Even through the suffocating darkness, The Third could feel waves of coldness radiating from the blade. Without a doubt, Anya had fully inherited the legacy of White Fang.
Since their last parting, The Third had actually not expected Anya to succeed in retrieving intelligence—he even suspected he might never see him again. Yet he had never imagined their reunion would happen under such darkness. This endless abyss clearly indicated that hatred burned deep within Anya's heart, its intensity unsettling enough to make The Third feel alarmed.
He stepped forward another two paces. Suddenly, flashes of white light flickered within the previously pitch-black darkness. The source of the radiant glow was none other than the familiar White Fang Blade. Behind that brilliant illumination sat a faint silhouette—Anya himself.
Anya, dwelling deep within the darkness, had already sensed someone's arrival. His vision remained unaffected. But as soon as he opened his eyes, tears welled up at the corners.
Am I actually crying? He let out a mocking smirk and brushed away the tears trailing down his cheeks. Yet he caught the scent of blood. Indeed, after being reborn once already, how could one still weep?
Calmly, Anya greeted first, "It's you, Hokage-sama. It's been a long time."
Hearing these calm words from Anya, The Third relaxed slightly. If they could communicate, there was still hope.
With a heavy tone, he advised, "Anya, I know your teacher is gone, and you're deeply hurt. But don't let darkness consume yourself. Whatever happens, Konoha will always remain your home."
"Darkness?" Anya glanced around. So this was truly his soul power all along. No wonder it allowed him to survive so long within the void and still remain in this world. But…
Softly, Anya replied, "If there are no teachers left, where can one still call home?"
"Sakumo Hatake may no longer be with us, but I believe his spirit endures. His contributions to the village are unforgettable." The Third affirmed first before continuing, "And there are people in the village who care for you. Right now, Tsunade and Minato are waiting outside this darkness. They're very worried about you."
Unforgettable contributions, huh? Anger flared up instantly inside Anya's heart, but he quickly suppressed it. What was the point of arguing now that everything was over? Words were powerless at this moment. He couldn't even be bothered to question The Third further about why he failed to keep his promise or quell the rumors spreading within the village.
Seeing Anya unmoved, The Third finally sighed and said, "After you left, I wanted to meet him personally, but he refused me. I never imagined he'd take this path."
"I didn't understand back then either, but everything became clear after his death." With sorrow evident in his eyes, The Third pulled out half of a Fire Shadow sleeve, saying, "Konoha is a ninja village. Our main source of livelihood comes from mission rewards. When an elite ninja of Konoha, potentially even a future Hokage, voluntarily gives up missions, do you know what that implies? In the Ninja World, abandoning missions for the sake of comrades is seen as an act of betrayal. Such betrayal led him onto this irreversible path—and the greatest responsibility lies with me."
"If hatred still lingers in your heart, then allow me to carry it for you."
The Third's gaze was sincere as he walked forward, showing no sign of defense, stopping right before Anya's White Fang Blade.
Within The Third's vision, Anya stood fully exposed beneath the glow of the White Fang Blade. Yet what shocked him was that Anya's pair of crimson Sharingan eyes were unlike anyone he had ever seen before—the original three tomoe patterns were gone, replaced instead by pupils shaped like blades.
This unfamiliar eye pattern consisted of three blade-like formations combined into a new form. Staring at these pupils felt like one might be drawn inside. Moreover, these blade-shaped pupils carried an even stronger impact than actual blades. A black line outlined the edges of the blades, containing some of their sharpness. At the instant he saw those eyes, The Third felt his entire body freeze momentarily.
"This... is the Mangekyō Sharingan." After recovering from shock, The Third finally recognized it, his heart sinking deeply. This dark soul force, combined with the awakened Mangekyō Sharingan, meant if they couldn't eliminate his hatred now, the whole Konoha would fall into crisis.
Anya slowly stepped forward and suddenly smiled, sliding the White Fang Blade back into its sheath. His eyes shifted back to their usual black form. He took the Fire Shadow sleeve from the hands of the Third Hokage and sighed softly, "Thank you for today's words, Hokage-sama. Originally, I came into this world merely trying to survive. But now it seems I've found a new goal. You are not wrong; rather, this world itself is."
Having said this, flames ignited in Anya's hand.
The half sleeve vanished along with the dancing flame.
One thing is for a regular Jonin to abandon a mission; quite another when it's the chosen successor to the Hokage. Just half a sleeve could reveal human indifference. If the world has lost its righteousness, then people's hearts are bound to follow. Sensei, since you chose to leave, let me choose to change things then.
At the moment this decision formed, all darkness vanished instantly, and scattered fragments of spiritual power rushed into Anya's consciousness. At last, some light pierced through the endless night.
Outside, Tsunade and Minato anxiously waiting rushed over joyfully, only to stare in shock at Anya. They were stunned to see his jet-black hair had turned completely white—as if it had aged decades overnight. What depth of sorrow had he endured?
Smiling slightly at the two, Anya said, "Let me thank you both. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Tsunade had never seen such exhaustion on Anya's face before. Unable to help herself, she hurriedly injected Medical Ninjutsu into his body. As soon as her chakra probed within, she received immediate feedback showing internal injuries yet to be fully healed. Goodness! During this period, how many times had he been hurt? Without timely treatment, his future ninja career would definitely come to an end.
After receiving Tsunade's healing techniques, Anya quickly regained some strength. Clearly, despite both mastering Medical Ninjutsu, there was still a noticeable gap in their skill levels.
The Third looked at the seemingly perfectly composed Anya, unease creeping into his chest regardless. The results seemed good—he had listened, clearly no signs of falling into darkness—but this anxiety just wouldn't go away, casting a shadow across his mind.
Anya spoke softly to The Third, "Hokage-sama, this is my first time visiting to mourn our teacher. I'd like him to see my progress in sword art. May I request a sparring partner?"
Before The Third could reply, Minato offered, "Anya, I can be your practice partner."
"Minato, you've never practiced sword art. It won't work." Anya gave a gentle smile and shook her head.
The Third felt an even stronger sense of unease as he asked carefully, "Then who did you have in mind?"
"Of course, the one who has completely mastered [Konoha Style Sword Art]." Anya revealed one name with gravity: "Nocturne."
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