Inside a spotless ward at Konoha Hospital, Second Pillar shielded himself from the glaring sunlight outside the window, his expression blank as he stared off, lost in thought.
Not far from him, Naruto Uzumaki lay in another hospital bed. For once, he was not making his usual loud fuss; he too had fallen silent.
However, his injuries were much lighter than Sasuke's. Combined with the Nine-Tails' chakra within him, his recovery speed was equally astonishing.
Sakura was not in the same ward as the two of them.
"Orochimaru... Uchiha Itachi!" Sasuke murmured, secretly clenching his fist. Intense anger and hatred surged within him. Especially after encountering Uchiha Itachi yesterday, the hatred buried deep in his heart had completely erupted.
Naruto glanced at him, wanting to say something, but hesitated and held back. He realized that he seemed not to understand Sasuke at all.
But Sasuke did not notice Naruto at that moment—or rather, he could not notice anyone. His mind remained occupied with his own thoughts. The Ancestral Hall in the clan compound...
Having made some decision, he suddenly turned over and got out of bed. His injuries made him stagger, and he nearly collapsed face-first onto the floor. But he gritted his teeth and forced himself onward, heading outside.
"Sasuke, what are you doing?" Naruto cried out.
Sasuke stopped and said coldly, "Of course I'm checking out of the hospital. Naruto, the Chunin Exams are still going on. I don't have time to waste here. What happened in the Forest of Death made me realize just how weak I am right now. How could someone like me have time to waste in a place like a hospital?"
As he spoke, Sasuke had already headed out. He disappeared around a corner, and a burst of alarmed cries came from outside,