Chapter 97 - 98
·
13 feb.
·
Köpt
Chapter 97 The difficult night is finally over
Naraku gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath.
"You damn Ōtsutsuki Chenxiang, may your mother be trapped on the moon for all eternity until the universe is destroyed!"
After cursing Black Zetsu, there was still one episode left of the anime.
—
Time rewound to the moment Naraku headed to the Root base.
Hokage Office.
An Anbu appeared before Hiruzen Sarutobi and reported in a low voice, "Hokage-sama, there are large-scale Chakra fluctuations from a battle within the village."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression remained unchanged: "Where?"
"At the Root base. A squad has already gone to investigate."
"Hmm," he took down his pipe, his face growing serious, "Order them to control the situation first, and not to let any serious conflicts arise. Everything awaits my decision."
"Yes."
After the Anbu left, Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered to himself, "What is Danzo doing now?"
[So the Hokage works non-stop all year, and has to be in the office 24/7?]
[How is that possible? Probably a Shadow Clone.]
[Danzo didn't do anything, he was busy being killed by Sakumo.]
[That's right, after being cut down by Sakumo, he was cut down by Naraku again.]
The perspective switched to the Anbu squad. Naraku had already broken through the blockade and headed straight for the Hospital. Someone recognized that he was carrying Sakumo Hatake, and voluntarily stopped the pursuit.
"Hey! What are you doing? Why did you stop?"
"That's the White Fang!"
"What?! This…"
Just as the Anbu hesitated, an Anbu-dressed Ninja jumped out and announced loudly.
"Hokage-sama's latest order! Sakumo Hatake attacked Root, he must be arrested! Do not let him escape!"
"But," a young man quietly retorted, "that's not the direction to escape, is it?"
His senior colleague slapped him: "Stop talking nonsense, chase him!"
[Damn you, Hiruzen Sarutobi! I knew you'd cause trouble!]
[Old man, it's a good thing I can't get through the screen, otherwise I'd show you what a big kick looks like.]
[Can't do anything right, number one at holding people back.]
[Give me back my former Ninja Hero, Hiruzen Sarutobi!]
[Now he's a Ninja Bear ~]
The Anbu tried to intercept Naraku. Perhaps due to insufficient strength, or perhaps out of reluctance, they ultimately failed to significantly impede him, allowing Naraku to successfully reach the Hospital entrance with Sakumo.
At this point, another order came, instructing all pursuers to immediately retreat.
Everyone, more or less, breathed a sigh of relief and silently Shunshined away.
[Looks like everyone's an experienced actor.]
[He wasn't trying to escape, what's wrong with trying to save someone first?]
[Moreover, this is Sakumo Hatake! Konoha wouldn't benefit from his death.]
[Danzo:?]
Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was full of worry, the wrinkles on his face seeming to deepen a few more lines.
"Hokage-sama," the Anbu kneeling in the center reported in a deep voice, "According to the surviving Ninja from Root, Sakumo Hatake first ambushed Root, was severely wounded by Elder Danzo, and then escorted by Uchiha Naraku. Currently, both have arrived at Konoha Hospital, and Lady Tsunade is performing emergency treatment."
"Tsunade?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in surprise, then quickly regained his calm expression, "How is the situation?"
"Both are unconscious, but their lives are not in danger."
"What about Danzo?"
"Elder Shimura is severely injured and has not yet escaped life-threatening danger."
"Good, you may go."
"Yes."
After smoking his pipe for a long time in the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly, contemplating how to suppress this matter.
Finally, he summoned another Anbu and instructed, "Seal off the news, do not allow anyone to discuss it. Announce to the public that tonight's situation was an apprehension of a village spy."
"Yes."
[Damn, Danzo isn't dead?]
[Naraku's strike was aimed at his heart, and it still didn't kill him. Is he like a cockroach?]
[No further investigation? Sakumo really caused a huge stir this time, didn't he?]
[There's no way to investigate further, otherwise everyone would be curious why Sakumo went mad, and Danzo's dirty laundry wouldn't stay hidden.]
[I feel like something's not right. Just a moment ago, he ordered Sakumo to be hunted down; it wasn't an attitude of not caring.]
[It's probably because an Anbu reported that Sakumo wasn't escaping, which is why the order was revoked.]
[Hmm, Naraku taking Sakumo to the Hospital means he has no intention of betraying the village, so it's not appropriate to make a big fuss.]
The difficult night finally passed, and the eastern sky gradually lightened with a fish-belly white, marking a new day.
Minato and Kushina, having just received the news, rushed over with Kana, meeting Fugaku and Mikoto at the entrance of the intensive care unit.
Minato anxiously asked, "Elder Fugaku, how are things?"
Who would have thought that overnight, Sakumo Hatake and Uchiha Naraku would both be on the verge of death? If it weren't for the well-informed Jonin Squad comrades, he probably wouldn't even know by now.
"It's hard to say if they'll wake up," Fugaku shook his head, his expression grim. "I received a report from The Police Force last night, and by the time I arrived, Lady Tsunade was still performing emergency resuscitation."
"What exactly happened, do you know, Elder?"
Kushina's sensory range was very wide, much stronger than Kana's.
In her sleep, she had sensed the disturbance in the early hours of the night, but hadn't thought much of it. Now, thinking back, that must have been when Sakumo and Naraku got into trouble, and she was filled with immense regret.
If she had known the situation, she would have gotten out of bed to check, no matter what.
"Hokage-sama's explanation for last night is that the Anbu were apprehending an outside-village spy, which is why the battle occurred."
"If that's truly the case, it's one thing for Elder Sakumo to be involved in the battle, but why even Naraku—"
Kushina's words were cut short as Minato gently pulled her hand, subtly shaking his head to signal her not to delve deeper.
Since the Hokage had already decided the matter, they could only accept it.
Whether or not it was the truth.
[Σ(っ °Д°; )っ… They won't wake up, will they?]
[The deepest regret in the world is, I could have.]
[Even if Kushina had gone out, it would have been useless. As a high-priority surveillance target, the Anbu wouldn't have allowed her near the battle site.]
[Minato still has some survival wisdom.]
[The Hokage has already made a definitive statement; questioning it is an act of defiance.]
Kana pressed against the glass, staring fixedly through the gap in the curtains at the master and disciple in the intensive care unit, both wearing oxygen masks, one more severely injured than the other, covered in wires and tubes.
She couldn't help but sob softly, and Kushina hugged her, comforting her gently.
[Why aren't they using that Medical Ninjutsu that makes flesh grow and heal quickly?]
[That stuff costs lives, and these two are already barely clinging to life.]
[Don't even mention Kana, just seeing them like this makes me want to cry.]
[What will Kakashi do when he comes back?]
[The family of three is suddenly down to just him.]
[I can't even imagine what state he'll be in.]
—
Naraku stared at the last few bullet comments, also filled with sorrow.
When Kakashi returned from outside the village and saw Sakumo and him in such a miserable state, the blow would undoubtedly be significant.
And Black Zetsu, lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity, was completely unpredictable.
Naraku thought.
Since he failed to awaken his Mangekyo this time, when he woke up, would Black Zetsu try to target Kakashi again?
He needed to find a way to put an end to its thoughts.
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Chapter 98 I Love My Yandere Boyfriend
Naraku opened the shop. His popularity points had accumulated quite a bit again, enough for him to upgrade his perception Ninjutsu once more.
Although Black Zetsu's ability to conceal his aura and Chakra was exquisite, his perception Ninjutsu might still not detect him, but he had to try to be sure.
While the system was upgrading his Ninjutsu, Naraku opened the forum.
As expected, this plotline had distressed many people, and various posts were popping up like crazy.
The top trending post was a petition, "Ten Thousand Signatures for Danzo's Failed Rescue," and the second was "Hoping Danzo Shimura Doesn't Have a Chance to Be Rescued Successfully," which truly made Naraku laugh.
There were also some plot discussion posts, but the audience didn't know as much as Naraku himself, so they couldn't analyze anything conclusive.
However, some people still grasped the key point: how did Kyoka Suigetsu fail?
Sakumo's abnormality during the battle could be explained by Danzo having certain methods, but he couldn't have remotely dispelled the Genjutsu to make Sakumo kill him, could he?
Some posters even flat-out believed that Naraku's Ninjutsu had issues, causing Sakumo to regain consciousness midway, and the subsequent abnormalities were all after-effects of the Genjutsu, pinning the blame for Sakumo's severe injuries on Naraku, which also garnered considerable attention.
Besides that, Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions in the last episode also sparked much discussion.
— —
"Does Anyone Else Feel Hiruzen Sarutobi's Orders Were Disjointed?"
1L (OP): Everyone, look. At first, he said, "Control the situation, avoid excessively severe conflicts, and wait for my decision on everything."
Then it suddenly changed to, "You must apprehend Sakumo Hatake; he absolutely cannot be allowed to escape."
Finally, he withdrew the pursuit order, saying, "Seal off the information; no one is allowed to discuss it. Announce to the public that tonight's situation was the capture of a village spy."
It's hard to imagine these were orders issued by one person in a short period.
2L: Indeed, it felt a bit too forceful when he wanted to arrest Sakumo.
3L: He's an old waverer; is vacillating left and right a habit?
4L: Reply to 3L: It shouldn't be that much wavering, should it? Having been Hokage for so many years, he must know that orders shouldn't be given lightly.
5L: Reply to 4L: Is it possible he thought his good buddy (crossed out) old friend almost died, so...
6L: Reply to 5L: Ugh—I don't believe it!
... "Regarding Why Hiruzen Sarutobi Chose to Keep the Peace."
1L (OP): As titled.
Originally, attacking Root was a serious crime, and Sakumo Hatake would inevitably be held accountable. Even labeling him a rogue Ninja wouldn't be too harsh.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew in his heart the reason Sakumo did this: Danzo had pushed him to the brink, forcing him to resist. It was entirely Danzo's fault.
If Sakumo Hatake were held accountable, half of the Jonin Squad would have objections, and then all of Danzo's dirty deeds would not be able to be hidden.
Once the darkness hidden beneath the firelight was exposed, the entire Konoha would be in turmoil, which would be detrimental to stability.
So he ultimately decided to cover up this matter, leaving both Sakumo and Danzo unpunished.
2L: If the Uchiha had helped, at least Sakumo wouldn't have ended up like this.
3L: Even if Uchiha Fugaku had chosen to openly defy Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sakumo probably wouldn't have asked him for help. Otherwise, the situation would have escalated beyond control.
4L: Reply to 3L: Right, and I also feel Sakumo didn't want to implicate anyone else. After all, a surprise attack on Root is almost no different from betraying the village. He just wanted to kill Danzo by himself and be done with it, but he was ambushed.
5L: Reply to 4L: No one expected Sakumo to lose, including himself.
6L: So Danzo Shimura had already mastered the skill of "using" Hiruzen Sarutobi. As long as the deed was done and punishing him would cause greater losses, Hiruzen Sarutobi would choose to hold his nose and accept it.
7L: Reply to 6L: Upstairs, you've hit the nail on the head.
...— —
Naraku grumbled, "The word 'using' looks strange..."
The top-ranked posts in the fanfiction section were mostly new. Due to Sakumo Hatake's increased highlights in these few episodes, both solo fanfics and CP fanfics were at the forefront, and short edits were also broadcast in clusters.
Thanks to Sakumo's new surge in popularity and his performance with the other party, there were even more'ship' fanfics.
There was even a highly skilled fan artist who made a misleading CP edit with no Photoshop traces and posted it on an external bullet-comment website, currently ranking third on the trending list.
In the comment section below the video, fans tacitly played along, expressing their tears for the beautiful master-disciple love, so sincere that many passersby who hadn't watched naruto asked if it was real.
Looking at the chaotic comment section, Naraku couldn't help but feel his vision go dark again and again.
Naraku: Is this good? This is not good.
He continued to scroll down the progress bar, and finally, some fanfics he was somewhat interested in appeared.
One of the titles looked very familiar. Naraku clicked on the avatar to view the posting history and then remembered that it was indeed the same author who posted "Abandoned" last time.
— —
"Naraku Always Disregards Himself, and Finally Kakashi Solves This Problem."
1L (OP): *Blackened imprisonment trope, super OOC, beware of triggers*
This was already who knows how many times Naraku had been to the Hospital.
Kakashi thought, screwing the lid of the hot water kettle tightly, and slowly walked back to the ward...
"I can grasp the future, I can grasp a cold blade, and I can grasp the lives of those who stand in my way, but I just can't grasp your hand."
"Winter has arrived; let's go watch fireworks together."
... "If I don't watch Naraku properly, you always hurt yourself."
"Isn't it good to stay here? Others will take care of everything else."
"Don't try to leave, don't you dare leave me!"
... "This is great, Naraku, finally it's just the two of us."
"Just keep looking at me, only at me... okay...?"
... 2L: First!
3L: Good heavens, this is too dark and twisted; it makes my stomach hurt.
4L: Naraku hasn't even blackened in the anime, but Kakashi has already blackened in fanfiction!
5L: So fragrant, so fragrant... I can't speak for other characters, but if Kakashi became like this, it must be because he cares too much about Naraku.
6L: Reply to 5L: Sakumo: So love disappears, right?
... 11L: Online: Yandere boyfriend I love, love, love; Reality: Police officer, hurry, hurry, hurry!
12L: Online: Wow, so cool, this blackened feeling is so cool; Reality: Quick! Run! My dead legs, hurry and run!
13L: Hahahahahahaha
...— —
Naraku: Good, good, good, I still didn't torture them enough! All you fanfiction writers, just you wait!
He fiercely wrote down the author's name in his small notebook, and after thinking about it, he also noted down the accounts that posted those meme comments.
Naraku: You guys don't think you can escape either! None of you want to live!Chapter 99 - 100
·
22 feb.
·
Köpt
Chapter 99 A Certain Otsutsuki Chenxiang's Diary of Breaking Defense
Mountain Prison, a dark underground cavern.
It was completely silent, with only the echoing drip-drip of water.
Sunlight never reached this underground area, and the air was chilly, with a cold, dampness that seeped into one's bones.
After navigating through complex passages, they reached the deepest part, where the internal space became wide and regular, showing signs of artificial excavation.
On a strange seat in the center sat an old man on the verge of death.
Several long white tubes connected to his back, extending to a thick, Root-like object in the distance.
This "Root" extended many branches, from which dozens of human-shaped bundles hung; or rather, these were the bodies of people who had been sucked dry into mummies.
In the open space before the old man, a completely black "monster" slowly rose.
"What's the result, Black Zetsu?"
Despite his withered body, the old man's voice was full of vigor, not at all like someone about to die.
"Just as you planned, Lord Madara," the monster called "Black Zetsu" replied in a low voice, "but the final evolution was cut short by Tsunade, otherwise it would have definitely become a Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Hmph, he still has one person he cares about, anyway."
The old man sneered, his expression tugging at his stiff facial muscles, and his white hair slightly swayed, revealing the Sharingan within his eye sockets.
No one would have imagined that Uchiha Madara, who had died long ago in the Valley of the End, was actually clinging to life in this inconspicuous underground cavern.
Seeing that Madara wasn't concerned about this failure, Black Zetsu began to report its series of operations in Konoha Village last night... When Black Zetsu discovered a nine-year-old Uchiha genius in Konoha who had awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, it was ecstatic.
As Indra's reincarnation, Uchiha Madara's days were numbered, and it urgently needed a Plan B to continue collecting Tailed Beasts and carry out the Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan after his death. Now, there was a chosen one with rich emotions and many bonds, which made it so excited that it felt like a windfall from heaven.
As long as everything Uchiha Naraku cared about was destroyed, making him despair of the world, a perfect tool would be obtained.
What made it even happier was that before it even acted, Konoha itself dealt a blow, forcing Uchiha Naraku, who already had little sense of belonging to Konoha, to awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and even contract a terminal illness like bloodline limit sickness.
But later it realized that as long as Sakumo Hatake and Kakashi Hatake were around, Naraku probably wouldn't hate the world, let alone execute the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
So, these two people had to be killed, preferably disguised as Konoha's doing. In that case, this kid should no longer have any attachment to the world, right?... Hmm?
Does that guy from Konoha named Danzo Shimura read minds?
Otherwise, how could he do exactly what I was thinking?
Black Zetsu was bewildered.
It hadn't even exerted itself yet, and Konoha had already dealt itself another blow. Wasn't that a bit too considerate?
After several days of continuous lurking, on an ordinary dusk, Konoha finally pushed Sakumo Hatake to his limit.
Just as he was about to seek death, Black Zetsu was happy for two seconds, only to see that Uchiha Naraku kid knock him down with a powerful genjutsu, then demand to go to Root himself.
No, is Sakumo Hatake that useless, to fall so easily?
The precious Plan B couldn't be jeopardized!
Black Zetsu quickly leaned over to try and dispel the Kyoka Suigetsu on him, only then realizing that it wasn't Sakumo Hatake who was weak, but that this genjutsu was truly beyond comprehension.
All of Sakumo's Chakra was suppressed tightly; no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't budge it even a little. In the end, it consumed a large amount of its own Chakra to barely break through.
Although the loss was a bit significant, watching Sakumo Hatake rush into Root and slaughter relentlessly, it again chuckled coldly with glee.
If he didn't die from this, then Black Zetsu would write its name backward, alright?
...Danzo Shimura, you useless fool! How could a hundred and eighty people be completely wiped out, I ask you!
Black Zetsu could only risk exposure by intervening and using a contingency it had left to trip up Sakumo Hatake at a critical moment, finally putting him at a disadvantage.
It had originally intended for Danzo Shimura to finish off Sakumo Hatake, but the former was truly too useless, turning a perfectly good situation into a mutual defeat.
No choice, it found another opportunity to possess Danzo.
Now, as long as Sakumo Hatake was killed, the plan would be a great success... Hmm?
Pfft, cough, cough!
Danzo, controlled by Black Zetsu, had just raised his sword when he was kicked away by Uchiha Naraku, who had rushed to the scene. Immediately after, a long sword plunged into his chest, shattering several of his internal organs.
Oh my god—
Forget it, forget it. This is the precious Plan B, I won't stoop to his level.
Just in case, let's keep this Danzo Shimura alive; don't let him die.
As long as he's around, how can my Black Zetsu's great plan fail?
After leaving Danzo's body, Black Zetsu continued to rush to the front line without stopping.
It found a White Zetsu to disguise as a Konoha Anbu, then possessed it, and before Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders arrived, it first announced a false message of "hunting down Sakumo Hatake."
With so many Anbu, and Uchiha Naraku in an exhausted state, it didn't believe Sakumo Hatake wouldn't die this time?
...I'm really fed up! How are all you Konoha Anbu so weak? Or are you just slacking off? Are you being outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant?
Black Zetsu went crazy once again.
Finally, seeing Naraku send Sakumo to the Hospital entrance, but Tsunade's hemophobia acting up, preventing her from performing emergency rescue, it thought this time it should be stable.
As a result, Uchiha Naraku cast a genjutsu, and lo and behold, Tsunade was fine again!
Why is this damned brat's talent so strong, ah ah ah ah ah!
Black Zetsu screamed silently.
Fortunately, it seemed even Tsunade's intervention couldn't save him.
Now, it should be time for the Mangekyo Sharingan, right?
Black Zetsu rubbed its hands in anticipation from the shadows, watching the tomoe in Naraku's eyes spin rapidly, the patterns beginning to change, about to transform into a Man—
Ah ah ah ah!!
What the hell is that dirty thing!!
Black Zetsu watched with a dislocated jaw and a blank stare as sealing runes spread across Naraku's face, and Tsunade's Shadow Clone came to reinforce, ultimately interrupting the evolution of the Sharingan.
Even worse, Sakumo Hatake's life had also been saved.
Listening to the beeping of that instrument, Black Zetsu felt this was the greatest mockery of itself... This was truly bizarre!
...Time returned to the present.
Black Zetsu diligently played the role of a competent subordinate.
"Lord Madara, Tsunade has not yet reapplied the seal on Uchiha Naraku. During this time, we still have a chance."
Madara narrowed his eyes, contemplating how to force Uchiha Naraku to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan again.
Sakumo Hatake had been rescued but remained unconscious. Even if he were to die again later, the stimulation for Uchiha Naraku might not be enough.
It would be best to find a way to target Kakashi Hatake, kill him, or make him betray Uchiha Naraku.
As the "consciousness" split from Madara, Black Zetsu seemed to read his thoughts and proactively said, "Lord Madara, if Kakashi Hatake..."
After hearing Black Zetsu's idea, Madara couldn't help but admire the insidious nature of his own "consciousness," thinking to himself, 'Could I really be this despicable?'
But all of this was for the Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan, so he nodded.
"I leave it to you."
"Yes, Lord Madara."
----------------------------------
Chapter 100 Demonic Sound
Root's second underground base.
Only a dozen Root Ninja remained, keeping the base operational. Although short-staffed, everything was still orderly.
Inside a heavily guarded room, respirators and various monitoring machines lined the walls, with tubes and sensors all connected to a medical bed in the center.
Danzo lay on the bed, his body covered by a thin medical sheet, his chest rising and falling faintly.
A black shadow emerged from under the bed, climbed up the bedpost, burrowed into his arm, covered most of his body, and then hid itself under the bandages.
Then, Danzo sat up from the bed and called out in a low voice.
"Someone."
A figure flashed into existence in the empty space of the room, kneeling on the ground with a mask on, in a respectful posture.
"Danzo-sama."
"Spread the word in Konoha, say that..."
Danzo briefly gave his orders, and after the Root Ninja left, he lay back down on the bed and fell into a coma again.
It was as if his previous moment of lucidity had never existed... A rumor began to circulate quietly among the Konoha civilians.
The "White Fang abandoning his mission" incident, which had caused such a stir recently, had a new development.
White Fang deeply regretted his wrong actions and, to show his remorse, attempted to commit suicide to atone for his sins.
At first, everyone was a little disbelieving, as this was an outcome they dared not even imagine.
But with a little inquiry, one could learn that someone had indeed brought a blood-soaked White Fang to the Hospital for emergency treatment one night, and he was still lying in the intensive care unit, not yet awake.
So, did we kill him?
Were we too harsh...?
Someone raised a question.
But soon many people stood up, proclaiming the—
Justice.
—of that massive condemnation.
If we were wrong, why would Hokage-sama order The Police Force to release the person?
If everyone was not wrong, why would White Fang ultimately choose to commit suicide to atone for his sins?
If you ask me, we won!
We fought against a Ninja Lord who had done wrong, and in the end, we made him admit his mistake!
Yes, we were not wrong!
It turns out everyone's voice is so important... As long as we all loudly rebuke someone, we can make him realize he's wrong!
Countless seeds were planted in their hearts, nourished by drops of malice and darkness, waiting for the day they would break through the soil.
When the righteousness of their own actions was acknowledged, the "White Fang's suicide" narrative became the "truth."
Even many low-ranking Ninja from civilian backgrounds began to believe that he had indeed admitted his mistake and committed suicide.
Even if someone felt the facts were otherwise, they couldn't produce strong evidence.
Those who knew what truly happened that night, besides the participants, were only a handful of Anbu, but without the Hokage's orders, they could not disclose such top-secret information that had been sealed.
As for the Medical Ninja who participated in the rescue, by the time they realized what was happening and wanted to speak up for Sakumo, it was too late.
Their faint explanations could only be drowned out by the irrational, surging tide... Hiruzen Sarutobi guessed the culprit after receiving the report.
He sent people to confirm the situation, but the Medical Ninja said there were no signs of the person waking up.
Perhaps it was a contingency plan.
He thought.Chapter 101 - 102
·
23 feb.
·
Köpt
Chapter 101 Why couldn't he discuss things properly with him
Actually, this was also good; it could, to a certain extent, cover up the truth, shifting all blame so that White Fang's death became a suicide;
And it could deeply instill the values of "mission is everything" and "prioritizing the Village's interests" in the hearts of every low-ranking Ninja, making them more dedicated to all kinds of missions.
Furthermore, he also harbored some resentment towards Sakumo Hatake's actions that night.
Why couldn't he discuss things properly with him, the Hokage, instead of choosing a lose-lose situation, causing the Village to lose so much combat power for nothing?
The Ninja World situation had been unfavorable in recent years, and this only made things worse.
So he merely issued a symbolic order for everyone to stop discussing it, and for the matter to end there.
Public opinion was temporarily suppressed, but the facts were not clarified.
This stigma, let it be Sakumo Hatake's punishment... Two days after that night, Naraku's body finally recovered enough for him to regain consciousness.
During this time, the animator updated an episode about Kakashi's experiences in Tanzaku Gai. He watched it in his mental space, and nothing special happened.
After leaving Konoha, Kakashi's mental state visibly improved.
The more this was the case, the more Naraku worried that he wouldn't be able to accept the current situation upon his return.
On the third day, Naraku was finally able to open his eyes.
The first thing he did was remove his oxygen mask, sit up, tear off the obstructive wires and instruments on his body, and stagger to the adjacent bed.
Sakumo lay quietly on it, still showing no signs of waking up.
"Wait, how can you get out of bed like that!"
The supervising nurse quickly came in to stop him, pulled him back to lie down, and put all those things back on him.
"Master... How is he?"
Having not eaten or drunk for a long time, and with previous burns, Naraku's voice sounded a bit hoarse.
"Don't worry," the nurse tucked in his blanket corner and comforted him, "Lady Tsunade will find a way."
After speaking, she went out to find Tsunade to handle it, as she had been instructed to report immediately if these two patients woke up.
"The kid's awake?"
Tsunade pushed the door open, saw Naraku was awake, and casually gave him a check-up.
"Besides the bloodline limit sickness, everything else is just superficial wounds. Rest up well."
"Lady Tsunade, Master he—"
"Aside from not being able to wake up for now, there's no problem."
Tsunade then walked to Sakumo's bedside, checking various data and making notes in the medical record book.
The situation was much trickier than expected. Sakumo's indicators were slowly recovering, but there were no signs of consciousness returning, and his prefrontal cortex was gradually weakening.
If this continued, his body would become an empty shell without a soul.
Tsunade didn't reveal this; the Uchiha kid had already suffered enough blows.
Moreover, there was Kakashi outside the Village; when he returned, who knew what things would turn out like.
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Chapter 102 As for the rumors circulating among civilians and low-ranking Ninja
As for the rumors circulating among civilians and low-ranking Ninja, Tsunade had been too busy recently, not even having time to drink, and no one would actively gossip in front of her, so she had no contact with them at all.
The only sounds in the entire room were the monitoring equipment and the rustling of a pen on paper.
"Because of me... I'm an Uchiha...?"
Hearing the faint murmur behind her, Tsunade's writing paused, then she continued writing as if nothing had happened, pretending to be impatient and interrupting him.
"Don't think too much, kid, it has nothing to do with you."
Not hearing him speak again, Tsunade turned to look and found Naraku had fallen asleep again.
He must have been too severely injured to stay awake for long.
"Ah ah ah ah— Seriously, they're all so troublesome!"
Tsunade complained in a very low, exasperated voice, throwing the medical record book onto the soft blanket, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at the oblivious Sakumo.
Her cursing volume was still very faint, but her tone was extremely agitated.
"Why do I have to clean up the mess you left behind!"
"I haven't been to the gambling den in a week!"
"How the hell are you going to compensate me for my emotional distress!"
...Kakashi stayed outside Konoha for three or four days. Although most of the time was spent traveling, not hearing gossip indeed made his mood lighter.
As he neared Konoha, he reconfirmed that the souvenirs he bought for Naraku and his father were fine, and unconsciously quickened his pace.
The weather wasn't good today; it might rain after sunset.
Hurrying, he finally entered Konoha's gate before dark.
He had been a bit nervous, worried that the villagers were still talking about his father, but as he walked along the road, he no longer heard rumors about that matter.
Indeed, as his father had said, by the time he returned, everyone would no longer be interested in it.
That's great.
Kakashi's steps became much lighter. When he got home, he found no one there, and the bedding in the bedroom was left unmade.
Perhaps his father went to the Hospital to take care of Naraku and didn't have time to tidy up.
He decided to take a shower first, wash off the dust and sweat, and then go to the Hospital to visit Naraku; otherwise, he would be too dirty and disheveled.
After a cold shower and changing into his regular clothes, Kakashi packed the souvenirs for Naraku, put them in his bag, and left the house.
The sky was already very dark, and the evening wind carried a hint of coolness, brushing against people and taking away the last bits of warmth.
Passing a small shop selling dango, he looked at the freshly made, steaming dango and hesitated whether to buy a few skewers to take with him.
Two villagers walking together, carrying things, were chatting and laughing as they passed him.
"Did you hear? About White Fang?"
"Mmm, yes, I know, it's because he abandoned the mission, right...?"
Kakashi's recently improved mood plummeted again.
He thought, here we go again, everyone still hasn't let his father go.
When will it ever end?
"Not that."
One of them, who had initiated the conversation, subtly glanced over, making eye contact with Kakashi through the distorted reflection in the metal sign at the storefront, a red light flashing briefly.
After a fleeting, almost illusory glance, he leaned in conspiratorially to his companion and said in a mysterious tone,
"I heard that White Fang seems to have committed suicide out of guilt because of the last incident."
What are they saying?
Kakashi stared at the ground, unaware that he was trembling slightly.
The other person's voice kept coming, distant and ethereal, yet seemingly right beside his ear.
"The mistake he made was simply too severe... As a Ninja, to abandon a mission to save someone..."
"They say he's still in the intensive care unit at the Hospital... and won't wake up..."
What exactly are they saying?Chapter 103 - 104
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25 feb.
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Köpt
Chapter 103 Each sentence was like a demonic sound piercing his ears
"If you ask me, he shouldn't have gone to save that Uchiha in the first place... He was already going to... because of a failed mission... and he even implicated White Fang..."
"Exactly, it's all that Uchiha's fault... It was all to save him..."
Each sentence was like a demonic sound piercing his ears, striking Kakashi's mind, stealthily invading his meridians, disrupting his Chakra, and shaking his consciousness.
What suicide... What Uchiha...?
Just as his reason was about to completely dissipate, Kakashi suddenly woke up. There was no one around him, and in front of him, only the freshly made dango was still steaming.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead. In a daze, he felt as if he had forgotten something, but he couldn't recall anything. Subconsciously, he turned and ran towards the Hospital... Deep underground.
Black Zetsu dug out the Sharingan from the eye socket of the White Zetsu it had possessed and stored it in its body, still feeling a bit puzzled.
It had successfully put Kakashi Hatake under a Genjutsu just now, but perhaps the opponent's resistance was too high, or there was some seal within him. In any case, the Genjutsu quickly slipped out of its control.
Although the Jutsu was still on Kakashi, even Black Zetsu itself didn't know what the final effect would be.
I have to go and see... Intensive care unit.
Naraku was sitting by the bed, talking to the unconscious Sakumo, when hurried footsteps sounded at the door, followed by Kakashi bursting in.
He was gasping for air, his eyes lifeless as he looked at his unconscious father, a film of tears welling up in his eyes, his entire body trembling with grief.
He opened his mouth several times, trying to speak, but the words caught in his throat, only letting out a few helpless, panicked syllables.
"Fa... Father..."
That was the hero he had been proud of since he could remember, Konoha's sharpest White Fang, a mountain enemies could never surmount... His brightest sun lay there, barely clinging to life with the help of various machines... The sounds of those machines were like heavy hammers striking his heart, each blow making him feel utterly heartbroken, as if his heart were being cut by a knife.
Intense pain assaulted Kakashi's nerves, leaving him bewildered. His soul curled up in the deepest part, only controlled instinct taking over his body.
To prevent Black Zetsu from harming Sakumo, Naraku had kept his Perception Ninjutsu active as a precaution since waking up. At this moment, he could faintly sense an abnormality in Kakashi's Chakra flow.
This anomaly was very subtle and faint. If he hadn't enhanced his Perception Ninjutsu, he might not have noticed it.
"Kakashi!"
Naraku stood up and grabbed Kakashi, intending to help him dispel the Genjutsu's influence.
Unexpectedly, Kakashi shook off his hand, stepped back a few paces, and tearfully questioned him.
"Naraku... Why is it like this...?"
"I..."
Feeling that Kakashi's tone wasn't good, Naraku was about to explain when he sensed an extremely faint, hard-to-perceive unfamiliar Chakra entering the intensive care unit.
But there were only him and Kakashi in here.
Applying Genjutsu to Kakashi to influence his consciousness, and now being able to conceal his presence and silently come right under his nose... A realization dawned on Naraku.
It's probably you again, that damned Black Zetsu!
However, this time his Perception Ninjutsu could detect a tiny bit of Black Zetsu's aura, so it wasn't a wasted upgrade after all.
Naraku looked at Kakashi, whose expression of sorrow and indignation carried a hint of conflict, as if his most superficial emotions were not his own.
Alright, alright, so you want Kakashi to break ties with me, huh?
That's right, what could be a greater blow than his close friend (referring to naraku) believing I caused his father's death?
Naraku gave up the idea of dispelling the Genjutsu in front of Black Zetsu.
If he didn't let this guy have his way, the next time he might try to assassinate Kakashi.
He slowly lowered his head, pressing his lips together in silence.
"I'm asking you why... Father he...!"
Kakashi spoke a question against his will, but seeing Naraku's face even paler than when he had left, his heart ached.
How could he ask such a thing?
Am I... blaming Naraku?
But this isn't... It's not Naraku's fault!
Then he heard his own voice, but it sounded alien, like another person.
[Whose fault should it be?]
Kakashi looked at his father again, his eyes filled with confusion and bitterness.
His father had told him to cherish his comrades' lives before he left the Village, but when he returned, his father had committed suicide because of this matter.
So, was his father wrong?
Did he admit that the idea of comrades being more important than missions was wrong?
The voice in his mind gently enveloped him, repeating again.
[Yes, he proved it with his life.]
"No, it's not like that—"
Kakashi shook his head, retreating step by step, his mind collapsing from the impact of the unacceptable "truth," and he turned and ran out.
"Kakashi!"
Naraku forced himself to chase after Kakashi, terrified that something might happen to him...
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Chapter 104 Blame Him
Night had already fallen, and Kakashi was aimlessly running through the Konoha streets, stumbling and bumping into people without time to apologize, spinning around like a headless fly.
Although the people around him weren't doing anything, from Kakashi's perspective, he saw their mocking gazes and surging malice, seeing countless chains tightly binding him, dragging him little by little into the mire.
His body gradually became difficult to move, the sluggishness particularly strong, and all he could hear was his own rapid breathing and the gurgling sound of blood flowing.
Suddenly, he tripped over something, staggered, and fell down a grassy slope, landing on a rocky riverbank.
The last sliver of sunlight was swallowed by the western horizon, and enveloped by heavy dark clouds, the entire world turned pitch black.
The streetlights hadn't lit up yet, and he struggled to his feet in the darkness, smelling the damp air.
He remembered that breezy dusk.
"If you were in danger, I would save you no matter what."
"I wouldn't hesitate to pay any price."
Naraku and I... we both make mistakes.
Father has already paid the price; I can't let Naraku end up like that too.
What should I do to protect Naraku?
How can I prevent him from repeating the same mistakes?
Kakashi stood bewildered by the river, allowing the rising wind to mess up his hair, as tangled emotions, under the influence of the jutsu, intertwined, forming an unbreakable shackles.
The howling wind was speaking.
It was like a whisper, yet also like a cackle.
"Blame him."
Yes... Naraku needs to realize one thing: for a Ninja, missions are everything.
Since protecting a friend is a mistake, then Naraku must never value me more than a mission.
I must let him know that I am not a friend worth his sacrifice.
Under the dual influence of his true thoughts and genjutsu hypnosis, Kakashi ultimately formed a strange and twisted conclusion.
That was to achieve the goal of protecting Naraku by hurting him.
"Kakashi! Kakashi?"
Naraku slid down the slope, looking a bit disheveled, trudging through the gravel, a few strands of sweat-soaked hair plastered to his forehead, his lips completely devoid of color.
"Can we go back and talk about whatever it is?"
Just as he was about to grab Kakashi's hand, he saw Kakashi take half a step back, adopting an evasive posture.
Naraku froze, his outstretched hand suspended in mid-air, grasping only the cold wind that slipped through his fingers.
He awkwardly retracted his arm, forcing a smile and softly muttering to himself, "Ah, it's fine, I was too abrupt."
His voice trembled slightly, revealing an unconcealed panic, as if he was about to lose the most precious thing in his life, yet he was still deceiving himself, comforting himself that such a thing wouldn't happen.
Kakashi's expression was swallowed by the heavy darkness, but his voice was distinctly cold.
"Uchiha Naraku..."
He heard Kakashi say.
"Everything..."
"...is your fault."
Naraku's breath hitched.
All the blood in his body instantly froze, the biting cold making him shiver uncontrollably, something lodged in his throat, unable to utter a sound.
"If it weren't for you... Father wouldn't have..."
Uttering those few words exhausted Kakashi's remaining strength; he didn't even need to look to imagine what Naraku looked like now.
What on earth am I doing?
Kakashi asked himself, on the verge of collapse, his soul tearing at his uncontrolled body, cracking inch by inch.
Warm yellow lights flickered on, shining remotely from the side, outlining the blurry silhouettes of the two people.
Even in such dim light, Kakashi could still see Naraku's lips quivering, his fingers unconsciously clutching and tightening the hem of his clothes.
Kakashi clearly remembered this was his habit from years ago; it hadn't appeared since he came to the Hatake Household.
Those originally clear and bright eyes were steeped in tears, gradually dimming, with only a last glimmer of light remaining, but even that was on the verge of flickering out.
Kakashi unconsciously took a step forward.
Naraku noticed his movement, as if he had found some hope, and desperately wanted to speak.
The icy air suddenly rushed into his lungs, making him cough a few times, his voice growing even hoarser.
"I... I'm sorry... Kakashi... it's all... my fault..."
"He still hasn't realized his mistake, has he?"
The voice in Kakashi's mind was gentle yet ruthless, giving rise to an irresistible thought.
His body, against his will, raised a hand, picked up a black braided rope from his collar, and pulled out the gray ceramic shard hanging below.
He gripped the rope and yanked hard, and the necklace broke from his neck, dangling limply between his fingers.
The ceramic shard hung below, swaying continuously, spinning a few times in the wind.
Naraku watched the ceramic shard slowly fall.
Then, it became a faint, light afterimage, trailing a long black string, streaking across the night sky, and falling into the rushing river, disappearing in just a brief moment.
Naraku, as if still not reacting, looked at Kakashi's hand again.
A flash of lightning tore through the darkness, casting a pale light between heaven and earth, allowing Naraku to see clearly... that it was empty.
In that fleeting light, Kakashi also saw Naraku's eyes, lost in despair, and his lips slightly parted as if to speak.
Boom—
A tremendous clap of thunder drowned out that murmur.
Perhaps he would never know what Naraku said.
Kakashi turned and left.
Naraku watched him walk away step by step, until he merged into the darkness, becoming a part of the night.
Rain poured down.
The world in the rain became blurry and distant, making it hard to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Naraku still stood in place, letting the rain soak his hair, stream down his cheeks, his clothes already drenched, clinging to his body and revealing his slender frame.
In his perception, Black Zetsu had not yet left.
It seemed he was determined to see if he would awaken his Mangekyo.
Naraku expressionlessly told the system to use up all the popularity points he had recently accumulated, completely unlocking his Mangekyo.
Although the previous self-evolution had been interrupted, it had drastically reduced the popularity points needed for unlocking, making it barely affordable now.
After a burst of pain, blood tears flowed from Naraku's eyes, and the tomoe in his pupils rapidly connected, forming three intertwined black crescent moons, slowly rotating in his blood-red irises.
He stood in the rain for a long time, long enough for the blood on his face to be washed clean by the heavy rain, mixing with the puddles at his feet, and flowing into the gurgling river.
Since he had already awakened his Mangekyo, wouldn't it be reasonable to act a bit more extreme afterward?
After all, in "Uchiha Naraku's" eyes, he had nothing left to lose.
Naraku thought calmly.
But he could feel his anger, like magma flowing beneath a glacier, boiling incessantly beneath a layer of ice-cold composure...104