Gravely Wounded

"Don't cry!" He raised a bloodied hand and stroked Ino's cheek, speaking with some difficulty.

"Do you have any last wishes? I swear on my status as the future heir of the Nara Clan that I'll definitely fulfill them for you!" Shikamaru gritted his teeth as he looked at Samu Kokaze, whose heart had been pierced, and clenched his fists tightly.

"Nonsense! You're talking nonsense! How could Feng die? Our promise hasn't been fulfilled yet! I haven't become Hokage yet! Feng hasn't carved my Hokage face yet! How could he just die like this?!" Hearing Shikamaru's words, Naruto, who had been stunned by the sudden turn of events, dashed over and grabbed Shikamaru by the collar as he shouted emotionally.

"Then what do you expect me to do?! Feng's heart has been pierced! If a highly skilled medical ninja showed up now, there might still be a slight chance to save him, but where am I supposed to find one here?!" Shikamaru, having been shouted at by Naruto, grew agitated as well. He tore free from Naruto's grip and shouted back.

"Cough..."

"Feng! How are you?" Ino, who had cried herself into a tearful mess and was nearly consumed by despair, heard Samu Kokaze make a sound as she supported him. A faint glimmer of hope appeared on her face as she hurriedly asked.

He barely raised his head and looked at Shikamaru and Naruto, who had turned their gazes toward him. In a weak voice, he said, "My heart is on the right side. I think I can still be saved. Can you stop arguing and leave first?"

"Feng!"

Hearing that, everyone surrounding him instantly showed joy. Looking at Samu Kokaze, who had closed his eyes again, Shikamaru ordered, "Choji, carry Feng. Everyone, head to Konoha Hospital at top speed. On the way, shout that enemy ninja have infiltrated the village!"

"Okay!" Joy flashed through Choji's eyes as he looked at Samu Kokaze, who had spoken. After gently carrying him onto his back, he raced toward Konoha Hospital.

"Hang in there! Didn't you say you wanted to eat my family's food? As long as you get better, I'll bring you as much as you want!" Choji felt the warm wetness of blood soaking through his back. His face, dripping sweat from his mad dash, was filled with anxiety.

"Cough..." After coughing lightly and listening to the shouts ringing in his ears, Samu Kokaze smiled. "Don't worry. My dream hasn't been fulfilled yet. The Grim Reaper can't take me away!"

"Damn it! Damn it!"

At the place where Samu Kokaze and the others had been playing, the middle-aged ninja suddenly cursed furiously after receiving the memories sent back by his clone. He looked unwillingly at the Anbu before him, who was covered in wounds and seemed like he could be killed after only a few more exchanges.

"Consider yourself lucky!" As the middle-aged ninja spoke, he formed hand seals. A thick fog suddenly appeared, and the Anbu stared at it vigilantly, forcing himself to stay alert.

After a long while, the fog dissipated without the Anbu suffering any attack. His expression abruptly changed. "He escaped?"

"This is bad! I need to notify Lord Hokage immediately!" Dragging his severely injured body along, he hurried toward the Hokage Building.

"Enemy ninja have infiltrated Konoha!"

"Enemy ninja have infiltrated Konoha!"

On the way to Konoha Hospital, Choji and the others continued shouting at the top of their lungs. Lights began to appear in some of the houses that had already gone dark. Before long, quite a few ninja in pajamas stopped them. When they saw the seriously injured child on the little fat boy's back, their expressions instantly changed.

"Oki! Take this injured child to the hospital."

Among the ninja blocking their way, one who appeared to command considerable trust from the others issued the order.

After stopping Samu Kokaze's bleeding, the ninja called Oki took him from Choji's back, nodded, and sped toward Konoha Hospital.

"What exactly happened?" The ninja who had just given the orders looked at Shikamaru and the others who had been shouting.

"It happened like this..." Shikamaru stepped forward to explain.

Only after Samu Kokaze, with a gaping hole in his chest, was taken toward the ninja hospital by the ninja named Oki did he finally relax his tense heart.

He closed his eyes and silently thought.

Looks like this matter has been settled for the time being! But who wanted to kill me? Root? No... that's not right. Given Danzo's nature, if he wanted me dead, he would never use this method, especially when I was with Naruto.

Then it seems that someone outside Konoha wants my life. Ever since I became conscious, the only connection I've had with the outside world has been the Tanaka Clan. Could this be related to the Tanaka Clan?

A trace of killing intent appeared in his tightly shut eyes. Feeling the injuries within his body, he frowned slightly.

In truth, his heart was not on the right side as he had claimed. That middle-aged ninja had indeed successfully burst Samu Kokaze's heart. If the Nano Core inside his body had not temporarily taken over the task of circulating his blood, Samu Kokaze would have died long ago!

However, this had been within Samu Kokaze's expectations. After activating the Combat Assistance System, his personal emotions would be suppressed to the extreme. In contrast, every possible method of increasing his chances of victory would surface in his mind, and his ability to act would greatly increase. He would not be intimidated by killing intent or any other behavior.

Yet because his emotions were suppressed, once the Combat Assistance System was activated, he might do things for the sake of victory that he normally would not be willing to do.

Samu Kokaze would never have chosen a move like today's, one that nearly traded his life for an injury, when in his normal state, even if he had been highly certain that the ninja standing in front of him was merely a clone.

Overall, it was a technique that had not yet been fully completed.

Still, he had had no choice but to use it. Samu Kokaze had never fought before, and he had suddenly been forced to fight a ninja with extremely rich combat experience. Without using this technique, he could never have defeated him.

And even though this assassination attempt had been dealt with for the moment, he was not completely safe yet. Although the ninja who had tried to assassinate him this time had been taken care of, how had he entered Konoha?

A barrier surrounded Konoha. No other ninja could enter the village without attracting Konoha's attention, at least not with the strength he had displayed.

Unless he had entered Konoha openly and was considered trustworthy by Konoha.

But those were minor matters now. No matter how he had entered, after this incident had provoked the Third Hokage's bottom line, the Third Hokage would never let him go. The real problem was the strength Samu Kokaze had suddenly revealed.

As he thought through the headache-inducing matter and felt waves of pain constantly coming from his wounds, Samu Kokaze hardened his heart and gritted his teeth. Through the Nanobugs, he devoured the mangled heart that had been pierced to pieces, rebuilt a heart in the right side of his chest, and adjusted the blood vessels in his body so they were identical to those of a person whose heart naturally grew on the right side.

At the same time, he used the Nanobugs to inflict further damage on his already severely injured body. It could be said that Samu Kokaze still being alive now was nothing short of a miracle.

This should erase the Third Hokage's suspicions. As long as the Third Hokage still trusts me and believes I can give Naruto a bond, nothing will happen to me!

After ordering the Nanobugs in his body to hide themselves, Samu Kokaze, weakened by blood loss, felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. This will do for now... I'm so tired...