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Chapter 130: I Need to Hurry, While I'm Still Strong Enough
🕑 Added 2024-12-20 06:14:02 +0000 UTC"Sorry, I'm late."
After both battles had ended and everyone regrouped, Yagyu appeared beside Hinata using the Flying Thunder God technique, apologizing as he noticed Gaara's lifeless body on the ground.
"Damn it, we were still too late!"
Naruto, kneeling on the ground, pounded his fist against the earth in frustration, tears falling from his eyes. "Gaara had just become Kazekage… He was finally accepted by everyone…"
Seeing Naruto's raw emotions, the members of both Team 7 and Team 8 fell into silence. Other than Naruto, none of them could fully understand his feelings, especially Team 8 and Yakumo Kurama. They didn't know Gaara well, and he had once been an enemy.
However, Naruto's sincerity deeply moved Chiyo.
"Don't worry, the Kazekage will be back soon," Chiyo said, kneeling beside Gaara's body. She sighed, "I've spent years secretly developing a forbidden technique, originally meant to make amends for Scorpion. Now, it will serve well for the Kazekage."
Hearing this, Yagyu immediately activated his Red Eye, using it to see through Chiyo's chakra pathways.
"Ninja Art: One's Own Life Reincarnation!"
Chiyo made a series of hand seals, placing her palms on Gaara's chest. A blue glow, unlike the color of medical ninjutsu, began to radiate from her hands.
"Gaara's body is emitting chakra," Hinata, the most perceptive, said immediately, activating her Byakugan. Shortly after, she gasped, "Chiyo's life force is disappearing… No, it's being transferred into Gaara's body!"
"What?"
Kakashi and Kurenai both reacted with shock, Kakashi lifting his headband to reveal his Sharingan, while Kurenai used her sensory abilities to witness the miracle before them.
A resurrection technique that wasn't the Edo Tensei, which desecrated the soul—it was something unheard of, almost impossible to believe!
"Chiyo-baachan, you…" Naruto was equally stunned, unsure whether he should stop her.
Sensing his hesitation, Chiyo smiled warmly through her wrinkles. "There's no need to hesitate. I'm already 73 years old, with only a few years left. I came along this time just to see my grandson one last time," she explained. "Now that I've fulfilled my last wish, there's no point in hanging on. If I can exchange my life for the Kazekage's, it's a worthy trade."
Suddenly, Chiyo winced in pain and hurriedly said, "My chakra isn't enough. Someone, help me!"
"I'll help. Hinata, join me," Sakura said, kneeling behind Chiyo.
Hinata nodded and took a position beside Sakura. Both of them began using medical ninjutsu, sending chakra into Chiyo's body while healing her at the same time.
Hinata's chakra was immense, second only to Yagyu and Naruto in the group. With her help, Chiyo didn't need Naruto's chakra like in the original story. Soon, the life transfer technique was completed, bringing Gaara back to life in exchange for Chiyo's own.
"The future of the Sand Village is in your hands now, Kazekage," Chiyo murmured as Gaara's eyelids fluttered open. With a smile on her face, Chiyo's life force faded, and she passed away peacefully.
"This… Where am I?" Gaara asked, his voice weak and disoriented.
"Gaara!" Naruto, overjoyed to see Gaara alive, immediately hugged him tightly.
"Naruto…" Gaara, surprised, stared at the friend he hadn't seen in three years but recognized instantly.
"Welcome back, Gaara," Yagyu said with a smile before explaining, "It was Elder Chiyo who saved you. She gave her life to bring you back."
As Yagyu finished speaking, the atmosphere shifted. Naruto, who had been overjoyed moments before, turned somber as he gazed at Chiyo's lifeless body.
"I see," Gaara muttered as he too looked at Chiyo's body, falling silent.
"She wanted you to lead the Sand Village well," Yagyu conveyed Chiyo's final wish to Gaara.
"I will," Gaara said firmly, nodding with resolve.
A short time later, Yagyu and his group began their return journey, carrying two bodies: Chiyo's and Sasori's.
As they left the mountains of the Land of Rivers and reached the now-forested grasslands, they were greeted by a mass of Sand Village ninja. Leading them were Temari and Kankuro.
"Gaara!" Temari and Kankuro rushed to their brother's side, embracing him tightly.
Seeing their Kazekage safe, the Sand ninja all broke into relieved smiles.
Just like in the original story, Gaara, as the Fifth Kazekage, shook hands with Naruto and Yagyu, forming an eternal alliance between the Sand and Leaf villages.
However, Yagyu thought to himself that such alliances were merely words. Unless someone could live forever, these agreements would eventually be broken after their generation had passed. After all, the Sand Village had broken promises before.
Seeing Yagyu's timely arrival with Team 8 to support them, Temari gazed at him with affection. Were it not for Hinata and Sakura by his side, making her feel out of place, Temari might have thrown herself into Yagyu's arms.
Sensing her gaze, Yagyu winked at her, making Temari blush and smile with joy.
Afterward, Yagyu and the others accompanied Gaara's group back to the Sand Village to receive their thanks and hospitality.
Meanwhile, back in the mountains of the Land of Rivers, in the cave where Sasori had died, a small white snake slithered into the cave.
With a 'poof,' a cloud of smoke erupted.
As the smoke cleared, Orochimaru appeared, crouching beside a pool of dried blood.
Looking down at the congealed blood, Orochimaru smirked wickedly. "I had hoped to continue our battle from back then and kill you with my perfect Edo Tensei, but it seems you were more fragile than I thought. My immortality has surpassed yours, Sasori."
"Well then, since you're dead, you'll make a fine tool for me."
With that, Orochimaru scooped up the blood-stained earth, sealed it into a scroll, swallowed it, and transformed back into a small white snake, silently slithering away.
Not long after Orochimaru left, a black-and-white Zetsu emerged from the ground, watching the white snake's retreat.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes… As expected of the second genius to master Edo Tensei after Tobirama. It seems Hundred Faces stole his technique from Orochimaru."
"No wonder our White Zetsu clones couldn't infiltrate Orochimaru's underground base two years ago; they must have all been killed by Hundred Faces."
"To avoid any further complications, perhaps we should restart that plan."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Compared to Hundred Faces, Orochimaru is more reliable. After all, he doesn't possess the Chimera Technique. If we give Madara's body to Hundred Faces, he'll surely absorb it to gain the Mangekyo Sharingan. And if he succeeds, he could become an even greater threat than Yagyu, with both the Mangekyo and Wood Release."
"That's true. Let's proceed, then."
With that, the Zetsu clone melded back into the ground and swiftly retreated.
---
"One of them is dead…"
In the Hidden Rain Village, Nagato sensed Sasori's chakra vanish and murmured quietly.
"According to the White Zetsu reports, Sasori was killed by the two disciples of the Fifth Hokage," Konan said. "If Tobi hadn't arrived in time, Deidara would have been captured by Konoha as well. Among those who fought, aside from Kakashi, there was the renowned Team 8 and the Kurama clan's prodigy."
"Konoha can defeat two S-rank rogue ninja without Yagyu even intervening?" Nagato's voice grew heavy with concern.
With Naruto still growing, and strong warriors like Jiraiya and the Fifth Hokage, Konoha's high-level combat strength was once again the strongest among the Five Great Nations.
If that were all, Nagato wouldn't have been too worried.
After all, the Six Paths of Pain essentially functioned like a strengthened version of the Akatsuki. If they went to full-scale war with Konoha, and with the Gedo Statue on their side, victory wouldn't be impossible.
But it wasn't just Konoha's strong fighters that troubled Nagato—Yagyu was the real problem.
As the caster of the Astral Projection clones, Nagato had personally witnessed Yagyu's power.
Four Wood clones capable of casting the Four Red Yang Formation? That was beyond even Nagato's ability.
The amount of chakra Yagyu possessed was monstrous, exceeding even that of tailed beasts. Add to that his large-scale Wood Release techniques, and no Pain except for Deva Path could hope to counter him.
With these thoughts weighing heavily on his mind, Nagato glanced down at his crippled body, feeling his chakra weaken further compared to three years ago. "When Tobi returns, tell him to come see me," Nagato instructed.
"Understood," Konan nodded without question.
Sharing vision with Deva Path, Nagato gazed out over the rain-drenched Hidden Rain Village, muttering to himself, "We need to move quickly while I still have enough strength!"
---
Yagyu, of course, had no idea that his actions, though seemingly minimal, were putting such immense pressure on Nagato, nor that his butterfly effect was starting to take hold.
Team 7 and Team 8 spent one day in the Sand Village before bidding farewell to Gaara and his people. After all, their mission wasn't a vacation, but a support operation for the Sand.
The Fifth Hokage was waiting for news back in Konoha.
Moreover, with the loss of Elder Chiyo, the somber mood in the Sand Village wasn't ideal for an extended stay.
After their goodbyes, Yagyu used the Flying Thunder God technique to teleport both teams back to Konoha in an instant.
However, before leaving, Yagyu gave Temari a storage scroll.
Later, after sending off Team 7 and Team 8, Temari returned to her room and opened the scroll Yagyu had given her.
Inside was a kunai, engraved with the seal of the Flying Thunder God and the character for "Yagyu."
Blushing, Temari glanced at a photograph on her desk, taken the previous year of her and Yagyu. A radiant smile spread across her face.
During their time together, Temari had noticed that both Hinata and Sakura had similar kunai, and even the space between their thumbs and index fingers bore the same character.
Having seen Yagyu use the Flying Thunder God multiple times, Temari immediately understood the significance of the kunai.
Just as Temari had changed her hairstyle to express her feelings, she had now received Yagyu's response.
Finally, she shared the same special treatment as Hinata and Sakura.
The joy of having her feelings reciprocated left Temari in a state of elation.
If not for the kunai's sharp edge, she would have hugged it to sleep. Instead, she tossed and turned in bed, overcome with excitement.
That night, the young woman would find it impossible to sleep. Even if she did, her dreams would be filled with nothing but thoughts of Yagyu.
Another young heart had fallen completely!
