Resurrection from Death

In an instant, Feng Xun moved. At the same time, he fired a miniature Kamehameha at the ground.

Using the force of the Kamehameha's impact, Feng Xun closed in on the Stone Ninja even faster.

Yet even though Feng Xun had kept the noise to an absolute minimum, his figure was still exposed just as he was about to reach the Stone Ninja.

The Stone Ninja turned his head, and his expression changed. Though he had no idea what kind of ninjutsu the brat was using, the speed at which Feng Xun had approached him was already enough to shock him.

Without time to think, the Stone Ninja performed two mid-level ninjutsu with one hand.

Earth Style: Earth Shore Return.

Earth Style: Rock Pillar Prison.

In an instant, a slab of rock rose from the ground, blocking Feng Xun, while stone pillars burst from beneath the earth and converged around him, forming a rocky prison that trapped him inside.

The consecutive use of ninjutsu made the Stone Ninja's face slightly pale, but he still let out a breath of relief. The other party would absolutely be unable to interfere with him for the time being. He had no intention of fighting Feng Xun to the death; his target had always been the three children before him.

However, just as the Stone Ninja relaxed, Feng Xun, trapped within the Rock Pillar Prison, suddenly faded away like a phantom.

Before the Stone Ninja even had time to be surprised, intense energy fluctuations above his head instantly drew his gaze. Like another blazing sun, a blue-white sphere radiated a blinding light.

"Kamehameha... Second Stage."

The moment Feng Xun finished speaking, the energy mass in his hand swept out a long comet tail. Like a fierce dragon charging at breakneck speed, it bared its sharp fangs at the Stone Ninja.

Rumble!!!

The violent impact, accompanied by billowing sand and dust, threw the entire scene into chaos.

Yahiko, who was tightly shielding Nagato and Konan, felt both awe and concern at the sight.

That Stone Ninja should be dead, right? But what about the big brother who saved us?

Just as the three children stood there, unsure what to do next, the cloud of dust gradually dispersed.

Feng Xun was bent over slightly, his face deathly pale as he panted heavily. Beside him lay the Stone Ninja who had been so arrogant just moments ago. Now, half of his left arm was gone, and there was a charred hole the size of a bowl in his chest.

After looking at the motionless Stone Ninja, the three children exchanged glances and ran toward Feng Xun.

"Hey! Are you okay? Is that guy dead?" Yahiko asked first.

Feng Xun gave Yahiko a speechless look and said hoarsely, "You can go over and check for yourself."

Yahiko shuddered and hurriedly shook his head. "Forget it, forget it. There's a huge hole in his chest. Anyone would be dead."

"Big brother, you look terrible. Are you hurt? Should we go find Teacher Jiraiya and have him take a look?" Konan's eyes glistened with tears. Though she still looked shaken, her gaze was full of concern.

Huh?! Girls really are easier to win over than boys. Even a future little boss can't resist a hero saving a beauty.

If this were a game with affection levels, Yahiko's favorability toward me should be above sixty, while Konan's should be at least eighty. Of course, that's assuming the maximum is two hundred.

He did not think saving the three of them once would be enough to max out their favorability. After all, Jiraiya had been their teacher for three years, yet in the future they would still kill him without hesitation.

Still, some favorability was better than none. He was not Naruto Uzumaki. Not only did he lack the talent for Talk no Jutsu, he also could not raise someone's favorability directly from zero to maximum like Naruto could.

He was already very satisfied with the results before him.

Feng Xun glanced once more at the Stone Ninja kneeling on the ground, then rubbed Konan's hair. "Don't worry. This injury won't kill me. But let's leave first! If another Stone Ninja pops out, I won't be able to handle it."

As he spoke, Feng Xun straightened himself with Nagato and Konan supporting him.

However, just as they were about to return to Jiraiya—

Feng Xun suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Before he could react, the sound of something cutting through the air reached his ears.

A Shuriken?

Instinctively, Feng Xun shoved the two beside him away.

Pfft!!!!

Three rose-shaped blossoms of blood, like bewitching poppies, bloomed across Feng Xun's back and shoulders.

Even with his strong physique, he could not endure it and dropped to one knee.

Damn it, was it that Stone Ninja? Why was he still alive?

"B-Big brother?"

Konan, who had fallen to one side, spoke in a trembling voice, while Nagato felt his pupils contract sharply.

It was as if the scene of his parents being killed had surfaced in his mind. The same thing was happening before his eyes once again.

He did not understand why Feng Xun had helped them for no reason, nor did he know why Feng Xun had chosen to push him and Konan away instead of using them as shields.

But he understood that if not for the person before him, he and Konan would likely have already died.

Cowardice, terror, rage, sorrow, helplessness—countless emotions intertwined in Nagato's heart, leaving his mind in complete turmoil.

He turned around and looked at the "Stone Ninja," who should have been dead but had somehow come back to life.

The resentment in his heart seemed to transform into a demon, constantly reminding him: kill him. Only by killing him could he calm his anger. Only by killing him could he gain affirmation for himself.

Kill him... Kill him...

Step by step, Nagato slowly approached the half-dead Stone Ninja under Yahiko's astonished gaze.

"Hey, Nagato, come back! Don't go over there!" Yahiko tried to pull his friend back, but to his surprise, it was as though an invisible wall stood before him. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get any closer to Nagato.

Yahiko's voice jolted Feng Xun, whose mind had been hazy, awake. He forced himself to turn his head, and when he saw what Nagato was doing, anxiety rose in his heart.

Had Nagato gone crazy? He shouldn't be able to use the Rinnegan yet.

He did not want Nagato to die now. Leaving aside what Nagato's death would mean for him, the uncertainty it would bring to the future alone was enough to make him frantic.

For a transmigrator like him, aside from his cheat ability, his greatest weapon was his knowledge of how the future world would unfold. If a key figure of the future like Nagato died, the future world might even be destroyed because of it.

Nagato ignored Yahiko's calls and did not hear Feng Xun's thoughts. He stood before the Stone Ninja as if possessed, his face terrifyingly calm.

"Ninja... why do they kill each other?"

Nagato's murmur reached the Stone Ninja's ears. There was neither fear nor hatred on his face, only faint joy.

"Because the Shinobi World lacks 'love.' Ninja only ever love themselves. Because they love themselves, they hurt others," the Stone Ninja said flatly.