Chapter 226 : A Brand New Land of Rain
The Land of Rain.
The sky here was gray year-round. The clouds hung low and thick, like a waterlogged quilt draped over the entire country.
Rain fell from here to there, from east to west, and back again.
Sometimes it was a continuous drizzle, like fine needles piercing down from the heavens in an endless, dense swarm. Other times, it was a torrential downpour, with raindrops as large as pebbles smashing against the ground with a loud patter, splashing water in all directions.
The rainy season occupied seventy percent of the year here.
Of the remaining thirty percent, ten percent was overcast, ten percent was cloudy, and only ten percent was sunny.
Warm, sunny days were a rarity here, scarcely seen a few times a year.
The reason for this was the high elevation of the Land of Earth to the north, which blocked the cold air coming from further north. As the cold air moved south, it collided with the warm air from the south, forming rain. The Land of Rain happened to sit right in the middle of this zone, like a piece of cloth caught between hot and cold, unable to escape the rain falling from the sky.
But when Uzumaki Karin and her group arrived in the Land of Rain, they were greeted by a bright, sunny day.
The sky was a brilliant, pristine blue, like a freshly washed canvas.
The clouds were white, sparse, and thin, drifting like wisps of cotton.
The sun hung in the eastern sky, not scorching, but pleasantly warm. Its rays bathed them in a cozy glow, and the breeze carried the scent of fresh grass and earth.
The weather was perfect.
Uchiha Sasuke had been silent the entire journey.
Setting off from Kusagakure, they crossed the border into the Land of Rain and walked for several days. He stayed in the middle of the formation, following behind Uzumaki Karin and walking beside Itachi.
He didn't speak much, occasionally exchanging a few words with Neji, but mostly remaining quiet.
He was deep in thought, his mind filled with questions.
Finally, he voiced what had been on his mind.
"Didn't they say the Land of Rain has constant rainfall? Why haven't we seen a single drop since we got here?"
Hyuga Neji was also curious.
Walking beside Uchiha Sasuke, his Byakugan was active—not on high alert, but simply taking in the surrounding scenery.
He saw the distant mountains, the nearby trees, the clouds in the sky, and the grass on the ground.
These things were no different from the Land of Fire, but his impression of the Land of Rain had always been one of damp, cold, and constant wetness. Yet now, he was looking at a bright, sunny, and beautiful landscape.
Their previous missions had never brought them to the Land of Rain.
Konoha's missions were mostly within the Land of Fire. Even the occasional cross-border missions only took them to places like the Land of Rivers or the Land of Rice Fields.
The Land of Rain was too far away, so far that standard missions were rarely dispatched here.
Their knowledge of this place was strictly limited to textbooks.
The Ninja Academy textbooks stated: The Land of Rain has a constantly rainy and humid climate, a backward economy, and civilians living in poverty.
Uzumaki Karin, walking at the very front, heard Sasuke's words. She glanced back at him, the corners of her mouth curling up in an expression that clearly said, 'You don't know anything, do you?'
She rubbed her nose.
"The Land of Rain is completely different now."
Her tone carried obvious pride.
"The rainfall here has long been brought under control. It barely rains a few times a year now."
She paused, as if organizing her words.
"Maybe two or three times a year, just for show."
Hyuga Neji frowned. He deactivated his Byakugan and looked at the surrounding scenery and the distant sky.
"If that's the case, wouldn't there be a water shortage here?"
As a ninja of the Hyuga Branch House, he had received orthodox ninja education, studying geography, climate, and hydrology.
In a place with little rain year-round, a lack of sufficient water sources would cause the land to dry up, crops to wither, and people to die of thirst. The country would turn into a desert, a wasteland where no one would want to live.
Uzumaki Karin waved her hand dismissively.
"Of course not."
Her tone was casual, as if stating something incredibly simple.
"Even though it doesn't rain much here anymore, there's a place further north where it rains all year round. The rainwater there gathers into a lake and is then diverted, ensuring enough water for the entire Land of Rain."
She raised her hand and pointed north.
"There's a massive lake over there, bigger than Konoha. The lake water is channeled here and distributed everywhere through canals. There's water for farming and drinking; there's absolutely no shortage."
She lowered her hand, looking at Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji.
"And those canals weren't just dug randomly; they were carefully planned. Where to draw the water from, where to divert it, how to allocate the volume—there are specialized ninjas managing all of it."
Uchiha Sasuke's eyes widened.
"How is that even possible?"
His voice carried irrepressible astonishment. He couldn't even picture it—a lake larger than Konoha, channeled hundreds of miles away and delivered to every corner through canals.
What a colossal project that must be. How many people, how many years, and how much effort would it take?
Uzumaki Karin grinned.
"It's all thanks to my teacher, of course. His power is beyond your imagination."
She tilted her chin up slightly, her eyes shining brightly.
"What do you think ninjas are? Tools for fighting and killing? Wrong."
She looked at Uchiha Sasuke, then at Hyuga Neji.
"Teacher believes that while ninjas are indeed tools, they should be tools of production, not tools of slaughter."
Her tone was absolute, as if stating an unquestionable fact.
Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji exchanged a glance, both seeing the bewilderment in the other's eyes.
The words made sense, but neither of them truly understood the underlying logic.
After all, they were still young. At twelve years old, having graduated from the Ninja Academy less than a year ago, they had completed fewer than a hundred missions, mostly low-level ones. Their minds were immature, their worldviews still forming; they couldn't even begin to grasp such far-reaching concepts.
They only knew that ninjas were tools for combat, weapons of the village, meant for killing.
Tools of production? What was that?
Uchiha Itachi, on the other hand, had seen quite a lot along the way.
Walking at the very back of the group, his pace was unhurried, but his eyes were constantly observing.
Throughout the journey, he had seen fertile fields lining the roads. The crops grew tall and dense, a lush green expanse that rippled like waves in the wind.
He also saw the irrigation canals between the fields. Built with stone, they were neat and orderly, the water flowing through them crystal clear.
And the pedestrians on the road—their clothes weren't new, but they were clean. Their faces lacked the sickly pallor of malnutrition, their bodies weren't frail, and they walked with a relaxed, unhurried gait.
Even in the wilderness, there were wide, flat roads paved with gravel. They were sturdy underfoot, free of mud and potholes.
Trees were planted along the roadsides. They weren't large, but they were neatly lined up, as if someone had specifically planted them there. The faces of the passersby showed none of the usual numbness and exhaustion.
All of this was completely different from the people he had seen on his past missions.
He had seen the refugees of the Land of Rivers, the beggars of the Land of Grass, and the slum dwellers of the Land of Waterfalls.
Those people wore rags, were reduced to skin and bones, and had no light in their eyes.
He had never seen a place like this, where civilians could live in such abundance.
This became especially apparent the deeper they ventured into the Land of Rain.
The fertile fields grew more numerous, the canals denser, and the roads wider. In some places, they even passed through small towns. They weren't large, but they were bustling. People were selling vegetables, buying fabric, and repairing houses.
Children ran around the streets, their laughter ringing loud and clear.
All of this brought a significant shock to Uchiha Itachi.
His brows were slightly furrowed, his lips pressed together. As he looked at the scenery, the people, and the objects, his mind raced, comparing what he saw with what he had learned from textbooks.
The textbooks said the Land of Rain was poor and backward, its civilians living in misery.
But what he saw was nothing like that.
It had already been four days since their encounter with Uchiha Madara.
On the fourth day, near noon, they finally arrived at Amegakure.
What met their eyes was a city without high walls.
No high walls, no main gates, no watchtowers.
The village was simply wide open, like a person with open arms, welcoming anyone to enter.
The buildings were mostly multi-story structures with gray walls and dark roofs. The windows were large, the glass glinting in the sunlight.
The streets were wide and paved with stone slabs, smooth and even underfoot.
Shops lined both sides of the streets—restaurants, grocery stores, ninja tool shops—with people constantly coming and going.
There were many pedestrians, both ninjas and civilians.
The ninjas wore Amegakure flak jackets, their forehead protectors tied in place, their ninja tool pouches bulging.
The civilians wore ordinary clothes, carrying baskets or holding children, smiles adorning their faces.
People were greeting each other, chatting, and haggling.
It was completely different from the textbook descriptions; there wasn't the slightest hint of poverty.
Uzumaki Karin stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji, flashing a massive grin.
"We're here!"
Her voice was loud, carrying an irrepressible excitement.
"Let's go, I'll take you to meet Teacher."
As she spoke, she shifted her gaze to Konan, her eyes filled with obvious anticipation. Within that anticipation was longing, a bit of unease, and a touch of caution.
Konan walked at the very front, the hem of her black cloak fluttering in the wind.
She heard Uzumaki Karin's words but didn't turn around or speak. Her pace remained steady, neither fast nor slow, but to Karin, her silence was a form of tacit approval.
Uzumaki Karin's face lit up with joy, her grin widening even further. She quickly turned her head and waved at Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji.
"Hurry up, follow me!"
Her voice was so loud that pedestrians on the street turned to look at her.
Some quickly bowed in greeting, some smiled warmly, and others raised their hands to wave.
Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji exchanged a glance, then stepped forward to follow.
Uchiha Itachi walked at the very back. His pace was unhurried, but his eyes never stopped observing—taking in the buildings, the streets, and the pedestrians.
And just like that, the group walked into Amegakure.
Power Stones, reviews, and comments— really helps a lot
Want to read ahead? Get access to 50+ extra chapters on my Patreon:
/Aragai_Sama