บท 165: Chapter 164: The Martyr
Yuto placed a hot towel on his face, sighing in comfort. After removing the towel, he looked at his reflection in the mirror, still seeing his tired face.
However, there were faint dark circles under his eyes.
That night, he had performed three major surgeries in a row, which had exhausted him. Konan, Jiraiya, and Kushina all had severe injuries. Any one of them would have been a classic case for Konoha Hospital's surgery department.
The severe drain on his energy and stamina still hadn't fully recovered. A hot shower that morning helped him regain some vigor.
He arrived at the battlefield hospital and saw Minato walking out.
"Minato-senpai, make sure to rest. Kushina-senpai would be upset if you fell ill."
"Yuto-kun..." Minato replied with a wry smile. "Thanks for your hard work. Are you ready to start today's surgery?"
"Yes, removing the Nine-Tails' chakra from Kushina-senpai's body requires at least five rounds of surgery... today is the last one."
Yuto examined Minato closely. The famous Yellow Flash looked haggard, with even his lips cracked.
The youth understood why Minato was so troubled.
Jiraiya's assault on Amegakure and the death of the Akatsuki leader had become a severe diplomatic incident since the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire hadn't officially declared war.
Konoha's aggressive actions would undoubtedly provoke other nations' vigilance and dissatisfaction. Mishandling the situation could destabilize the gradually calming state of affairs.
Additionally, there was Kushina's situation.
Although she was out of immediate danger, she faced another crisis. During the Nine-Tails' rampage, Kushina had been in Konoha's rear. The initial chakra explosion alone killed 102 Konoha shinobi!
Rumors began to spread in the village: "A monster that kills resides within Kushina Uzumaki." Due to Minato's presence, no one dared to say anything to his face, but ninjas have sharp senses, and whispers inevitably reached his ears.
These issues combined were indeed giving Minato a headache.
After a brief conversation, Yuto entered the medical room for the final surgery to separate the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Kushina was conscious and smiled when Yuto entered. Her face hadn't changed, but half of her vibrant red hair, representing the Uzumaki clan's vitality, had turned white, a sign of her brush with death.
"Kushina-senpai, this is the last surgery, so no anesthesia this time. It will hurt a bit, so bear with it."
"Alright... hehe," Kushina chuckled. "Minato must have been really nervous when he brought me here, huh?"
"More than nervous, he was almost in tears."
"Hahaha... fix me up quickly, Yuto-kun. I want to get out soon."
"Why the rush? Your body took quite a beating from the Nine-Tails. You should rest."
"Because I killed the village's shinobis," the half-white-haired woman said gently. "I'll face it all with Minato."
...
Amegakure was in unprecedented chaos. Within a year, the old powerhouse Hanzo of the Salamander was dead, and after Akatsuki took over, its mysterious leader who stayed in the tower was killed by Konoha ninjas. The beleaguered village was leaderless again.
Without a strong leader, rules became meaningless, and normally strict protocols were ignored.
Some relied on their strength to wreak havoc, others in high positions sought to betray the village for personal gain, and some packed their valuables, ready to leave their long-time home.
Once known as the strongest village below the five great nations, Amegakure was now teetering in just a few days.
For ordinary people in troubled times, order was most important.
...
Two hundred kilometers northeast of Amegakure, in a secluded wooden house deep in the mountains.
"Damn it! Let me out!" A woman with purple hair shouted, throwing a chair near the boy. Wood splinters flew, making a loud bang.
"Calm down, Konan-nee," Kitsu sighed, setting the chair upright. "The leader is dead. The Akatsuki's higher-ups probably only include the two of us. If we go out now, we'll be killed by Konoha ninjas seeking merit. Besides, look... you threw the chair with such force, but the leg didn't break. Konan-nee, you're too weak and need rest."
"Resting here is pointless..." Konan panted. Even the smallest movements made the bandages seep blood, but she stared at the door, speaking firmly, "Yahiko is dead, Nagato is dead, and now even my homeland is on the brink of destruction. Hiding here is like being a rat."
"Oh, Konan-nee, there's no need to be so headstrong," Kitsu sighed. He had been in Akatsuki for over half a year and was familiar with the higher-ups. He patiently advised, "If you go out now, you'll kill a few people at most before being caught. Akatsuki's ideology isn't about pointless sacrifices."
"I'm not afraid." The woman whispered, sweat drenching her face. Her purple hair clung to her pale skin, making her look fragile like porcelain but with a terrifying resolve. 'Kitsu, let me die.'
Kitsu was stunned, realizing Konan's intention.
With friends dead and her country on the verge of collapse, as an Amegakure shinobi, she might not have the strength to save what she loved, but she could at least embrace death!
She wanted to become a martyr.
In the war-torn fragile land, strong and beautiful flowers always bloomed.
As Kitsu was momentarily distracted, Konan suddenly collapsed.
Kitsu thought she had fainted from exhaustion and instinctively reached to catch her, but missed.
'Great chance!' Konan's eyes flashed with determination. She dodged Kitsu and shoulder-checked the wooden door open.
She could still use her paper ninjutsu one last time. 'Yahiko, Nagato... I'm coming to join you...'
However, Konan's physical weakness was more severe than she had anticipated. As she broke through the door, she tripped over a rock.
She fell into the muddy water, drenched and miserable.
Her vision blurred, and she couldn't tell if it was rain or tears.
Just as she fell into despair, she saw a hand.
A broad, long, powerful... man's hand.
Konan looked up.
A man in an oni mask reached out to her, the demon horns curving in a sinister arc, slicing the gloomy sky into pieces.
"Living requires more courage than dying."
"Give everything to me, Konan."
"My eyes... have seen the future you long for."
TN: Thank you The_8th_king for suggesting this amazing novel cover.
(End of Chapter)
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