"Damn you! This was all your fault!
All your fault!
You're the reason I ended up like this!"
Hiruko thrust a hand out of the dark clouds and grabbed Kabuto, who lay helpless on the ground.
Kabuto weakly opened his eyes and looked at Hiruko's hideous face, exposed beneath his torn bandages.
He regretted it so much now. He should never have come back in.
Not only had he failed to help Gua, but Hiruko had captured him, too.
But more than anything, he was sad-sad because he was about to die.
He had never truly known happiness.
Ever since he was born, he had been wandering.
Yakushi Nonō had taken him in, and he had spent a few happy months with her.
Then he had become a shinobi and had to start wandering again.
Later, Gua had taken him in, and he had enjoyed another few happy months.
After that, there had been his teacher Orochimaru and Senior Anko, but that had been all too brief as well. Just a few months.
The precious little happiness he had known in his life had only ever lasted a few months.
He reached out to grasp it, but he could hold on to nothing.
His consciousness began to blur. Hiruko's hand tightened around his neck, and he could no longer breathe.
"Gua...
Senior Anko..."
Tears blurred his vision. His voice had dwindled to a whisper. He was going to die.
Standing opposite Hiruko, Pain watched silently. After a moment, he slowly raised a hand, preparing to pull Hiruko toward him again.
He had no concern for someone as insignificant as Kabuto. Hiruko was his only target.
Still, Hiruko's sudden, crazed attack on Kabuto, who had just barged in, filled Pain with contempt.
*Was someone like this even worthy of being my