Konan held Chiba. She knew, of course, that Chiba didn't see Sister Katsuzuki in a romantic light. It was a little contemptible, but when Konan realized Chiba wasn't interested in Hanzo's Right Hand, she was still somewhat glad. Now, though, she was consumed by deep self-reproach. If she had been a ninja, she wouldn't have been captured, and what happened afterward wouldn't have happened. Sister Katsuzuki wouldn't have died...
Vmmmm!!!!!!
Uchiha Chiba lifted his head, looked at Konan, and said, "Let's go home."
"Brother Chiba, your eyes..." Konan exclaimed in surprise.
His Double Tomoe Sharingan had just evolved into the Three Tomoe Sharingan! The amount of chakra in his body had also reached Kage Level after he killed Blank and Weeper. In less than half a year, he had advanced from Chunin to Kage Level!
The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had said that the Uchiha Clan loved more deeply than any other clan, so the Uchiha had sealed that love away.
Once members of the Uchiha Clan learned to love, the feelings they had kept restrained all this time would be released in an instant. At that moment, a power of love surpassing that of the Senju Clan would awaken. But such intense love could also run wild at any moment.
When an Uchiha who had learned to love lost that love, the love in his heart would be replaced by even stronger hatred. That was why his entire personality would change. During this process, special chakra would emerge in the Uchiha's brain, transforming his eyes. That was how the Sharingan awakened. The Sharingan was therefore also known as the Eye of Reflecting the Heart.
The Sharingan synchronized with the power of an Uchiha's heart, making its wielder grow stronger at an astonishing pace in a short time. But this came with a surge of hatred in the heart. And since most Uchiha were naturally sensitive and introspective, those who awakened these feelings were almost always consumed by darkness and led astray.
And now...
The Three Tomoe spun wildly, signaling that Uchiha Chiba had become a true Uchiha who knew how to love.
The next day, Amegakure held a funeral for Hanzo's Right Hand...
Amegakure, in the memorial hall for Katsuzuki
Hanzo's Right Hand lay in her coffin, surrounded by flowers and offerings. The Rain Ninja wore black mourning clothes, their faces grief-stricken and tears glimmering in their eyes.
As Amegakure's leader, Hanzo the Salamander had learned of his daughter's death at once. He hurried back to the village and pushed open the door.
Hanzo's Right Hand's broken body came into view.
"I'm sorry." Uchiha Chiba lowered his head and clenched his fists tightly.
Hanzo the Salamander said nothing. He simply walked to the coffin, reached out, and stroked Katsuzuki's cheek. His heavy breathing came from beneath his mask.
No one knew what Hanzo the Salamander was thinking.
After a long while,
Hanzo the Salamander slowly turned around and let out a breath. His tone still seemed as calm as ever. "Everyone, leave. Tomorrow we fight the Konoha forces. Go and rest. Chiba, you stay..."
After everyone had left,
Hanzo the Salamander's hoarse voice rang out. "Who killed Katsuzuki?"
"Danzo's Twelve Root Members." Uchiha Chiba's lips trembled. He didn't want to bring them up.
"Good. Danzo, you killed my daughter, so I'll destroy your Twelve Root Members... Besides the ones you killed, how many are left?" Hanzo the Salamander said coldly, a terrifying surge of chakra radiating from him.
"Besides the five who've already been killed, there are seven of those so-called Twelve Root Members left," Uchiha Chiba replied.
"Good. Good, good, good. Chiba, you don't need to blame yourself. I know that girl's nature better than anyone. She thought this was meaningful, so she threw herself in front of you and took that blow." Hanzo the Salamander walked toward the memorial hall's entrance.
Watching Hanzo the Salamander's back, Uchiha Chiba didn't know what to think.
"By the way, Chiba, as the price for my daughter saving you, if I ever ask you to die, you'll have to die. Understood?" Hanzo the Salamander said, placing a hand on the door as if waiting for something.
There,
Uchiha Chiba only murmured, "Sister Katsuzuki, I hope I can live well."
Hanzo the Salamander said nothing more. He simply opened the door and left.
On the front lines,
Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade were directing the Konoha ninja as they laid traps. Some were arrays of Explosive Tags, some were Kunai thrusts, and others involved a small amount of lethal poison.
"Jiraiya, did you get the intelligence?" Orochimaru asked, studying the map in his hands without even turning around.
Jiraiya sighed.
"Hanzo the Salamander's only daughter is dead." Jiraiya merely shook his head.
"What happened? How did she suddenly die?" Tsunade asked in surprise. She glanced at Orochimaru, then shook her head again. She knew her teammate wasn't the sort of person to kill someone's child.
Orochimaru naturally noticed Jiraiya and Tsunade's looks. He sighed again. "Don't look at me like that. I wouldn't do something so underhanded."
"We know. We're not accusing you of anything. Jiraiya, explain carefully what happened. Don't let Hanzo the Salamander vent his anger on the Konoha forces." Tsunade spread her hands.
Jiraiya rubbed his chin and shook his head. "I don't know. I only know that Hanzo's daughter died, apparently to save someone. I don't know the details. I'm not a worm in Hanzo's stomach, after all. It's only natural that I don't know exactly what happened."
"Indeed. No need to ask any further. And as for your question, Tsunade—no, it isn't a question. It's inevitable. I only hope that tomorrow, fewer lives will be lost." Orochimaru put away the map and looked up at the sky.
That same day,
Dan Katō's squad received a special mission: destroy a secret training ground somewhere in Amegakure and kill all the talented young ninja.
The next morning,
Hanzo the Salamander led a force of thousands of Rain Ninja out across the sea from the Land of Rain. Beneath the water swam a gigantic Ibuse. As a side note, Hanzo the Salamander had confined Uchiha Chiba to the Land of Rain, leaving him no choice but to train his Kusarigama techniques in the forest. Chiba had readily accepted.
"Lord Hanzo, please accept my condolences." Hanzo's Right Hand struggled to contain his immense grief as he tried to comfort Hanzo the Salamander.
"Mm..." Hanzo the Salamander merely stared ahead without a word.
But Hanzo's Right Hand was the one who was most heartbroken.
That little girl, Katsuzuki...
She was the finest student he had raised from the time she was just a tiny child...
Before you continue