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"Third Hokage?"
The door to the hospital room swung open.
Entering was Sarutobi Hiruzen, accompanied by an unfamiliar old woman.
Hearing Hyuga Kumo's astonished tone, Hiruzen smiled gently at him before turning to the old woman with a sigh. "Thank you, Koharu."
"Enough, enough; as an old woman, I've only this usefulness left," Utatane Koharu replied, casting him a sideways glance before walking toward Akimichi Todo.
Todo had sustained moderate burns to his respiratory tract, affecting his trachea and main bronchi.
It felt as if he had swallowed a mouthful of scalding gravel, with each breath scraping his throat, the nasal cavity filled with the metallic scent of rust, akin to feathers rubbing continuously against his trachea, itching more and more until he coughed more.
"Cough cough! Cough!"
In that moment, Todo felt as though he would cough out his lung. His raspy cough was more distressing than the wind outside the window, producing black sputum laced with blood and mucus.
Treating such burns generally required cleansing to remove necrotic mucus and soot, possibly even emergency intubation or tracheotomy to prevent laryngeal edema from obstructing the airway.
However, Hiruzen seemed to trust Koharu greatly, so much so that he ignored calling for additional medical ninjas.
While Koharu might seem wishy-washy between Danzo and Hiruzen, in her youth, she was one of the elite guards under the Second Hokage.
Shick.
Koharu used a scalpel to cut open the affected area, then placed her palm in front of Todo. As chakra flowed precisely into the wound, the necrotic black-purple mucus and pus were drawn out.
The Fine Illness Extraction Technique, a B-rank medical ninjutsu, could identify subtle harmful sources within the body, such as toxins and pathogens, by sensing the chaotic chakra inside. It extracted toxins while healing the damaged area.
Even among medical ninjutsu, this technique was considered relatively advanced.
Hyuga Kumo watched Koharu's movements intently, even opening his Byakugan without reservation to secretly learn from her, but Hiruzen merely assumed he was worried.
"Don't worry," Hiruzen placed his Hokage hat on a coat rack and sat down on another chair to provide comfort. "Aside from Tsunade, it's hard to find a more experienced medical ninja than this old lady in all of Konoha."
"Third Hokage…"
At those words, Hyuga Kumo finally relaxed, diverting his gaze. Sensing Hiruzen's comforting gaze, a wave of guilt and disappointment washed over his face.
He was about to stand up from the chair when Hiruzen stopped him, gently placing his hand on Kumo's shoulder and reassuring him, "Just sit still; I already grasped the rough circumstances of what happened. We all know this isn't your fault."
"The doctor says you're also injured; how are you feeling?"
Hyuga Kumo was gently pressed back into the chair. He felt the warmth on his shoulder and sat with his hands futilely resting on his lap, his face slightly flushing with a mix of awkwardness and excitement.
After all, the disparity in their rank and status was significant, and they should never be this close for conversation; thus, Kumo's demeanor pleased Hiruzen greatly.
"Thank you for your concern. Thanks to Todo-senpai, I only have minor injuries."
Hyuga Kumo no longer insisted on standing up and met Hiruzen's gaze. His tone was filled with humility, sincerity, and gratitude.
"That's no minor injury." Hiruzen sighed, "Besides Todo, you are the one closest to the explosion. If it were anyone else, they'd either be dead or incapacitated."
Upon hearing the implication in Hiruzen's words, Hyuga Kumo's complexion slightly paled as he hurriedly said, "Third Hokage, I—I didn't mean to learn the Rebirth technique; I just…"
"Kumo, I'm not blaming you." Before he could finish, Hiruzen smiled, "If it weren't for you and Todo stepping in, the casualties within the escort team would have been much worse."
"I just didn't expect your progress to have been so significant, your performance so outstanding."
With Hiruzen's kind tone, Hyuga Kumo seemed to relax even further. He hesitated before murmuring, "I—I don't know why, but ever since I awakened my Byakugan three months ago, my control over my body and chakra seems to have improved significantly."
Hiruzen, observing the innocence and confusion in Hyuga Kumo's eyes, noticed no abnormalities and narrowed his gaze slightly, sensing a shift in Kumo's development.
Awakening his Byakugan three months ago and seeing such changes?
No, it should be after Orochimaru's defection, right?
It seemed that Orochimaru had indeed done something to this child. No wonder he had been contemplating taking him along when he vanished. However, it was difficult to identify the specific oddities right now; thus, it would be wise to keep the boy nearby for continued observation.
Even with the likes of Hatake Kakashi and Yamato, who tried to assassinate himself and his comrades, Sarutobi Hiruzen could forgive and tolerate, let alone Hyuga Kumo, who truly held the "Will of Fire."
At least for now, Kumo's temperament, loyalty, and evidently improved strength and talent seemed to have benefitted from the disaster.
With that in mind, Sarutobi Hiruzen set aside the last remnants of doubt, dropping pretense and turning soberly to ask, "Kumo, I heard from Todo that you saw the aftermath with your Byakugan before you left, correct?"
"I'd like to know what you encountered, who you faced, and what ultimately transpired."
Having expressed his concern and skepticism, it was time to address the crux of the matter.
As the memory of that terrifying incident flickered back to him, fear washed over Hyuga Kumo's face.
"They're dead, all of them are dead." His voice trembled, "That guy, he's not human at all. That kind of power isn't something a human could possess."
Meanwhile, at the border of the Land of Hot Water, four figures stood silently under the night sky.
"Ha…"
Samui let out a long breath, seeming to expel the chill within her heart and calm her fear.
From this vantage point, she could clearly see the terrain of the surrounding area.
It resembled the cap of a mushroom; they stood at the highest point, while the surrounding terrain dipped lower.
Aside from their location, the remaining ground was marred by hideous gorges, extending from where they stood to a kilometer away, the devastation glaringly evident, revealing the violence and terror that had transpired.
Just observing those traces brought forth a sharp sense of danger.
Samui closed her eyes and began to envision what had occurred here.
A person stood in the center, obliterating everything before him with a wind-style jutsu reminiscent of a tornado, turning everything into powder, transforming it into a barren wasteland.
Not only that, but the figure controlled the tornado, sweeping around like a janitor, destroying everything in its path.
The terrible power, akin to a natural disaster, was at his fingertips. Those attempting to block him with their flesh and blood were turned to dust, their blood, flesh, and bones becoming fertilizer buried beneath the earth.
This kind of power… how could it exist?
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