Sunlight streamed into the hospital room, and a brilliant smile spread across that fresh, refined face.
By contrast, the smile at the corner of Orochimaru's stiff-featured face slowly faded. This Uchiha brat before him was even greedier than he'd expected.
"Two million ryo for the mission, plus permission to leave the battlefield? These aren't tasks an ordinary Genin could even get near. Even greed has its limits."
"Cut the crap. Five million ryo, at least ten kunai made from material like the Kusanagi Sword, one Kusanagi Sword, assorted puppet-making materials, and a full set of ninja tools, Explosive Tags included. Take it or leave it."
He cut off Orochimaru's train of thought. Even Hua Yue thought the nearly shameless demands were a bit much, but he still drove a hard bargain without hesitation.
The Kusanagi Sword was actually a name for weapons made from some of the toughest materials in the shinobi world. Even a Tailed Beast Bomb couldn't break them.
Compared with those ten Kusanagi Sword kunai and the Kusanagi Sword, the puppet mechanisms and the five-million-ryo payment seemed almost insignificant.
"Where did you hear the name Kusanagi Sword? Never mind. Konoha's footing the bill anyway. Once you've signed this agreement, your ninja tools will be ready, and you'll set out immediately. The Sand Ninja and Cloud Hidden forces are already closing in on Mount Kikyo."
Orochimaru's muttering made Hua Yue's ears perk up. He couldn't help wondering if he'd asked for too little.
"Deal. The things you need will be delivered shortly. Don't underestimate your opponent. She's Chiyo, a Sand Ninja advisor and puppeteer who took part in two Shinobi World Wars."
Leaving only those words behind, Orochimaru hurried off. He was probably eager to submit the bill to the Third Hokage.
That was understandable. His bizarre experiments often required huge sums of money. Even Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, must have worried about finances.
"Sand Ninja advisor? The puppeteer Chiyo? Compared to those old geezers who cling to power, the older generation of Sand Ninja really is open-minded."
"What do you call that? You don't know what you've got until you see the contrast?"
Creak!
The hospital room door opened again, and Nonō walked in slowly, smiling at Hua Yue.
"Looks like you've almost recovered. Are you going home later?"
"Well, I'd love to go home, but things hardly ever go the way you want. I'm off to the battlefield next. War without end, huh?"
His carefree, brilliant smile stung Nonō's heart, though he seemed not to notice.
The gentle hand resting on his forehead turned into a tender embrace. The scent of medicinal herbs and her soothing warmth left Hua Yue momentarily stunned.
"This damned era. Even you young sprouts, who haven't even grown up yet, have to go to the battlefield. It's just... just..."
Ah, what a wonderful woman!
Before the thought had even faded, laughter rang out behind him. Hua Yue turned his head, and the Black Nine-Tails' nine tails immediately stood on end.
"I wasn't laughing..."
"Shut up! It's time to use you. If you let me down when it matters, you'll regret it."
Rapid footsteps approached. Two Konoha Ninja hurriedly pushed open the door and shouted,
"Is Uchiha Hanazuki here?!"
Seeing the awkward scene, the two instinctively apologized and were about to turn around and leave. Hua Yue, his moment interrupted, glared at them.
"What is it?"
"You... You're Uchiha Hanazuki? Have the people up top gone mad? They're sending a child to face the famed puppeteer Chiyo!"
The two Konoha Chunin who'd been sent to deliver the message had suspected the Third Hokage had lost his mind. But Uchiha Hanazuki's next words completely dispelled any thought that the orders had been delivered by mistake.
"That quickly? Honestly, Orochimaru-sensei really is decisive. Has the Yellow Flash already gone to Mount Kikyo?"
"Yes! Lord Minato set out from the Land of Wind border and is about to reach the Land of Fire border."
Bang! The door flew open, and several Konoha Medical Team ninjas looked around. Their faces lit up when they spotted Nonō.
"Lady Nonō, thank goodness you're here. There's an emergency. The Third Hokage has ordered the Medical Team to head to Mount Kikyo at once and provide support."
"Oh my, Doctor, so your name is Nonō? I'll remember that. Keep this kunai; something good might come of it. Goodbye."
In a flash, the two Konoha Chunin who'd brought the message and Uchiha Hanazuki vanished from the room, leaving the Medical Team members staring in shock.
"He disappeared. Was that the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
Her thoughts racing, Nonō turned to look at the black kunai left on the hospital bed. A strange formula was faintly engraved on it.
She smiled and tucked it away against her body in front of the two Medical Team members. They couldn't make sense of it. They were about to head to the battlefield, and she was still so happy?
At the Uchiha Clan, inside Hua Yue's little house.
After changing into his black outfit and cloak, he turned to the two Konoha Chunin, who still hadn't recovered from their shock.
"The Sand Ninja should still have kunai marked with the Yellow Flash's chakra. Take one out. We're leaving."
"Huh? How did you know we had Lord Minato's kunai?"
Hua Yue's mouth twitched. He looked at them as if they were idiots and answered coldly,
"I've never been to the Land of Wind. If you didn't bring me a kunai marked with the Yellow Flash's chakra, did you expect me to walk all the way there?"
Only then did they realize how stupid their question had been. The hedgehog-haired Chunin quickly took out a kunai. Hua Yue gave it a cursory glance and nodded.
"I see. The formula's more like writing. I've got the general idea. Let's go."
The scene shifted to an endless desert, where explosions and flames flared up from time to time. As the three dropped from the sky, they landed right in the middle of the battlefield.
"Did I miscalculate? I meant to reach the farthest target in one go. Looks like this distance will do."
"Hey! What are you doing standing in the middle of the battlefield? Poison needles incoming!"
From the forest at the battlefield's edge, a Konoha Ninja shouted. A dozen shuriken whistled down from above and embedded themselves in the tree trunks.
"Wind Style: Wind Cutter!"
Countless invisible blades of wind surged from the distance, turning sand and dust into fine powder. A cold glint flashed in Hua Yue's eyes as he shouted, instantly scattering the wind blades.
"Crack!"
A powerful burst of chakra briefly silenced the battlefield, which had been filled with explosions and battle cries.
The Konoha Ninja concealed in the woods peered toward the battlefield's center. They saw a figure wearing a Three-Eyed Demon Fox mask marked with Konoha's symbol, and their expressions varied.
"What's with that chakra?"
"Hey, hey! They sent the Yellow Flash away, and this is the reinforcements they sent us? Why's he so short? Is he a kid?"
"Are you kidding me? We're supposed to entrust our lives to this brat?"