KAGE

One week had passed since the night at the Momochi family residence. The next day, we left.

The journey back to Uzu no Kuni was long. Although we could have taken the train, after everything that happened during the previous week—the shinobi attack and my father's death—we preferred not to and decided to travel on foot.

We walked, and our resting time was every three hours because of the children. Since they became tired quickly, there was always someone carrying one of them.

Because of the war, the country was in chaos. Even though the battlefield was in the Land of Rain, far away from here, the consequences still affected ordinary people.

• Refugees arriving from the continent.

• Trade interruptions, causing shortages of food and medicine.

• Pirates and bandits taking advantage of the chaos.

• Spies and assassins infiltrating everywhere.

• Young shinobi from Kirigakure being sent to fight on the continent, with many never returning.

No one was left untouched, and many people obviously took advantage of the situation to become richer.

Food prices continued to rise, public security became unstable, and just days ago I read in the newspaper about the massacre at a merchant's house. They said the killer, a shinobi, had eliminated almost everyone, but when he was about to kill the youngest boy, the assassin was stopped by a young hero.

---

THE MIST GAZETTE — EXTRAORDINARY EDITION

MOMOCHI RESIDENCE MASSACRE: FAMILY FROM ONE OF THE MIST'S COMMERCIAL CLANS ATTACKED

Kirigakure, Land of Water

A tragedy has shaken the shinobi community of the Land of Water.

The main residence of the Momochi family was attacked last night in a mysterious incident that resulted in the deaths of several clan members.

According to authorities, an unknown shinobi infiltrated the property during the night with the objective of eliminating all members of the family.

The attack left the residence severely damaged and raised concerns about the safety of the old clans of the Mist.

Sources close to the investigation claim that the attacker was about to eliminate the last survivor of the family, the young Momochi Zabuza, when a second shinobi appeared at the scene.

According to witnesses, the mysterious individual managed to confront the attacker and force him to abandon the mission before the boy was killed.

The authorities identified the savior as:

Kurogane Raiden

Son of the Commander of the Kirigakure Military Police.

The young shinobi, known for his exceptional abilities and mastery of combat techniques, refused to give detailed statements about the incident.

"I did nothing more than my duty," Raiden reportedly stated.

The identity and motives of the attacker remain unknown. Authorities continue investigating whether the attack against the Momochi family is related to old clan conflicts or an attempt to eliminate future threats within the Hidden Mist Village.

The young survivor, Momochi Zabuza, is now under the protection of the authorities.

Despite the tragedy, the Momochi name continues to live on.

The future of the Mist remains uncertain.

---

Apparently, this world really is cruel, and the future is uncertain, just as the newspaper said.

At least there are still heroes like the young Kurogane Raiden in this world, people capable of making it a slightly better place.

After one week, we finally arrived at Mizukawa (Blue River Village).

Here, we would try to find some means of transportation, at least for the children. We could not simply wander through the world like people from ancient stories crossing the desert. We had better options here.

Refugees were everywhere. The fear and anxiety on the faces of ordinary people were obvious.

It had already been a week, but the next day I tried to place Hikari inside the space, and it still did not work. Since then, I told her about the space and asked her to keep it a secret.

Little by little, more people were learning about my secret, and I had to stop.

I promised myself that Hikari would be the last person I would tell.

As for why I told her... I don't know.

On the surface, I could say it was because I wanted to reassure her, since she already knew about Tenshō-Seki. But looking deeper, perhaps it was my own need for acceptance and my fear of ending up like those protagonists whose fiancées abandon them after they become useless.

I know Hikari would hardly abandon me. There would not be many options for her in the future, but...

What if?

Hikari was beautiful and noble. Although she was only fourteen years old at the beginning of the story, the memories and feelings of the previous Ren still influenced me. Even at that age, it was already clear that she would grow into an extraordinary woman in the future, with elegant features and a noble presence.

She was kind to me, and our bond had existed since childhood.

When we arrived, it was already around 2 p.m., and we found an inn where we could rest.

We rented two rooms. Despite our numbers, we preferred to save money. The cost of staying was much more expensive than I expected, but we still paid.

We needed a hot bath and a good night's sleep inside four walls, not in improvised tents outdoors.