Death comes for everyone. The only question is how.
The clash inside the inn turned brutal.
In the middle of the fight, Hoshishita Shu suddenly lashed out with a flying kick.
The strike landed squarely on a Cloud ninja's chest.
BOOM!
The man crashed through the wall as it collapsed behind him, smashing straight through the wooden structure before hitting the ground outside.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
For a moment, he couldn't even stand.
Shu's strength was monstrous—one kick alone had left the Cloud ninja severely wounded.
"Die!"
Another Cloud ninja seized the opening.
Lightning crackled along his blade as he thrust forward.
The sword pierced directly into Shu's chest.
Electricity surged through his entire body.
His muscles spasmed violently.
Yet behind the mask—
Shu was smiling.
His left hand lifted slightly.
In the next instant, wooden spikes erupted forward.
The Cloud ninja's eyes widened in shock.
He raised his arm to block—
But the spike punched straight through his forearm and drove into his shoulder blade.
"Damn you—!"
He hadn't expected Shu to fight back while being shocked by lightning.
Fortunately, the spike had missed his vitals.
But just as he prepared to finish Shu with another strike—
The wooden spike embedded in his body suddenly sprouted branches.
Dozens of fresh spikes burst outward.
They tore through his flesh from the inside.
Pfft!
Blood exploded from his mouth.
The Cloud ninja stared at Shu with wide, disbelieving eyes.
Then his grip loosened.
The sword fell from his hand as his body collapsed.
"Cough…!"
Shu coughed up blood.
His arm trembled as he grabbed the blade still stuck in his chest and yanked it out with clenched teeth.
A trade of wounds for a life.
Worth it.
Sparks of lightning still flickered across his body.
Shu steadied himself and lifted his sword.
Despite staggering slightly, he moved forward and finished off the two heavily injured Cloud ninjas lying nearby.
With that—
All three enemies inside the inn were dead.
"Ryo!"
Suddenly, Inuzuka Ryo's furious shout came from outside.
Shu vanished from the inn in a flash.
The moment he stepped outside, he saw it.
Sarutobi Atsushi lay on the ground.
A beam of lightning had pierced straight through his chest.
His body had already fallen.
Shu's eyelid twitched.
The ground beneath his feet exploded as he launched forward.
But at that moment—
A torrent of water surged toward him like a raging river.
It slammed directly into him.
Even with Shu's explosive strength, the force pushed him backward.
A Cloud ninja wielding Lightning Release raised his hands, preparing another attack.
Then suddenly—
The ground beneath him turned into a swamp.
His body sank rapidly.
Earth Release — Swamp of the Underworld!
Jiraiya's team had arrived.
The Water Release Cloud ninja was instantly wrapped up by Orochimaru's snake-like arms, which coiled around him before Orochimaru bit down on his neck.
Another Cloud ninja dodged Tsunade's devastating Heavenly Foot of Pain—
But Inuzuka Ryo seized the moment.
"Fang Over Fang!"
The spinning attack smashed into the ninja, leaving him gravely wounded.
A swarm of insects immediately engulfed him.
The battle ended quickly.
Tsunade walked over to Atsushi's body.
She examined him silently.
Then she shook her head.
The heart had been pierced by high-voltage lightning.
Death had been instant.
Even Hashirama Senju himself couldn't have saved him.
Shu walked over and crouched beside Atsushi.
"You died protecting the village."
"You are a hero of Konoha."
He gently closed Atsushi's eyes.
Taking out a sealing scroll, Shu sealed the body inside.
Then he stood.
"Withdraw."
They traveled through the night without stopping.
Only after crossing back into the Land of Fire and reaching the border defense headquarters commanded by Hatake Sakumo did Shu's group finally rest.
Night fell quiet.
A campfire flickered in the darkness.
Shu and the other two Root operatives still wore their masks.
Because of Atsushi's death, Inuzuka Ryo and Aburame Hiiichi remained silent.
They had lost comrades before.
But the grief never truly faded.
Shu, however, felt something different.
Fear.
The fear of how fragile life truly was.
How easily it could vanish.
He needed to become stronger.
Not just strong enough to stand above others—
But strong enough that no one could threaten his life.
Across the fire, the silence made Jiraiya uncomfortable.
He scratched his head.
"So… Jia."
"You specialize in swordsmanship and Wind Release?"
Shu snapped out of his thoughts and nodded.
Tsunade added,
"And medical ninjutsu too, right?"
She glanced at the torn fabric over Shu's chest wound.
Shu nodded again.
But said nothing.
Maintaining his cold, silent persona.
Then Orochimaru suddenly spoke.
"Do you regret attacking the Cloud ninja?"
All eyes turned toward him.
Everyone understood the implication.
If Shu hadn't decided to confront the Cloud ninja—
Sarutobi Atsushi might still be alive.
Shu met Orochimaru's gaze.
"All men must die."
"Some deaths are heavier than a mountain."
"Others lighter than a feather."
"The greatest meaning of life is not how one lives—"
"but what one dies for."
Everyone fell silent.
Shu continued calmly.
"One day, all of us will die."
"Battle."
"Disease."
"Old age."
"Which will you choose?"
"A glorious death in battle?"
"A pitiful death in sickness?"
"Or a quiet death no one remembers?"
Orochimaru and the others felt their hearts shake.
But Shu had already stood up.
"I'm going to train."
"Don't follow me."
His body flashed once—
Twice—
Then disappeared into the darkness.
Tsunade watched until his figure vanished.
She slowly looked away.
She hadn't expected someone like that under Danzo's command.
Reluctantly, she admitted to herself—
She had become a little interested in the man called "Jia."
Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Orochimaru were still thinking about Shu's words.
Jiraiya thought of the Child of Prophecy he was searching for.
But inside Orochimaru's mind—
A completely different idea began to form.
Immortality.
Why must people die?
Was life really meant to end with a meaningful death?
That wasn't the future he wanted.
Elsewhere, in a secluded area—
Shu finally stopped moving.
He scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"I made a good speech…"
"But it didn't feel very satisfying."
"Maybe because… I never took off the mask?"
As for Atsushi's death—
Yes, Shu felt guilty.
But he did not regret his decision.
Instead, he buried that guilt deep inside.
And turned it into fuel for growth.
He drew his sword.
And resumed training.
The next morning, Shu's group departed early.
By noon, they had returned to Konoha.
Tsunade's team went to report to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Shu reported the mission in full detail to Danzo Shimura.
After listening, Danzo snorted coldly.
"Hmph. As expected, the Cloud ninja interfered."
He made no comment about Atsushi's death.
Instead he asked,
"Codename A. How is your Wood Release progressing?"
"I've mastered the Cutting Technique."
Danzo nodded slightly.
"You won't take missions for the next half month."
"Focus entirely on training."
"After that, you will lead operations to hunt down all Sky Ninja targets."
Shu bowed.
"Understood."
Then he added,
"Danzo-sama, I would also like to improve my Wind Release. Please grant me access to Wind techniques."
Danzo agreed immediately.
"The Root archives contain all Wind Release techniques collected by Konoha."
"I'll authorize your access."
"You may copy whatever you need."
Shu felt delighted.
He bowed again in thanks.
After leaving Danzo's office, Shu ate lunch before heading to the Root secret archive.
A guard stood outside.
Numerous traps and alarm seals were installed.
Anyone trying to break in would trigger them immediately.
But with Danzo's authorization, Shu entered without issue.
Inside were countless classified techniques.
All carefully categorized.
Shu suppressed the greed rising in his mind.
He walked directly to the Wind Release section.
Taking out ink, brush, and blank scrolls—
He began copying.
Whether he trained them or not didn't matter.
First, he would copy every Wind Release technique available.
Even if he never used them—
They could serve as reference material for developing his own jutsu in the future.
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