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Yahiko's death and Nagato's disappearance threw the Land of Rain back into chaos, just when it had almost been fully unified under control.
And in times like these, all kinds of people came crawling out of the woodwork.
Every few days, some idiot with no sense of self-preservation would pop up—trying to seize Hayato's turf, steal his resources, or even snatch his people. In short, it was a mess, and all that constant trouble made it hard for Hayato to focus on his training.
The endless disruptions left him in a foul mood.
"Hayato-nii…" Konan looked at him hesitantly, reading his expression, unsure if she should continue.
"What is it, Konan?" Hayato forced a smile for her. No matter how irritated he was, he never wanted to let Konan see the darker side of his temper.
"Hayato-nii… if we can… shouldn't we try to put an end to all this chaos in the Land of Rain?"
Konan's heart was too soft. Watching her homeland torn apart like this was unbearable, and with so many thugs stirring up trouble, the idea had been weighing on her mind for a while.
Hayato froze for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Alright."
Her face instantly lit up with joy. Deep down, Konan was just a kind girl who wanted peace.
So Hayato stepped forward and declared that he would become the new leader of the Land of Rain. The moment that news spread, it stirred up the whole country.
Ninja started flocking to him almost immediately. After all, Hayato was the one who had killed the former leader, Hanzō of the Salamander. That alone proved his strength was above Hanzō's.
His victory over Hanzō had already earned him a fearsome reputation. And when Yahiko and Nagato had raised their rebellion years ago, Hayato had been their silent backing—though he never admitted it at the time. Many of their followers had secretly admired Hayato more than anyone else. So now that he openly stepped forward, those former rebels naturally rallied under his banner.
With them, plus the countless others drawn by his growing fame, Hayato's forces swelled almost overnight.
Soon, half the country had already fallen under his control.
Even Hayato was a little surprised at how quickly things progressed. His name alone was enough to attract so many allies. Like a snowball rolling downhill, his power grew bigger and bigger until the Land of Rain was practically in his pocket.
Not everyone accepted him quietly. One man in particular fled through the rain-soaked streets, panting in terror, glancing over his shoulder as if death itself was chasing him. His chakra and stamina were nearly spent after running so far.
He finally slowed, thinking he was safe—
—only to feel a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down in shock at the hand protruding through his body.
Hayato calmly withdrew his bloodied hand, and the corpse collapsed at his feet. With that final act, the Land of Rain was completely his. There was no one left to resist him.
Hayato didn't really care about ruling or politics. But he did care about giving Konan a peaceful environment to grow up in, and for that, he was willing to take the throne.
"Just as I thought—fighting really is the best way to grow stronger," he muttered, shaking the blood off his hand. "Shame there's no one left to fight here."
Since taking on the role of leader, Hayato had faced more battles than ever before. He deliberately fought in his human form, forcing himself to grow without relying on his trump card. Now, barely two years after awakening the Hulk's bloodline, he had risen from a powerless nobody to someone with the strength of an elite jōnin.
Of course, that was only his base strength. His real ace was his transformation into the Hulk. Once, when surrounded by a massive force of ninja—including several top jōnin—he transformed and wiped them all out. That single battle cemented his reputation beyond doubt.
"Lord Chief!"
Four ninja appeared before him, dropping to one knee, eyes burning with fanatic devotion as they looked up at him.
"Mhm. All the rogues have been dealt with. Bring the body—we're heading back." Hayato didn't pay much attention to their worshipful stares. He'd long since gotten used to it.
"Hayato-nii!"
The moment he returned, Konan ran to him with a bright smile, throwing herself into his arms like she never wanted to let go.
Hayato couldn't help but chuckle at her affection. He placed his hand on her head and ruffled her hair until it was a total mess before letting go.
"Hayato-nii, you always mess up my hair! So annoying!" she pouted, though her arms were still wrapped tightly around his. Pressing against his arm, she made his body stiffen slightly—Konan was slowly growing up.
Though Hayato's conquest of the Land of Rain had been swift, it still took about a year before the country was truly stable. By the time the last resistance was gone and Hayato's rule was solid, the Second Great Ninja War had come to an end as well—with Konoha emerging victorious.
At last, the blood-soaked world began to quiet down. For a while at least, the ninja world would know peace.
"....."