A Temporary Conclusion

Yueshu gently adjusted his breathing as his chakra was continuously drained from his body.

The surrounding branches continued to coil forward, each movement consuming a significant amount of Yueshu's chakra.

Yueshu had long since run low on chakra, but he had to win this battle today!

Yueshu clenched his fists, bracing himself for the moment his chakra would be completely exhausted.

No matter what, he had to win!

Yueshu's eyes widened as he watched the white vortex before him; it was Kurohane's Rotation, constantly fending off the encroaching branches.

The Rotation, hailed as the absolute defense, truly lived up to its reputation.

But Yueshu would never lose.

He believed this with absolute conviction—

The wind gently caressed his face, its tenderness seeping into Yueshu's heart, nourishing him like a shallow, flowing stream.

His entire body began to warm, and he could feel a temperature that reached straight to his soul.

Heat surged from his dantian, circulating continuously throughout his body.

Vitality was constantly springing forth.

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 in joy.

How magical; Yueshu could feel this emotion.

It was like a dog you had raised for a long time wagging its tail when it saw you, expressing a happiness that could not be put into words.

Yueshu closed his eyes and lay there.

Quietly, he felt it.

His strength was slowly returning.

The sunlight seemed to shine down in an instant, and the whole world became bright and vivid.

"Is it you?"

Yueshu asked softly.

The surrounding branches reached out and brushed against Yueshu's cheek.

It was as if they were expressing their closeness.

It was incredibly cute.

Yueshu smiled; he felt that emotion.

All of nature was whispering to him, very softly and gently.

They continuously poured chakra into Yueshu, constantly providing him with vitality and life force.

This was the power of Wood Release.

The supreme power derived from nature—

Therefore, He absolutely could not lose!!

Yueshu increased his chakra output.

He intended to end this battle.

He slapped his hands together.

This was Yueshu's final strike.

"Deep Forest Emergence,"

"Binding Kill!"

Yueshu shouted.

All the trees brought forth by Deep Forest Emergence became restless.

They swayed their branches as if they were reveling in a frenzy.

This was the end.

He was betting everything he had.

Including his life.

The branches swung wildly, lashing out in an instant.

Sounds rang out incessantly as the branches struck against the Rotation.

Perhaps Kurohane was also exhausted, for after just one strike, the Rotation began to falter.

"It's not over yet!"

Yueshu would not let such an omen slip by; a trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth as he pushed himself past his limits.

The branches whipped forward once more.

"All of our pain and suffering."

"I return it all to you!"

As the words fell, the branches lashed down.

It was as if a mirror had been shattered.

In the next instant, the Rotation fractured like glass; the absolute defense had been broken.

Kurohane, caught inside, spat blood and dropped to one knee.

But the descending branches did not stop.

This was the moment for full repayment!

"We won!"

Yueshu's vision darkened at the edges, and he collapsed to his knees.

In his final moments, his fading sight caught Kurohane being relentlessly bound by the branches.

Squelch!

A spray of blood bloomed.

Yueshu lay on the ground and closed his eyes.

Before him lay the blood-stained branches.

The ground, too, was dyed red.

"Yueshu."

Kushina crawled over. Despite the backlash still wracking her body, she ignored it all and dragged herself to Yueshu's side.

A breeze blew gently, stirring Yueshu's hair and lifting Kushina's red locks.

"Lord Hero. You won, didn't you?"

Kushina gently lifted Yueshu, resting him on her lap, and leaned her forehead against his.

"You really did win."

Kushina's voice was gentler than it had ever been.

Even the wind blew with such tenderness, and the surrounding fallen leaves drifted down like rain.

The girl and the boy huddled together, though the boy could no longer see the girl's infinitely gentle face.

This time.

It was truly over.

"Ah."

Yueshu opened his eyes. After the light screen faded, he was met once again with the familiar wooden ceiling.

"Is it over?"

"It's over."

Yueshu turned his head to see Jiraiya standing in the doorway, watching him with a smile.

"That's good."

"We owe it all to you this time, kid hero."

"That nickname is really strange."

Yueshu sighed, feeling listless.

"Haha, get some rest. You overextended your chakra so much—it's a miracle you held on. I'll have to make sure Tsunade takes a good look at you later."

"She'll definitely take 'good' care of me."

Yueshu offered a helpless, bitter smile.

"Doted on, eh? Not bad."

Jiraiya smirked, then his expression shifted.

It was the smile of a mentor.

It was incredibly kind, completely out of character for Jiraiya.

"You worked hard."

"..."

"You too."

The two, one large and one small, stared at each other for a moment before they both began to laugh.

"Hahahaha."

"Hahahaha."

The laughter drifted out from within, carrying all the way outside.

"These guys."

Kushina sighed.

Mikoto smiled from the side.

"Well, it is Yueshu, after all, and Jiraiya-sensei is there too."

"Honestly, even as patients, they don't know how to rest properly."

Kushina remarked, though a smile brimmed at the corners of her lips, and Mikoto didn't point it out.

Minato Namikaze had already stepped out of the room, walking alone in the courtyard outside.

As the wind gently stirred his golden hair, Minato couldn't help but close his eyes for a moment.

Upon opening them, he saw a familiar young girl.

Hui.

The Guardian of the Chakra Fruit.

"Miss Hui."

Minato greeted her first.

Hui remained the same, beautiful and gentle.

As her long hair fluttered in the breeze, she looked at Minato.

"Thank you."

Hui smiled; she remembered the person who had saved her back then.

It was the blond boy standing before her.

"It was a mission, after all, ahaha."

Minato blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his head with a laugh.

Hui chuckled softly.

She walked over to Minato's side.

"You are also a little hero of Takigakure, you know."

Hui said this as she walked past Minato.

She still had plenty to attend to; with such a major event having occurred in Takigakure, there was much for her, the one actually in charge, to do.

Even though she was only in her teens, she had to shoulder this inherent responsibility.

Minato turned his head to watch Hui walking away.

A petite figure.

He suddenly realized that Hui was also just so small.

She was just a young girl, usually all alone; in the sun-drenched Takigakure, only she and her shadow walked side by side.

Suddenly, Minato fell silent.

He didn't know why, but he felt an urge to walk up to her.

"Um!"

"Miss Hui."

"What is it?"

"That—where are you heading in a bit?"

Hui looked at Minato for a moment.

"I'll go see Jiraiya-sama and the others; I really must thank you all properly."

"Then let's go together, I was just thinking of heading that way too."

Minato quickened his pace to catch up.

Hui looked at the blond figure walking beside her; he was still quite short, not even as tall as she was.

His face still looked very youthful.

"Let's go together."

Hui didn't know why, but she suddenly chuckled a few times.

It feels like I'm a little happy.

This feeling suddenly welled up in her heart; it was somewhat strange.

The boy and the girl walked on together.

In the sun-drenched Takigakure, the shadows of the young girl and the blond figure merged into one.