The Choice

Hotaru and Haihara left just as Ye Zi broke free from the stone coffin, so Ye Zi didn't see which direction they went.

The intense, high-stakes battle had left him with little chakra. Ye Zi reined in his chakra, and the crackling threads of electricity slowly dissipated. He turned to look behind him, where Manda and the rock lizard were stirring up a storm.

His target's whereabouts were unknown, and his current situation and condition didn't allow for pursuit, so Ye Zi gave up.

On the street, Kushina and her companions were in a dire situation.

To protect the injured Miki and Bei Xingye, Kushina and Kotoha could only defend passively, and they had already sustained several wounds.

The ninja surrounding them seemed to understand the art of attrition. They kept their distance, attacking with ranged techniques. Their primary targets were Miki and Bei Xingye, whose leg injuries made them easier to hit and less mobile. As time passed, their chances of winning increased, so they weren't in any hurry.

Conversely, Kushina and Kotoha grew increasingly agitated. Not only were they injured, but their chakra was also rapidly depleting. Soon, they wouldn't be able to protect Miki and Bei Xingye, and they themselves would be in grave danger.

Bei Xingye, who had been terrified of being left behind, watched as Kushina's wounds multiplied. His heart ached, and his fear gradually subsided. He was afraid of dying here, but he was even more afraid of Kushina dying here because of him.

"Kushina, you should leave," he said with firm resolve, his tone leaving no room for jest.

Kushina's body stiffened slightly, then she immediately continued moving. With her back to Bei Xingye, she stated, "Impossible."

Bei Xingye's eyes trembled violently. He looked at Kushina's retreating back, a deep sadness welling up in his heart. He had always wanted to be a man of integrity, someone who could protect others, but he, the weakest of them all, had always been the one protected.

"Leave!" he suddenly shouted, his voice tearing through the air.

If he could, he didn't want to die so easily. He wanted to stay by her side, until he could catch her eye, even if not her heart...

Kushina bit her lip, unmoved. How could she abandon them so easily...

Miki glanced at Bei Xingye, a sigh flashing in his eyes. He said to Kotoha, who was protecting him, "Kotoha, let's go. I'll buy you time to retreat."

Kotoha shook her head. "No."

"Just this once, listen to me, okay?"

"No."

Miki suddenly roared, "Go!"

The tears that had been welling in Kotoha's eyes spilled down her cheeks with his angry shout.

The enemy ninja commander watching this scene, which resembled a farewell between life and death, sneered and said, "Not a single one of you will leave."

As soon as he spoke, the cold smile on his face froze. The pain in his chest made him slowly lower his head, and the tip of a sharp blade emerged from his chest.

"Ugh..."

Ye Zi forcefully pulled out his sword, and a torrent of blood sprayed into the air. The ninja collapsed to the ground.

Seeing Ye Zi suddenly appear, the surrounding ninja were startled and turned their attacks on him. Ye Zi activated Lightning Release around himself, dodged the attacks, and quickly moved to Kushina's side.

Kushina's expression brightened when she saw Ye Zi. "Ye Zi, do you have any..."

Ye Zi interrupted her without hesitation. "Staying here means death." He glanced around. In the deep night, more and more enemies were closing in. The moon was obscured by dark clouds, and escaping under the cover of darkness would be much easier.

"Are you trying to abandon your teammates?" Kushina stared at him, stunned.

Ye Zi didn't look at Kushina but instead turned to Bei Xingye and said calmly, "He's already made his peace."

Bei Xingye met Ye Zi's gaze, and a wide smile suddenly appeared on his face.

Ye Zi's indifferent expression faltered at the sight of this smile.

"I know you can protect Kushina, right?" Bei Xingye stood up, enduring the pain. Even the slightest pressure on his injured leg sent searing agony through him.

Ye Zi fell silent. It was precisely at this moment that he couldn't speak words that went against his conscience. If abandoning Kushina meant survival, he would do so without hesitation, just as he felt no burden about abandoning Bei Xingye.

Bei Xingye, unaware of Ye Zi's thoughts, saw only his silence and disappointment flickered in his eyes. He said sternly, "Take Kushina and go."

"No," Kushina said stubbornly, shaking her head as she deflected an incoming shuriken.

"Don't underestimate someone's resolve." Seeing the increasing number of surrounding ninja and knowing Orochimaru was being held back by Tsuchiya Sanzo, Ye Zi realized he couldn't delay any longer. He grabbed Kushina's arm and charged directly in the direction he had already chosen.

Bei Xingye watched the two depart, his smile slowly turning bitter.

"I wish the one in Kushina's heart was me... I'm so jealous of you, Ye Zi."

"Kotoha, follow that boy."

Miki glanced at Bei Xingye, then pushed Kotoha in the direction Ye Zi had gone, exposing himself to the barrage of attacks. This push shattered all of Kotoha's resolve.

She knew staying would be meaningless.

So, rather than die meaninglessly, it was better to seek revenge for her father in the future.

"I'm sorry..."

Whispering softly, she turned decisively and chased after Ye Zi, a string of crystalline tears scattering in the air.

A look of relief spread across Miki's face, followed by one of firm determination.

"Wind Release, Great Breakthrough!"

With nothing left to hold back...

Exhausting all his chakra, Miki opened his mouth, and a terrifying gale spewed forth, carrying with it a sky full of dust, ruthlessly blowing away everything in front of him.

The gale raged, leveling everything in its path with astonishing power, yet it couldn't annihilate all the enemies.

His chakra depleted and the pain in his leg making him gasp for breath, Miki collapsed to the ground, utterly defenseless.

"Young man, do you regret it?"

As Ye Zi and the others disappeared into the night, Bei Xingye could no longer stand. He collapsed to the ground like Miki, looking up at the sky shrouded in dark clouds, and said with a sense of loss, "I regret it."

"Is that so." Miki sighed.

"But, I feel like I've gotten a little closer to the sky. I really don't want to die...!" Bei Xingye reached out towards the sky, as if trying to touch the dark clouds that seemed to be pressing down on the earth.

Recovering from the strong wind, the enemy ninja angrily attacked the remaining Bei Xingye and Miki.

With regret and unwillingness, Bei Xingye and Miki were engulfed by ninjutsu and shuriken.