No Need for Forgiveness

Seeing Shikamaru's plan succeed, Asuma breathed a sigh of relief and hurried forward. He looked at the immobilized Yugao with mixed emotions.

He reached out to take the Ninja Tool Pouch from her waist and the blade from her hand.

"Senior Asuma," Uzuki Yugao suddenly said, her voice frighteningly calm, "if I'm taken back, what will Konoha do with me? And how do you plan to 'explain' all this to Sunagakure?"

Before Asuma could answer, Naruto cut in.

"Yugao! If you're truly sorry and come back with us to explain everything, I'm sure Granny Hokage will go easy on you!"

"And as for Sunagakure, if we return the Gold Dust, apologize, and clear up the misunderstanding, they'll surely forgive—"

"Forgive?!"

The word struck like a spark in a powder keg. Fury and humiliation blazed in Uzuki Yugao's eyes. Her bound body trembled, and her voice rose into a grief-stricken scream.

"Forgive?! Forgive me again?!!"

"They killed Hayate! Konoha took the Gold Dust and forgave them! And now you want me to beg Sunagakure for forgiveness?!"

"What have I done that needs their forgiveness?! What's wrong with avenging Hayate?!"

"I won't accept it! I won't accept anyone's forgiveness! Least of all Sunagakure's!! That would be the greatest insult to Hayate!!"

With that desperate, frenzied cry, she bit down hard on her tongue and swallowed the shard of the Four Souls Jewel she had hidden in her mouth, forcing it down with her blood!

"Aaaaaagh!!!"

A terrifying surge of eerie, purplish-black Chakra erupted from her like a volcano, far stronger than before! The shock wave hurled Asuma back several steps!

Shikamaru's face changed. He felt an unimaginable force tearing his Shadow Imitation Technique apart.

"This is bad! Get back! I can't hold her with my Shadow Imitation Technique!!"

A column of purplish-black