Rika's Last Request

Nearly three years had passed since Hyuuga Nen developed the Cell Activation Forbidden Technique.

During those three years, Hyuuga Nen had inscribed the Four Symbols Seal and the Seal of Resilience on the major organs of his respiratory system, allowing the forbidden technique to run automatically inside his body.

Now that Hyuuga Nen had finished strengthening his respiratory system, he immediately noticed the difference.

Most notably, his cardiopulmonary endurance and stamina had improved greatly. He could now hold his breath for a long time after taking a deep breath, or slow his breathing to a minimum and enter a state resembling suspended animation.

"Taking three years to strengthen my respiratory system was a little slow. But according to my calculations, as I finish strengthening my other systems, I'll be able to train in this forbidden technique faster and faster. It shouldn't take more than ten years to complete."

"Next is strengthening my circulatory system. Once I'm ready, I'll inscribe a Sealing Technique on my heart."

As Hyuuga Nen thought this over, he headed toward the Samurai Garrison. He had just completed a mission and was about to return for some rest.

Just as he reached the entrance to the garrison, he saw Miyaichi hurrying toward him with a panicked expression.

"Nen, something's wrong! Your mother's very sick. It looks like... it looks like she may not make it!" Miyaichi handed him a letter, then stammered out the last part.

At those words, the relaxed expression on Hyuuga Nen's face instantly turned tense. He opened the letter and quickly read it.

It was from Rika's neighbor. The letter said Rika was gravely ill and wanted to see Hyuuga Nen one last time.

"Thank you, Miyaichi. I have to go home right away. Sorry for the trouble, but please let Teacher Yuichiro know."

Without waiting for Miyaichi to answer, Hyuuga Nen hurried home.

The Samurai Garrison wasn't far from Hyuuga Nen's home. Running at full speed, he reached it in less than half an hour.

When he entered Rika's room, he saw their neighbor looking after her. The woman spotted Hyuuga Nen, hurried over, and gripped his hand as she anxiously said,

"Nen, your mother's terribly sick this time. She may not make it. Go see her one last time!"

Hyuuga Nen thanked the neighbor and asked her to leave for now, then went alone to Rika's bedside.

Rika was unconscious, her face completely drained of color. Several bloodstained handkerchiefs lay beside the bed.

Hyuuga Nen held Rika's hand and examined her. The more he checked, the deeper his brow furrowed.

"Damn it. Mother's condition is worse than ever, and it's deteriorating incredibly fast!"

Hyuuga Nen looked at Rika with sorrow, but his hands moved quickly as he treated her. First, he used the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique to remove the pathogens from her body. Then he used the Mystical Palm Technique to treat the damage caused by her illness.

After the treatment, Rika woke up. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Hyuuga Nen watching her.

"Nen, you're back. I'm sorry I worried you," Rika said weakly. She slowly reached out, as if she wanted to touch his face.

Hyuuga Nen took her hand and spoke softly. "Mother, don't talk yet. You need to rest."

"I know my condition well. I'm a doctor, after all. I'm about to die. If I don't say some things now, I won't get another chance."

Hyuuga Nen lowered his head and didn't contradict her. He seemed to accept what she was saying.

"From the time you were little, I hardly ever saw you smile. You always seemed to be thinking about something else. Maybe that's just your nature, or maybe it's the pressure that comes with your identity."

"I don't know what to do about it. There's nothing I can do to help you."

"Although you have a father, he isn't by your side. I couldn't give you a complete family, but I did my best to care for you as a mother. I hope you won't blame me."

Rika spoke slowly, pausing to rest after every few sentences. Still, Hyuuga Nen listened carefully to every word.

"Mother, you took wonderful care of me. You taught me to read and write, and taught me about medicinal herbs. I never had to worry about getting by. I've never blamed you."

Hyuuga Nen squeezed Rika's hand and told her earnestly.

At his words, tears of joy welled in Rika's eyes. She struggled to sit up and gently embraced him.

Rika whispered in Hyuuga Nen's ear, "Nen, what do you think of your father? Do you hate him?"

Hearing her question, Hyuuga Nen fell silent for a while, but decided to tell her the truth.

"I've never hated him. To me, he's just a stranger. He gave me life and the resources to train, making it possible for me to become a ninja. But his irresponsible behavior put both you and me in danger, so I won't be grateful to him either."

Rika was silent for a while, seemingly surprised by his answer. She sighed. "As long as you don't hate him, that's enough. I was always afraid to ask what you thought of your father, because I was scared of hearing your answer. But I'm relieved you could answer me like that."

"What about you? Do you hate him?" Hyuuga Nen asked.

"While I've been sick, I've thought about a lot of things—the few times I met your father, and how I came to give birth to you. Maybe your father never liked me at all. Maybe he only ever used me."

Hyuuga Nen turned to look at Rika's profile, seeming a little surprised by her answer.

"Although I've stopped lying to myself, I still don't hate your father."

"I still remember how he saved me like a hero when I ran into bandits in my hometown. He saved the villagers too. I still love your father."

"But it would be even better if he could say he was sorry."

Hearing Rika's answer, Hyuuga Nen said nothing. He only gently patted her back.

After a while, Rika continued, "Nen, I've heard a little about the Hyuga Clan's situation over the years. I don't know what path your life will take, but I'm sure it'll be a difficult one."

"There's nothing I can do to help you. I might even become a burden. If I die now, it might even be a good thing for you. Promise me you'll live well, okay?"

At Rika's words, Hyuuga Nen's body stiffened. After a while, he answered, "I promise. I'll make sure to live well!"

After waiting a while without hearing Rika speak, Hyuuga Nen helped her sit up and realized she had fallen asleep. He laid her back down and watched her quietly.

"Mother's life is almost at its end. Even if I'm confident I could perform surgery on her now, I still can't save her."

Her long illness had already drained the life from Rika. Hyuuga Nen thought sadly.

Even if the operation succeeded, using Medical Ninjutsu to stimulate her cells into dividing would only speed up the consumption of her remaining lifespan.

"I'm sorry."

Hyuuga Nen looked at Rika and whispered the words.

At that moment, he thought of the talk of fate he'd heard from characters in the original story. "Is this fate?" he murmured. "No. I don't believe in fate!"

Hyuuga Nen stayed in the room all night, watching Rika's life come to an end. He prepared her body, put it in the Storage Scroll, then made a fake corpse and informed Rika's neighbors and friends that she had passed away.

Hyuuga Nen spent half a day taking care of Rika's funeral arrangements and belongings. Then he left the home where he had lived for over a decade and headed alone for the Samurai Garrison.