Malphegor
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Ch. 97: Team 2: Recovery
🕑 Added 2024-09-21 15:59:32 +0000 UTCBoom!
Boom!
A series of massive explosions echoed from the direction of the gold transport team, immediately snapping the group of ANBU ninjas out of their struggle with the enemy.
Kakashi turned his head toward the source of the explosions. Those explosions... No, it can't be. The gold transport team!
The gold transport team was under attack!
Though he didn't know why the team was targeted, he understood that the most urgent task now was to return and secure the mission's objective.
If anything happened to the gold transport team, then everything else would be meaningless.
"All ANBU, return with me immediately!"
On the treetops, several ninjas wearing animal masks faced off against two figures in black, standing on nearby branches.
Even though they were reluctant to leave, if the mission target was stolen, capturing these two individuals would be pointless.
Moreover, these two opponents, though they hadn't revealed their identities, were clearly formidable, and whether they could even capture them was uncertain.
Thus, they retreated one by one, leaving the two figures in black on the opposite treetops.
"They've left. Should we continue the pursuit?" one of the black-clad figures asked.
The other figure shook their head. "No need. Our only mission target is the tribute gold. As long as we delay them long enough for the others to succeed, that's enough."
The first figure scoffed. "What's the point of this world if I can't enjoy the thrill of hunting and killing my prey? Carrying out missions is just a way to indulge in that thrill."
"No, you're wrong." The second figure's voice turned cold. "The only thing that matters in this world is money. And if you keep wasting my time playing hunting games with the enemy during missions, I might end up killing you too."
"Tch."
The two figures in black also retreated calmly, and the forest returned to silence.
---
Back with the gold transport team, a series of blood-curdling screams pierced the sky. The scene was pure chaos. Bodies of fallen samurai littered the ground, their blood staining the earth red.
Amber-colored flames splattered from Obito's right hand, and with massive heat, the fire began to engulf his entire arm.
He immediately backed off, instinctively flailing his arm desperately, trying to shake off the flames. But no matter how much he flailed, the fire merely danced with the wind, showing no signs of dying down.
Through his heightened senses, he realized that the flames burning on his arm were not ordinary. Normal fire consumes the material it burns, but these amber flames gave him a strange sense of corrosion.
It was as if the fire wasn't simply consuming fuel, but was eroding his entire arm, possibly even his whole body, down to nothing!
What kind of jutsu is this?
The agonizing feeling of his arm being slowly eaten away became unbearable for him.
Drawing his sword with his other hand, he swiftly severed his right arm. "Damn you!" Obito screamed with fury. "You'll pay for this, Konoha!"
The sleeve of his black robe was already burned to ashes. In the amber glow, his now dismembered arm began to char and turn to carbon.
Damn it!
Clutching the wound on his right shoulder, he glared at his severed arm on the ground, then shifted his gaze to Kagami. More than the loss of his arm, what gnawed at him was that he had fallen for such a simple tactic.
From the forest beside the road came rustling sounds. Obito glanced to the side, realizing the ANBU were returning.
Tch. Reinforcements already? This mission is a failure
In his current state, he knew he couldn't stay any longer. He had no choice but to retreat. He stabbed the severed arm with his sword, then began to use the ability of his right eye to absorb his body.
Kagami, knowing Obito was about to flee, quickly retrieved the Flame Spirit just as Obito disappeared.
Within seconds, he completely vanished into the swirling vortex.
By the time Kakashi and the other ANBU arrived, they were greeted with the wreckage of the gold transport team.
Though all the samurai hired by the Land of Frost had been killed, the tribute gold remained untouched.
Of the four members of the Team 2, only Yuki himself was gravely injured but still alive, while Yugao had fainted. Kagami and Itachi were unharmed.
Kakashi took command of the situation. "Secure the gold," he ordered. "We're continuing the mission. Team 2, fall back to the village for medical attention."
The ANBU ninjas continued the gold transport mission.
After basic first aid, Yuki was taken back to the village for treatment by his remaining squad members.
With that, the entire Team 2 withdrew from the mission.
---
In a pitch-black cave, a distorted vortex of space appeared out of nowhere.
From within the vortex, a disheveled figure with a charred arm tumbled out, rolling onto the ground.
"All this mess over a mission to rob tribute gold? How did you end up in such a sorry state?" The voice came from a bizarre figure, half white and half black, with the lower half of its body submerged underground.
Obito, lying in pain on the ground, looked at the figure making sarcastic remarks and commanded, "Hurry up and heal me!"
Black Zetsu and White Zetsu emerged from the ground, moving over to his side. Seeing his severed arm, they immediately knew what to do.
White Zetsu bent down, allowing the left side of his body to lean toward him. His left hand pressed against the wound on Obito's right shoulder.
A miraculous sight unfolded.
Grayish-white liquid oozed from White Zetsu's fingertips, flowing onto Obito's shoulder like a living substance.
The liquid accumulated more and more, and as it grew, it began to take shape.
Then, the white liquid solidified, forming a new arm on his right shoulder.
Once the healing was complete, Black Zetsu picked up Obito's charred right arm, with White Zetsu commenting, "Good thing the injured part was the body cultivated from Hashirama's cells. Even a severed arm can easily be regenerated, otherwise…"
"But to force you to cut off your own arm, that must have been quite an opponent, right?" Black Zetsu asked in a raspy voice.
Obito pushed himself up with his new arm and tested its range of motion. Satisfied that it functioned properly, he finally spoke. "He used a strange fire release technique. Continuous attacks that happened to counter my abilities."
"But what's more unusual is that he covered his own face with the flames without getting burned."
"And that kind of inescapable fire…" his voice trailed off, his mind replaying the battle.
I was careless.
He didn't mention that it was a genin who pushed him to such extremes.
"You've been away from the village for so long. Maybe it's some new jutsu developed by Konoha," White Zetsu mused.
"A new jutsu…" Obito didn't want to believe that, but for now, it seemed like the only plausible explanation.
"Maybe."
---
"Sensei, we've come to visit you."
A purple-haired girl holding a bouquet of flowers pushed open the door to the hospital room, followed by two shorter boys. Yugao's voice was gentle, her eyes bright with concern as she entered.
"Sorry to trouble you all," Yuki said, his voice weak but warm.
Itachi shook his head. "No trouble at all, you're our teacher after all."
Yugao smiled as she placed the flowers into a vase, then sat down on an empty hospital bed along with Itachi and Kagami.
As they talked, Yuki shared his recovery progress. His voice grew stronger as he spoke, "Lady Tsunade's skills are truly miraculous. I feel better already."
Although he had been slashed in the back, he had been wearing a ninja vest that offered some protection, preventing any fatal injuries. With Tsunade's treatment, he was now almost self-sufficient after just a few days, though he still needed some time to fully recover before returning to his duties.
"Lady Tsunade?" Kagami asked with a questioning tone, curious as to why Tsunade would be in the village.
"Lady Tsunade is the only female among the Sannin. Her medical ninjutsu is world-renowned, and she's returned to the village this time to take on an apprentice," Yuki explained.
"However, she only accepts female disciples, so you two have no chance." his gaze shifted between Kagami and Itachi.
"But Yugao, you still have a chance."
Yuki suddenly turned to Yugao with a serious expression, catching her off guard.
"Me?"
"Yes." Yuki nodded firmly, then lowered his head somewhat apologetically. "My performance this time almost put everyone in danger."
"Maybe I'm just not suited to be a jonin captain."
No, you're just too weak, Kagami's face remaining impassive.
"Lady Tsunade's abilities speak for themselves. If you could become her apprentice, Yugao, your future would be much brighter."
"Don't worry."
Just as Yuki was about to continue, Yugao immediately interrupted him. "Sensei, please stop."
"We are also responsible for the near failure of this mission."
Hey, that's your responsibility. I barely survived!
"Especially me. I passed out from fear in front of the enemy. It was such an embarrassment. So I need to work harder on this, honing both my skills and my willpower."
As she spoke, Yugao raised the katana in her hand. She believed that the person behind the gold tribute heist was a skilled swordsman.
In truth, aside from Kagami, none of them knew anything about the enemy, and Konoha had found no clues in their investigation regarding the enemy's identity. The only lead—severed limbs that could help Konoha track the enemy—had been taken by Obito himself. All they knew was that the culprit behind the heist was a strange masked ninja wielding a katana and his two dark-clad accomplices.
"And it's not all bad news. After all, Itachi awakened the Sharingan." Yugao glanced at Itachi.
Itachi's Sharingan had been noticed by Kagami on the way back. Though Itachi hadn't directly witnessed the death of a teammate, he had still awakened the Sharingan, albeit with only one tomoe.
Yugao's words moved Yuki deeply, and tears began to stream down his slightly pale face.
"Meeting you all... has been such a blessing."
---
In the Hokage's office, the frail, elderly Hiruzen stood in front of Tsunade.
"Here, these are the applications from people in the village wanting to be your apprentice."
Hiruzen handed a thick stack of application forms to Tsunade.
"Why are there so many?" she complained, shaking her head. "What a hassle. If it weren't for you forcing me to come back and take on an apprentice, I'd still be out..."
"Gambling, right?"
Hiruzen shook his head helplessly. Tsunade's gambling habit was far too similar to the First Hokage's.
"Since the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice and Orochimaru's departure, two of the Sannin's legacies have been left behind."
"So you know what I mean, right?"
There was an undeniable firmness in Hiruzen's tone, one that left Tsunade with no room to argue with her former teacher. "Fine, old man."
"Oh, by the way, have you gotten over your hemophobia yet?" Hiruzen suddenly changed the topic.
Tsunade didn't reply, only shaking her head silently, her eyes downcast.
"Perfect timing. You can take an apprentice to handle any surgeries that involve blood."
"Go on, there should be someone suitable for you among these applicants."
As Tsunade left with the stack of applications, Hiruzen watched her go and sighed. Perhaps this will be the push she needs to heal old wounds.
---
In a hotel room, Tsunade was carefully going through the applications.
All of them were from females, as that was her only requirement. Having a female apprentice would not only be more convenient for long-term living arrangements, but women generally had better chakra control talent than men.
Apart from that, though, the applicants were a mixed bag of all kinds. Some were older than Tsunade herself, likely wanting to learn her youth-preserving techniques. Others were too young, and she didn't want the hassle of taking care of a child while she went on her... intense 'training' journeys.
Too old, too young, too eager... don't these people have lives? She flipped through the applications.
With so many options, she was becoming overwhelmed. In truth, she wasn't sure what kind of apprentice she wanted. Having been away from the village for so many years, she didn't know most of the new generation of kunoichi.
The applications only provided basic information, and it was hard to determine if someone had the potential for medical ninjutsu from just a few details. As she stared at the thick stack of forms, Tsunade grew increasingly frustrated.
"Forget it. I'll just pick someone I recognize."
After flipping through about half of the forms, Tsunade finally spotted a familiar face.
"This is..."
The photo showed a girl with short black hair, looking pure and quiet. Her name matched her appearance: Shizune.
Tsunade recalled her former lover, Dan, mentioning a niece named Shizune during a family visit.
"Must be Dan's niece. She's grown into a fine young woman."
"Eighteen, a chunin—well, not bad."
"You're it!"
Tsunade decisively set Shizune's application aside. Perhaps out of boredom, she continued flipping through the applications, passing the time. Might as well see who else is desperate enough to want me as a teacher.
Suddenly, she stopped. Another familiar face appeared on the next form.
Long purple hair tied up, and a somewhat boyish yet strong face—Tsunade recognized this one too. Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Orochimaru's disciple."
"Mitarashi Anko, huh..."
