Ryuto felt as though his legs were filled with lead.
No, they were heavier than that, as though someone had pulled out his bones and stuffed them with soaking-wet cotton.
He had made it back from the canyon to the Senju Clan Compound almost entirely by letting Hashirama and Mito half-support, half-drag him. Rena wasn't heavy in his arms, but they trembled badly.
"The medical room is this way." Hashirama's voice sounded beside his ear, a little distant.
Ryuto followed, his vision somewhat blurred. He saw several medical ninja in Senju clan uniforms hurry over and carefully take Rena from his arms.
"Be gentle," Ryuto heard himself say, his voice terribly hoarse.
"Don't worry." One medical ninja nodded, and they carried Rena into a spacious wooden building nearby.
Ryuto wanted to follow them inside, but his feet stopped at the threshold.
He looked down at his hands. They were still trembling slightly. His body felt hollow. After that golden power receded, it left no lingering resonance, only pure, bone-deep depletion.
"Ryuto, you need rest." Mito came beside him, her face tired but her gaze steady. "Leave Rena to us."
Ryuto shook his head without speaking. He walked to the corridor outside the medical room, leaned against the wall, and slowly slid to the floor.
With his back against the cold wooden wall, he closed his eyes and began regulating his breathing.
Ki flowed through his body as slowly as a crawling snail. Every cycle brought a faint ache in his meridians. But Ryuto didn't stop. He sat there, motionless.
Hashirama glanced at him and didn't try to persuade him again.
"Where's Tobirama?" Hashirama turned to ask a nearby Senju ninja.
"He's been notified. He'll be here soon."
"Tell him to go straight to the meeting hall." Hashirama glanced at the