Chapter 91 - 92
·
10 feb.
·
Köpt
Chapter 91 I Make a Wish
To treat the troublesome bloodline limit sickness, Lady Tsunade had been staying at Konoha Hospital for the past two days, either researching data or improving Sealing Jutsu, striving to find a suitable treatment method as soon as possible.
That kid named Naraku might not last much longer.
Lady Tsunade scratched her golden hair, letting out an annoyed 'tsk'.
Damn it, she kept feeling uneasy today, all because of that troublesome guy, Sakumo Hatake!
Just as she was about to look for another case file for comparison, a commotion gradually rose in the distance, faintly reaching her ears. Many Anbu were rushing about under the moonlight, their noisy movements preventing any peace.
Lady Tsunade jumped out of the window and, in a few swift movements, reached the Hospital rooftop, where she saw a strange shadow moving towards them in the distance.
He ran with some difficulty, but his speed was fast. It wasn't until he was a little closer that Lady Tsunade could clearly make out his form.
It was a short, small boy carrying an adult man on his back, and most of the nearby Anbu were closing in on them.
Strange, why would the Anbu block an injured person from coming to the Hospital for treatment?
If he were an enemy, how would he dare come to Konoha Hospital?
The other party drew closer. As he leaped from the eaves of a house, he exhaled a stream of fire against the moonlight, and Lady Tsunade finally saw the boy's face.
Uchiha Naraku...?!
Then the white-haired man he was carrying must be Sakumo Hatake!
While Lady Tsunade was still shocked by the situation, Naraku had already entered the open space in front of the Hospital entrance, stumbling and falling to his knees.
He didn't pause at all, struggling to get up and then walking step by step towards her.
Lady Tsunade made a swift decision, jumping from the rooftop and landing with a crash in front of the Hospital. Ignoring the large crater her feet had made, she quickly stepped forward to meet them.
However, as the two figures opposite emerged from the pale moonlight and entered the warm glow of the lights, the blood on their bodies and faces became incredibly vivid, instantly making her dizzy and weak, collapsing to the ground, trembling.
By this time, emergency personnel had already rushed out of the main entrance, taking Sakumo's body from Naraku's back with many hands and feet, and carrying him into the emergency room.
Naraku, gasping for breath, knelt before Lady Tsunade, his voice almost a plea, like a cuckoo's cry, each word bleeding.
"Lady Tsunade… please… save Master… save him…"
But the blood on him only plunged Lady Tsunade into fear. Her remaining sanity screamed at her to pull herself together, but her body wouldn't move, no matter what.
"I…" Lady Tsunade tried to stand up several times, but her hands and feet wouldn't obey. "I… blood…"
Naraku coughed up another mouthful of blood, and as if he had thought of something, he looked up and met Lady Tsunade's eyes, his Sharingan rotating.
Lady Tsunade felt her soul tremble. The strong scent of blood she had been smelling was gone. The boy in front of her was no longer a dazzling crimson but a deep, dark black, and her body's trembling was forcibly stopped.
She knew she wasn't no longer afraid; even if she couldn't see the color or smell the scent, she could still feel the emotion of fear screaming and gnawing in her mind, countless invisible small knives slowly cutting at her internal organs.
But at least, she finally had the strength to save her comrade again.
Lady Tsunade gritted her teeth, stood up, and decisively turned to enter the emergency room.
The Anbu seemed to have received some order, withdrawing from around the Hospital.
In the cold, empty space, only Naraku remained.
The countdown reached zero.
Naraku staggered into the Hospital, his abdomen a deep red.
With each step, he left a bloody imprint, all the way to the emergency room door.
He leaned against the wall and collapsed to the ground, listening to Lady Tsunade's commands and the instrument alarms faintly coming from inside the door. The situation seemed very grim.
Naraku looked up at the corridor ceiling, his gaze unfocused, and the system panel appeared before his eyes.
Several words flashed red in the center.
Pseudo-Izanagi: Time Reversal Modification
He had never obtained this type of forbidden jutsu through any means, so he shouldn't be able to, and thus couldn't sacrifice his own eyes.
Originally, he could use popularity points to cast the jutsu, changing a small node, thereby gaining a more favorable future for himself while deceiving the animator, making fate seem as if it was meant to unfold that way.
But now, his popularity points were also running low, and it would take a long time to accumulate enough to cast it once.
The only remaining thing that could be used as a price was his lifespan.
I wish… Naraku covered his face, suppressing his sobs, and murmured silently in his heart.
He wished to reach a future where Sakumo Hatake was alive.
His dark eyes, without him even realizing it, turned blood-red, the three tomoe spinning faster and faster, their afterimages almost blurring together, about to spread into a peculiar shape.
The diamond-shaped mark instantly grew and spread, crawling over his upper half-face, desperately suppressing the violent, evolving Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power), but also being impacted by the Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) and on the verge of shattering.
Bang!
Lady Tsunade's Shadow Clone kicked open the emergency room door and instantly appeared before Naraku, her right hand pointing like a sword at the seal on his forehead.
The mark, empowered by Lady Tsunade, and the rampaging Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) were at a stalemate for a brief half-second before the mark shattered and disappeared. But in that instant of its disappearance, the Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) was also successfully severed.
The spinning tomoe slowly stopped, reverting to their original appearance.
Lady Tsunade bent down to catch Naraku's falling body, and Mystical Palm Technique deftly covered his wound.
If his Sharingan had evolved into a Mangekyo, he probably wouldn't have lived more than a month due to the worsening bloodline limit sickness.
Truly, a pathetic kid, both lucky and unlucky.
She sighed softly.
Inside the emergency room, the instruments emitted a ticking sound, indicating a heartbeat.
One beat.
Another beat.
--------------------------
Chapter 92 Picking up candy from the glass shards
Naraku's mind awoke before his body.
He stared blankly at the system interface in front of him for a while, trying to struggle up, but finding that he truly couldn't wake up, so he had to lie still in his mental space.
After a long time, his thoughts repeatedly rose and fell several times before he hesitantly asked, "Did it succeed?"
[Your Ninjutsu has been successfully activated]
Naraku let out a sigh of relief.
After a moment of respite, he asked the system to open websites from the modern world, hoping to find some clues.
He clearly remembered Sakumo's warning, "There are others."
The inexplicably dispelled Kyoka Suigetsu, Sakumo's battle that shouldn't have been so difficult, and that final warning... The anime began to play.
—
In the new episode, Naraku had woken up from his coma, almost completely mummified in bandages. He was looking pitifully at Kakashi, who spoon-fed him some rice porridge, which he obediently swallowed.
Behind them, Kana was shoveling fried rice into her mouth with a spoon, her cheeks puffed out, looking exactly like a red-furred hamster.
[Feeding! Hehehe! Feeding is good civilization!]
[No, this is just too cute... (clutches heart)]
[Uchiha Kakashi! (Confirmed)]
[Has Kana not seen food in eight lifetimes?]
[The Hatake Father and Son are now a family of four, oh]
[Later, Sakumo might even pick up a few more children]
[Sakumo: The pressure of supporting the family is getting heavier (scratches head)]
In the scene, Sakumo suddenly sensed something, turned and left the Hospital room, and went outside to chat with Fugaku, who had come to visit.
The information revealed in their conversation indicated that the Uchiha had no idea why Naraku's mission failed, and the truth had been buried deep.
When Sakumo re-entered the room, the slightly oppressive atmosphere was broken by Kana's playful antics, making Naraku laugh so hard his wounds twinged, earning him a scolding from Kakashi for being an idiot.
[The Uchiha were truly deceived, Hiruzen Sarutobi, you f*cker!]
[Fugaku, you big fool! Your home has been stolen and you're still grinning like an idiot!]
[Dark, truly f*cking dark. Sakumo is so angry he wants to kill someone]
[Who can accept their child being sacrificed? Any father wouldn't tolerate it]
The audience initially thought these dark matters would be temporarily unresolved, but as the screen darkened and then brightened, time moved to the next day, and Konoha was already rife with rumors and a foul atmosphere.
The anime meticulously depicted the content and development of the rumors from Kakashi's perspective.
The terrible public opinion gathered like an undercurrent, forming a heavy mountain named 'oppression,' pressing down firmly on Kakashi's young shoulders.
The usually proud and spirited genius bowed his head for the first time, falling asleep with unease and sorrow, even holding back his sighs for fear of waking Naraku.
[These villagers are too malicious towards Sakumo, aren't they? If Sakumo doesn't do that mission, someone else will naturally do it.]
[Good, good, pointing fingers at the Uchiha, the dagger is revealed! I know who's behind this!]
[Besides that one-eyed shady old man, who else could it be?]
[Modern people know that the knife of verbal abuse can truly kill!]
[Not a single sensible person among the villagers Sakumo has diligently protected for so many years]
[Even if there were, they wouldn't dare show their faces. In this situation, who among the common people would dare to speak up for him?]
[Kami, that forbearing look in his eyes pierces my heart, sob sob sob]
[I feel so sorry for Kakashi, he doesn't even dare to let Naraku know]
[Konoha, give me back my spirited genius Kakashi, sob sob sob sob sob]
[In just one day, the entire Village turned into hell for the Hatake Father and Son T-T]
Kakashi wanted to keep it from Naraku, but as if fate was deliberately playing tricks, when Naraku woke up in the middle of the night, he happened to overhear the medical staff gossiping.
Naraku, dragging his severely injured body, went to talk to Fugaku, hoping he would help deal with the matter and revealing the reason for his injuries.
He calmly spoke of the suspicious points of that mission, and the mysterious Ninja squad that acted freely in the Land of Fire, as if he were an outsider telling a story unrelated to himself.
But the bandages visible on various parts of his body told the audience that he had personally experienced countless pains in that story.
[It's intentional! Absolutely intentional! If not, I'll wash my hair upside down!]
[Take it easy, baby, you still have a penetrating wound on your stomach, ah ah ah ah ah (horrified)]
[Decisive, truly brave]
[Naraku truly knows everything clearly]
[Revealing old wounds is truly painful]
[I feel like he's so heartbroken that he no longer cares about Konoha]
On the way back, the audience, through Uchiha Fūyō's perspective, watched the somewhat reticent Naraku, his dark eyes filled with emotions they couldn't decipher, emotions that even the gentle evening breeze couldn't soothe.
The young man, whom they had always seen as pure and kind, seemed to have changed overnight.
Yet, his transformation, everything had traces.
[Wow, Uchiha big brother's princess carry!]
[Kakashi: Another one???]
[Naraku is either suffering, or on his way to suffer T-T]
[Now, unless he's in front of his family, Naraku doesn't really smile anymore; he's always preoccupied]
[Enough, I'm really heartbroken for him, sob sob sob]
[Kakashi and Naraku are both so miserable]
When they returned to the Hospital, Kakashi angrily confronted Naraku, and the interaction between the two finally made the audience, who had been suppressed for the entire episode, laugh out loud.
[So funny, Naraku is most afraid of Kakashi scolding him]
[Can't be tough for a bit]
[Naraku: Giving in can't be called being afraid of my partner... Giving in!...Can a Ninja's business be called being afraid of my partner?]
[Only with Kakashi and Sakumo can Naraku revert to his carefree self, even if only on the surface]
[The 'oh, what are you doing~' from before (crying)]
[The bullet comments always have sharp-tongued people trying to ambush me]
In the next episode, the Uchiha Police Force arrested a bunch of villagers who maliciously spread rumors and locked them in jail, which at least cooled down the fermenting public opinion.
Chapter 93 - 94
·
11 feb.
·
Köpt
Chapter 93 Naraku reached out to smooth his furrowed brow
Kakashi didn't hear those hurtful insults anymore when he went out to buy things, but his heart still felt heavy.
He asked Naraku why all this was happening, but Naraku didn't answer, only saying that if that day ever came, he would save him no matter what.
The surroundings were silent, then an evening breeze blew, and the curtains rustled behind them.
Naraku's gentle and firm voice, across the screen, struck the heart of every viewer.
"I will spare no effort, no matter the cost."
[The Uchiha are still reliable, they just get straight to it!]
[Kakashi's only confidant is Naraku]
[How is this not a confession?]
[Is it Naraku's turn to heal Kakashi now?]
[The straightforward Uchiha live up to their reputation!]
[Sisters, I'm convinced, on the forums now they're calling Naraku the Uchiha King of Sweet Talk]
[Kick out the one who's ruining the atmosphere!]
[Hahahahahahahaha, I'm dying of laughter]
—
Naraku's mouth twitched: What the hell is the Uchiha King of Sweet Talk...?
He tried to keep a straight face for less than two seconds before he, too, let out a low laugh, then secretly cursed himself for his ridiculous sense of humor.
—
The cells of the Uchiha Police Force were almost full, and Fugaku waited for a day or two in the office building, only to receive an order from the Hokage to release the people to appease public anger.
He argued with several elders repeatedly, but still reluctantly released them.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura also had a dispute in the Hokage Building, but after the latter mentioned Sakumo Hatake and the Uchiha alliance, stating they were no longer trustworthy, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally agreed to his actions.
[Hiruzen Sarutobi, you f*cking play favorites!!!]
[Don't back down, Fugaku!! Don't back down, ah ah ah ah ah!!!]
[If he doesn't back down, the Uchiha would be openly opposing the Hokage. Does he dare to gamble with the safety of thousands of Clan Member?]
[Sakumo is being suppressed and slandered just because he has a good relationship with the Uchiha. Senju Tobirama would be dumbfounded.]
[Friends, my vocabulary is insufficient. I need a more vicious word than "bitch."]
[How about this: from now on, when we curse someone, we call him Danzo Shimura.]
[And if someone speaks up for the person you're cursing, we'll curse that person as Hiruzen Sarutobi.]
[Holy crap, that's dirty!]
[Awesome]
Naraku spoke with Fugaku again, without success, and was escorted back to the Hospital by Uchiha Fūyō.
As Naraku walked up to the second floor, the BGM suddenly became eerie and unsettling, and combined with Naraku's sudden turn, it startled the audience.
The command conveyed by the other party clearly mentioned Root, which meant that Danzo was even arrogant enough to openly reveal his identity and was not at all afraid of being exposed. This brazen attitude triggered another wave of bullet comments, all filled with censored * symbols.
Naraku silently returned to the Hospital room, and the only sound in the entire space was his own footsteps.
On the small cot for companions, Kakashi was still asleep due to the Genjutsu, his brows furrowed, clearly not sleeping soundly, perhaps dreaming again of the ignorant and short-sighted faces of those villagers.
Naraku reached out to smooth his furrowed brow, his eyes flickering with light and shadow, eventually settling into silence.
The screen had gone completely black, and then Naraku's almost sighing murmur was heard.
-- Kakashi... I'm sorry... [Don't go! That's no place for a human!]
[If he goes, he'll 100% die, sob sob sob]
[Naraku probably wants to protect Kakashi and Sakumo, after all, his bloodline limit sickness is basically incurable]
[Moreover, Naraku has a bloodline limit sickness, and it's no longer worth it for the Uchiha to choose to directly oppose Danzo for him]
[Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah (crying loudly)]
[According to my many years of experience getting stabbed, something big is coming! (sad)]
[Sakumo, come back quickly, sob sob sob sob sob]
The content of the next episode was Tsunade returning to the Village to examine Naraku, attempting to seal the excess Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power), which largely matched his own experience.
But one scene made Naraku fall into a long silence.
After the children left the Hospital room, Sakumo revealed a gloomy look he had never shown before, and that almost imperceptible whisper, all indicated that he had long decided to resist Danzo.
It turned out that Sakumo wasn't trying to commit suicide then, but had prepared for the worst, which was why he had that calm, ready-to-die look in his eyes.
Logically, Sakumo shouldn't have had such a difficult fight with Danzo; there must have been something he didn't know.
And the audience, unaware of what would happen later, was still captivated by Sakumo's cold demeanor.
[So handsome... Who understands the charm of a man when he shows signs of going dark?]
[Sister in front, I understand]
[Sakumo, go! Take down Danzo!]
[Kill that shameless old man!]
With most of his Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) sealed, Naraku's original pain from activating his Sharingan was greatly reduced. After telling the truth, Kakashi again poked his forehead, scolding him as an idiot.
Naraku looked pitiful and apologized profusely, and Kakashi immediately softened, but still pretended to be tough, saying that if he dared to do it again next time, he would never speak to him again.
[His Sharingan awakened too early and too quickly, his body simply couldn't withstand the ravages of the Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power)]
[Naraku: I was wrong, I'll do it again next time (ˊ ˘ ˋ * )]
[Kakashi: (╬ ◣ д ◢ )]
[Picking candy from broken glass, it hurts]
[The plot is too cruel to these two good kids, sob sob sob sob]
Naraku asked Tsunade if his bloodline limit sickness was cured, but the answer was incredibly cruel.
Kakashi didn't want to lose control of his emotions in front of Naraku, so he found an excuse to leave the Hospital.
But he didn't see Naraku's finally unconcealable, sad gaze and tightly pursed lips as he turned to leave.
Kakashi walked alone on the road, the surrounding malice almost materializing, tearing at his body, gnawing at his soul.
The scene flashed back to Naraku's past promise, "If you are in danger, I will save you no matter what," "I will spare no effort, no matter the cost"... Kakashi closed his eyes.
-- Me too.
-- So we are both destined to make mistakes, Naraku.
[Even Tsunade has to grope her way step by step; bloodline limit sickness is truly an incurable disease]
[So heartbreaking, Kakashi and Naraku didn't see each other's eyes]
[Both of them don't want the other to worry about them]
[I feel that, in fact, they both know the other is very sad, but they tacitly avoid it separately]
[Even more heartbreaking]
[Why can't my fist punch through the screen, sob sob sob]
[No! Kakashi, this is not a mistake!]
[This is not a mistake ┭ ┮ ﹏ ┭ ┮]
[The love for comrades and friends, and the courage to sacrifice for it, these emotions are the shining points of humanity]
Physically and mentally exhausted, Kakashi chose to go home and confess his recent despondency to his father.
Sakumo still insisted that "Ninja are not tools for killing" and comforted his confused son, telling him to leave the Village to receive the rare medicinal materials Tsunade needed, and to clear his mind at the same time.
Kakashi also felt that he was not suitable for companionship at the moment; his bad mood would affect Naraku's recovery, so he nodded in agreement.
However, after he left, Tsunade's arrival and questioning made the audience realize that Sakumo just wanted to find an excuse to send Kakashi out of Konoha.
The explanation of 'leaving the Village to clear his mind' convinced neither Tsunade nor the audience.
[Sakumo's will is truly firm; he hasn't changed his mind despite such immense public pressure]
[Manly, Sakumo is a true man]
[It's good to go out, the mood will be much better away from this environment. Kakashi will get depressed if he stays in the Village any longer.]
[Not a son? Hmm?? The medicinal materials thing is fake??]
[When a father sends his son away, he must be planning something big!]
[Brothers! Something bad is going to happen! I have a bad feeling!]
[What exactly does Sakumo want to do?]
[He wouldn't really want to take down Danzo and split Konoha, would he???]
----------------------------------
Chapter 94 So It's You
As dusk approached and the sunlight turned warmer, Kakashi bid farewell to Baby Naraku, promising to bring him a souvenir, and then left Konoha alone.
When he walked out of the Konoha gate with his travel bag, only the setting sun and the evening breeze saw him off.
[Kakashi's silhouette looks so frail, it makes my heart ache.]
[No one knows if this farewell is forever...]
[Hey, you in front, I'm warning you not to jinx it!]
The scene shifted. Baby Naraku rushed home and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Sakumo was safe and sound, collapsing onto the ground.
[Baby Naraku is so perceptive; just a few words and he realized something was wrong.]
[Old Thief, you have no heart! Can't you let Baby Naraku recover properly?!]
[Indeed, it feels like he's constantly rushing around with injuries.]
As Sakumo came to help him up, Baby Naraku met his gaze and realized he was indeed about to do something dangerous, but hadn't had the chance yet.
"Master... I'm sorry..." Baby Naraku decisively used Ninjutsu to knock out the unsuspecting Sakumo, then, dragging his weakened body, he settled him down.
Afterward, he silently began preparing weapons and soldier pills (Chakra replenishing pills).
He paused once, seemingly overwhelmed by extreme emotions, lowering his head weakly, his hair falling to cover his face.
The audience could only see his slightly trembling arms.
But Baby Naraku quickly suppressed his emotions, his movements returning to their original crisp and decisive state, not letting anyone see his expression from moments before.
[No matter what Sakumo is going to do, Baby Naraku doesn't want him to risk himself for him.]
[Baby Naraku hasn't given up! He's got weapons!]
[He's not going to try to imitate Jing Ke, is he? A final desperate struggle before death.]
[What's he going to fight with? He's still severely injured, and his Chakra is mostly depleted from the Ninjutsu.]
[The passion of youth is: even if you can't kill the enemy, you'll take a chunk of their flesh with you before you die.]
[Baby, if you're too sad, just cry.]
[The 'crybaby' Kakashi spoke of has once again learned to hold back his tears.]
[Are you trying to kill me with a knife, up there?]
Before leaving, Baby Naraku gazed longingly at the Hatake Household bathed in the twilight: the group photo on the counter, the dining table once filled with laughter, the courtyard where he loved to bask in the sun... He took in everything, engraving it deeply into his mind, leaving an indelible memory.
Then Baby Naraku turned and left, choosing to face his destiny alone.
Only a few soft whispers lingered behind him, echoing in the ears of all the viewers.
"Take care, Master, Kakashi."
[Nooooooo—]
[This time, he's really going to die, sob sob sob.]
[I can't bear to watch; I can't accept Baby Naraku walking down such a desperate path alone.]
[What did he ever do wrong to have to experience a life like this?]
The audience was still wailing, but the scene remained on the Hatake Household. Amidst the faint chirping of insects, the light and shadow gradually transformed into the colors of night.
Sakumo suddenly opened his eyes and sat up from under the covers. The screen flashed back to Baby Naraku's Sharingan, indicating that he realized he had been caught in a Ninjutsu.
But now, the Ninjutsu had been dispelled.
He looked at his palms, sensing the Chakra situation within his body.
"No depletion."
No one had approached him. For a Ninjutsu of this level to spontaneously dispel, the only reason could be the death of the caster.
[Huh???]
[Wait a minute! My CPU is fried!]
[How did Sakumo wake up?]
[Baby Naraku isn't... already gone...?]
[Ahhhhhh (sharp screeching)]
[I'm sending knife blades to Old Thief!!!]
[What's the use of Old Thief dying! I-want-Danzo-to-die!!!!]
The scene began to show everything Sakumo had experienced during this period.
Chapter 95 - 96
·
12 feb.
·
Köpt
Chapter 95 He stood before rapidly flashing memories, leaving only a silhouette.
He stood before rapidly flashing memories, leaving only a silhouette.
From when he discovered something suspicious about Baby Naraku's mission in the Land of Rain, to Baby Naraku's severe injuries and near-death, the unsuspecting Uchiha, the rampant rumors, encountering Root on the way to pick up Tsunade, learning the order to abandon Baby Naraku, and finally, this evening, the reappearance of Root Ninja, threatening Kakashi's life... All these memories, accompanied by Sakumo's self-questioning, were displayed before the audience.
"Are you truly only a man of this caliber, Sakumo Hatake?"
"Unable to protect even your own family?"
He raised his head, his face filling the screen in a close-up, his eyes blazing with an unprecedented intensity of anger and determination.
"Everything."
"I can give everything."
The next second, he was already tearing through the layers of night, his long blade in hand, storming into Root, slaying all in his path.
Only the blood of his enemies could quell a father's hatred.
[Danzo thought he could threaten Sakumo with these things, but he misjudged the man!]
[So cool, Sakumo! A true man!]
[Let Danzo experience despair firsthand!]
[A man among men, a father among fathers!]
Amidst the flashing blades and bloodshed, he finally saw the culprit, the source of the darkness.
Hideous and repulsive.
Sakumo's Chakra almost boiled over, his hair and clothes fluttering with rage.
Arcs of electricity burst from his blade, transforming into countless lightning snakes that pierced the sky, yet were bound to the sword in his hand, roaring and thrashing wildly, shrieking as they tore through the darkness, pervading the entire vast underground cavern.
Lightning and gales whipped up a storm, shattering metal and stone, sweeping away everything in their path.
He coldly watched that existence, known as the "Darkness of the Ninja World," desperately dodging his blade, no different from anyone else.
"So why...?"
"Why did he—!!!"
Wind and thunder coiled around his blade, slashing through the darkness, striking towards his opponent.
[Let Konoha witness the rage of the White Fang, Sakumo Hatake!]
[So incredibly cool!]
[Nine Heavens Thunder, return to my body!]
[All resistance in the world stems from one question: 'Why?!']
[Go, Sakumo! Kill him!]
Just as everyone, including Sakumo himself, believed Danzo was doomed, Sakumo's body visibly faltered, allowing Danzo to seize the opportunity to counterattack first.
The animator did not continue the fight, perhaps wanting to hide something, and directly cut the scene to Baby Naraku.
[What's happening?]
[Holy crap, what happened to Sakumo?]
[Nooooooo!]
[It's over, it's over, it's over, Old Thief is going for a plot kill!!]
[It shouldn't be a plot kill; Sakumo must have had a physical problem.]
[I think Danzo poisoned him, after all, he has many unspeakable methods.]
[Sakumo could have killed Danzo, but now it's uncertain.]
When Baby Naraku first arrived near the Forest of Death, it wasn't completely dark yet.
Before revealing himself, he had hidden in the shadows, observing his surroundings with his Sharingan, confirming that Root had not set traps there, and realizing that he was beginning to perceive Chakra within a certain range.
[So, both Baby Naraku and Sakumo are fighting Root? A two-pronged attack?]
[Does the Sharingan have such strong perception abilities?]
[Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) mutated?]
[Possibly, after all, Baby Naraku is the first Uchiha to receive treatment, and Sealing Jutsu might change the nature of Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power).]
Baby Naraku waited for a short while, then, with a sudden realization, looked towards a distant spot behind him, his expression somewhat uneasy, and opened his eyes again to observe his surroundings.
A faint tremor came, and at the same time, a light breeze brushed Baby Naraku's cheek.
He looked in that direction; several Anbu were rushing there under the moonlight.
"Something... is wrong there..." Driven by intuition, Baby Naraku moved closer to the source of the tremor.
Then, a ball of flame entered the edge of his perception range.
"Master...?"
[Goodness, super intuition!]
[Tsunayoshi Sawada approves.]
[This is the telepathy between father and son! Indeed!]
Baby Naraku broke through the Anbu's obstruction and entered the deepest part of the Root's underground base, where he saw Danzo raising his blade for the final strike on Sakumo.
He knocked away Danzo, who was also at his limit, and finally saw Sakumo covered in blood, even his white hair largely soaked in it, hanging limply by his face, dripping blood.
[!!!]
[Sakumo ahhhhhh!!]
[Damn him! How dare Danzo Shimura?!]
[No way, Danzo couldn't possibly counter-kill Sakumo.]
[Big problem! Big problem!]
Baby Naraku's pupils instantly constricted, his fingertips trembling, in too much pain to utter a sound.
----------------------------------
Chapter 96 Accompanied by a heartbreaking thought
"Master..."
"Why... did you go to such lengths?"
"I clearly... have no value anymore...!"
"Why wouldn't you abandon me?!"
Accompanied by a heartbreaking thought, a red light flashed in Baby Naraku's eyes, and he used his long blade to pin Danzo, who was still trying to move, firmly against the wall, blood splattering on the wall behind him, covering it in a dark red.
[How could Sakumo abandon you, sob sob sob.]
[This might be the only time Baby Naraku wished Sakumo wouldn't want him.]
[Is he going to awaken the Mangekyo now?]
[Old man, good riddance!]
Lying on Baby Naraku's tender shoulder, Sakumo, with his dying breath, still had the presence of mind to crack a joke about "failing to look cool," which angered the usually good-tempered Baby Naraku, who loudly told him to shut up.
Sakumo's eyes curved slightly in satisfaction, and then he closed them.
The flame behind him had weakened to the point of extinction; Baby Naraku had no time to waste. He met the Anbu with a Fire Release, not caring if he got burned himself.
By the time he emerged from underground, he was swaying precariously, but somehow found the strength to steady himself and continue towards the Hospital.
[Even at a time like this, he's still so scatterbrained; it's truly you, sob sob sob.]
[Can he make it? He can make it, right?!]
[Baby Naraku hasn't fully recovered; it's really touch and go.]
[What the hell are these Anbu doing?! Can't they see this is Sakumo?!]
He encountered many more Anbu along the way. Baby Naraku either flashed past them directly or used Fire Release to clear a path and seize an opportunity to jump out of the encirclement. In just two or three minutes, he reached the Hospital entrance, where he collapsed from exhaustion.
He had no strength left; an adult man was already very heavy, but now Sakumo felt like a mountain, pressing down on his trembling, powerless body.
But he couldn't stop; he had no right to stop.
This pathetic sight, coupled with the emotional background music, made the audience wail.
After getting up and taking a few steps, Baby Naraku saw a blonde figure jump from the rooftop, walk a few steps towards him, but then sit down on the ground, not coming any closer.
[My heart is breaking.]
[My tears are cheap, ahhh!]
[Waaah waah waah waah waah waah — o(╥﹏╥)o]
[Baby Naraku spat up so much blood, and Master also bled so much, sob sob sob.]
[Lady Tsunade, please stand up, I beg you, pull yourself together!]
Emergency personnel rushed out of the Hospital and took Sakumo away.
Baby Naraku almost crawled, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground, and came before Tsunade, bowing his head to the ground.
"Lady Tsunade... please... save Master... save him..."
His originally clear boyish voice was now dry and hoarse, the syllables indistinguishable, only sobs and trembling told everyone he was crying.
[I can't take it anymore... I'm really so sad, sob sob sob.]
[Baby Naraku's throat is ruined.]
[He truly brought Sakumo here with his life.]
[What kind of despair must it be to watch the person you love lose their breath and their body grow cold, little by little?]
[How did it come to this? Why did it come to this, ahhh?]
Only after Tsunade entered the operating room did Baby Naraku get up from the ground, stand with difficulty, and stagger step by step into the Hospital.
The wound in his abdomen had reopened, his clothes were soaked dark red, and the blood flowing beneath his feet, he couldn't tell if it was Sakumo's or his own.
The scene cut to inside the operating room. The heart monitor flatlined, and the sharp, continuous alarm pierced through the walls and doors, directly into Baby Naraku's body.
He sat leaning against the operating room door, his eyes dark, his pupils unfocused, staring blankly at the ceiling, allowing endless despair to envelop him completely.
Memories uncontrollably flooded his mind, forcing him to repeatedly realize what he had lost.
"It's okay, Baby Naraku, everything will be alright."
"You are very talented."
"I thought that firework was beautiful..."
"God..." Baby Naraku covered his face, tears streaming through his fingers.
"Eating bracken today?"
"How was your graduation exam?"
"Watch closely, I'll teach you a super powerful Ninjutsu!"
"I wish..." He gradually couldn't suppress his sobs, his eyes turned blood red, and three tomoe spun rapidly.
"Sorry... I still needed Baby Naraku to save me..."
"I originally wanted to... deal with it... in a cool way..."
"I failed..."
"Let Master live...!"
The afterimages of the tomoe merged into one, gradually developing sharp edges.
[Why why why why why!!!]
[Don't kill me with memories, ahhhhh!]
[Please, please, please don't die, don't die, don't die...]
[I'm going to cry myself unconscious—]
[Help, someone's killing me, sob sob sob sob sob sob.]
[If Sakumo dies, Baby Naraku won't be able to live; he'll commit suicide.]
[Oh my god... Mangekyo—?!]
The seal on his forehead and the rampaging Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) were at a standstill, and finally, with the aid of Tsunade's Shadow Clone, the Dōjutsu Power (Pupil Power) was cut off just before it shattered.
The moment Baby Naraku fell to the ground, the monitor screen filled the frame.
The flat line began to undulate, and with a "beep-beep" sound, it showed signs of a heartbeat, again and again, continuously.
[He's alive... He's alive!!!]
[Sakumo's alive! Sakumo, he's alive!!]
[I just burst into tears.]
[That's great, he's alive... ┭┮﹏┭┮]
[Master's alive! Baby Naraku, you have to cheer up, sob sob sob.]
—
After watching the parts he knew, Baby Naraku calmed himself down, and only then did he have the mental capacity to think about his previous questions.
The animator did not reveal the truth; the only two clues were the mysterious dispelling of the Ninjutsu and Sakumo's strange pause during the battle.
If Kyoka Suigetsu hadn't failed, Sakumo wouldn't have attacked Root. If there hadn't been that strange pause, Sakumo's attack on Root wouldn't have resulted in his death.
Therefore, the purpose of that "other person" was to make Sakumo seek out Danzo and then die at his hands.
If Sakumo died, Baby Naraku had a high probability of awakening the Mangekyo.
Adding to this, the only ones whose existence the animator had concealed from the first season until now were Black Zetsu and Madara.
And what they both needed most was a successor who was utterly desperate with the world and could inherit the Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan.
So, it's you, isn't it?
Black Zetsu!