bookbashuk Chapter 71 An Illusion?
Chapter 71 An Illusion?
"..."
eternal life.
Not dead.
These words, even if only lightly touched upon, are enough to shake the resolve of any sane person.
Moreover, it did not originate from some absurd rumor, nor from some wild fantasy in the marketplace, but from the memories of a cult leader who already possessed a semi-immortal body.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly closed his eyes.
He was not without wavering.
In fact, the moment he heard those two words, certain thoughts that he had deliberately suppressed deep in his heart surged up uncontrollably like a tide.
If only I could return to my youth...
Let's go back to that era when chakra was abundant, reflexes were sharp, and both taijutsu and ninjutsu were at their peak...
Perhaps, Konoha's current situation would be completely different.
He even found himself thinking of Danzo.
I thought of Koharu Utatane, and I thought of Homura Mitokado.
He thought of those old acquaintances who had once fought alongside him, full of vigor and spirit, but who were now all gray-haired and frail.
If they knew that there truly existed a power in this world that could touch "immortality"...
How many of them can truly remain unmoved?
What will happen to Danzo?
What will happen to Xiaochun and Yan?
Even he himself, can he really stay sober all the time?
However, in the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi regained full consciousness.
Thoughts are just thoughts.
The older you get, the more you understand that there are some things you shouldn't touch.
Some doors, once opened, offer no way back.
So-called immortality and eternal life have never been mere gifts.
He can grow old and die.
But Konoha cannot afford to go down a path of no return because of this.
He would never allow such a thing to happen.
After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his eyes, his expression returning to the composure and calmness befitting a Hokage.
"I'll leave that child in your care for now, Minato."
"We'll send him to the ninja academy when he's of the right age. As for his bad habits, we need to correct them as soon as possible."
"I……"
Minato Namikaze seemed to want to say something more.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not give him a chance to refuse. He simply raised his hand and finalized the matter.
Seeing this, Minato could only sigh helplessly.
He had wanted to say that his own tasks were equally demanding lately, and that the child was too deeply involved for him to be solely responsible for. But the words stuck in his throat.
"I understand, Lord Sandai."
After watching Minato Namikaze leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Since this child has a special constitution and is connected to that strange power, he must not be released easily.
If we can keep it in Konoha, it might become an extremely important trump card in the future.
Of course, it would be even better if we could further investigate or even decipher the nature of that power.
"Hiruzen, what should we do now?"
Koharu, who was turning the bed, finally spoke, her voice filled with obvious worry.
"Now... let's wait for Ryuzaki's interrogation to end."
Hiruzen Sarutobi put his Hokage hat back on, his expression returning to its usual composure.
He paused, his gaze growing increasingly profound.
"Then, we'll figure out a way... to completely solve the problem of blemishes."
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, undercurrents were swirling, various parties were plotting and preparing for battle.
At this moment, the ninjas in the Kikyo Mountains of the Land of Fire were watching from afar as the sandstorm swept in from the direction of the Land of Wind.
However, the Land of Rivers, nestled between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, acted as a natural barrier, firmly keeping this raging sandstorm at bay.
Therefore, what actually reached Konoha's defense zone was only a slight, weakened lingering wind and an increasingly irritating heat.
"It's summer..."
Inside a Konoha camp outside Kikyo Castle, several ninjas were leaning lazily against the camp frame, gazing at the suddenly changing weather on the horizon and casually sighing.
The Konoha ninjas stationed year-round in the Kikyo Mountain area, responsible for defending Sunagakure, have a noticeably darker complexion compared to those ninjas who stay in the village for extended periods.
Most of them had rough skin from the wind, sand and scorching sun, and even their tone of voice carried a hint of the nonchalance and weariness unique to border ninjas.
"Hey, Hyuga Tokuma, wanna go swimming?"
A ninja from the Inuzuka clan asked Hyuga Tokuma, who was obediently guarding the edge of the tent.
The boy was young, with messy hair, and a small ninja dog perched on his shoulder, its tongue lolling out and its tail wagging lazily.
The Inuzuka clan is naturally lively, and even in the front-line camp, they can always find various ways to pass the time.
In contrast, Hyuga Tokuma, standing by the tent, appeared exceptionally upright.
He stood tall with his hands at his sides, looking serious, as if to say, "I'm on duty, I shouldn't be chatting."
After waiting for a while, there was still no response.
"Hey you, didn't you hear me?"
Inuzuka Suna frowned, seemingly surprised that the Hyuga clan would be so disrespectful.
If the other person is on duty and ignores him, or doesn't even give him a glance, then he can understand.
After all, the Hyuga clan has always had strict rules, especially in guard duties, where they are always meticulous, almost to the point of being ruthless.
But right now it's a vacation, and the front lines at Sunagakure have temporarily ceased hostilities. Maybe we'll be able to return to the village soon.
Why does this guy still have such a wooden expression?
"Hey, I'm talking to you..."
Just as he rolled up his sleeves, preparing to go up and "teach" this old-fashioned Hyuga guy a lesson, a chill crept up his spine.
Inuzuka Satsuki froze, almost instinctively wanting to turn around and bow.
Before he could make a move, a hand had already landed on his head.
The hand was light and cold, yet it carried a warmth that gave people a strange sense of comfort.
"Swimming is indeed a great way to cool off this season..."
A gentle, husky voice came from above.
Orochimaru bent down, with his usual gentle smile, and gently ruffled the hair of the ten-year-old boy in front of him.
"However, you still need to be careful not to get targeted by insects..."
"After all, those beasts near the Land of Wind are always very greedy."
"..."
"..."
Inuzuka Sawa was stunned for a while before she finally came to her senses.
"It's... Lord Orochimaru?"
He nodded quickly, his expression showing both awe and a subtle sense of closeness.
Despite warnings from his elders that Orochimaru's methods were exceptionally cruel, terrifying, and his mind exceptionally unpredictable, Orochimaru was a different story.
But when he actually met the other person, what he felt in his heart was not fear.
It was more of a strange sense of security.
It's like the other person is standing there, but they won't hurt him.
"Go have fun!"
Inuzuka Suna felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and immediately pulled his ninja dog to run to the other side of the camp, even forgetting about the argument he had just wanted to have with Hyuga Tokuma.
Orochimaru stood alone in place, but his gaze went beyond the edge of the camp and slowly fell on Hyuga Aoran, who was leading several small teams to rush towards them in the distance.
However, he was different from the Hyuga Seiran he had met in Konoha.
At this moment, the aura emanating from his opponent subtly exuded an unusually terrifying sense of oppression.
This aura...
How is that possible?!
Orochimaru was momentarily lost in thought, a rare occurrence for him.
But when he looked again, the oppressive aura emanating from Hinata Seiran seemed to vanish instantly, as if it had never existed.
It was as if that moment just now was merely a distortion of his vision and perception.
What happened?
Orochimaru frowned slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in his golden snake eyes.
Is it just an illusion?
Or……