Chapter Thirty-Nine: Opening Up

The two of them hurried toward Konoha with Asuma. Time was short and the mission urgent; they didn't want to waste any more time.

Josuke hadn't expected Ino to stay here. Wasn't he a Rogue Ninja?

"You shouldn't be here."

Josuke put on a cold front, hoping to make Ino leave.

But if that were enough to hold Ino back, she wouldn't be Ino.

After learning Josuke had defected, Ino had cried, grown weary, and been hurt, but she still didn't believe he had defected of his own accord.

There had to be some reason behind it. As long as she didn't ask him herself, she couldn't know for sure. Josuke had to have a reason.

Even if he didn't—if he had simply defected—Ino was ready to defect with him.

Even now, even if everything Josuke told her was a lie, Ino was willing to believe him.

That was what girls in love were like: they believed in and loved their beloved without reservation.

"You had a reason, didn't you?"

Ino pressed her lips together and spoke softly.

The sky was growing dim. The fierce battle had left Ino looking a little disheveled, but nothing could hide her beauty. A gentle breeze stirred her hair.

A faint fragrance lingered in the air.

Josuke said nothing. He didn't know how to face Ino. He was probably a complete failure in her eyes by now.

I'm sorry, Ino. I really am.

"Josuke..."

Ino edged closer and closer to him.

She was nearly touching him.

Don't do this, Ino... Josuke closed his eyes. He didn't want her caught up in this mess. It was better not to make trouble where there was none.

He didn't want Ino to come any closer. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold back another second.

But Ino wasn't going to do as he wished. They had grown up together, and she knew Josuke's personality and what kind of person he was.

Their friends among the Twelve Rookie Shinobi had all seen what was between them. All that remained was to break through that final barrier...

"Don't... Ino."

Josuke spoke softly, his voice full of helplessness.

The brave girl took that final step, opened her arms, and hugged Josuke.

In that moment, silence said more than words.

So he'd lost after all, hadn't he?

Josuke sighed. If that was how it was, then so be it.

He opened his arms and wrapped them around Ino's slender waist. She had a lovely figure, and it was already beginning to fill out. Now she was his.

As he gently drew Ino into his arms, Josuke felt as if time and space around them had stopped, frozen in that moment.

It was a long while before Josuke finally let her go.

"I'm sorry, Ino."

He brushed aside a strand of Ino's hair, as if he had finally decided to act.

Ino shook her head. She knew Josuke must have had some reason he couldn't talk about. Otherwise, why would he have become a Rogue Ninja?

"Mm, I don't blame you. These days without you... I missed you so much..."

Nestled against Josuke, Ino poured out all the hurt she had bottled up over the past several days to the person before her—the one who made her feel safe, the one she had thought of day and night.

"I missed you too..."

Ino's heartache tugged at Josuke's heart. If only he were stronger, he wouldn't have had to resort to this. As things stood, he probably wasn't even strong enough to trade his life for Danzo's.

How could he protect the person he loved?

"Wait for me, okay? There are things that mean I can't stay in Konoha... But I would never do anything to hurt Konoha or you. Believe me, okay?"

Josuke's words were like a sedative, finally calming Ino's anxious heart.

Ino couldn't know whether what Josuke had said was true, but she chose to believe him without question. Even if he were lying, she would still believe him without hesitation.

"Mm. I believe you."

There was no need to say more. That was all that needed to be said.

The heavy atmosphere finally lifted. They couldn't linger here for long, so Josuke escorted Ino back to the area near Konoha's gates.

Konoha was faintly visible in the distance.

Konoha...?

Had the greedy members of the Konoha High Command already seized the Uchiha Clan Land?

As the village drew closer, Ino felt not the slightest bit happy. It meant she was about to be separated from Josuke ┭┮﹏┭┮.

Josuke knew what was on Ino's mind. He gently reassured her.

"Come on~ It's not like I'll never come back. I'll visit you when I get the chance, okay?"

She was still unhappy, but since Josuke had said so, Ino believed him.

"Then... I'm off!"

Before Josuke could react, she launched a sneak attack, kissing him on the cheek. Then, as if she'd done something wrong, she ran off without looking back.

Josuke froze.

He touched the spot she'd kissed and broke into a fond smile.

The critically injured Asuma was brought to Tsunade. His condition gave her a cold sweat: his heart had been destroyed, yet he was still clinging to life.

What was more, his heart was slowly repairing itself.

It defied all reason, but there was no time to think about that now. Saving him came first.

As the operation went on, Tsunade asked Shikamaru how Asuma had been injured.

Shikamaru told her about Josuke, and Tsunade couldn't help frowning. Why would a Rogue Ninja suddenly show compassion? Or was there something Josuke couldn't talk about?

For some reason, Danzo, that bastard, was the first person who came to Tsunade's mind.

She decided not to dwell on it. Treating the patient mattered most. Tsunade continued tending to Asuma, and what she found startled her.

The Chakra inside Asuma was disappearing at a visible rate. All of it was gathering at his heart, repairing it.

Tsunade couldn't stop this transformation, but there was one thing she could be sure of: Asuma would probably survive.

However, he would likely lose all his Chakra and become an ordinary person. Tsunade didn't know whether that was what Asuma wanted.

By some miracle, Asuma's critical injuries became minor ones. Tsunade hadn't even needed to operate before his injuries had mostly healed. His external wounds weren't serious either.

All he needed was rest.

This mission had also served as a warning to everyone. The Immortal Duo had become targets for the people of Konoha to hunt down.

Before long, Tsunade came out, looking a little tired. She told everyone about Asuma's condition: he was out of danger.

Once they knew Asuma wasn't in any danger, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as he was all right. Nothing mattered more than being alive. Kurenai, too, had been anxious with her big belly, but at last her heart settled.