With a kunai in his abdomen, blood flowed freely from Taro's wound. If he received immediate medical attention, his life might be saved. But there was no opportunity for that here. Mikoto didn't know medical ninjutsu, and Zangetsu certainly wasn't going to let him escape. Taro's fate was sealed.
"Trying to run? It's not that easy," Zangetsu said, quickly pursuing Mikoto as she supported Taro and tried to flee. His own Jonin-level taijutsu made him faster than her. Weighed down by the half-dead Taro, she was even slower, and Zangetsu caught up to her in no time.
Blocking her path, Zangetsu smiled as he looked at the tear-streaked, panting Mikoto.
"My lady… run… run!" Taro seemed to experience a final burst of strength. He violently pushed Mikoto away and lunged at Zangetsu, trying to hold him back to buy her time.
But in his current state, he stood no chance.
Zangetsu, however, was ever cautious. Even though he was confident he could finish Taro quickly, he gave him no chance to get close. This was the ninja world. Who knew if Taro had some last-ditch, self-destruct jutsu that could injure him? To be thwarted at the final step would be a terrible loss.
So Zangetsu simply raised his hands.
"Water Style: Water Gun Technique!"
A volley of water bullets shot from his fingertips, riddling Taro's body and sending sprays of blood into the air.
Thump.
Taro fell, his eyes wide open in death.
"TARO!!" Mikoto cried out in grief. Watching the last of her comrades die before her, her sorrow reached its breaking point. She trembled, tears flowing endlessly as her breathing became ragged.
This made Zangetsu pause. Is she about to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan? The thought sent a chill through him.
He no longer hesitated and closed the distance to her. Success was within his grasp; to fail now would be unbearable. So, even with the risk of her awakening the Mangekyo, he decided to press his advantage.
Fortunately, her Sharingan did not evolve. The stimulus was just short of the critical point.
He engaged her in combat. Fueled by rage, Mikoto's strength seemed to increase, but she was ultimately a female ninja, and taijutsu was not her specialty. Her genjutsu was useless as long as he avoided eye contact. She was no match for him.
After a brief struggle, Zangetsu found an opening and struck her in the abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. Before she could recover, he locked his arms around her, holding her tight, and leaped with her into the nearby river.
Soon, the forest was quiet again, leaving only the unseeing corpse of Taro.
If he could have, Zangetsu would have taken the Sharingan from the three bodies. But he had no way to preserve them. Besides, his priority now was something else entirely.
He swam quickly downstream with Mikoto. The struggling woman soon ran out of breath and fainted from asphyxiation. He was careful not to let her drown. He held her close, letting the current carry them until they reached a secluded spot.
Splash!
Carrying Mikoto out of the water, Zangetsu cautiously scanned the area. Once he was sure they were alone, he quickly found a cave to use as a shelter.
"The environment isn't great, but it will have to do," he muttered, laying Mikoto on the ground. Her clothes were soaked, and her face was pale, giving her the unexpected appearance of a fragile, beautiful patient.
"I'm truly sorry. I didn't want this either… It's all the system's fault. There are villains inside the system! What cadre could withstand such a test? I can't hold back, I really can't."
Zangetsu muttered to himself, then took off his own clothes and spread them on the ground.
No one wants to fall into darkness if they can help it. But reality often forces one's hand. This was a dangerous world. Without sufficient strength, you couldn't control your own fate; you could be crushed like an ant at any moment. To gain power, Zangetsu had to betray his conscience and become the very person he used to hate most.
He moved.
About ten minutes later, perhaps from the uncomfortable rocking or from a long-forgotten warmth, Mikoto slowly regained consciousness.
When she realized what Zangetsu was doing to her, her eyes turned red. A special kind of chakra flooded into them, and her eyes began to change.
But before she could do anything, Zangetsu, who had been watching for this, immediately knocked her out again and continued his actions.
This was… a bit addictive. What man could resist something so soft, fragrant, and warm?
"Ding! Congratulations Host. Romance progress with Uchiha Mikoto has reached 51%."
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