Naraku listened to Kana's broken narrative of what happened after they separated.
When she mentioned meeting Sakumo and Kakashi, her eyes lit up several degrees.
"Sister Kana is really lucky."
"Yes, if we had missed each other by even a little, it would have taken us much longer to find you."
Sakumo twisted open the lid of the thermos, revealing steaming rice porridge.
He carefully poured it into the bowl Kakashi was holding.
Naraku looked at the bland meal, pouted in feigned grievance, and stared at him with longing eyes.
Kakashi scooped a spoonful and brought it to his mouth, explaining irritably.
"The doctor said you can only have liquid food for the next week."
Only then did Naraku obediently eat.
Kana then realized something about the strong, steady young man who always smiled at her during their escape.
He would also reveal a childish temper in front of his family.
They must have been very, very good to him to allow him to shed all his burdens without reservation.
How wonderful...
As Kana was thinking, a bowl of fried rice full of meat was placed in her hand.
Looking up, she saw Sakumo wiping a spoon.
Only after polishing every corner until it gleamed did he hand it to her.
"Thank you!"
Kana held the fried rice and ate it heartily, her eyes narrowing in happiness.
...
In the afternoon, Fugaku also came with Mikoto, bringing some tonics.
They chatted with Sakumo in the corridor for a while before leaving.
Throughout the entire process, there was no sign of dissatisfaction regarding this incident.
It was as if they truly believed Naraku's narrow escape was merely a failed mission, and not a targeted attack.
Sakumo watched Fugaku and Mikoto's retreating figures, his gaze complex.
He irritably touched the rope wrapped around his sword hilt.
But when he entered the Hospital room, those emotions vanished.
He smiled as he watched Kana chattering to Kakashi about their escape.
She choked up for a long time when she mentioned Naraku's refusal to drink her blood.
Sakumo reminded her helplessly, "Don't mention this to anyone else again; it's too dangerous."
Naraku also nodded repeatedly.
This silly girl.
Telling everyone that her blood could heal wounds, isn't she afraid of being captured again one day to be used as a blood bag?
"Because Uncle Sakumo and Kakashi are good people!"
Kana giggled.
Seeing them all look at her with disapproval, she quickly covered her mouth and mumbled.
"I won't say anything, I won't tell anyone."
She then made a zipping motion over her mouth, pretending to seal it.
"Pfft... Hahahaha... Oh dear..."
Naraku was the first to burst out laughing.
Then he clutched his stomach, sucking in a cold breath.
Kakashi immediately threw back the blanket, relieved to see the wound was fine.
Then he turned to scold him.
"Idiot, why haven't you learned anything?"
Naraku: "..."
...
The days of recovery were not boring at all.
With Kakashi and Kana accompanying him, Naraku felt as relaxed as if he were on vacation.
As for Kana's identity, it was completely resolved.
Upon learning that Sakumo had brought back a girl from the Uzumaki Clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately decided to register her under Kushina's name.
She would be Kushina's younger sister.
Kusagakure? Unknown, unrecognized.
Our Kana grew up in Konoha since childhood, and all her friends and family can testify.
Kushina was overjoyed to suddenly have a Clan Member as a sister.
She rushed to the Hospital with tonics and gifts, piling a small mountain by Kana's bed.
When she heard that Naraku had risked his life to bring her back, even while being hunted by enemies, Kushina placed an even larger pile by Naraku's bedside.
Unfortunately, Naraku couldn't eat anything other than liquid food.
So all the fresh fruit and such went into Kakashi's stomach.
When bored, Naraku could also close his eyes and pretend to sleep.
In reality, he would have the System play animations in front of him to see what happened while he was unconscious.
—
After the episode where Sakumo took Kakashi out of the village to find him ended, the new episode played.
The Animator showed the entire process of him entering Kusagakure and escaping with Kana.
However, the Animator initially filmed the basic situation of Kusagakure from a third-person perspective.
A shadow hid and moved around the village until it entered the room where Kana was imprisoned.
At which point the camera focused on its front.
This allowed the audience to clearly see Naraku's disheveled appearance and his shocked expression.
[Are they... are they cannibals?!]
[Even just drinking blood is so cruel]
[How long has Naraku been hunted?]
[Even when he couldn't hold on without drinking blood, he still resisted]
[Who understands the weight of "I'll take you out of here"? I really cry for Naraku's kindness]
[Kusagakure could have cultivated a powerful Ninja, but they only used her as a blood bag]
The scene of Naraku returning after fighting the Kusa Ninja alone and appearing before Kana, backlit, was even hailed as one of Uchiha Naraku's highlight moments.
[Naraku thought of everything for Kana, but he didn't think of himself]
[What if he never returns? Then he never returns!]
[I admit Naraku is indeed this (thumbs up)]
[Even covered in blood, Naraku-baby is an angel T-T]
[It's over, Kakashi has more and more rivals in love]
[The Uchiha Succubus is terrifying]
The next episode showed the pursuers attacking again, forcing the two to separate.
After receiving Naraku's seeming plea for help, which was actually a farewell, Kana held onto a last glimmer of hope.
She ran until she vomited blood to rush back to Konoha.
At the last moment, she received the favor of fate, encountering Sakumo and Kakashi who were passing by.
[They can't make it, can they...? Naraku just wanted her to escape on her own, so he made up an excuse]
[It's definitely impossible to make it; it's still very far from Konoha]
[For Naraku, this was a final goodbye]
[He didn't even get to see Kakashi and Sakumo one last time before he was going to die on the way back to Konoha]
[Stop talking, stop talking, I'm really crying]
[Silly girl, you're already vomiting blood, if you keep running, you'll run yourself to death]
[Kana ran and cried, and I watched and cried]
[How could she stop? This is Naraku's life, boo hoo hoo]
[It's over... It really feels like a final parting]
[Ah ah ah ah ah! Sakumo! Kakashi!]
[The goddess of fate smiled upon Kana's efforts]
[To meet like this, it can only be said that Naraku was not destined to die]
[Hurry, hurry, ah ah ah ah]
Following Sakumo's footsteps, the audience rushed into the Barrier.
They only found Naraku lying in the middle of blood and fire, his life unknown, their hearts clenching.
Before they could even see if Naraku was alive or dead, the episode ended.
[Did they make it? Did they make it?!]
[Naraku ah ah ah ah ah ah щ(゜ロ゜щ)]
[How much pain must he be in?]
[Gai—a—!!!]
[I'm really going crazy, Old Thief, what are you doing!!!]
[Why stop here!!!]
Continuing to watch, the next episode showed the Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was processing documents when Danzō Shimura rushed in, making a demand as soon as he entered.
"Hiruzen, that Uzumaki Clan girl, hand her over to me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't even lift his head.
"I've already registered her under Kushina's name, and Kushina will take care of her."
"What does that Jinchūriki know? Only I can train her into a qualified weapon!"
"This is Lady Mito's wish."
Danzō Shimura quieted down.
After the Nine-Tails was transferred, Uzumaki Mito, though not having many days left, still had influence.
As the First Hokage's wife and the stabilizing force of Konoha, she had the right to protect her Clan Member and arrange a place for Uzumaki Kana.
"Also," Hiruzen Sarutobi finally looked up.
His sharp eyes fixed on Danzō, and he said in a deep voice, "Aren't you going to explain anything? Regarding Uchiha Naraku."
"Hmph, the Uchiha brat himself was incompetent, what does his failed mission have to do with me?"
Danzō Shimura vehemently denied it, as he had handled the matter quite cleanly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't find direct evidence; at most, the trail would go cold after a few expendable pawns.
Without evidence, even if Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected him, he couldn't do anything to him.
Not only could he not do anything to him, but Hiruzen Sarutobi would also have to hold his nose and clean up his mess.
This was to prevent the Uchiha from discovering the truth and erupting.
"Danzō! I'll reiterate, when dealing with Uchiha-related matters, you must be cautious!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed heavily.
"This matter ends here. No news will reach the Uchiha, but you are not to make any more moves!"
"I said I didn't do it, so I didn't do it."
Danzō Shimura, his expression unchanged, leaned on his cane.
He tapped the floor twice, and feigned anger.
"On the contrary, you should dismiss Sakumo Hatake!"
"As a Ninja of Konoha, he actually refused an important S-Rank mission."
"Instead, he went to save an insignificant Chūnin, completely lacking any sense of the bigger picture!"
[Kana is in Konoha? So is Naraku okay or not?!]
[Shameless Old Thief! Wah ya ya ya ya ya!]
[I hate it! Why can't my slap go through the screen!]
[Danzō Shimura, I am ashamed that I once admired your youthful looks]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi! You're actually still protecting him!!! Ah ah ah ah ah ah! (Furious)]
[Damn it, like father, like son]
[I can't take it, I'm so angry I want to throw my phone]
[I almost punched the computer screen just now]
—
Naraku watched Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura's verbal battle on screen.
The latter ultimately received no punishment, only another verbal warning.
Incidentally, Sakumo was smeared.
No wonder Fugaku seemed completely unaware of the inside story when he came earlier.
It turned out Hiruzen Sarutobi had completely cut off the clues and suppressed the news.
Presumably, for Hiruzen Sarutobi, what had happened could not be changed.
So it was better to keep the matter secret than to have the Uchiha know the truth and cause further upheaval.
With such an ambiguous attitude, it's no wonder Danzō became increasingly arrogant later.
He even bypassed the Hokage in the original timeline to directly order Uchiha Itachi to carry out the Clan's extermination.
—
The scene switched.
The audience, who had just been screaming in anger, saw Naraku lying on the Hospital bed, his chest gently rising and falling.
They no longer cared about cursing Danzō.
[He's alive! He's alive!]
[Good, good, as long as he's alive!]
[Thank goodness, thank goodness]
The audience hadn't even been happy for a few seconds when the unconscious Naraku coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood.
Their mood plummeted like a rollercoaster.
[???]
[Brother!!!]
[What's going on?]
[He was saved, but not completely saved?]
[Doctor! Doctor!]
—
Naraku himself was bewildered.
Why was he suddenly spitting blood? He hadn't injured his internal organs before.
But now he was still in a "sleeping" state, so he'd finish watching the rest of the content before investigating.
—
Amidst a flurry of bullet comments, Kakashi called the doctor for a detailed examination of Naraku.
It was finally deduced that he had contracted a Bloodline Limit Sickness due to the rapid advancement of his Sharingan.
There was currently no cure.
"Lord Sakumo," the doctor said, looking troubled with the medical record book.
"I'm truly sorry, we can only try to alleviate his symptoms."
"Perhaps Lady Tsunade has the ability to cure it."
Sakumo nodded silently.
Kakashi looked at Sakumo's face, which barely maintained its composure, and tentatively asked, "Father...?"
"It's nothing, I'll write to Tsunade."
Sakumo bent down and patted Kakashi's shoulder.
"Naraku is temporarily in your care; I'll go prepare the letter."
[It's over...(:з」∠)]
[No! Naraku is not even ten years old, he hasn't had two good years, what did he do wrong to suffer like this, boo hoo hoo hoo]
[Bloodline Limit Sickness is basically incurable; if it truly could be cured, then not so many Bloodline Ninjas would have died]
[So the price of being a genius is so heavy. I'd rather Naraku be an ordinary person and live a peaceful life]
[Please, Old Thief, don't do this to him, boo hoo hoo hoo]
—
Seeing this, Naraku slapped his head, realizing he had forgotten this detail.
Naraku: No wonder Kakashi and Sakumo have looked so down these past two days...
System, are you there? Can it be cured?
[Symptoms can be alleviated and eliminated by spending Popularity Points]
Naraku: So you mean I won't die?
Then I'll put it off for now and use it to gain Popularity Points by playing the victim.
[...As long as you're happy]