"Don't push yourself."
Looking at Kakashi's teetering body, Kaze spoke lightly.
He didn't explain anything, nor did he need to.
The Amenoshinra in his right eye rotated slightly, and an invisible spatial fluctuation swept across the wound on Kakashi's shoulder.
Those purple-black toxins were extracted as if by an invisible hand, turning into a wisp of black smoke drifting out from the wound and dissipating in the air.
"The toxin has been cleared, treat the remaining flesh wound yourself."
After casually removing the toxin, Kaze looked towards the cliff wall not far away.
Kakashi was stunned.
The stinging pain on his shoulder had indeed disappeared, and his numb left hand had also regained sensation.
But this method... wasn't medical ninjutsu, nor was it a sealing jutsu.
It was like directly "erasing" the existence of the toxin.
"Thank... thank you."
Kakashi's voice was dry.
Uchiha Kaze didn't respond but walked straight towards the rock wall.
There, a figure was struggling to crawl out from the pile of rubble—Baki.
This SunagakureJōnin was covered in blood, his right arm bent at a grotesque angle, obviously fractured.
Seeing Kaze approaching, despair flashed in his eyes, but he still gritted his teeth and assumed a fighting stance.
"Kill me if you want."
"Sunagakure ninjas will never yield!"
Baki growled low, as if this could preserve his last dignity.
"I didn't say I was going to kill you."
"On the contrary, I want you to return alive."
Kaze stopped three steps in front of him, deactivated his Mangekyō to reveal black pupils, and looked calmly at Baki.
"You..."
"Uchiha Kaze, don't think you can get anything out of me..."
Baki was stunned, then shouted frantically and crazily as if he had suffered some huge humiliation.
"Return to Sunagakure and take a message to the Yondaime Kazekage Rasa for me."
"Tell him he owes me a favor."
Kaze raised his hand and pressed down. A terrifying pressure sobered Baki up a bit temporarily and shut his mouth.
Then, he spoke lightly.
"Favor?"
"What favor?"
Baki frowned.
His squad, except for him, was completely wiped out.
Even an elder, Chiyo, died.
This guy was indeed a madman; things were like this, yet he said the Kazekage owed him a favor?
"You only need to pass the message. The rest... has nothing to do with you."
"By the way, tell him to repay it a bit faster. My patience isn't very good."
A mere SunagakureJōnin wasn't worthy of Kaze explaining to him.
After dropping these two sentences, Kaze walked to Naruto, picking up the unconscious Naruto from the ground.
"Wait!"
"Naruto's injuries..."
Kakashi spoke subconsciously.
"Just played too much, tired, sleeping it off will be fine."
"But... what are you worried about, Kakashi?"
Uchiha Kaze met Kakashi's eye, the Sharingan that couldn't be closed.
Kakashi was speechless.
He was indeed worried about Naruto becoming an Uchiha pawn, worried about the Kyūbi's power being abused, worried about this child repeating the tragedy of Jinchūriki.
But looking at Kaze's calm black eyes, he couldn't say these words.
"Heal your wounds well, Konoha still needs you."
"As for other things... think less, do more."
As his voice fell, Kaze's figure, along with Naruto in his arms, disappeared with a Body Flicker.
Rekkū Valley fell back into silence.
Only the sound of the wind, and the mess all over the ground.
Baki stood up with difficulty and glanced at the place where Chiyo's corpse was burned. Only a scorched black patch remained there, not even ashes left.
He shivered.
"Must... must return to the village immediately."
Baki dared not stay any longer, dragging his broken arm, staggering as he fled towards Sunagakure.
Aburame Jun and Morishita Tetsu walked to Kakashi, their faces pale.
"Kakashi, we..."
"Recover simply, complete the escort mission, then return to the village quickly."
Kakashi interrupted Aburame Jun and sat down to rest on the spot.
Kakashi interrupted so quickly because he didn't know how to answer.
Even he himself... didn't understand!
Didn't understand what exactly Uchiha Kaze was thinking?
Didn't understand why he let Baki go when he clearly could have killed everyone easily.
Didn't understand why he seemed so concerned while Kakashi thought Uchiha Kaze wanted to control and use Naruto...
Didn't understand why the other party, clearly a crazy usurper, saved them instead...
But one thing, Kakashi understood.
From now on, Konoha's path would be entirely decided by this man.
All they could do was keep up.
Or... die under those Mangekyō.
...
Sunagakure, Kazekage Office.
Yondaime Kazekage Rasa sat behind the desk, his face gloomy.
Outside the window, the hot desert wind whipped up sand and gravel, beating against the glass with a "rustling" sound.
"Elder Chiyo hasn't returned yet?"
Rasa's voice seemed even more anxious than the weather outside.
"No."
"According to the plan, there should have been news yesterday."
"But now... absolute silence."
The Anbu ninja standing aside lowered his head and spoke carefully.
Rasa's fingers tapped on the desktop, making rhythmic "knock knock" sounds.
He was thinking.
Sending Chiyo to test Konoha was his order.
The purpose was simple: to see Konoha's attitude after Uchiha Kaze took power.
If Konoha was weak, then Sunagakure could loot a burning house and cut a piece of flesh from the Land of Fire.
If Konoha was still strong... then continue to act like a grandson.
He could even borrow the other party's hand to do some things he couldn't do, and couldn't accomplish.
"Lord Kazekage!"
"Jōnin Baki has returned! He... he is heavily injured!"
Rapid footsteps came from outside the door, and a Jōnin rushed in anxiously.
"Go!"
Rasa stood up abruptly and immediately rushed out of the Kazekage Office.
A few minutes later, he arrived in the medical room.
Baki's injuries had undergone simple treatment; although weak, they were not fatal.
"Baki!"
"What happened? Where is Elder Chiyo? What about the others?"
Rasa walked up to him and asked with concern.
"Dead..."
"All dead..."
Baki's voice was hoarse, the words seemingly squeezed out of his throat.
"What did you say?!"
Rasa's pupils constricted slightly, carrying a trace of surprise and secret joy.
"Elder Chiyo... was killed by Uchiha Kaze."
"The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets was torn apart... by a five or six-year-old child."
"All of us... except me, all died..."
Baki closed his eyes, recalling painfully.
"Five-year-old child?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
Rasa's secret joy paused, staring at Baki in astonishment.
"Lord Kazekage, this is not the most important thing."
"Uchiha Kaze, Konoha's Godaime Hokage, asked me to bring you a message."
"He said, Lord Kazekage, you owe him a favor."
"He said, just tell you, and..."
Baki didn't finish speaking before completely fainting.
Running back to the village with heavy injuries, being able to persist was already supported by the belief in his heart.
Now that the words were said, that taut string snapped...
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