The relief of having the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal broken did not last long. The joy on Nonō's face gradually gave way to a trace of worry.
She knew Danzo and how Root operated.
Now that a former "tool" like her had slipped out of his control, Danzo would never let the matter rest.
"Lin Ze,"
Nonō said softly, "Dan... Danzo won't let me go so easily. With the Cursed Seal broken, he'll find out sooner or later."
This was the first time Nonō had spoken the name "Danzo" in front of Lin Ze.
Lin Ze showed no surprise at her words. He had already considered this problem.
"I know. That's why, Sis, we should consider leaving Konoha."
"Leaving... Konoha?"
Nonō froze for a moment. The thought had crossed her mind before, especially during those dark days in Root.
But Konoha was her birthplace, after all. She still had emotional ties to it.
"Yes. Leaving."
As his strength grew, Lin Ze had long wanted to break away from Konoha. Especially during his last trip to the Land of Lightning, Hiruzen Sarutobi had indirectly sold him out, reducing what little sense of belonging he had felt toward Konoha to almost nothing.
Now, with Nonō's return, his last concern was gone.
Lin Ze looked at Nonō with a resolute gaze.
"I never felt much attachment to this village to begin with. Sis, you should know very well what I suffered here growing up."
Nonō nodded silently.
As an orphan from another village, Lin Ze had suffered plenty of exclusion and scorn as a child. Miyamoto Ichirō and the others had been treated the same way, and some orphans had even died on various dangerous missions long ago. She had seen all of it, and it had pained her deeply.
Lin Ze continued,