"All five elemental affinities?"
Hiruko was consumed with jealousy.
Why did the world favor people like this?!
Fuck!
It wasn't fair!
Why didn't he, Hiruko, have all five affinities?
Why wasn't he, Hiruko, a genius?!
"Geniuses like you really do make people jealous~"
Hiruko raised a bandaged arm and stared at his hand, his thoughts unreadable.
Gua figured Hiruko must have been remembering those years spent under Orochimaru's thumb.
His expression looked rather dazed.
Clearly, his life was flashing before his eyes.
People like this were the most reckless when they snapped.
Gua felt he had to be especially careful now.
However,
the man's next words
left Gua slightly surprised.
"You can go. I'm not capturing you today."
"?"
Gua studied Hiruko, wondering whether a donkey had kicked him in the head.
"Then... I'm really leaving, okay?"
Gua lifted a foot.
Hiruko nodded.
Gua: ...
Gua took off running.
He even glanced back as he fled. Huh, he really isn't chasing me?
Holy shit!
This guy's insane.
Gua once again revised his assessment of Hiruko.
Still, that didn't stop him from hurrying to help Itachi and Kabuto.
Could this be a trap?
Is he going to follow me and catch all three of us in one fell swoop?
Gua wondered to himself.
But at this point, either choice led to the same outcome.
He couldn't afford to worry about it.
Gua's figure receded into the distance. Hiruko remained where he was, not watching Gua, just standing quietly as though waiting for someone.
A moment later,
Fugaku jumped down from a tree.
He stood in front of Hiruko.
"You noticed me? Is that why you let Gua go?"
Fugaku sized Hiruko up and spoke in a low voice.
Hiruko nodded.
"If you were determined to fight me to the death, Clan