Human joy and sorrow were not shared alike. Leaning against a stone statue, Kagami Uchiha frowned deeply as he looked toward the edge of the pool.
Baru wailed with a bruised and swollen face. Naka sat cross-legged, gradually undergoing toadification as he prepared to have his bones shattered by the Black Receiver. Rai, seated not far away, wore an ecstatic expression.
The noisy spectacle of people divided into two camps sent a chill through Kagami's heart.
Too
Too terrifying.
He could not help wanting to turn and flee. Being beaten into such a state just to touch the threshold of Sage Jutsu was completely not worth it.
The Sharingan was already enough for him to spend a lifetime exploring. Sage Jutsu could be left for others to practice.
Glancing at Aburame Taiichi, who was lined up ahead of him, Kagami softly said, "Sorry," to Rikusei, who sat with his eyes closed as though asleep. Then he lightened his steps and headed toward the lotus grove.
"Kagami?"
"Ah, I'm going to relieve myself."
Kagami, suddenly called out to, stiffly turned his face toward Danzo, who lay on the grass covered in bruises, and answered without hesitation.
"I understand."
A knowing look flashed through Danzo's eyes as pain wracked his entire body. As the test progressed, he had long lost his initial ignorance and fearlessness.
As the test went on, everyone had been divided into two areas around the pool according to their degree of toadification.
There was no need to say it aloud. Everyone understood what it meant.
Lying in the distance and watching, Danzo's heart was filled with lingering fear. Failing the test meant being completely fated to never learn Sage Jutsu.
If he were the one being tested next—
He would surely be even more nervous than Kagami was