"What are you waiting here for? Hurry up, the meeting's about to start!"
"Sigh..."
In the Hokage's office, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, fell into silence after discussing the village's affairs.
"We haven't seen Wu attending meetings with us much lately!"
Unable to hold it in any longer, Mitokado Homura asked Sarutobi Hiruzen. At the mention of Wu, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes dimmed. He did not answer, but Utatane Koharu, seated nearby, spoke up. "His body is nearing its limit, isn't it? After being nailed to a tree by so many kunai and having all his meridians crushed, twenty-two years is enough for the lamp to run dry."
Mitokado Homura looked at Utatane Koharu in surprise. "You knew too?"
"It wasn't exactly a secret, was it, Monkey?" Utatane Koharu turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen as she spoke. Sarutobi Hiruzen drew a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Rising to his feet, he turned toward Kage Rock beyond the window.
"Twenty-two years ago, Sensei and Lady Uzumaki Mito paid a tremendous price to pull Wu back from the brink of death. You have no idea what Wu faced. He didn't want to tell anyone, and I didn't want to question him or force him to explain. Since he was unwilling to speak of that pain, let him keep it to himself. Neither you nor I could persuade him otherwise. And perhaps... he truly does not have much time left."
"So that's how it is."
Mitokado Homura said nothing more. There was no point in saying anything. Since the man wanted to leave quietly, bringing him up again would only create needless sorrow. Shaking his head, he stood, nodded to Sarutobi Hiruzen in farewell, and pushed open the door to leave.
"My lord, why leave Konoha