140: Chapter 140 The Land of Hot SpringsSoft sunlight streamed into the room.
When Itachi opened his eyes, his first sensation was the soft warmth in his arms.
Xiao Nan, like a lazy cat, was curled up in his arms, fast asleep.
A few strands of purple hair draped over his body, and his breathing was even and long.
He looked down, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity and a surge of inexplicable emotions.
It feels like a lifetime ago.
Before, his mind was filled with thoughts of missions, family, his younger brother, and being an undercover agent.
I've turned myself into a weapon, a tool, and I always feel like even taking a breath is a waste of time.
Happiness and warmth were never associated with him.
But now.
He gently pulled his arms closer, feeling the real warmth in his embrace.
No need for calculation, no need for precautions, holding the girl who loves me in my arms, I feel a sense of peace I've never felt before.
He moved slowly, trying to pull his arm away and get up.
Xiao Nan let out a soft moan and groggily opened her eyes, meeting his gaze that was so close to hers.
"Awake?" His voice carried a concern that he wasn't quite used to.
Xiao Nan's face flushed instantly.Recalling the passion of last night, she blushed and burrowed deeper into the covers, her voice muffled, "Mmm."
Itachi's heart skipped a beat when he saw her shy expression.
He bent down and picked up Xiao Nan, blanket and all, like he was holding a giant doll.
"Ah!" Xiao Nan exclaimed, frantically grabbing his neck, "What are you doing."
"Wash up and have breakfast." Itachi carried her to the bathroom.
The two dawdled for a while before finally getting ready to leave.
Xiao Nan's walking posture was still a little unnatural, and she frowned slightly.
Itachi grasped her hand, allowing her to gain some leverage.
Konan felt the warmth from Itachi's palm and felt even sweeter inside.She gently squeezed back and unconsciously leaned closer to Itachi.
Just as they reached the food street below the Chamber of Commerce headquarters building, they bumped into Naruto, who was carrying a meat bun and was on his way to visit someone in the hospital.
Naruto immediately noticed the two holding hands and Konan's slightly limping gait.
His eyes lit up immediately.He swallowed the bun in a few bites, leaned forward, nudged Itachi with his elbow, winked, and whispered, "Wow!Itachi, Itachi, I never would have guessed!You're quite something!"
He clicked his tongue in amazement, "I just asked you to work on your relationship, and you've already done it all in one go, that's lightning fast!You're usually so quiet, but when it really matters, you're decisive!"
Itachi felt uncomfortable under Naruto's barrage of teasing.His ears burned, his gait became awkward, and his gaze wandered, avoiding any eye contact with Naruto.
Konan bit her lip, her delicate body trembling slightly.She released Itachi's hand, bowed slightly to Naruto, and said in a sweet, trembling voice, "Good morning, Naruto.President Naruto."
Naruto chuckled, his eyes darting between the two of them, and nodded in satisfaction."Alright, alright!You two continue, I won't bother you any longer!"
He waved and left, humming a little tune.Itachi and Konan, one looking up at the sky and the other at the ground, were in an ambiguous and awkward atmosphere.
At this moment, in the small garden outside the back gate of the Chamber of Commerce Hospital.
Nagato received a single Sharingan transplant and after a few days of recuperation, he was finally no longer as breathless as before, and his face regained some color.
Supported by a male caregiver, he strolled slowly along the cobblestone path, enjoying the long-lost fresh air and sunshine.
As I walked past a lush cluster of roses, my gaze inadvertently drifted through the gaps in the branches and I saw two very familiar figures walking hand in hand at the far end of the food street.
It's Itachi and Konan.
Konan seemed to have some difficulty walking, leaning slightly against Itachi's side, while Itachi steadily supported her.The two were very close, whispering something to each other.
Konan would occasionally exchange a smile with Itachi, a smile he hadn't seen in many years—a happy, shy smile.
The two walked away, their silhouettes blending into the morning light, creating a harmonious scene.
Nagato stood there blankly, feeling that the morning sunlight, which should have been warm, was particularly dazzling, making his heart feel stuffy and cold.
So.even without him, without the Rinnegan, Konan could still live a good life, could.be even happier.
The sudden surge of emotion left him somewhat at a loss.
"Mr.Nagato?Mr.Nagato?" The male caregiver next to him saw that he hadn't moved for a long time and his expression was not right, so he quickly called out a few times.
"Are you alright?Are you tired?"
Nagato snapped out of his daze, and the crimson hue that had appeared in his eyes from the Sharingan transplant quickly faded, leaving only an endless sense of desolation.
He slowly lowered his head."Let's stop turning.Let's go back."
Inside the finance department's office, however, a completely different scene unfolded – a bustling and vibrant atmosphere.
Kakuzu changed into the standard vest of a chamber of commerce clerical staff member and sat behind a large table piled with files and ledgers.
He wore a pair of reading glasses on his nose, and his bright green eyes were sparkling with excitement.
Jingyin held the little pig Tun Tun and stood next to him, patiently explaining.
"Mr.Kakuzu, look, this column is for daily supplies procurement expenses, which need to be entered in categories, and this is for mission commission income."
"And this, the quarterly reports for some of the Chamber of Commerce's industries, you need to pay attention to depreciation and bad debt provisions when calculating them."
Kakuzu nodded repeatedly, his fingers clicking rapidly on the abacus, leaving afterimages.
He was studying while also making plans in his mind.
"No rush, take your time, familiarize yourself with this place first."
"Pay back debts?Hmph, once I control the lifeline of the Chamber of Commerce, it'll be hard to say who owes whom!"
His face inadvertently revealed a smile that betrayed his old-fashioned miserliness and enthusiasm.
In contrast, Hidan's situation in the underground detention room seemed particularly miserable.
"Let me out!You bastards who have offended the evil god!"
"Come and fight me one-on-one if you dare!"
"Damn Naruto Uzumaki!Itachi Uchiha!And that traitor Deidara!I curse you all."
His voice was almost hoarse from shouting, but the only response was the echo from the corridor and the occasional shouts from the guards.He handed over a bowl of water and two dry rice balls with a blank expression.
Meanwhile, Obito, with Kisame, traveled across the northern part of the Land of Fire and arrived at the Land of Hot Springs, famous for its natural hot springs.
The two of them were soaking in an open-air mixed-gender hot spring pool.
The pool wasn't large, but it was steaming hot and filled with mist.
There were men and women all around, and the sounds of laughter and splashing water filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere full of exotic charm.
Kisame had most of his body submerged in the water, with only his shark face above the surface.He closed his eyes and looked completely relaxed.
Having grown accustomed to a life of constant danger and uncertainty within the Akatsuki organization, taking a peaceful hot bath like this was a rare treat.
Obito, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of him.
He sat upright in the pool, his back ramrod straight, his face somber.
His eyes, through the holes in his mask, were fixed on two sexy beauties from the Land of Hot Springs, dressed in revealing clothes, who were splashing water and playing around not far away.
His hands were hidden underwater as he anxiously checked his body.
No...
Still no response!
No matter how he tried, it was like a stagnant pool, without any ripples!
Despair gradually crept over my entire body.
Just then, the girls playing around nearby got carried away and splashed hot spring water all over Obito's head and face with a loud splash.
Obito shuddered, as if the warm water had completely extinguished his last glimmer of hope.
His eyes lost all their luster, becoming empty and numb.His lips trembled as he stared at the misty sky, muttering in a voice only he could hear, lost and dejected.
"Mom.I.I didn't pass."
His voice was filled with unspeakable sorrow and a man's deepest despair.
Kisame, who was standing nearby, seemed to sense something.He slightly opened his eyes, glanced at Obito, who seemed a little off, and looked puzzled.But in the end, he didn't ask any more questions, closed his eyes again, and enjoyed the rare peace.
Only Obito, like a gradually weathering stone sculpture, remained frozen in the warm spring water, his heart having sunk into a bottomless ice cave.
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