92: Chapter 92 New LifeThe Hokage's office in Konoha was filled with smoke.
Jiraiya paced back and forth, the hem of his Hokage robe sweeping up the scattered documents on the ground.
He suddenly stopped and looked at the silver-haired figure by the window who seemed to be perpetually asleep.
"Kakashi," the voice was hoarse.
What do you think?
Kakashi turned around, and the one eye that was visible looked listless.
"Space-time fluctuations.clean and efficient.Those who have this ability can be counted on one hand in the ninja world."
"Akatsuki," Jiraiya uttered slowly.
"Most likely."
Kakashi nodded."But why are they trying to capture Anko?Is there something on her that would make Akatsuki want to take action?"
This was also a knot in Jiraiya's heart.
Red beans are no longer the container for Orochimaru's cursed seal.
"try to find!"
Jiraiya slammed his hand on the table, and the solid wood surface cracked with spiderweb-like patterns.
"Everyone who can move, send them out!Dig three feet into the ground, bring her back to me!"
His usual carefree attitude had vanished; at this moment, he was the Hokage, but also the man who had lost his beloved.
Kakashi silently accepted the order, and his figure vanished into white smoke.
The office was deathly silent, save for Jiraiya's heavy breathing and the incongruous chirping of birds outside the window.
——
A gentle breeze rustled a few clumps of tenacious alkali grass.
Rehabilitation courtyard.
Wearing a plain-colored hospital gown, Itachi Uchiha slowly practiced his punches and kicks on the lawn.
His movements were still somewhat slow, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but the chilling, corrosive feeling that had been piercing his soul had disappeared, leaving only the weakness and exhaustion of someone recovering from a serious illness.
It felt like a huge burden had been lifted, and my body felt strangely light.
Naruto leaned against the shadow of a pillar, squinting as he observed.
"Their frame hasn't fallen apart, but they're like they haven't eaten enough."
Itachi ignored it, focusing on feeling the new, weak yet tenacious vitality within his body.
The warmth from the first generation's cells, along with Tsunade's medicine, was nourishing the body riddled with wounds.
He stopped his stance, slightly out of breath.
"Not bad," he said with satisfaction.
Naruto grinned, walked up to him, and tossed him a small cloth bag.
Itachi took it; it felt solid in his hand.It was a high-energy soldier ration pill specially made by the merchant guild.
"Eat it sparingly, it contains Tsunade's treasure."
Naruto pouted, "I scraped together this."
Itachi squeezed the cloth bag, said nothing, and silently put it away.
"Over in Konoha."
Naruto seemed to suddenly remember, "Mitarashi Anko is missing."
Itachi stopped in his tracks as he was about to leave.
"There are sometimes traces of residual space at the scene."
Naruto added a sentence.
Akatsuki.Abi.grabbing Anko could only be for.Orochimaru.
They want to resurrect him?Sasuke.does he know?
He looked at Naruto, who still had that lazy look on his face.
"Let's go," Naruto turned and walked deeper into the medical department building."I have something for you; it's not convenient here."
Itachi silently followed.
They walked through the medical department's corridor and entered a private room next to the medicine dispensing room, which was reserved for Tsunade.
Itachi stood in the center of the secret room, watching Naruto take out an ancient scroll.
The scroll was unfurled, revealing intricate and unfamiliar runes.
"The Apocalypse Contract," Naruto said, tracing the runes with his finger."Sign it, and you'll be one of the Merchant Guild's own people.Resources and protection will all be tilted towards you."
He looked up at Itachi, his gaze calm.
"The price is that if you betray the Chamber of Commerce, betray me."
Naruto's fingertip touched a certain spot on the contract, and the rune there began to faintly glow with blood red.
"The power of the contract will permanently strip you of your Sharingan abilities.From now on, the Uchiha bloodline will have nothing to do with you."
The sealed room fell into a deathly silence.The flame of the eternal lamp flickered slightly, casting an uneven shadow on Itachi's face.
Permanently losing the Sharingan.For any Uchiha, this is more unbearable than death.
That is power, that is glory, that is a curse and pride etched into one's blood.
Itachi remained silent, his thoughts turning to Shisui, Danzo, Obito, and Sasuke's bewildered and pained face.Finally, his gaze settled on the manpower and resources the Chamber of Commerce had expended in the past few days to save them.
Without much hesitation, he bit his thumb and pressed his bloodied finger into the groove of the contract.
"Buzz—"
Runes flowed, and an invisible bond connected him with Naruto and the entire Apocalypse Merchant Guild.
The contract is established.
Naruto put away the scroll with satisfaction and took out a sealed ceramic jar.
Upon opening, inside was a three-tomoe Sharingan, its color as crimson as blood jade, soaking in a pale green nutrient solution.
He placed one hand on the pottery jar and silently chanted, "System, purify this eye, eliminate the rejection reaction, and transform it into pure pupil power that can stimulate the evolution of the kaleidoscope."
[Command confirmed.Consuming 4000 villain points, initiating transformation.]
[Conversion Complete]
"Danzo's collection," Naruto said with a hint of sarcasm, "I paid a price for it, and now it's being put to good use."
"Take it and absorb it."
Naruto handed the clay pot to Itachi.
Itachi looked at the eye and felt the incredibly pure power within it.His breathing became hot.He hadn't expected that Naruto could even do this.
"Why?" he asked.
Naruto answered decisively, "Investing in you?I'm optimistic about your future.A healthy Uchiha Itachi is a great deal!"
Without giving Itachi much time to hesitate, Naruto opened the door and shouted directly into the medical ward, "Tsunade!Prepare for surgery!"
Several hours later.the surgery was a success.
Night was falling.
Naruto rubbed his throbbing temples and walked back under the dim light of the corridor.
As I turned the corner, a faint yet incredibly alluring fragrance wafted into my nostrils.
The fragrance was indescribable, carrying a warm, ambiguous feeling that lingered in the heart.
He paused slightly, his gaze falling on the half-closed door not far away.
A warm yellow light shone from the room, and an enticing fragrance wafted out, silently inviting the room to relax.
After a moment's hesitation, he pushed open the door.I went inside.
The room was dimly lit, with only a small lamp on.
Sakura sat on the edge of the bed, her back to him, wearing a thin robe that outlined her blurry, beautiful silhouette.
She slowly turned her head.
Without a word, their eyes met in mid-air.
Her eyes, unlike their usual deliberate allure, now resembled two bottomless pools of deep springs, churning with moving emotions; her gaze seemed to speak volumes…
Naruto looked at her with a blank expression, as if he were scrutinizing her or trying to see through her thoughts.
The mysterious fragrance in the air seemed to become even stronger and more active because of his intrusion, silently entwining itself and trying to dismantle the barrier of reason.
Sakura's lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, no sound came out.
But his gaze became even more intense.
Naruto stared at her silently for a few seconds, then said nothing, simply took a step back and gently closed the door behind him.
"Click".
The soft sound of the door closing was especially clear in the quiet night.
Inside the door, the rich, magical fragrance seemed to be completely shut out, yet it seemed to linger even more clearly in the senses of the one who closed the door.
A moment later, the door that had just been closed was pushed open again from the outside.
Naruto left and then returned.
He entered the room, and this time, he didn't give Xiaoying a chance to play games with his eyes.He went straight up to her and picked her up in his arms.
Sakura let out a short gasp, which quickly turned into a sigh of relief.
The alluring fragrance grew stronger and stronger, almost drowning one.
The robe fell to the ground silently, like a petal blown away by the wind.
The small cup in the square cabinet was knocked over, causing the lamplight to flicker and cast indistinct shadows, like tangled vines.
The intermittent sobbing sounded like the mournful cry of a swan.
That unique fragrance, at this moment, is like an overturned honey pot, so rich and intense that it fills the entire room.
Outside the window, the waves crashed against the rocks, again and again.
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