Guiding Sasuke

Time passed second by second. Everyone watched Sasuke kneeling on the ground, clutching his stomach without moving, unable to speak for a long while.

After quite some time, someone finally shouted, "You little Uchiha brat, you worthless bastard, get up already! I bet my kid's formula money on you!"

"Don't play dead! I borrowed my money from Ant Credit Pay too. Show some spirit! If you lose, I'm definitely getting blacklisted by Konoha Credit!"

"Holy crap! Why the hell are you all yelling? I even bet my down payment! If I lose, I won't even be able to get married! Get up!"

A crowd outside the arena screamed themselves hoarse at Sasuke, but no matter how they called, he remained kneeling there without moving, as though he could not hear them.

"Call 120! Sasuke fainted!"

The referee ninja stepped forward to check and saw that Sasuke was barely breathing. Foam kept spilling from the corners of his mouth, and he twitched from time to time. He had clearly passed out.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura rushed over like she had gone mad and pulled Sasuke into her arms.

Maybe I hit him a little too hard?

Xiao Yun scratched his head awkwardly.

"Let me."

Xiao Yun quickly arrived at Sasuke's side, preparing to use a Wood Release healing technique on him.

"Get away! Don't pretend you care!"

Sakura angrily shoved Xiao Yun aside.

"Sakura, this was my first fight, so I didn't know how to hold back. I'm sorry! I know healing techniques. Let me treat Sasuke."

Xiao Yun spoke with an apologetic expression.

"Get lost! Get lost! You're a bastard! You were obviously so much stronger, but you didn't know to go easy on Sasuke. You beat him into this state, so get lost!"

Like a shrew, Sakura pointed at Xiao Yun and cursed loudly, her eyes filled with venom.

"Damn it! Am I your parents? Do I have to spoil you? Move aside and stop delaying me from saving him!"

With a slight exertion of force, Xiao Yun shoved Sakura aside, sending her sprawling face-first onto the ground.

Sasuke had provoked him first, yet she expected him to go easy on him. This woman truly deserved to be one of the most hated characters in the Naruto world. She had a pretty face, yet she was completely unreasonable.

Xiao Yun naturally had no intention of going easy on a woman like this.

"Xiao Yun, you bastard! I'll fight you!"

Sakura Haruno charged over like a madwoman, only to be stopped by a figure—Kakashi.

"Calm down. Xiao Yun knows healing techniques. Let him treat Sasuke first. The 120 ambulance won't arrive for several more minutes!"

Kakashi looked at Xiao Yun and spoke coldly.

Wood Release—Spring Returns to Earth!

Xiao Yun continuously poured Chakra into Sasuke's body.

Unlike healing himself, Xiao Yun's control over Chakra was too crude, so a great deal of it was inevitably wasted during the transfer.

It took a full ten minutes before Xiao Yun finished. By then, he was drenched in sweat from exhaustion.

"Ugh!"

Sasuke groaned softly and slowly opened his eyes.

Two streams of clear tears rolled down his handsome, resolute face as he stared blankly at the sky.

He had lost!

And he had lost so thoroughly!

What could someone like him use to kill that man?

How could someone like him avenge the Uchiha Clan?

What meaning was there in staying alive?

Silently, he pulled out a kunai and thrust it toward his own heart with lightning speed.

Smack!

Smack!

Xiao Yun reacted swiftly, snatching away the kunai in Sasuke's hand before delivering two resounding slaps.

"Xiao Yun, you've already defeated me. Why humiliate me further? A warrior may be killed, but never dishonored!"

Sasuke's face twisted violently, his eyes bloodshot. He looked like a grievously wounded beast still ready to fight.

"Trash!"

Xiao Yun sneered.

"Nanda to?"

Sasuke glared at Xiao Yun with eyes wide enough to split.

"What's so difficult about dying? Sasuke, have you forgotten your ambition? How can you call yourself a man if you seek death over the slightest setback?"

"In ancient times, King Goujian of Yue slept on brushwood and tasted gall, then destroyed Wu after ten years! Han Xin endured the humiliation of crawling between another man's legs, strove to better himself, and eventually became a great general! Today, this Xiao crossed worlds and was forcibly pushed down, then trained hard in ninjutsu and pushed down his enemy in return!"

"If everyone simply died like you, how would they ever wash away their humiliation and avenge their family and national grudges? I've said all I have to say. If you still want to kill yourself, do as you please."

After speaking, Xiao Yun tossed the kunai onto the ground.

Upon hearing this, Sasuke sat there as stiff as a wooden chicken. He had never heard those examples before, but they sounded remarkably convincing.

That was right. His great vengeance had yet to be repaid. How could he speak so lightly of death?

"Just you wait, Xiao Yun. One day, I'll defeat you!"

Sasuke said with a determined expression. Then, picking up the kunai, he clutched his stomach and staggered out of the dueling arena.

"Sasuke, starting next month, I'll be collecting your salary for you!"

Xiao Yun shouted at the top of his lungs.

Sasuke's mouth twitched involuntarily upon hearing this, and he cursed inwardly, Xiao Yun, you sonless bastard!

"Dealer, this is my account. Transfer all the money into it."

Xiao Yun handed a Konoha Bank card to the dealer.

Damn it, as the Holy Son, he only received a monthly allowance of a little over two thousand. It was not even enough to buy Tsunade supplements. He still had to earn money himself. If Tsunade were not carrying his child, he would have changed jobs long ago.

The crowd remained unwilling to leave for a long time. Those who had lost money wailed where they stood, while those who had won bragged everywhere.

"Might Guy, Senior Brother Lee, why do you both look so miserable?"

At the training grounds, Might Guy and Rock Lee wore equally gloomy expressions.

"Well... Xiao Yun, could you lend us some money?"

Might Guy asked weakly.

"Why borrow? That makes it sound so distant. Didn't you give me three thousand this morning? I'll return four thousand to you."

Xiao Yun said generously.

"Actually, it's like this. Rock Lee and I also borrowed some money to buy Flower Bet. Do you think you could...?"

"No!"

Xiao Yun righteously refused Might Guy. He was delighted inside. It would have been one thing if these two had not bet on him to win, but they had actually borrowed money to buy Flower Bet. They deserved to lose.

"Junior Brother, please! If I don't repay this money, the creditor will definitely tell the uncle who raised me since childhood. My uncle will beat me to death!"

Rock Lee looked utterly sincere as he bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

"Me too! I have an eighty-year-old mother to support, and below... well, there's nothing below. But my mother is in poor health and relies on that meager salary every month for medical treatment and medicine. Xiao Yun, lend me some money. At worst, I'll sell a head-chopping bag. I'll write you an IOU for twenty thousand, and you only need to give me sixteen thousand."

After Might Guy finished speaking, Xiao Yun was dumbfounded. The Naruto world had head-chopping bags too?

"Fine, fine, I'm scared of you two. I'll give each of you twenty thousand. Just remember to pay me back when you have the money!"

Xiao Yun waved his hand.

"Xiao Yun, I love you!"

The two hugged Xiao Yun and puckered their lips as they moved in to kiss him.

"Get lost."

"Xiao Yun, come out here. The future Hokage wants to see you."

At that moment, an arrogant voice rang out...