Zhan

Hui Youling had never imagined that coming to this world would mean meeting the evil version of herself once again. Her mother had once said that as long as she harbored hatred, these entities would exist. Thus, in any world, her resentment could condense into evil.

"This is the first time I've seen you, Zhan..." She addressed her by that name, just as she had in the past.

"I am born from your heart. Where there is darkness, there am I—Blood Sacrifice," she said faintly. Her voice was overly calm, yet her gaze was full of playfulness, hiding some unknown glimmer.

A flash of sorrow crossed Hui Youling's eyes. She had finally remembered that name: Blood Sacrifice, Blood Sacrifice—a sacrifice made with blood.

"By the way, thank you for your hatred." Zhan smiled lightly. Looking at that smile, Hui felt a sense of unease grow within her.

Zhan's pupils turned blood-red. A single tomoe slowly manifested, only to vanish in an instant, and Zhan's black eyes returned to normal.

Zhan sighed with a look of feigned pity, though her tone remained mocking. "This time, you have lost the Uchiha bloodline and survive in a new body, but fate is still so interesting, heh..."

She looked at Hui and, as expected, saw her trembling. "Your mother was of the Uzumaki Clan, Hui. I truly look forward to you being schemed against by Orochimaru again."

Zhan sneered, "Heh, Hui, how could my return to this world be a coincidence?" Zhan blinked lightly, looking at Hui with contempt.

She spoke slowly, "Hui, your Uzumaki bloodline laid the groundwork for my existence long ago. It's a pity you were hidden in the village by Konoha. Your mother went to the battlefield at such a young age; looking at it that way, this body shouldn't be too bad..."

She curled her lips, smiling eerily. A word slowly emerged from her mouth, but Hui could not hear what she had said at all.

Before long, Zhan's figure began to blur, and finally, she vanished along with the darkness.

Hui pressed her lips together tightly. The "restart" had also erased Zhan's feelings for her, leaving behind only indifference.

Moreover, she had no idea what abilities this Uzumaki bloodline possessed. Aside from being an unkillable cockroach, she couldn't even feel a shred of power. Hui knew clearly that she was nothing but an ant right now.

In the white hospital room, the only sound was the ticking of the clock. The Third Hokage stood not far away, watching the unconscious Hui Youling. He had a faint premonition: if he did not clarify certain things with Hui today, she would become someone entirely different.

His prediction was indeed correct. Not long after, Hui slowly opened her eyes, sat up abruptly, and stared blankly at the blanket on her body.

However, the Third Hokage noticed that the gentleness in her eyes had vanished; her coldness had deepened!

She looked around vacantly and caught sight of Naruto curled up to the side, sleeping soundly. Her gaze gradually cleared, yet a lingering coldness remained.

"You're awake..." The Third Hokage's voice carried a heavy weight. Hui's body stiffened noticeably; she pressed her lips together and turned her head away.

The Third Hokage was silent for a moment, then gave a slight wave of his hand. In an instant, another person appeared in the room.

Hui looked at the person who had suddenly appeared before her, a faint fear rising in her heart.

A thought kept surfacing: she was weak, she had no capital to be willful anymore, and the Third Hokage had already exhausted his benevolence!

After receiving a signal from the Third Hokage, the man grabbed Naruto and dragged him out.

Naruto was startled awake and began to shout, "What are you doing, you bas—!" Before he could finish, his mouth was covered, and he was dragged away.

Hui watched it all with a stiff neck, wanting to intervene, but her body dared not move.

Not until the sounds had completely vanished did the Third Hokage speak. "You have been in a coma for three days..."

Hui turned back to look at the Third Hokage. After a long silence, she slowly smiled. "Ah~ what a pity I didn't die!" Hui said with a strange, mocking tone.

This was not her intention, but her body simply couldn't stop these words from spilling out.

"Sigh..." The Third Hokage let out a long sigh.

His aged voice continued, "The situation at the time was very complex, Hui. Do not be too quick to judge."

The Third Hokage knew there were reasons why those people were unwilling to save her and Naruto, but he did not want her to understand them.

Hui paused, lowered her head, and gripped the bedsheet tightly. She asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is the light of Konoha, Third Hokage-sama?"

The Third Hokage stared at her, stunned, as he saw water stains marking the white sheet. Hui was crying.

Hui said with a thick, nasal tone, "There are no dancing leaves, no fire, and it will never illuminate me, who was never considered a green leaf of Konoha to begin with."

She truly began to doubt whether the Will of Fire was all a lie.

The Third Hokage stared at Hui, stunned. The Will of Fire, the heart of a ninja—when did Hui come to understand these things? The irony was that she saw not light, but darkness. They say those who dwell in darkness mature early; had she seen clearly while she was in the darkness?

The Will of Fire was meant for the children who would become Chunin, because they carried the future of Konoha on their shoulders.

Hui Youling understood, yet she never considered herself a green leaf. It wasn't for anything else, but to question him—to question him, the Hokage. Yet he saw Hui's unwillingness and her... pain.

Hui Youling bit her lip hard, trying to suppress her tears, her voice trembling. "Whether it is Naruto or me, I know of their hatred, so I can endure it, but..."

Hui Youling's voice grew weak, and she calmed down.

"I am so weak... so... so fragile... I could die so easily..."

Hui Youling completely released her grip on the bedsheet. She gave a bitter smile and looked up at the ceiling. Before she could even protect others, she couldn't even protect herself; this helplessness was the greatest irony of all.

"Third Hokage-sama, you are the brightest light of Konoha, yet you do not understand how devouring the darkness can be. You are the Hokage of Konoha, after all..."

Hui Youling dared not speak... dared not speak of the existence of Danzo. There were some things she had no qualification to judge, and as she was now, she was merely venting her frustrations, speaking in a disjointed, incoherent manner.

She inexplicably thought of Danzo, inexplicably thought of the Third Hokage's inaction, and a flurry of doubts rushed through her heart.

Where there is light, there is shadow; where there is the Third Hokage, there is Danzo. Otherwise, Konoha would have fallen into chaos long ago. Whether the Third Hokage understood or thought she had lost her mind, she herself barely understood the words she was saying.

The Third Hokage watched her silently, saying nothing. He had never been greedy for power; if not for the death of the Fourth Hokage, he would be at home every day, staring blankly and smoking his pipe.

He suddenly thought of Danzo, and of the children in Root whom he had turned into machines. Perhaps his lack of concern for power had allowed Danzo to seize too much.

Hui Youling stopped caring about what exactly he had discovered; perhaps she hated Konoha, but toward Naruto, she was a genuine protector.

"There will not be a next time, even if that person is not you."

The Third Hokage spoke with gravity, no longer restraining the aura of a Hokage.

Hui Youling's expression turned dazed, as if she had not seen the Third Hokage like this for a very long time; she chuckled inwardly.

This was the Third Hokage giving her his word as the Hokage of Konoha. Had he truly understood? The Third Hokage was, indeed, worthy of being the Third Hokage...

"Mm... thank you, Grandpa Third," Hui said, lightly pressing her lips together.

The Third Hokage gave a hum and added, "Rest well."

He turned to leave, but as he reached the door, he slowly turned back. "It was Uchiha Itachi who saved you..."

Hui Youling's pupils dilated slightly. Was that gentle person truly him?

"Mm..."

The Third Hokage chuckled softly, cast one last glance at her, and departed.

"What are you hesitating for?" A voice emerged from within her heart—it was Zhan's voice, as cold and indifferent as ever.

"Was it that obvious..." Hui Youling smiled silently. "I am waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to become stronger."

Zhan was silent for a moment before asking, "Itachi?"

Or...

"Orochimaru?" Zhan's tone rose, dripping with endless mockery.

Zhan laughed lazily. "In the end, you still have to rely on Orochimaru, don't you? Tell me, Hui Youling, you had this planned all along, didn't you? You're just more determined now."

"So what? I cannot die so easily. You told me about Hongye precisely for this reason, didn't you?" Hui Youling replied calmly, the nasal tone in her voice vanishing.

Zhan laughed in a low voice, like a ghost snickering, and spoke slowly, "Hehehe... yes, I just wanted you to know, while you remain powerless to do anything about it."

Hui Youling looked at Zhan with flat eyes; she would rather lose to anyone than to this creature.

Zhan noticed the calm in her eyes and laughed with disdain. "Heh... truly... truly... I love it the most."

Hui Youling squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to think of anything else. Zhan watched coldly, the smile on its lips never fading until it finally vanished completely.

"You will definitely regret this!" Naruto shouted from outside the door.

Swish!

He flung the door open and, seeing that Hui Youling was awake, stepped forward happily. "Hui, you're finally awake! Do you have any idea how long you've been asleep?"

"Naruto..." Hui Youling's voice was flat and devoid of emotion, sounding like a machine.

Naruto froze. He looked at Hui and watched as she slowly spoke, "You must, you absolutely must become Hokage."

Naruto fell silent for a moment. Looking at the tear tracks on her face, the only emotion in his heart seemed to be a heavy weight.

"Yeah..." Naruto replied with equal seriousness. "I won't let you down."

Hui Youling knew that from the moment she chose the path of Sasuke, she no longer had the right to yearn for Naruto's salvation.

Because she herself...

Her own inner demon...

Had already grown too large...