Though crude, Araki's hideout offered a precious chance to catch their breath. For Ling and Xi, exhausted and still recovering from their injuries, the dry surroundings, clean drinking water, and small supply of food were help when they needed it most.
Ling wasted no time resting and immediately began treating his injuries. He removed the makeshift splint he had applied earlier and used the clean water and cloth strips stored in the hideout to clean his wounds again and bandage them more expertly. Araki provided some hemostatic herbs native to the Land of Rain. Though less effective than Konoha's military ointment, they were better than nothing. His fractured left arm still throbbed with sharp pain, but at least it had received more reliable treatment.
Once he finished, he immediately sat cross-legged and focused all his efforts on restoring his chakra. Though the natural energy here remained chaotic under the influence of the rampaging Ryūmyaku, refining it went much more smoothly without the constant sensory pressure carried by the rain outside. The fragment against his chest also began working again, slowly and steadily drawing in the surrounding energy, filtering and converting it to replenish what he had spent.
Xi was in somewhat worse condition. Prolonged imprisonment and the draining of her power had left her body severely depleted and her mind tormented. After drinking some water and eating a little food, she curled up in a corner and fell into a deep sleep, her brows tightly knitted, seemingly unable to find peace even in her dreams.
Araki, meanwhile, was like a true ghost. He spent most of his time guarding the hideout's entrance, watching the outside through cleverly arranged peepholes. Occasionally, he left briefly and returned with the latest information on Amegakure patrol movements and fluctuations in the Ryūmyaku's energy.
"The energy fluctuations in the core area are still intense. 'God' seems to still be doing everything he can to suppress them," Araki told Ling in a low voice after returning, just as Ling finished a round of training. "The searches on the outskirts have intensified, mainly toward the borders and in abandoned areas. We're relatively safe here for now, but once the operation begins tomorrow, there's no telling."
Ling nodded in understanding. Looking at Araki's weathered face, he suddenly asked, "How many more... 'ghosts' like you are there?"
A trace of sadness flashed through Araki's lone eye, and he shook his head. "Not many left. Most were purged after Lord Hanzō died. Of those who remained... some submitted, some concealed their identities, and some... died resisting, like moths to a flame. Fewer than ten are still reachable and willing to take the risk. Tomorrow, they'll create disturbances in other directions to draw attention."
Fewer than ten... Against Pain, who controlled Amegakure and possessed the Rinnegan, such strength was like a mantis trying to stop a cart. Ling could sense the profound despair and defiance in Araki's words, along with a resolve that bordered on martyrdom. They were not doing this for victory, but merely to... make their voices heard, for that minuscule possibility.
"Is it worth it?" Ling asked softly.
Araki fell silent for a moment, his gaze turning toward the seemingly endless curtain of rain outside the hideout. Slowly, he said, "It's not a question of whether it's worth it. It's just... some things have to be done by someone. The Land of Rain cannot be left with only one voice. It cannot live forever in 'God's' shadow."
Ling said nothing more. He understood that feeling, just as he had chosen to become bait despite knowing how powerful Danzo was. Some lines could not be crossed; some battles could not be avoided.
Time passed slowly in an oppressive quiet. Ling seized every second to train and recover. He tried to integrate the Jōgan's power into his chakra control with greater precision, particularly when maintaining that layer of energy camouflage, striving to make it more stable and better concealed. He even began considering how to use the fragment's power more effectively to destroy that Ryūmyaku Node during tomorrow's operation.
Xi woke after several hours of deep sleep, looking a little better. She, too, began silently mobilizing the remnants of her Uzumaki Clan power within her, trying to gather a faint wisp of chakra. Unlike Ling's Yin Release, her power was more balanced and gentle, imbued with powerful vitality and sealing properties.
"If... if we can get close to the node, perhaps I can try using the remaining power of the contract to disrupt the flow of energy through it..." Xi told Ling softly. For now, this was the only contribution she could think of making.
Seeing the faint light rekindled in her eyes, Ling nodded. "We'll act as the situation demands. Destruction comes first, safety second."
Night fell once again, and the rain continued. They lit no fire inside the hideout. By the faint daylight seeping through the cracks, the three silently ate their simple food and checked their equipment. Kunai, shuriken, explosive tags... everything was ready.
Araki spread out the hand-drawn map and went over their route, the node's location, and their retreat plan one last time. His finger moved across the map, each mark representing an enormous risk.
"When midnight arrives, there'll be a brief lull in the Ryūmyaku's energy fluctuations. That's also when the node's defenses will be weakest. We'll have five minutes at most." Araki's voice was as grave as stone. "After the attack on the node, whether it succeeds or fails, withdraw immediately along the planned route. Don't look back, and don't linger to fight. We'll do everything we can to draw fire for you."
Ling and Xi nodded firmly.
The final wait always felt especially long and agonizing. Outside the hideout, the rain pattered, occasionally mingling with the indistinct sounds of patrolling footsteps and barking dogs in the distance. Inside, there was only the sound of the three's restrained breathing and heartbeats.
Ling could feel the fragment against his chest giving off a faint warmth, as though it, too, sensed the approaching storm and was gathering its strength.
He closed his eyes and once again ran through the various situations that might arise tomorrow night and how to respond to them. In the darkness, the Eye of Purification and Erosion seemed to have already opened, peering into the mists of the future.
When the faint clack of a wooden watch clapper sounded in the distance, marking the first night watch, Ling's eyes snapped open.
"It's almost time," he said quietly, his voice clearly audible in the silent hideout.
Araki and Xi looked up at the same time. Their gazes met, and without a word, all three saw the resolve in one another's eyes.
The storm was about to arrive.
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