Yueshu adjusted his breathing gently as chakra was continually drawn from his body.
The branches around him kept reaching out and coiling around him. Every movement drained a little more of Yueshu's chakra.
Yueshu had very little chakra left, but he had to win this battle today!
He clenched his fists, ready to use up every last bit of chakra.
No matter what, he had to win!
Yueshu stared at the white vortex before him. It was Kurohane's Rotation, fending off the branches that kept reaching for him.
Rotation, famed as an absolute defense, truly lived up to its name.
But Yueshu would not lose.
He believed that with all his heart—
The wind gently caressed his face, its tenderness seeping into Yueshu's heart, lightly nourishing him like a trickling stream.
Warmth spread through his body. He could feel a heat that reached all the way to his soul.
The warmth flowing from his abdomen coursed through his body, turning round and round.
Vitality continued to sprout within him.
Yueshu could feel the wonder of life.
The trees around him swayed back and forth. Was it the wind blowing them, or were they happy?
They seemed to be calling out joyfully.
How amazing. Yueshu could feel their emotions.
It was like a dog he had raised for years wagging its tail when it saw him, expressing a joy it couldn't put into words.
Yueshu closed his eyes and lay there.
Quietly feeling it all.
His strength slowly returned.
It was as if sunlight had suddenly poured down, making the whole world bright and vibrant.
"Is it you?"
Yueshu asked softly.
The branches around him reached out and brushed his cheek.
As if showing him affection.
So adorable.
Yueshu smiled. He could feel their emotions.
All of nature whispered to him, so gently and softly.
It poured chakra into Yueshu, giving him vitality and strength without end.
This was the power of Wood Release.
The supreme power born of nature—
So,
He absolutely could not lose!!
Yueshu increased his chakra output.
He was going to end this battle.
He brought his hands together with a clap.
This was Yueshu's final attack.
"Deep Forest Emergence,"
"Binding Kill!"
Yueshu shouted.
All the trees created by Deep Forest Emergence stirred into a frenzy.
They waved their branches as if celebrating wildly.
This was the end.
He would stake everything he had.
Even his life.
The branches swayed wildly, then whipped toward their target.
The blows continued to land, the branches striking Rotation again and again.
Perhaps Kurohane was out of strength too. After just one more strike, Rotation began to falter.
"It's not over!"
Yueshu wouldn't let such an opening slip by. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he pushed himself past his limits.
The branches whipped forward again.
"Everything we've suffered,"
"And every bit of pain we've endured."
"I'm giving it all back to you!"
As his words fell, the branches came crashing down.
It was like a mirror shattering.
The next moment, Rotation broke apart like glass. The absolute defense had been shattered!
Kurohane spat out blood and dropped to one knee.
But the branches didn't stop.
Now was the moment to pay him back in full!
"We won!"
Yueshu's vision went dark at the edges, and he sank to his knees.
As his sight gradually dimmed, he saw Kurohane being wrapped up in the branches.
Splurt!
Blood blossomed.
Yueshu collapsed onto the ground and closed his eyes.
Bloodstained branches lay before him.
The ground, too, was stained red.
"Yueshu."
Kushina crawled toward him. She was still suffering from the backlash, but she ignored it and dragged herself to his side.
The wind blew gently, lifting Yueshu's hair and stirring Kushina's red locks.
"Hero, you won."
Kushina gently lifted Yueshu onto her lap, then rested her forehead against his.
"You really did win."
Kushina's voice was gentler than ever.
Even the wind blew softly, and leaves drifted down around them like rain.
The girl and the boy leaned against each other, but the boy couldn't see the girl's utterly tender face.
This time,
It really was over—
"Ah..."
Yueshu opened his eyes. As the light faded, the familiar wooden ceiling came into view again.
"Is it over?"
"It's over."
Yueshu turned his head. Jiraiya stood at the doorway, smiling at him.
"Thank goodness."
"We have you to thank for this, Hero Boy."
"That nickname of yours is really strange."
Yueshu sighed, feeling utterly drained.
"Haha, get some good rest. You used up so much chakra; it's amazing you held on. When we get back, we'll have Tsunade give you a thorough checkup."
"She'll definitely take good care of me."
Yueshu gave a helpless smile.
"Getting pampered, huh? Not bad."
Jiraiya gave him a mischievous grin, then changed his expression.
He wore the smile of a teacher.
It was kind and gentle, and completely unlike Jiraiya.
"You've worked hard."
"..."
"You too."
The big boy and the little boy looked at each other for a moment, then smiled.
"Hahahaha."
"Hahahaha."
Their laughter rang out from the room and carried outside.
"Those two..."
Kushina sighed.
Mikoto smiled beside her.
"Well, that's Yueshu for you. And there's Teacher Jiraiya, too."
"Honestly, even when they're injured, they still don't know how to rest properly."
Kushina said, but a smile played on her lips. Mikoto didn't point it out.
Minato Namikaze had already left the room and was walking alone in the courtyard outside.
The breeze lifted his golden hair, and Minato Namikaze couldn't help closing his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them again, he saw a familiar girl.
Hui.
The Guardian of the Chakra Fruit.
"Miss Hui."
Minato Namikaze greeted her first.
Hui was as beautiful and gentle as ever.
Her long hair lifted in the wind as she looked at Minato Namikaze.
"Thank you."
Hui smiled. She remembered who had rescued her back then.
It had been the blond boy standing before her.
"It was part of the mission. Ahaha."
Minato Namikaze blushed a little and laughed as he rubbed his head.
Hui chuckled softly.
She walked over to stand beside Minato Namikaze.
"You're a little hero of Takigakure, too."
Hui said this as she walked past Minato Namikaze.
She still had plenty to do. With Takigakure facing such a major crisis, she had a great deal on her plate as the person truly in charge.
Although she was only a teenager, she had to shoulder the responsibility she had been born into.
Minato Namikaze turned to watch Hui walk away.
Her petite figure.
Only then did he realize how small Hui was, too.
She was a girl, too. Most of the time, she was all alone. Under the sunshine in Takigakure, only she and her shadow walked side by side.
Suddenly, Minato Namikaze fell silent.
He didn't know why, but he wanted to go after her.
"Um!"
"Miss Hui."
"What is it?"
"Um... where are you going now?"
Hui looked at Minato Namikaze for a moment.
"I'll see where Lord Jiraiya and the others are. I should thank you all properly."
"Then let's go together. I was just about to head there, too."
Minato Namikaze hurried over.
Hui looked at the blond figure beside her. He was still a little short, not even as tall as she was.
His face still looked so young.
"Let's go together."
Hui didn't know why, but she suddenly laughed a little.
I guess I'm kind of happy.
The feeling welled up inside her all at once. It was a little strange.
A boy and a girl walked together.
Under the bright sunshine in Takigakure, the girl's shadow and the blond boy's shadow merged.
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