"Teacher...?"
Dan Katō stared in disbelief at Watanabe Ichiro in his spirit body. His ominous premonition had come true.
"Although I don't know why I can still walk among the living, I am indeed dead."
Souls could remain in the world after death. Dan Katō had never witnessed it himself, but he had read about it in ancient books.
"But you were fine this morning, weren't you? I asked the nurses, and they said your condition would be resolved soon..."
Surely they hadn't meant that death would solve all his problems?
Not everyone was Orochimaru. They wouldn't make a joke that dark... would they?
"No, an enemy infiltrated Konoha. I exhausted myself in that battle and died."
Watanabe Ichiro shook his head. Those nurses really hadn't known his true condition. They had only been assigned to him to reassure his visitors.
He had intended to conceal his death and let time wear away the grief, so the children wouldn't be too heartbroken. It had merely been a small contingency.
But who could have expected Tobirama Senju to die as well? With both of Konoha's leaders dead, there was no hiding it.
Better a short, sharp pain than prolonged suffering. He might as well tell them outright.
They had just grieved not long ago. While they still had some resistance left, they could hurt a little more, then be all right.
"Waaah! Why did this happen? Teacher..."
Dan Katō's tears spilled out at once, and his blue hair seemed to wilt.
"Don't be sad. I have a mission for you."
"...Tell me, Teacher... sob..."
Dan Katō choked out his reply as he wiped away his tears.
"First, tell Tsunade and the others about me, then encourage them to pull themselves together. Can you do that?"
"...I can."
"Next, there's a child