"Dan, you must be okay!" Tsunade, her face covered in blood, widened her eyes in disbelief as she looked at Dan, tears welling up. She spoke in a panicked voice, "You won't die."
"You absolutely won't die."
"I will save you." Tsunade pressed her hands against Dan's chest, her eyes filled with tears as she choked out, "Dan, I... I..."
"I will definitely save you."
However...
Dan opened his mouth as if trying to say something, but no words came out. Blood coughed up from his lips, rendering him speechless. Helpless...
He could only weakly raise his bloodstained right hand, gently reaching toward Tsunade's cheek. He smiled softly, his eyes warm as he gazed at her, as if comforting her.
"No, don't... don't speak." Tsunade stared at Dan in terror, tears streaming down her face. "No, don't say anything, Dan."
"Don't speak."
"You'll be fine!"
"I can do this."
But...
Dan struggled to smile at Tsunade, his lips moving silently without a single word.
Yet Tsunade understood...
I'm sorry.
That was what Dan wanted to say.
Tsunade's reddened eyes looked at Dan as she sobbed, "I... I..."
"I don't want to hear that, Dan. Believe me..."
"I will definitely save you."
Her hands continuously performed medical ninjutsu, trying to stop the bleeding, but...
It wouldn't stop.
Dan gave Tsunade one last lingering glance, his right hand slowly moving toward her face, wanting to wipe away her tears.
However...
"Dan!!"
Just as his hand reached her cheek...
It fell limp.
Tsunade froze, tears pouring down as she cried out in grief, "Dan!"
"Wake up! Open your eyes!"
But...
Dan Kato showed no response. His eyes remained tightly shut, his right hand lying on the ground, never to...
Move again.
...
In the late summer and early autumn of the 36th year of Konoha's calendar.
The Hidden Sand Village announced its unconditional surrender. Meanwhile, the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Stone Village, due to the prolonged stalemate, faced increasing anti-war sentiments within their villages and also ceased hostilities.
They all knew...
The war had to end.
Thus, to compensate for the losses caused by the war, the three great villages once again turned their attention to the Hidden Rain Village.
They understood...
At this point, if they did not end the war, someone else would end it for them.
So, Hanzo the Salamander had something to say but didn't know if he should say it.
In the end...
It came to this again.
But...
"It must end eventually." Hanzo looked at the documents submitted to him, a bitter smile on his face as he muttered helplessly, "The Hidden Rain Village..."
Had still failed.
He knew that no matter how long this dragged on, the Hidden Rain Village would never become the Sixth Great Ninja Village.
Not because the alliance of the three great villages left no opportunity for the Hidden Rain.
But because...
The Hidden Rain had sacrificed too much.
Now, they no longer had the strength to challenge the three great villages.
Indeed, the Five Great Villages remained the Five Great Villages.
The gap between the Hidden Rain and them was too vast.
But at this stage, the Hidden Rain would not be destroyed.
Because...
The war was ending.
No shinobi wanted the war to continue any longer.
Only now...
The Five Great Villages still needed a reason...
A reason to end the war.
...
Hidden Mist Village.
"Lord Mizukage." Hoshigaki Fuguki, looking utterly disheveled, stared at the Mizukage before him, tears in his eyes. "I've finally found my way back."
Having drifted at sea for so long, if not for the seal on his body being undone, allowing him to use chakra again, he might have truly ended up as shark food.
Fortunately...
He had completed his mission and returned.
"You..." The Mizukage looked at Hoshigaki Fuguki and sighed. "The village has failed you."
The Hidden Mist had already given up, intending only to recover the Seven Swords. Yet unexpectedly...
Hoshigaki Fuguki had returned.
And judging by his appearance...
He must have suffered greatly.
But...
They had already announced to the outside world that these shinobi had been brutally killed by Uzushiogakure, even erecting memorials for them.
Though the sword contracts indicated they might still be alive—since the effects of Uzushiogakure's sealing techniques were unclear—still...
For the village's reputation, they had to remain dead.
Because...
If it came to light that the village lacked the funds to ransom them, the village's prestige would plummet, especially the Mizukage's position...
He would undoubtedly be forcibly removed.
"Where are the others?" The Mizukage frowned at Hoshigaki Fuguki. "Why are you the only one who returned?"
"They... they..." Hoshigaki Fuguki said with grief and indignation, "They all betrayed the village."
"Only I, in the face of adversity, still thought of the village, of its nurturing, of the warmth it gave me..."
"It was because of these things..."
"That I persevered until now."
Hoshigaki Fuguki looked at the Mizukage with devout eyes, conveying...
Just how much he loved the village.
Yet...
"Betrayed the village?!" The Mizukage's eyes widened in fury. "You're saying they all betrayed the village?"
They...
How could their willpower be so weak?
Did they not have families in the village? How could they repay the village's nurturing like this?
Thus...
"Traitors... hmph." The Mizukage's gaze turned icy as he stared at Hoshigaki Fuguki. "You've done very well."
"But those traitors..."
No matter the reason...
Those who betrayed the village deserved death.
...
Land of Whirlpools.
"You traitor." A Mist-nin glared furiously at Pakkun Jūzō standing before him. "How can you face Hoshigaki-sama after this?"
Hoshigaki-sama...
Never forgot about returning to the village.
Yet Pakkun Jūzō had long since betrayed them.
How shameful.
He had become the very kind of shinobi he once despised.
Pakkun Jūzō, seeing the hostile glares from the surrounding Mist-nin, showed no change in expression. Calmly, he said, "I know what you're thinking."
"You believe Hoshigaki Fuguki will surely bring the Mizukage back to rescue you."
"But..."
"Don't forget." Pakkun Jūzō smiled bitterly and shook his head helplessly. "We've been here for three years..."
"Three years!"
"In all this time, they never came to save us."
"The village..."
"Abandoned us long ago."
Hearing Pakkun Jūzō's words, the Mist-nin fell silent. They knew this too, but...
If they became missing-nin, the Hidden Mist would surely find out, and their families would...
This was why they had refused to surrender.
"I know you have your reasons." Seeing their reaction, Pakkun Jūzō sighed. "Before Hoshigaki Fuguki left, he came to me."
"He would uphold his personal justice and keep our existence a secret."
"So..."
"To the Hidden Mist, you are already dead." Pakkun Jūzō declared loudly. "Dead as heroes."
"I trust Hoshigaki Fuguki would never betray us."
"I've always believed in him." Pakkun Jūzō said resolutely, his expression firm. "I'm sure you feel the same..."
"You've always trusted him too."
"So, don't worry."
"You are already dead. The title of heroes will ensure your families receive the village's support and live good lives."
Pakkun Jūzō sighed. "Give up now. The Land of Whirlpools won't let you continue like this."
Then, his eyes turned sharp, coldly staring at them.
"If you refuse to surrender, I will personally take your lives."
"Because..."
"Hoshigaki Fuguki has sacrificed too much for us."
"I will never allow his justice to be tainted!"