Awakening

After the decisive battle, Chiyo retreated with the remnants of the Hidden Sand to the fortress cities in the heart of the Land of Wind. These cities had been designed as military strongholds from the start, allowing for a defensive, turtle-like posture.

Neither side was willing to launch a major offensive, so the front lines remained temporarily calm. The Logistics Department had nothing to do, and the Shadow Clone of Riyue stationed there finally enjoyed a rare moment of leisure.

The real Riyue, however, would not idle away his time; he trained diligently every day, making rapid progress. Whenever he had free time, he would go to the Medical Station to help out. Three months of peace passed in this manner. Riyue checked the date and realized he would be turning seven in a month; his strength was also steadily improving.

That day, he went to visit Dan Kato as usual. Teacher Dan Kato's complexion had improved significantly, and his injuries were healing well. However, despite the timely rescue, Dan Kato's brain cells had been slightly affected, leaving him in a coma. He had been unconscious for four months; although he had opened his eyes a few times during that period, he had lacked consciousness and drifted back into a slumber, remaining unresponsive until now.

Riyue sat in the ward for a while, preparing to leave. Just then, Dan Kato's finger twitched. Judging that he was about to wake up, Riyue sent his Shadow Clone to notify everyone while he stayed behind to keep watch.

Upon receiving the message, Tsunade immediately dropped what she was doing and hurried over. Shikaku, Inoichi, Choza, Shibi, and Mizuki arrived as well.

Half an hour later, Dan Kato slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the ceiling with a dazed, sleepy expression, then scanned the people gathered around his bed. Finally, his gaze landed on Tsunade, and a flicker of clarity returned to his eyes.

"Dan..." Tsunade whispered his name softly.

"Tsu... Tsunade?" Dan Kato tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse, strained, and weak. He tried to move his fingers, only to realize his hand was being held tightly by Tsunade. Feeling the warmth and soft touch of her hand, Dan Kato felt as if it were all too unreal. Had he already reached heaven?

"Am I... dead? Could it be... that you are also..." Dan Kato asked in confusion, struggling to sit up. Was this the paradise he had heard of?

Riyue, standing to the side, quickly reached out to press him down. "Teacher, you aren't dead. You're lying in the Medical Station right now. Stay still, or your wounds will reopen!" Riyue said with feigned sternness, though his eyes were full of joy.

"Riyue... so I didn't die... was I saved? Back then... I thought I saw my sister... and then a voice pulled me back..." Dan Kato gradually understood the situation. With his mind clear, he lay quietly on the bed.

"Everyone... you all came..." He looked around at the group, whose expressions were quite emotional, before turning his gaze back to Tsunade.

Tsunade gripped Dan Kato's hand tightly, biting her lip to suppress her agitation. She looked at him, and a tear spilled from the corner of her eye, sliding down her cheek.

"Why... are you crying?" Dan Kato wanted to wipe away her tears, but he found he had no strength, so he could only offer a faint smile.

"Thank you... Tsunade..."

This smile seemed to overlap with the one he had worn just before his heart stopped, making Tsunade's heart tremble. She had once thought she would never see this smile again.

"Dan, it's so good that you're okay... sob..." She finally couldn't hold it back any longer, throwing herself into his arms and weeping loudly. All her worry, guilt, and longing transformed into tears that flowed freely.

Caught off guard by Tsunade's sudden embrace, Dan Kato felt a sharp pain in his chest, but he endured it without a sound. His heart felt warm. Watching Tsunade weep in his arms, he reached out with effort to gently stroke her beautiful hair.

"Sob... it's so good..." Tsunade had been worried about Dan Kato all these days, and at this moment, the heart that had been hanging in suspense finally settled, allowing her to vent all her emotions.

"Aren't I... perfectly fine? Don't cry..." Dan Kato held his beloved woman gently in his arms, comforting her.

Tsunade gradually calmed down and looked up at Dan Kato. Being able to embrace him again made her heart swell with joy; her face was radiant, appearing gentle and moving.

Looking at her delicate and beautiful face, Dan Kato could not suppress his love. He couldn't help but kiss her on the forehead. "Thank you..."

Tsunade was slightly stunned, her eyes filled with emotion. The two looked at each other in silence for a long time, as if time itself had stood still.

Riyue and the others had tactfully left the ward as soon as Tsunade hugged Dan Kato, leaving the space for the two of them.

Mizuki was wiping her tears on the side, moved to pieces.

Shikaku shook his head helplessly. "Women, they really are troublesome!" The clever man seemed indifferent to such displays.

As it turned out, when he looked back, Choza was also crying, tears squeezing out of his small eyes as he sniffled.

Inoichi's eyes were red as well, and he stood there silently.

Shibi wore sunglasses, so it was hard to tell, but he had already gone through several tissues blowing his nose. Shikaku felt a headache coming on and pressed his hand to his forehead. "Sigh, all of them are troublesome!"

The Akimichi clan members are all kind-hearted, big-hearted and generous, Riyue thought with a sigh, secretly wiping away the moisture from his own eyes when no one was looking.

After a long while, everyone returned to the ward, smiling as they looked at Dan Kato and Tsunade, who was still holding his hand.

"Teacher, these are flowers for you, though they're just wildflowers," Inoichi said with a smile.

"Teacher Dan, here! Barbecue-flavored chips. You'll recover faster if you eat these," Choza said, rubbing his red nose.

"This is the porridge Riyue stewed this morning, and the soup I made!" Mizuki was also very happy as she presented the lunch boxes.

"Thank you all..." Dan Kato couldn't move much, so he could only offer a faint smile.

"Teacher, while you were asleep, we won a great victory!" Shikaku said.

Everyone chatted and laughed together, and the ward seemed a bit more lively. Since Dan Kato had just woken up and needed to rest, the group didn't stay long and prepared to leave. Dan Kato asked Riyue to stay behind. Only Tsunade, Riyue, and Dan Kato remained in the room.

"Riyue, thank you... for saving me." Dan Kato had already learned from Tsunade that it was Riyue who had saved him.

"Actually, if you want to thank someone, thank Lady Tsunade. She put in just as much effort as I did," Riyue said with a smile.

Tsunade looked at Riyue, her expression complex, and said, "Riyue, thank you so much... I hope..."

Riyue waved his hand, cutting her off. He looked at Dan Kato, pointedly avoiding Tsunade's gaze, and said coolly, "If you really must thank me, Teacher Dan, just treat me to a couple more meals."

The observant Dan Kato could see that Riyue was deliberately keeping his distance from Tsunade, and the look in Tsunade's eyes toward Riyue was also quite complicated. There seemed to be a deep rift between the two.

He had some questions in his heart: What exactly happened between these two? Does Tsunade know that Riyue is her disciple?

"Riyue, you are Tsunade's disciple..." Dan Kato wanted to clarify the situation.

"Teacher, let's not talk about that. Take care of your health," Riyue interrupted him.

"I'm leaving now. Get some rest," Riyue said, waving his hand before leaving the ward.

Tsunade watched him go, a look of loss in her eyes.

"Tsunade... what is going on..." Dan Kato asked.

"Sigh, that child wouldn't listen to my explanation..." Tsunade sighed, recounting the misunderstanding between the two of them before pausing to consider, then informing Dan Kato about Riyue's intention to defect to Danzo.

Dan Kato fell silent for a moment, then continued, "Riyue... is a wise child." He chose the word "wise" rather than "clever," which spoke volumes about how highly Dan Kato regarded him.

"You cannot view him... through the lens of an ordinary child. His resolve is... beyond imagination... He would never truly betray anyone..."

Tsunade was taken aback. "Are you saying he was putting on an act back then?"

Dan Kato nodded and continued, "You really are stubborn... You should have a proper talk with that child. He is coming to see me tomorrow... just clear the air with him. Riyue may seem easygoing and gentle with others... but he is also very strong-willed... His pride is immense..."

Tsunade looked at Dan Kato and gave a firm nod.