Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 263 Hydrangea: Guh... Kill me!

The rain pounded on the roof of the carriage, producing a continuous hum, like an endless lament.

A damp, chilly atmosphere permeated every inch of the air, mixed with the faint musty smell of dust and goods.

Menma hid in the shadow of the mountain of sacks, his aura as concealed as a dead object. Kagura's perception, like invisible ripples, quietly spread from him, reflecting the chaotic battle outside into his mind.

The bandits' ferocity, the resistance of the Rain Ninja, and the terrified cries of the refugees.

And there's the purple-haired girl hiding behind the overturned carriage, nervously throwing shurikens.

Her chakra was faint yet clear, like a stubborn glimmer of light in a gloomy, rainy scene.

Menma watched as she precisely used shuriken to restrain the enemy, watched as she frowned anxiously because her companion was injured, and watched as she finally joined forces with the other ninjas to defeat the bandits.

The battle ended, and rain washed away the bloodstains on the ground.

The other Rain Village ninjas began silently looting the corpses for money and ninja tools, keeping their distance and not interfering with each other.

Only the purple-haired girl, after quickly checking the bandit she had dealt with, actually found a few shriveled rice balls and a hard bean cake in the bandit's bag.

She hesitated for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the refugees huddled among the ruins, their eyes numb, especially a few emaciated children.

She pursed her lips, but eventually went over and quietly slipped the coarse food into their hands.

"Eat..." Her voice was very low, almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.

A middle-aged ninja from Amegakure, who was counting silver coins, caught a glimpse of her actions and sneered, "Hydrangea, having a good deed again? You can't save them all. People die every day in this godforsaken place. You'd be better off picking up a few more copper coins."

Ziyanghua didn't turn around or argue. She just silently finished the last bit of food and kicked the empty bag aside, as if that would block the gazes directed at her.

She clapped her hands, stood up, and transformed back into the slightly tense little ninja. She walked towards the caravan leader and whispered a few words to him.

Soon, the convoy set off again.

Menma withdrew his senses, his figure blending into the shadow of the goods, and with the bumpy carriage, he gradually approached Amegakure Village.

The village is shrouded in massive pipes and towers, never seeing sunlight, and even the rainwater carries a rusty and oppressive smell.

The convoy drove into a spacious but old-looking warehouse area.

While the porters were unloading the goods, Mianma quietly sneaked to the deepest part of the warehouse, behind a pile of abandoned building materials. The mixed atmosphere there made it easier to hide.

He sat down cross-legged again and closed his eyes.

Kagura expanded the power of her Mind's Eye to its fullest extent, like an extremely intricate, invisible net, slowly enveloping the entire Amegakure.

Countless chakra points lit up in his perception.

Most of them, as faint as candlelight, were ordinary villagers and low-ranking ninjas.

A few brighter ones, like torches, are scattered throughout the village at patrol points and watchtowers.

Deep within the tallest black tower in the center of the village, a powerful, cold, and malevolent chakra, like a coiled serpent, resided, surrounded by a dozen elite guards.

Clearly, that was Hanzo the Salamander's lair.

Perception continues to extend downwards and outwards.

Deep underground, within a complex network of conduits, several unusually powerful chakra reactions manifested.

One of them, cold and vast, with a godlike indifference, subtly resonated with its surroundings—Pain, the Deva Path.

Nearby were several fainter but still conspicuous points of light, one of which possessed a paper-like sharpness and lightness—that was Xiao Nan.

The other individuals, each with a distinct aura—some violent, others cold—were likely other members of the Akatsuki organization.

"Hmm?" Menma's senses paused slightly as they swept over one of the cold, slippery chakras that carried the stench of snakes.

Orochimaru?
'This guy's quick. He really couldn't resist his greed for the Rinnegan; he managed to sneak in so fast.'

He carefully marked the locations of these key targets and then began a more detailed investigation.

Perception, like a comb, repeatedly combed through every corner of Amegakure, searching for any chakra that might possess Otsutsuki characteristics or be unusually deep and obscure.

However, after scanning repeatedly, nothing was found.

'As expected… to evade Kaguya's search and remain hidden in the ninja world for a thousand years without even the Six Paths Brothers and Black Zetsu knowing, this guy's concealment ability is top-notch. Either he's not in Amegakure right now, or he has a special method to completely block out chakra perception.'

His face was pockmarked, and he frowned.

Jigen was able to hide for a thousand years, so his ability to conceal himself must have been extremely high, and it may not have been simply a matter of hiding his chakra.

So he changed his target and began looking for clues that might be related to the "shell" organization, especially the scientist Santu Amado.

'Following the original trajectory, Amado should now be obsessed with cloning technology due to the death of his daughter Akabby, and receiving funding from Jigen. Such expensive research as human cloning must require a vast financial foundation and a secretive laboratory.'

Just as Menma was deep in thought, Kagura sensed a chakra fluctuation approaching the warehouse where he was.

The fluctuations were very weak, belonging to the Genin level, and...

very familiar.

Clear and faint, it belongs to the girl named Hydrangea.

'Hydrangea? What is she doing here?' Menma's heart skipped a beat.

It just so happens that he also needs to leave the warehouse to find some Rain Village ninjas and obtain more valuable information; hiding here all the time is not a solution.

So Mianma quickly formed hand seals and cast a transformation spell.

A puff of white smoke flashed by, and his figure transformed into a boy of about eleven or twelve years old, dressed in rags and with a pale face, looking like a homeless orphan that could be found anywhere in the Land of Rain.

He concealed all his powerful aura, curled up in the shadow of the cargo box, and waited.

The sound of a lock being turned with a key and then forcefully pulled open came from the direction of the warehouse door.

Ziyanghua came in carrying several heavy-looking wooden crates; she seemed to be helping to move supplies.

Rainwater soaked her short, purple, curly hair, and water droplets clung to her hair bun.

After putting down the box, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned her head, just in time to see the boy disguised as a burly man in the corner.

She was clearly startled, then looked around warily. When she found that he was the only one there, she relaxed slightly, but her brows furrowed.

"You..." She lowered her voice and took a few quick steps closer: "Are you one of those people who were with the refugee group earlier? How did you get in here? Are you out of your mind! If the patrol finds you, you're dead!"

The boy played by Menma simply shrank back, his lips trembling.

Looking at him like this, Ziyanghua felt a pang of pity in her eyes.

She sighed, her tone softening slightly: "Are you hungry?"

She put down the box and rummaged through her ninja tool pouch at her waist to pull out a small cloth bag containing three rice balls wrapped in oiled paper that looked somewhat dry and hard.

She hesitated for a moment, then took two and handed them over.

“Here, take this and eat quickly. After you finish eating, find a way to leave this place. You really can’t stay here.” Her voice was soft, but urging: “Go out through that broken ventilation shaft over there. Few people walk down that alley outside. Be careful, you should be able to get out… Just don’t get caught.”

Menma looked up at the rice ball handed to her, then at the girl's worried and kind face.

He suddenly chuckled softly, the sound of which seemed somewhat abrupt in the empty warehouse.

The hydrangea was taken aback.

The next moment, she felt a blur before her eyes!
The boy who had been hiding in the corner vanished in an instant like a ghost. An irresistible force suddenly gripped the back of her neck, causing her chakra to stagnate and her whole body to go numb. She was then lifted up lightly.

"You...!" Ziyanghua opened her eyes wide in horror, only managing to utter a short syllable.

In almost the time it takes to breathe twice, the dizzying sensation disappeared, and she found herself thrown onto a cold, slippery rooftop, at a very high position, overlooking the distorted outline of a large area of ​​Amegakure.

The black-haired boy was standing in front of her, the panicked and bewildered expression on his face completely gone, replaced by a chilling calm and scrutiny.

The rain fell on him, but strangely, it didn't wet his clothes, as if there was an invisible barrier between them.

"Who...who exactly are you?" Ziyanghua's voice trembled as she tried to get up and touch the kunai, but found her body limp and unable to muster much strength. A huge fear gripped her.

This speed, this power...

They are absolutely terrifying enemies!

Menma didn't answer, but instead looked her over with interest, his gaze sweeping over the Rainbow headband on her forehead and her unique purple training uniform: "How long have you been a ninja?"

Ziyanghua bit her lower lip, her face pale, but she tried her best to straighten her thin back, closed her eyes, and said with her neck stiff, "Don't...don't waste your energy! I won't say anything! Kill me if you want!"

Looking at her fierce yet cowardly appearance, seemingly ready to die but unable to stop trembling, Menma suddenly found it rather interesting.

He took a step forward, his boots making a slight sound as they touched the waterlogged roof.

The raindrops pounded heavily on the roof of the two people's house, splashing countless ripples in the puddles.

"I didn't see you being this courageous when you were giving food to the refugees earlier." His tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

Ziyanghua suddenly opened her eyes, looking at him with surprise and doubt: "You...how did you know? Were you in the convoy at the time?"

She immediately realized that the other party was probably already lurking nearby, having seen everything she had done.

Menma remained noncommittal, but continued to ask, "Life must be tough for a genin like you in Amegakure, right? Which do you fear more, Hanzo's subordinates or the Akatsuki?"

Ziyanghua pressed her lips even tighter, suppressing her fear, she closed her eyes and said with a hint of determination, "Gulp... just kill me!"

Menma wasn't in a hurry. He looked at the girl, who was clearly terrified but was trying to act tough, and a slight smile appeared on Menma's lips.

This young genin from Amegakure was more interesting than he had expected. Perhaps he could learn some information about Amegakure from her.

He had originally planned to use illusion magic on the hydrangea, but the child was too innocent, so innocent that Mianma felt a little reluctant to do it.

The raindrops continued to pound against the tin roof at the top of the tower, making a rapid and cold sound.

Ziyanghua slumped on the ground, rainwater blown into the shed by the wind, soaking her purple practice clothes and outlining her slender shoulders.

She closed her eyes tightly, clenched her teeth, and waited for the expected excruciating pain or death to arrive.

However, the expected pain did not come; instead, there was a barely audible sigh, as if it carried a hint of... pity.

She opened her eyes with trembling hands and saw that the mysterious boy had turned around, his back to her, gazing at the hazy, distorted outline of the village in the rain.

His profile appeared unusually calm, even somewhat bland, in the dim light.

“Your chakra,” he suddenly spoke, his voice calm and penetrating the sound of rain, “and the courage you’ve shown, are not suited to this place.”

The hydrangea was stunned, not understanding what the other person meant.

Mianma didn't say much, but turned and walked towards the stairwell, gesturing for Ziyanghua to follow.

"Come on, follow me."

Ziyanghua hesitated for a moment. The other party didn't seem to have any intention of harming her immediately, and the mysterious speed just now made her realize that running away was futile.

She bit her lip, but ultimately decided to follow.

Menma seemed quite familiar with the underground structure of Amegakure. Carrying the hydrangea, she navigated through the intricate alleyways filled with pipes and condensation, eventually arriving at a noisy and bustling place.

The air was filled with the smells of food grease, cheap tobacco, damp clothes, and people's sweat.

Above, a network of thick pipes crisscrossed, dripping with condensation. Below, a bustling crowd thronged, with various stalls lined up along the edge of a spacious underground space, brightly lit and filled with the noise of people.

This is the underground market of Amegakure, a place where the poor, wandering ninjas, and black market merchants gather.

Mianma, carrying hydrangea flowers, entered a noodle shop in an inconspicuous corner.

The greasy curtain couldn't block the rich aroma of bone broth wafting from inside.

He lifted the curtain, found the table furthest inside and in the darkest shadow, and sat down, gesturing for her to sit opposite him: "Don't be nervous, please have something to eat."

Still shaken, with her hands and feet icy cold, Zi Yanghua instinctively obeyed the command, shrinking into the stool like a frightened little bird.

"Two bowls of tonkotsu ramen, one with extra bamboo shoots," Menma said to the owner, who was walking over wearing a dirty apron, without asking for Ziyanghua's opinion.

He even pulled out a few banknotes bearing the name of the Land of Rain from his pocket and threw them on the table, clearly having taken them from some unfortunate soul.

"Please wait a moment, guests." The owner glanced at them, asked no further questions, took the money, and walked away with a smile.

For the time being, only the two of them remained in the cramped space.

The bubbling sound of the boiling boiler and the distant clamor of the market became the background noise.

The hydrangea lowered her head, clutching the hem of her soaked clothes tightly with both hands, not daring to look at the person opposite her.

"I'm not here to kill you, nor to spy on Amegakure's military secrets." Menma's voice broke the silence, unusually calm: "I'm looking for someone, a scientist named Sanzu Amado. Have you heard of him?"

Ziyanghua suddenly raised her head, a look of confusion flashing in her eyes, then shook her head vigorously, her lips trembling slightly: "No...no. I've never heard of this name."

Mianma was not surprised; a scientist of Amado's caliber would inevitably keep his whereabouts secret.

He changed his approach: "Well then, after we finish our noodles, show me around. Tell me, what are some of the large companies in Amegakure, especially... those involved in pharmaceutical or biological research?"

"No...no!" Hydrangea's voice trembled, as if burned, yet held a hint of stubbornness: "I can't...I can't take you..."

"Hanzo the Salamander, how many years has it been since you've truly stepped out of that tower?" Menma interrupted her, his gaze seemingly piercing through her feigned composure.

"Do you think he and his loyal subordinates, huddled at the top of power, care about you lowly ninjas struggling in the mud, living hand to mouth? Look at the refugees outside, look at the orphans, their numbers are increasing every day, they are dying silently every day. Is Amegakure worth protecting with your life?"

These words struck the heart of the hydrangea like a heavy hammer.

She herself was an orphan and knew all too well the hardships of surviving in the Land of Rain.

She remembered the numb yet longing looks in the eyes of the refugees when she was distributing food, and the nameless corpses lying by the roadside...

She fell silent, her hands gripping the hem of her dress tightly under the table.

Seeing her struggling expression, Menma continued, "If you have the chance, leave here and go to the Land of Stars. A kind-hearted ninja like you will die sooner or later if you stay in a place like Amegakure."

"The Land of Stars?" Hydrangea suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with surprise: "You...you're a Star Ninja?"

Menma neither admitted nor denied it. Just then, the noodle shop owner came over with two steaming bowls of fragrant tonkotsu ramen. The rich aroma of the broth temporarily dispelled the heaviness of the conversation.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, please enjoy your meal!"

The aroma of steaming hot ramen wafts over you.

Mianma picked up his chopsticks, looked at the milky white broth, char siu, soft-boiled egg, and bright green scallions in the bowl, took a deep breath, and showed a satisfied expression: "What I like most is to taste ramen from different places. Each flavor represents a different culture and lifestyle."

He picked up a mouthful of noodles, blew on it, and ate it in large bites, letting out a satisfied sigh.

This sudden, almost ordinary action inexplicably relaxed Zi Yanghua's tense nerves a little.

She secretly glanced at him.

At this moment, Mianma looks like an ordinary boy who is starving, completely different from the mysterious figure who was as terrifying as an abyss just now.

The aroma of the food and the hydrangea's genuine hunger made her pick up her chopsticks and start eating in small bites.

The warm food helped to dispel some of the chill and fear.

"And you?" Menma swallowed a mouthful of noodles and suddenly asked, his tone casual as if he were chatting: "Besides being a ninja, is there anything else you like? Or rather, is there anything you want to do?"

Ziyanghua lowered her head, gently stirring the noodles in her bowl with her chopsticks, her voice soft and filled with longing: "I...I want to have a pet."

"Oh?" Menma raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued. "A cat? Or a dog? In a place like Amegakure, keeping a ninja dog might be more practical."

Ziyanghua gently shook her head, her voice even softer, almost shy: "...I want to raise a panda."

"Pfft—" Mianma almost choked on a mouthful of noodle soup. He looked up and stared in astonishment at the girl opposite him who looked serious yet a little shy.

"Panda?" This answer was truly unexpected.

Pandas aren't creatures that can be kept as pets, are they?

This girl's hobby... is quite unique.

Hydrangea seemed a little embarrassed by Mianma's reaction, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, explaining softly, "I saw them in a very old picture book before. I thought they were fluffy, cute, and very quiet..."

Menma looked at her and smiled: "Pandas are cats too."

Perhaps that furry, seemingly unassuming creature could bring a touch of imagined warmth and companionship to her cold world.

In the corner of the small noodle shop, only the soft sounds of two people eating noodles and the faint clamor of the market outside remained, creating an eerily peaceful atmosphere.

………………

Meanwhile, deep underground in a secluded corner of Amegakure, at a company with a sign that reads "Regenerative Medicine".

Inside a laboratory filled with various precision instruments and culture tanks, the lights are cold.

Wearing orange glasses and a white lab coat, Santu Amado stood in front of a huge cylindrical glass culture tank.

The tank was filled with a pale green nutrient solution, which was soaking a clone that looked about seventeen or eighteen years old and was indistinguishable from a human girl.

Amado adjusted his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses focused and calm as he recorded the constantly fluctuating data on the instrument.

Suddenly, a piercing alarm shattered the silence of the laboratory!

Several screens next to the culture tank lit up red instantly, displaying curves showing a sharp decline in vital signs.

Amado's brow furrowed instantly, his hands flying across the control panel as he adjusted the nutrient solution ratio, injected emergency medications, and attempted to stabilize the clone's physiological indicators.

His movements were precise and swift, without the slightest sign of panic, but the fine beads of sweat on his forehead revealed his inner tension.

However, everything is in vain.

On the monitor screen, the curve representing the heartbeat eventually turned into a cold, straight line.

Immediately afterwards, the clone's body began to disintegrate and dissolve at a visible rate in the nutrient solution...

Amado stopped all his movements, slowly took off his glasses, and rubbed his brow with his fingertips.

The only sound in the laboratory was the continuous alarm of the instruments, which seemed particularly jarring.

He sighed deeply, leaned wearily against the cold metal workbench, and stared at the increasingly murky liquid in the tank, a hint of despair flashing in his eyes.

“Failed again…” he murmured, his voice echoing in the empty laboratory, filled with endless frustration.

But soon, he put his glasses back on, his eyes regaining their previous calm and focus, and began to clean up the experimental data, preparing for the next attempt.

That's the kind of person he is; he never complains, he just buries his failures in his heart and keeps moving forward.

But his tightly pursed lips revealed that his inner world was far from as calm as it appeared.

The image of her daughter seemed to still flicker in that failed clone.

(End of this chapter)