After the two had finished their tearful embrace, the middle-aged man finally noticed the blonde man who had accompanied his son inside.
"Hello, my name is Maito Dai, I am Gai's father. Thank you very much for escorting my child back. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Sunaen."
"Thank you so much, Sunaen-kun!" He finished speaking and bowed deeply.
"If you want to thank me, let's save Gai's mother first, and then you can thank me later."
"Ah! Sunaen-kun, are you perhaps an Iryō-nin (Medical Ninja)?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
"That's wonderful! Please, come in!"
The room was very tidy.
To be precise, there was very little furniture.
There was a large bed, a small bed expanded with wooden planks next to it, and a simple wardrobe opposite the bed, which looked like it was homemade.
Lying on the bed was a middle-aged woman, whose face was extremely pale.
Sunaen walked ahead, secretly activating Sennin Mode (Sage Mode).
He discovered that the woman's life energy was flickering like a candle in the wind; she had only a few days left.
Sunaen approached the woman, placed his hand near her, and pretended to be sensing her condition.
"Big brother, how is it? Can my mom be cured?"
Looking at his mother lying unconscious on the bed, Maito Gai once again couldn't control his emotions and questioned Sunaen.
"Hmm, the illness is terminal. Medicine and food can no longer help."
Upon hearing Sunaen's words, even though he was mentally prepared, Maito Dai couldn't help but feel sadness well up.
After all, if the diagnosis wasn't absolute, it meant there was still hope, right?
"Sigh, you've gone to a lot of trouble, Sunaen-kun. It's all my fault. I never let Nanako live a single good day, which is why... boohoo..."
"However, you met me!"
"...Boohoo... wuh... Huh?!"
Sunaen's dramatic pause and sudden shift in tone completely threw the grieving Maito Dai off balance.
"That's wonderful! Sunaen-kun, please, you must save her! I beg you!"
Seeing Maito Dai kneeling before him, begging him to save his wife, Sunaen shook his head.
Watching Sunaen shake his head, Maito Dai plunged back into despair.
"[As expected! It still can't be done! In the end, I still failed to protect Nanako!]"
"[Back then, during a mission, the young him met her while she was fleeing for her life, and he saved her. She wasn't particularly beautiful, and he wasn't particularly handsome, but she fell for him and followed him all the way.]"
"[After passing through the layers of tests required to enter the village, she found him—the eccentric one in the village. Ultimately, the two lonely souls found each other and got together!]"
"[He told her that things would get better, and she always believed him. In the end! He broke his promise! And she would never see it happen!]"
"Saving her doesn't depend on me, but on you!"
"Me?"
"That's right! I can treat your wife, but how long do you think someone who has just recovered from a serious illness can last in this environment? One year? Two years? Or three years? And then what? Won't she end up back in bed? So, what would be the meaning of my treatment?"
"I..."
Faced with Sunaen's blunt question, Maito Dai knew he couldn't answer.
"I... I will definitely work hard. I will definitely let Nanako live a good life!"
"Then, where are the results of your efforts?"
"Dai-san is a Genin, right?"
"Uh, yes."
"As far as I know, Konohagakure currently has more escort missions than they can handle. Although Genin receive the smallest share of the rewards, it still shouldn't lead to the kind of poverty your family is experiencing. And I can tell Dai-san is not someone who shirks work. Therefore, there is only one answer: absolutely no one is willing to take missions with you, right?"
"I..."
Maito Dai, having the truth laid bare by Sunaen once again, lowered his head even further.
Seeing that the moment was right, Sunaen abruptly changed the subject.
"But I have an opportunity here. I wonder if Dai-san is willing to accept it. If you agree, I can treat Nanako-san, and I guarantee that Dai-san's income will be at least ten times what it is now!"
"What opportunity?"
Like grabbing a final lifeline, Maito Dai suddenly raised his head and spoke to Sunaen.
"It's very simple: come with me to Sunagakure. I happen to need a Taijutsu instructor, and you will fill that role. If you agree, not only will your wife receive treatment, but your son will also be trained as a top-tier student in Sunagakure. What do you say?"
"Sunagakure! Who exactly are you? Why are you approaching me?"
"[Don't object. Low-level shinobi at most know that an envoy from Sunagakure is coming, but they would never know or even see who the person from Sunagakure is.]"
"A good question! My name is Sunaen, and as for my identity, I am simply the Sandaime Kazekage of Sunagakure."
"Eh!!! The Sandaime Kazekage!!! Doesn't that mean you're as strong as Hokage-sama!!!"
Before Maito Dai could react, Gai, standing nearby, already cried out in shock.
"What kind of talk is that! Is the Hokage as handsome as me?"
"..."
"Why me?"
"Emmm... you could say I was bored. I came to Konoha just wanting to wander around, and then I happened to see a child crying, and on a whim, I felt like playing the role of a powerful person who could change someone's destiny."
"However, that was only my initial thought. When I arrived here, I noticed traces of training outside. I deduced that Dai-san must be an excellent Taijutsu specialist. Furthermore, I sensed a powerful energy within Dai-san; it is thoroughly hidden, just like Dai-san himself—unremarkable on the surface!"
"But I believe that the moment that energy bursts forth will be a moment that shocks the world."
"Therefore, Dai-san, come to Sunagakure. I will give you a sufficient stage to display your talents, so you no longer have to live such an impoverished life."
"And besides..."
Sunaen leaned his head close to Maito Dai's ear and whispered softly.
"Dai-san, you don't want Nanako-san to die like this, do you? You don't want Gai to lose his mother so young, do you? And you definitely don't want Gai to grow up to be just like you, do you?"
Having finished, he pulled his head back from Maito Dai, patted Dai's shoulder, and continued.
"Think it over carefully. You have three days. If you take longer than three days, I won't be able to save her either."
"Furthermore, I promise you that once you are in Sunagakure, I will absolutely not make you fight against Konoha shinobi!"
With that, he left behind a gold card (not a card for exceptional talent, just an ordinary gold card imbued with a trace of Sunaen's chakra) and then walked out.
"If you've made up your mind, you can use this gold card to find me at the guesthouse. If you don't come, then you can sell this card to improve your family's living conditions!"
...Sunaen walked back alone. To be honest, Konoha was quite large; he had walked so long he was getting hungry.
Should he go for yakiniku or Ichiraku Ramen? Such a dilemma!
Suddenly, Sunaen seemed to sense something. His gaze fell upon a spot in the forest, and a glistening trail of drool slipped from the corner of his mouth.
"It is the Kyūbi, as expected. What massive chakra! If I could take a sip of that, it would be absolutely exhilarating. Too bad it's being watched too closely."
"Yakiniku and ramen are more realistic. I've decided! I'll eat both!"
The Pure Land (Jōdo).
On the Husband-Watching Rock.
A certain individual with long black straight hair was thinking of his deceased husband.
"Madara! Where in the world are you!"
"Ani-ja (Big Brother), that's enough!"
Tobirama, standing behind Hashirama, had lost count of how many times he had said that.
Suddenly.
He sensed someone approaching.
He turned his head to look, and was immediately startled.
"B... B..."
"Shh!"
"Sigh, Madara, where are you exactly!"
"Do you miss Madara that much? Have you thought about anyone else?"
"Someone else? Huh, I don't think so. Wait, your voice sounds familiar. Are you someone I know?"
He finished speaking and turned his head to see who it was, but as soon as he turned, he immediately snapped his head back, cold sweat already beading on his forehead and dripping onto the ground.
This was because he saw a familiar red-haired woman, her hair floating in the air, with four menacing chains thrashing behind her.
"Heh heh, looks like you don't recognize me. Perfect. Then I'll help you jog your memory."
"Ah! Mito, I was wrong! Please spare me~~~ Ah!!!"
At that moment, Tobirama was hiding nearby, watching his older brother being hung up and beaten.
He silently offered a prayer for him, then quickly ran away.
"[Once she's done beating Ani-ja, she won't be able to beat me too, right!]"
Deep beneath the Land of Grass.
Uchiha Madara was currently eating the dinner Tobi had brought him.
Just then, a White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
"Madara-sama, Black Zetsu sent word that Uzumaki Mito passed away this morning!"
Hearing this news, Uchiha Madara's hand, which was holding his food, paused slightly, then immediately resumed its normal motion.
"Mm, I understand. You may leave."
After the White Zetsu left, silence returned to the cave.
There was only the sound of Madara eating alone, and then... "Sigh, the green leaves of the past have all withered away. Hashirama, I will definitely prove that I was right!"