Chapter 63: Success Doesn’t Have to Be Mine

A small border town in the northern region of the Fire Nation.

Momo, Mayuri, and Amber stood quietly at the town's only intersection, eyes fixed on the dusty road ahead.

Kanhara Hayato sat under the shade of a tree nearby, lazily munching on a watermelon. "You sure you don't want to come over and eat something?" he asked.

"No, I want to wait for Logan and Sasuke to come back," Momo replied, eyes never leaving the path.

Hayato shrugged.

He had been entrusted by Logan to come here in advance and protect Momo, Amber, and the others. Ever since Logan had killed Orochimaru, too many eyes had turned toward him—and it was only a matter of time before those eyes found the people close to him.

Among Logan's few trusted allies, Hayato was one of them. An outstanding intelligence expert—not much of a fighter, but keeping a group of thirty people hidden and unnoticed? That was something he could handle with ease.

Still, acting as a full-time babysitter wasn't quite what he had in mind when he signed up.

He spat a watermelon seed into the dirt and glanced over at the three girls.

Ever since Logan's letter had arrived two days ago, they had believed wholeheartedly that he'd return today. They'd been out here waiting since dawn.

"If you ask me, this is unnecessary," Hayato muttered. "Just prepare a bathtub and a pretty girl, and Logan and Sasuke will show up like weeds after rain."

"Bathtub… pretty girl?" Momo blinked in confusion.

Mayuri immediately covered Momo's ears, her cheeks puffed in protest. "Mr. Kanhara, please don't say things like that in front of children!"

"I'm not joking," Hayato replied with mock sincerity. "Just watch—if I say, 'Ah, I'm tired. I should find a girl to massage my shoulders,' Logan and Sasuke will materialize like genjutsu illusions."

He turned toward the road with exaggerated flair.

Nothing.

He repeated his performance and looked again.

Still nothing.

He turned around dramatically and met Momo's wide-eyed stare.

"Tsk."

Tossing away the watermelon rind, Hayato dusted off his pants and stood up. "I'm not waiting anymore. Anyone who wants to stay, go ahead. I'm going back for a hot bath—"

Clop. Clop. Clop.

The sound of hooves echoed down the path.

Three riders emerged from the distant woods—Logan, Sasuke, and Konan. They had returned from Konoha.

Hayato's eyes widened. He grabbed Amber by the arm. "Look! Look!"

Amber brushed him off. "Yeah, yeah. I see it."

Momo took a hesitant step forward… then another… and then broke into a run. Her pink hair fluttered behind her, her face lighting up with a smile before she even realized it.

Sasuke dismounted and ran to meet her halfway.

They collided in a tight embrace.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Momo whispered tearfully.

Sasuke gently touched her head. "Don't cry. I'm back."

He turned toward Logan. "We're all back."

"Mm-hmm!" Momo nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Mayuri and Amber bowed deeply to Logan. "Lord Logan," Mayuri said softly, "everyone has been waiting for you."

Logan dismounted.

"Let's go."

---

Hiding over thirty people wasn't easy—but Hayato had managed it by splitting them into smaller groups, each with fake identities. As long as they didn't act suspiciously or display behavior from their former lives in the Land of Water, they blended in perfectly.

Today, though, all of them had gathered in a single room.

They wore clothing from various occupations—carpenters, merchants, travelers—but the fire in their eyes burned the same: hope.

Logan sat cross-legged at the front. Sasuke, Momo, Konan, Hayato, and others flanked him, while Mayuri sat beside him, pouring tea.

"Thanks," Logan said, accepting the cup.

He gazed out at the group before him.

Everyone waited for him to speak. But Logan lowered his head, remaining silent for half a minute.

No one stirred. No one blinked.

There was a silence full of gravity—as if something powerful was gathering in the stillness.

Konan felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Then Logan spoke.

"I want to walk a path no one has taken before."

He looked up at the group of thirty and continued, "To walk this path, I will try to build a village. I will try to change things. But it's not an easy road. It's filled with thorns. If you choose to follow me, some of you may die."

He paused.

"Including me."

"This road isn't for everyone. So I've prepared another option—stay. Stay here. Your fake identities will become real. You'll be normal citizens of the Fire Nation. You'll live in peace."

"If anyone wants to stay, you can leave now."

No one moved.

No one looked around.

They had made their choice long ago—when they decided to build Hope Village, when they fled the Water Country, when they waited here for Logan's return.

Amber placed her hands on her knees and bowed deeply.

"Lord Logan, just tell us—where are we going next? What can we do for you?"

Logan scanned their faces, then nodded.

"We return to the Land of Water."

Gasps rippled through the room.

They had barely escaped the Water Country alive—and now they were going back?

But then they looked into Logan's calm eyes.

And the panic faded.

"Yes, sir!" they answered in unison.

They stood and began packing.

Logan walked to a nearby window and looked down at the bustling town below.

Two days ago, he had received a message from Terumi Mei.

Yagura's behavior had grown increasingly erratic. A sizable faction led by Mei, Ao, and others was preparing to overthrow him. Mei had asked Logan to return and support them.

Yagura, being a perfect Jinchūriki, was not an easy opponent. But if Mei succeeded, her faction could take over the Hidden Mist Village. And once one of them became Mizukage, they could grant Logan a piece of territory—a place to officially begin building Hope Village.

That land would be the seed of everything he had planned.

"Fu—"

A puff of smoke drifted in. Hayato approached with a cigarette dangling from his lips, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"You said just now that you might die…" he said slowly. "What exactly are you planning?"

Logan smiled. "With your skill in information gathering, you still haven't figured it out?"

Hayato's usually casual demeanor faded. His expression hardened.

"I have figured it out. That's why I'm asking. Logan… you're not really planning to—"

He made a twisting motion with his hand.

"What if I am?" Logan asked, voice steady. "Will you still help me?"

Hayato's lips tightened.

His instincts told him this moment would determine the rest of his life.

"One last question," he said. "Answer honestly and I'll follow you."

"Go ahead."

"If you really die… will this path you've chosen be lost?"

Logan turned to the window, eyes fixed on the distant sky.

"No," he said softly. "As long as there are people still alive—people who want to escape this cruel world—someone will take up the torch. Like the saying goes—"

"Success doesn't have to be mine."

Hayato stared at him for a long moment.

Then he took one last drag from his cigarette, dropped it, and stomped it out.

"In that case—let's do it."

---

An hour later, the group assembled on the main road.

Logan stood at the front.

"Let's move."

"To the Land of Water."

---

Meanwhile, at the Akatsuki hideout.

Pain stared at Uchiha Itachi with cold, narrowed eyes.

"Can someone explain to me," he said slowly, "what exactly the word 'spy' means?"

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

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