Thou Shalt Not Die

Senju Kyogawa felt the Uchiha ninja withdraw his hand from his chest, and he could feel the flesh and nerves in his chest being torn along with it. Because the Pain Suppression Card was active, Senju Kyogawa could only sense a faint, dull ache.

This feeling is truly strange...

Did he pierce my heart?

The Uchiha Clan's Sharingan is truly formidable... If the system hadn't activated its defensive function, I might not even have known how I died...

The Uchiha ninja finally pulled his hand out of Senju Kyogawa's mangled chest, and a spray of blood shot out directly. Senju Kyogawa blankly covered his chest with his hands, but he could not stop the blood from surging out.

Following that, he felt a chill on his body; the coldness slowly spread from his fingertips to his limbs, then permeated his entire body.

Only his chest remained a patch of warmth.

Why was that?

Oh... blood is warm, after all...

Hiss, it really does hurt a bit...

"Little brother--"

In the moment he collapsed, Senju Kyogawa seemed to hear the cry of his second brother, Senju Tobirama.

That voice was truly heart-wrenching...

I'm actually not in much pain, Brother Tobirama...

Don't worry...

Go save Brother Itama quickly...

These were Senju Kyogawa's final thoughts before he closed his eyes.

In the darkness, the system's electronic voice rang out in Senju Kyogawa's mind. But at this moment, having fallen into a deep coma and hovering on the brink of death, Senju Kyogawa was clearly unable to hear it.

[Skill 'Thou Shalt Not Die' passively activated. Detection complete—conditions for use met, currently in effect...]

[Ding—Thou Shalt Not Die (Incomplete Version) successfully used.]

[Host, please remember: this skill is a passive skill. It has not yet met the conditions for conversion into an active skill. Please actively seek the conditions for active skill conversion.]

Inside the Senju Clan's main camp, Senju Hashirama was pacing anxiously outside the tent. His hands rubbed together incessantly, and his face was still streaked with undried tears.

Senju Tobirama leaned against a nearby tree, his head hanging low, lost in thought. His body was covered in blood, though most of it belonged to Senju Kyogawa.

Looking closely now, even his usually sleek, white hair had become much duller.

Within this single day, the shock Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama had endured was simply too great.

Inside the tent was the younger brother undergoing emergency treatment, and outside were two brothers with restless minds.

At the time, Senju Kyogawa and Senju Itama had been ambushed while transporting supplies. They had received the news—but by the time they rushed over after seeing the signal flare, it was already too late...

Both knew the situation might be dire and had prepared themselves for the loss of their brothers. After all, the enemy had been a siege by over a dozen adult Uchiha ninjas, and... among them were even ninjas who had already awakened their Sharingan.

But when they saw the scene, they still could not suppress the grief in their hearts.

Senju Hashirama had arrived first at the location where his fourth brother, Senju Itama, had met with disaster, but it was clearly already too late for anything...

Senju Hashirama could only see—

His little brother Itama's small body was stained with blood, slumped beneath a massive boulder, his back resting against the stone behind him. That stone was smeared with the bright red blood belonging to his brother.

Judging by the wounds on the corpse, Senju Itama must have gone through a fierce battle. The enemy had used the Sharingan to deceive Senju Itama, then simply thrust a blade into his young chest, crushing his beating heart—much like what Senju Kyogawa had suffered.

It was just that this single strike from the enemy had completely extinguished Senju Itama's hope of survival.

Senju Hashirama held his brother Itama in despair and sorrow; he was cold and sticky—just like his brother Kawarama, and like countless Senju clansmen who had died in battle.

A great deal of resentment arose in Senju Hashirama's heart for no reason—resentment toward this cruel ninja world.

He wept, letting out suppressed roars, railing against the cruelty of the world and why it had snatched away the lives of two of his brothers in succession.

As for Senju Tobirama, he had been rushing toward Senju Kyogawa's location after seeing two Great Fireball Techniques collide in the distance.

He had expected to encounter Senju ninjas locked in a fierce battle with Uchiha ninjas.

He had not expected that when he arrived, he would find his youngest brother, Senju Kyogawa, with a hand thrust directly through his chest.

The enemy Uchiha ninjas had fled quickly. Even though those three had sustained burns, the power of the Sharingan had prevented the Senju ninjas from detaining them.

Senju Tobirama had held his brother in helpless grief, only to discover with astonishment that his youngest brother still retained a faint, lingering breath.

Senju Kyogawa opened his eyes and looked around blankly, surprised to find that he was still alive.

The next second, he let out a cry, startled by the sharp, piercing pain radiating from his chest.

"Hiss! It hurts—"

[System—]

[Why isn't the Pain Suppression Card working?] Senju Kyogawa demanded of the system viciously.

[Host, if the system hadn't activated its protection function, you might have already gone to the Pure Land by now. Please try to behave yourself.]

[Furthermore, the Pain Suppression Card and the 'Thou Shalt Not Die (Defective Version)' skill card are in conflict.]

[The system detected your near-death state, and the 'Thou Shalt Not Die (Defective Version)' skill was triggered passively, saving your life. However, after using this skill, the Pain Suppression Card will be ineffective for a period of time.] the system explained in a cocky tone.

[Hey—how come you're getting more cheeky, system? But... thanks.] Senju Kyogawa was still grateful that the system had saved his sorry hide.

He had managed to claw his way back from the brink of death...

[Right—]

[Brother Itama...] Senju Kyogawa suddenly thought of Senju Itama, who had been besieged by Uchiha Clan ninjas alongside him.

Although the two had been forced to separate halfway through, Senju Itama had also been surrounded by several Uchiha ninjas; his situation clearly hadn't been optimistic either.

Just as Senju Kyogawa was thinking this, someone pushed open the door and walked in.

"Kyogawa—you're awake!" Senju Hashirama called out happily.

"Brother Hashirama... how is Brother Itama? How bad are his injuries?" Senju Kyogawa asked in a panic.

Senju Hashirama's expression froze visibly. His lips trembled slightly, and he couldn't bring himself to answer Senju Kyogawa's question.

Seeing Senju Hashirama's reaction, how could Senju Kyogawa not understand what had happened?

I'm afraid... I'm afraid his brother Senju Itama had already...

It was evident that Senju Hashirama's complexion was deathly pale, with heavy, bruised dark circles under his eyes; he looked completely devastated.

But...

Senju Hashirama was usually the most cheerful person imaginable...

Neither of them spoke again, and the atmosphere in the room turned heavy for a time.

Early morning, the weather was clear.

Within the Senju Clan grounds.

Senju Itama was being laid to rest. He was slightly luckier than Senju Kawarama; his body was intact... except for a large, gaping hole where his heart had been.

The clansmen chose not to use Earth Release, but instead shoveled the dirt up one spade at a time, placed it into the coffin, and then shoveled the dirt back into the pit—this was the Senju Clan's way of showing respect to their fallen kin.

The morning breeze still carried a hint of chill. Senju Kyogawa coughed a few times; his injuries had not yet fully healed.

Although that punch hadn't damaged his heart, Senju Kyogawa's lungs had suffered. Until he recovered, every breath Senju Kyogawa took was painful.

Senju Kyogawa felt as if his heart had been infected by the pain in his lungs; otherwise, why would his heart be throbbing with pain right now?

Senju Kyogawa's eyes felt dry, and he simply continued to watch in silence as Senju Itama's coffin was lowered into the grave.

"Wuu wuu wuu..." The sound of a boy crying came from not far away.

Senju Kyogawa lifted his gaze to look. It was a young boy who looked about the same age as him, with short black hair, currently suppressing his sobs.

Senju Kyogawa glanced at the child a few times before looking away, an infinite sense of sorrow rising in his heart.

Look, this world is just this cruel.

Senju Tobirama held Kyogawa's hand, concerned about his condition.

That's right, this time it was Senju Tobirama holding Kyogawa's hand. He gripped it so tightly, as if afraid that Kyogawa might be blown away by the wind just like that.

Senju Kyogawa shook his head to indicate he was fine, then continued to lean against Senju Tobirama to barely maintain his footing—there was no other way; the injuries Senju Kyogawa had sustained were simply too severe, and the pain was too intense.

This time, Senju Hashirama didn't speak again. The three brothers watched in silence as the coffin belonging to Itama was lowered into the earth... buried right next to Senju Kawarama.

Senju Butsuma also watched all of this in silence.

I don't know if it was Senju Kyogawa's imagination, but he always felt...

Senju Butsuma, whose frame had always been so unyielding, couldn't help but hunch his back.

That silhouette looked just like a grieving father—desolate and bleak.

Senju Kyogawa stared fixedly at Senju Butsuma's back, lost in a daze.

Then, Kyogawa let go of Senju Tobirama's hand, approached Senju Butsuma, took his hand, and gave him a gentle hug, even though Kyogawa could barely reach Senju Butsuma's thighs.

Senju Butsuma crouched down and gave Kyogawa a real hug; he held him very tightly.

Senju Butsuma's embrace was warm, very warm.

Then, Kyogawa did the same for Hashirama and Tobirama, giving them each a hug.

For comfort that cannot be expressed in words, let actions take their place...

The departed are gone, a new day has arrived, and everyone must continue to walk forward—carrying the wishes of those who have passed.