Though it was nighttime, Konoha's main streets were brightly lit.
Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate walked side by side down the street.
Along the way, Yugao was preoccupied, her brows drawn together. Even when she spoke, she seemed distracted.
She had not told Hayate about Ye Fan's diagnosis.
The thought that Hayate had only a few years left to live tore at her heart and filled her with anxiety.
She did not know whether she should believe Ye Fan.
But if she did not believe him, she had no idea who else could treat Hayate.
"Yugao, what exactly did that kid tell you?"
Hayate suddenly stopped walking.
Unlike Yugao, he did not care much about his illness, nor did he believe someone like Ye Fan could cure him.
What he cared about were Ye Fan's two Ninja Hounds.
Especially that enormous white Ninja Hound.
If possible, he hoped Yugao would talk to him about those two Ninja Hounds.
He was not sure whether Lord Hokage knew how extraordinary that Ninja Hound was.
He was even wondering whether he should report the matter to Lord Hokage.
Yugao stopped as well.
She stared at Hayate with a strange look in her eyes.
The hesitation in her gaze vanished when she saw Hayate's increasingly haggard, pale face, replaced by sudden resolve.
At that moment, she chose to believe Ye Fan.
Just as Ye Fan had said, life was not something to joke about.
"Yugao, what's wrong?"
Hayate was startled by the expression on Yugao's face.
Yugao suddenly put on a stern face.
To cure Hayate, she had to try to make him angry. What was more, she had to make him "cough up blood from anger."
"I'm tired!"
Yugao suddenly said.
"Then let's take a break, cough cough!" Hayate hurriedly said.
"How can