the bouquet lying on the ground.
...
“Hey, Blackie, we’ve already tracked down the Konoha shinobi.”
At the border of the Land of Earth, Black Zetsu waited silently—until his other half, White Zetsu, finally spoke.
“They’ve passed through the Land of Rain and are approaching the border near Iwagakure.”
“The Land of Rain?”
Black Zetsu flinched but quickly composed himself.
That group probably chose this path without realizing the true nature of the Land of Rain.
As long as they didn’t barge into Amegakure, Nagato wouldn’t react the way Obito would. Even if they were discovered, chances were he wouldn’t bother with them.
Now was not the time.
“I see. Who’s with them? Is that kid among them?”
“He is,” White Zetsu nodded.
“Along with that kid, there’s Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya—same team setup as back in Kirigakure.”
Kirigakure…
Just hearing the name made Black Zetsu compare Nagato and Obito once again.
Both had taken control of a village—but one had brought order and stability, while the other had nearly ruined his.
Every time he thought about it, it made him frustrated.
“All right, got it. What about Sasori, Uchiha Itachi, and Kisame? Have they regrouped yet?”
Letting out a silent sigh, Black Zetsu asked in a low voice.
“They’ve regrouped.”
White Zetsu, oblivious to what Black Zetsu was brooding over, replied cheerfully.
“But Itachi and Kisame don’t seem to be getting along too well. They’ve been talking about killing comrades and family members. They almost got into a fight.”
“Hmm.”
Black Zetsu didn’t care. Those two were just pawns in Uchiha Obito’s game. Both had killed their own people with unmatched ruthlessness.
Putting them together was fitting enough. Whether they got along or not was irrelevant—as long as they didn’t kill each other.
“As for Sasori, he doesn’t seem to have much of a reaction. But whatever. According to your instructions, I’ll do my best to steer them into crossing paths with the Konoha group.”
“Good.”
Black Zetsu finally sounded somewhat satisfied. As dumb and scatterbrained as White Zetsu could be, at least he got the job done.
That, perhaps, was White Zetsu’s true value—besides being useful as spare body parts.
“But hey… are you really not going to tell Obito about this?”
White Zetsu blinked, his face full of curiosity.
“Keeping everything from him doesn’t seem right, does it?”
“I said not to tell him, and I meant it. He doesn’t need to know.”
Black Zetsu shook his head immediately. Even though he still had to keep up the act of being Uchiha Madara’s ‘fractured will’ and pretend to obey Obito—
But that didn’t mean he had to report every single thing to Obito.
Especially something as significant as this. Even if he had come up with a plausible explanation, he still wanted to observe more before making any decisions.
And right now was the perfect opportunity—it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.
After all, the only reason Root got their intel so quickly… was because he had White Zetsu deliver it. It was him!
“Just trust me—there’s absolutely nothing wrong with following my lead. It’s for everyone’s benefit, got it?”
“Okay…”
White Zetsu nodded, somewhat confused, but since Black Zetsu said not to tell, then he wouldn’t.
“Well, whatever. Obito’s still busy inventorying all the stuff I stole for him. But you know, I’ve been wondering about something.”
“What?”
“What is a hot spring in the Land of Hot Water, exactly? That Kitagawa Gen guy seems really obsessed with it.”
“…Can you not speak?”
“Oh—by the way, that person Hidan asked about… the second-to-last in that ranking. Do you know who it was?”
“…”
Black Zetsu was at his limit. He genuinely wanted to strangle this half of his body.
After a moment of silence, he spoke in a low voice, cutting White Zetsu off before he could say anything else.
“I’ll tell you—but only if you promise to shut up afterward.”
“Mhm! Mhm!”
White Zetsu blinked rapidly in agreement. Only then did Black Zetsu exhale and say in a weary tone—
“If I’m remembering right… it was that idiot Uchiha Obito!”
“Huh?!”
White Zetsu’s eyes widened in disbelief. After a long pause, he finally said, stunned—
“So he really is just like me—a complete moron!”
“…”
So… you do have a pretty accurate sense of self-awareness, huh?
Meanwhile, on the other side, Kitagawa Gen and the others had already arrived at a small village near the border of the Land of Earth.
