Exiting the office, Kakashi immediately caught up with them.
"Rin, Takumi, I'll take my leave for now. I need to help Rin sort out her accommodation."
Kakashi said with a smile.
"After all these years, her old home has been neglected and is too dilapidated to live in."
"It was demolished and rebuilt a few years ago. We can only find her a new place now."
"No problem."
"Then I'll trouble you with that, Kakashi."
Kakashi smiled, his gaze towards Takumi still filled with gratitude and trust.
"Then let me take you to buy some clothes. I know a shop with good prices and decent stuff."
Takumi said, preparing to take Rin to the street.
However, once they stepped out of the Hokage Tower, Takumi was startled by the scene before him!
Naruto, Neji...
and other classmates he didn't know well but had seen at the Academy...
were all waiting outside!
"This... what do they want?!"
Seeing a group of kids staring at him with eager, expectant eyes like hungry wolves spotting prey, Takumi was taken aback!
"Takumi-kun, is it true you can resurrect the dead?"
"Is this sister someone you resurrected!"
"Takumi, I want you to help resurrect someone! My little sister!"
"Takumi-kun, please resurrect my father."
"Takumi-kun, please..."
The cacophony of voices immediately made Takumi's head spin.
"Wait, wait!"
He raised his hands and shouted.
"One at a time, one at a time! I can't hear what any of you are saying!"
The scene instantly quieted down.
The group looked at each other, then the boldest and most reckless, Naruto, stepped forward.
"Takumi, please resurrect my parents! I've never even seen them before!"
"So that's it."
Takumi rolled his eyes, 'Damn, Sandaime Hokage told me not to spread this, but now the whole village knows?'
Takumi shook his head, then said regretfully,
"It's true that I can resurrect the dead."
"But I'm sorry, this secret technique has a usage limit. I cannot resurrect anyone else within a year."
Hearing this, the others' faces fell with disappointment.
"Really, you can't?"
Naruto looked utterly dejected.
He really wanted to see his parents, to see what kind of people they were.
Faced with Naruto's pitiable expression, Takumi had to harden his heart and refuse.
Otherwise, this would never end.
"I'm sorry..."
Hearing this, everyone around lowered their heads in disappointment.
"Let's go."
Someone said.
"Only one resurrection per year... such a precious opportunity, how could it be reserved for ordinary people like us."
"Yeah, the village must require resurrecting those useful to Konoha first."
"Sigh..."
The group of kids accepted reality and left one by one.
However, two people remained.
Naruto and Neji.
These two hadn't given up hope.
"Not this year, but next year should be fine, right?"
Neji stepped forward, his eyes burning intently.
His father was a powerful figure from the Hyuga Clan, so he's very worthy of resurrection!
So even considering the higher-ups' intentions, there was a possibility his father could be resurrected!
"Uh... theoretically, yes..."
"Good. I will visit you again at this time next year."
After speaking, Neji turned and left.
Naruto Uzumaki also showed a serious expression.
"Takumi, whether it takes ten years or twenty years."
"Could you please resurrect my parents then?"
"Okay, no problem, definitely, absolutely."
Seeing Naruto so earnest, Takumi agreed casually.
After dealing with everyone, Takumi finally let out a long sigh of relief.
However, just as he was about to leave…
Screech…
A sharp braking sound came from the distance.
Takumi looked up and, good grief, Sasuke was actually pushing a wheelchair with an IV drip attached, charging over!
"Takumi! Takumi!"
"I heard them say you can resurrect the dead!"
"Is it true!"
…
One hour later,
Takumi finally shook off everyone in the village and returned home.
He needed to write another little essay for Sandaime Hokage today.
With someone as shrewd as Sandaime Hokage, simply letting him go like that probably wasn't sufficient.
So, to be safe, he needed to write a diary entry about this incident to make Sandaime trust and value him even more.
But as he reached his doorstep, he saw an unexpected figure.
"Rin-neesan?"
Takumi was surprised.
"Kakashi is handling the new house for me. I took a break to come see you."
Rin smiled gently.
"Thank you, Takumi. You've given me a brand new life."
Takumi gave a relaxed smile.
"Don't mention it. I just couldn't bear the thought of a good person like you dying full of regrets."
"Still, no matter what, I owe you a debt, Takumi."
Rin said seriously, her fair face full of gratitude towards Takumi.
"I can't think of how to repay you right now."
"So, I thought I'd come cook a meal for you!"
"My cooking is pretty good, you know~"
As she spoke, Rin brought her hands from behind her back.
"I've already bought all the ingredients~"
Takumi said cheerfully.
"I'm truly honored to have Rin-neesan cook a meal for me."
"Uh, standing at the door isn't ideal."
"Let's go inside first."
Takumi led Rin into the room.
"Is this where you live?"
Rin looked around.
"Yeah, although it's a bit small."
"But it's just right for one person."
Rin nodded slightly.
She was about to say something, but suddenly,
Thud~~
Rin's body collapsed without warning.
Takumi was startled.
He quickly moved her to the bed.
After a careful check, he realized Rin's internal Chakra was insufficient.
Those resurrected by Spirit Summoning cannot generate Chakra on their own, and they can only rely on the caster, Takumi, to replenish their Chakra.
Takumi hadn't expected Rin's Chakra to deplete so quickly.
Takumi waited silently.
A few minutes later, Rin's eyelids fluttered.
She slowly opened her eyes, looking confused.
"You're awake?"
Takumi stepped forward anxiously.
"Wh-what happened to me?"
Rin sat up, holding her head, looking puzzled at her hands.
She felt a bit weak and drained.
Checking carefully, she found the Chakra in her body was almost gone.
"Wh-what's going on?"
"Why is my Chakra constantly decreasing?"
"And..."
Rin tried to gather Chakra but found she couldn't.
She couldn't produce Chakra on her own!
"It's like this."
Takumi's face showed a trace of regret.
"The secret technique used to resurrect you has a flaw."
"A flaw?"
"Yes."
"The flaw is that maintaining your current state requires constant Chakra consumption."
"Once the Chakra is exhausted, you will dissipate and return to the Pure Land."
"But because you aren't truly alive in the conventional sense... you can't generate Chakra yourself..."
Hearing this, Rin was immediately frightened!
After finally being resurrected and seeing Kakashi again, she didn't want to go back to that lonely place!
"Th-then what should I do?"
She anxiously grabbed Takumi's arm.
He was her only lifeline right now.
Takumi's face reddened.
He hesitated, seeming somewhat reluctant.
Rin Nohara noticed Takumi's odd behavior and said urgently, "It's okay, tell me! As long as I can stay here, I'm willing to do anything, no matter how hard or difficult!"
Takumi nodded somewhat awkwardly:
"There's only one way to replenish Chakra..."
"What is it?"
Rin Nohara, seeing Takumi's hesitation, asked anxiously.
"Well, I don't know how to say it..."
Takumi's face grew redder.
His acting skills were improving daily, almost Oscar-worthy.
Rin, in her anxious state, naturally couldn't tell.
"What is it? Please, just tell me! I really don't want to leave everyone again!"
"It's just..."
Takumi gritted his teeth, leaned close to Rin's ear, and whispered.
"It's that..."
Hearing Takumi's method, Rin froze instantly!
Then her face visibly reddened at high speed!
She stared in disbelief.
She never expected the method to replenish Chakra would be like this!
"Sigh..."
Takumi showed a self-blaming expression.
"It's all my fault for not realizing this technique had such a flaw."
Takumi seemed utterly helpless, punching the wall and leaving a dent.
He even deliberately scraped his knuckles, drawing a little blood.
"To say it has no flaws? Isn't this the biggest flaw of this technique!"
"Damn it!"
Originally, after hearing Takumi's method, Rin had been somewhat suspicious.
How could there be such a method to replenish Chakra?
Is this Takumi just trying to take advantage of her?
But now… seeing Takumi's guilty expression and his bleeding hand, her doubts instantly vanished, replaced by waves of touched emotion.
Rin quickly stepped forward and held Takumi's injured hand.
"Don't blame yourself."
She persuaded in a gentle voice.
"You've already done enough for me."
Takumi looked up, the pain and self-reproach in his eyes making even Rin's heart ache.
"Then... what should we do?"
"If we don't replenish it... you'll dissipate."
Hearing this, Rin's face flushed red again.
"At this point, there's no other way..."
"Compared to losing... that... I'd rather stay by everyone's side."
"Just don't let..."
Her voice was too soft.
Even with their close proximity, Takumi couldn't make it out.
"What did you say?"
Rin murmured, her face bright red.
"Just... don't let Kakashi know."
…
One hour later,
Rin lay asleep on the bed.
Her Chakra was fully replenished, enough to last about three weeks.
Meanwhile, Takumi sat at the desk, writing his little essay praising Sandaime Hokage.
…
Land of Rain.
Akatsuki's Base.
On the steel humanoid statue building, Pain, dressed in his cloud-patterned cloak, stood on the statue's tongue, letting the rain fall on him as he silently observed everything in the Land of Rain.
Before long, Konan walked in, her expression heavy.
---
FOR EVERY 50 POWER STONES, I'LL UPLOAD ONE CHAPTER