The dead silence in the underground cavern did not last long.
Forcing his agonized body to move, Ling gave basic treatment to Inuzuka Gaku's and Kuromaru's most life-threatening wounds, then roughly covered the slain Root operative's body with rubble-he had no strength for anything more thorough, and every second of delay could bring new danger.
I have to get out of here as soon as possible!
He hoisted the unconscious Inuzuka Gaku onto his back, then struggled to settle the gravely wounded Kuromaru behind a relatively stable pile of rubble nearby, leaving a little food and water, along with a simple warning trap.
"Hang on. I'll bring people back to save you," Ling said quietly, unsure whether he was speaking to Inuzuka Gaku or himself. Taking them both along would make him too conspicuous and too slow. It would be no different from suicide. This was his only choice for now.
Once he had done all this, he took one last look at the devastated battlefield, his gaze lingering briefly on the spot where the Root operative had turned to ash-besides the blackened marks, there seemed to be a glint of metal there.
Something stirred in Ling's mind. Fighting through his discomfort, he staggered over. He pushed aside the ashes with a kunai, revealing a strangely shaped metal token about the size of a thumb, engraved with intricate runes and the character for "Root." Its material seemed unusual, having actually survived that terrifying explosion.
[Jōgan (weakened state): Faint residual communication chakra and tracking runes detected. Recommendation: Destroy or shield.]
Without hesitation, Ling gathered the last faint wisp of chakra at his fingertips and precisely destroyed several critical rune nodes inside the token, disabling its tracking and communication functions before putting it into his Ninja Tool Pouch. It might prove useful later.
He lingered no longer and struggled to climb back up the way he had come. Every movement pulled at wounds all over his body, while his chakra network burned like a dried-up riverbed. He could no longer activate his newly awakened Sharingan, and even the basic vision maintained by his Jōgan had grown blurry.
Back on the surface, the last rays of the setting sun fell over the dilapidated shrine, giving him the strange feeling that a lifetime had passed. The distant town seemed to have regained some life, and he could faintly hear the confused clamor of people waking up.
Ling dared not let his guard down. Though his Jōgan was weakened, its passive perception was still giving off faint warnings.
[Warning: Sense of remote surveillance detected. Direction: Uncertain. Intensity: Low. Intent: Observation.]
Was it the Root operative who escaped? Or some other force? Ling's heart tightened. In his current condition, any Chunin could potentially kill him.
He took a deep breath, trying to look merely exhausted rather than gravely wounded, and staggered toward town. At the same time, he did everything he could to suppress all fluctuations in his chakra, posing as a Genin who had depleted his chakra and barely survived.
Just as he reached the edge of town, he encountered several townspeople who had begun to recover and were looking around in bewilderment. The sight of Ling, covered in blood and utterly bedraggled, gave them a fright.
"Y-you're a ninja from Konoha, sir?" an old man ventured. "What happened? Why did we all fall asleep?"
Ling put on an expression of extreme "exhaustion" and "lingering fear." "We... we encountered a very powerful enemy... and sealed the source that made everyone fall asleep... but my companions..." He choked up at just the right moment. "They're badly wounded, still beneath the shrine... they urgently need rescuing..."
His performance was just right. Combined with the town's strange condition and what they had experienced, it immediately earned the townspeople's trust. The mayor was soon brought over and organized a group to head to the shrine for the rescue.
Ling was given a place to rest in the Town Hall. He politely declined medical aid, asking only for some food and clean water, and stayed alone in the room.
The moment he closed the door, he leaned against it, almost collapsing, as cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
The sense of remote surveillance remained, clinging to him like a deep-seated infection and keeping him from relaxing in the slightest. He knew the other party was waiting-waiting for him to drop his guard completely, or waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
I have to recover some strength as soon as possible!
Ling sat cross-legged and tried to mold chakra, but the excruciating pain in his chakra network nearly made him faint. His newly awakened Sharingan consumed far more chakra and placed a far greater burden on his body than he had imagined.
Just then, the pitch-black fragment tucked against his chest gave off a faint warmth once more. A wisp of pure yet icy Yin Release energy slowly seeped out, flowing into his depleted chakra network of its own accord.
Ling stiffened, then felt a little strength return. Though it came with an even deeper chill, it at least eased some of the agony and emptiness.
This fragment... seemed to be nourishing him on its own? But the energy it contained was full of negative emotions. Absorbing it over the long term could not be a good thing.
[Jōgan notification: Unknown energy influx. Composition: High-purity Yin Release (75%), unknown residual spiritual energy (15%), natural energy (mutated, 10%). Compatibility: Moderate (Jōgan properties neutralize some negative effects). Risk: Long-term dependence may cause an obsessive disposition and mental alteration.]
Ling's gaze flickered as he weighed the pros and cons. In the end, he chose to accept the power. Only by surviving could he have a future.
A short while later, footsteps came from outside, followed by the mayor's voice. "Lord Ling, your companions have been rescued! Their injuries are severe, but our town's doctor has given them emergency treatment!"
Ling immediately rose and opened the door. Inuzuka Gaku and Kuromaru had been carried back on stretchers. Both were still unconscious, but their breathing had steadied somewhat. He felt a little relieved.
"Thank you very much," Ling said sincerely, then put on an "anxious" expression. "We must return to Konoha immediately for further treatment! Could you arrange the fastest carriage for us? Konoha will cover the cost!"
The mayor naturally agreed without hesitation.
Before long, a carriage was ready. Ling settled Inuzuka Gaku and Kuromaru inside and took the driver's seat himself.
By the time the carriage left Maple Leaf Town, the sun had set completely, and night was beginning to fall.
That sense of remote surveillance continued to trail behind, neither too close nor too far away.
Ling tightened his grip on the reins, his eyes cold. He knew this journey would be anything but peaceful.
Sure enough, just as the carriage entered a path through a dense forest, something unexpected happened again!
At some point, a figure had appeared in the middle of the road ahead.
The person was not dressed as a Root operative, but wore ordinary traveler's clothes and a conical hat. His head was lowered, hiding his face. He simply stood there quietly, blocking the way.
The carriage slowly came to a halt.
Ling's heart leaped into his throat, and his hand crept toward his kunai. His Jōgan blared warnings!
[Warning! Target energy tier: Extremely high! Threat level: Extremely dangerous! Attributes: Yin, fire, yang... complex mixture! Analysis impossible! Recommendation: Extreme vigilance!]
The stranger slowly raised his head, revealing beneath his hat a face painted with purple greasepaint and wearing an eerie smile.
Most striking of all were his eyes-ring upon ring of ripples, like the growth rings of a tree!
The Rinnegan?!
No... they seemed a little different, but that terrifying pressure was certainly no illusion!
"Heh heh..." The man gave a low chuckle. "What a fine show that was. Those eyes... are fascinating."
Every muscle in Ling's body instantly tensed! Cold sweat slid down his temple.
Who was this man?! How much had he seen?!
Before you continue