The Sunagakure's support team was extremely efficient, led by an experienced medical Jonin, and quickly took over the scene.
The unconscious Shira and the weakened Uzumaki mother and daughter were carefully placed on a specially made stretcher, and the team immediately set off to return to Sunagakure as quickly as possible.
The journey was silent and the atmosphere heavy. When the familiar outline of the wind-eroded rock formations of Sunagakure finally appeared on the horizon, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
However, as soon as they arrived at the village entrance, the medical team that had been waiting there immediately noticed Shira's unusual behavior.
His originally pale face began to turn an unnatural bluish-purple, and his breathing became shallow and rapid. Most noticeably, the two tiny wounds on his cheeks and forearms, which had been cut by the Senbon Fang, and which had already stopped bleeding, now had spiderweb-like dark blue patterns appearing around them, slowly spreading outwards!
"It's a mixed neurotoxin! The poison is starting to take effect. Quick! Get him to the emergency room immediately!" The medical team leader's expression changed drastically, and he immediately directed the stretcher team to turn towards the hospital, speeding up their pace even further.
The news spread like wildfire.
Having just settled the Vortex mother and daughter and was giving a preliminary report to the Kazekage's Office, I Fūgetsu received the news, and his brows furrowed instantly. He hadn't expected the Fang's poison to be so cunning, possessing a delayed-acting characteristic; he hadn't expected this guy to have concealed his information...
The first person to rush to the hospital was Shira's mother, Rira. She was kneading dough in the shop when she heard the news. She didn't even have time to wipe the flour off her hands before rushing into the hospital like a madwoman. When she saw her son unconscious and his face covered in a horrifying bluish-purple color, her legs went weak and she almost collapsed to the ground. She was supported by Shiya, who arrived shortly afterward.
The couple stood outside the emergency room, their faces ashen, their hands clenched tightly, praying silently.
Soon after, Ameno arrived, panting. She had heard her classmates talking and had practically run all the way here. Seeing the light on in the emergency room and the grief-stricken look on Shira's parents' faces, her eyes instantly reddened. She bit her lip tightly, stood silently in a corner, and her clear eyes were filled with worry.
Immediately afterward, a series of hurried and slightly heavy footsteps approached. Everyone turned around and saw Chiyo walking quickly towards them with Ebizo, her face grim.
She ignored the people at the door and tried to rush into the emergency room.
" Elder Chiyo!" The medical-nin at the door tried to stop him, "They're inside..."
"Make way!" Chiyo shouted in a low voice, "That kid inside can't die! I'll come and check his poison myself!"
Her voice carried an undeniable authority. The medical-nin, intimidated by her imposing presence, instinctively stepped aside. Chiyo pushed open the door and entered, while Ebizo remained outside, nodding slightly to Shira's parents as a gesture of reassurance.
Inside the emergency room, several medical-nin were busy trying to neutralize the toxins with various antidotes, but with little effect; Shira's vital signs were still slowly deteriorating.
"Everyone, make way, leave this to me!" Chiyo stepped closer, and her expression turned even more grim after just one glance at the poisonous markings on Shira's face and arms, and her slightly twitching fingertips. "This is a mixed neurotoxin from the 'Azure Viper,' containing both paralyzing and corrosive properties. Ordinary antidotes are useless!"
She waved the crowd away, approached Shira, gently touched the poisonous markings with her withered fingers, then opened his eyelids to look at his pupils, and sniffed the faint fishy smell emanating from his wounds.
"Hmph, a mere trick." Chiyo sneered, a hint of arrogance from a seasoned expert flashing in her eyes.
She was able to counteract even the Fang poison of the "demigod" Hanzo of the Salamander was indeed insignificant to her.
She swiftly retrieved several small ceramic bottles and a set of silver needles from her cloth bag. Her movements were dazzlingly fast. She first used the silver needles to quickly insert them into several acupoints on Shira's chest and arms, temporarily blocking the channels through which the toxins could spread to her heart.
Then, she mixed several different colored powders in a specific ratio in a small bowl, added a special medicinal liquid, and stirred it into a paste.
"Pry his mouth open," Chiyo commanded.
A medical-nin quickly did as instructed. Chiyo dipped her finger in the medicinal paste and applied it to the base of Shira's tongue and palate. Then, she carefully applied the remaining paste to the wounds on Shira's cheeks and forearms.
As soon as the paste was applied, it made a slight "sizzling" sound, as if it were reacting violently with the toxins. Shira's body convulsed involuntarily, and a look of pain appeared on her face.
"Hold on, kid! This is to draw out the poison!" Chiyo shouted in a low voice, even though she knew Shira couldn't hear her, she still said it.
Her palm covered the medicinal paste, and a pure and gentle Chakra slowly flowed in, guiding the medicinal power to penetrate, neutralizing and continuously expelling the toxins.
Time ticked by. Outside the emergency room, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
Finally, nearly an hour later, the emergency room door opened. Chiyo Earth Flow out looking exhausted, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead. Rira and Shiya immediately rushed forward.
" Elder Chiyo, my son..."
"He won't die for now." Chiyo waved her hand, her tone still firm, but her eyes softened slightly. "Most of the toxins have been forced out; the remaining toxins will need time to be cleared away. This kid has a very good constitution and a strong will; anyone else would have met Grandma long ago."
She paused, glanced at the anxious crowd, and added, "However, the neurotoxin has caused considerable damage to his body. He needs absolute rest for at least half a month, and the previous injury to his lungs also needs to be treated. During this time, no one is allowed to disturb him! Do you understand?"
She said the last sentence while glaring at Rani and the brothers in the Fūi who had rushed over upon hearing the news. The two brothers nodded vigorously.
Upon hearing that her son was out of danger, Rira's legs went weak, and she finally couldn't hold back her tears, repeatedly thanking Chiyo. Shiya also had red eyes and bowed repeatedly.
Ameno quietly breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
At the back of the crowd, Gaara had also quietly appeared, his emerald green eyes staring at the door of the emergency room, his expression unreadable. After standing there for a long time, he silently turned and left.
Chiyo glanced at everyone's reactions, then looked back at Shira, who was unconscious in the emergency room, and snorted, muttering, "You little rascal, you're quite popular, but you always cause trouble for others, sigh."
Even so, the barely perceptible concern deep in her eyes did not escape Ebizo's notice. He smiled slightly and shook his head.
At this moment, the unconscious Shira had a dream.
He felt himself floating in a warm darkness, very light and quiet. The burning pain in his lungs and the numbing sensation of toxins eroding his nerves had disappeared, leaving only a feeling of extreme exhaustion and relaxation.
Then, light gradually appeared before my eyes.
It wasn't the dim, dusty sunlight of Sunagakure, but a brighter, purer light. He heard a commotion, not the sounds of fighting and alarms, but a long-lost, vibrant clamor.
He blinked and found himself standing on a lush green lawn. Soft artificial turf lay beneath his feet, and he was wearing a blue and white tracksuit, his chest rising and falling slightly with his breath.
All around me was the familiar red synthetic track, and in the distance stood the familiar teaching building with its huge glass windows.
High school playground?
He looked down at his hands; they were long and slender, covered in calluses, unlike the delicate hands of a child.
" Ye Zitong, what are you daydreaming about! The ball's coming!"
A familiar, slightly teasing voice rang in his ears. He turned his head sharply and saw a group of young faces, their faces beaming with sweat and smiles. They were his high school soccer teammates!
The captain was making a quick breakthrough with the ball when the winger surged forward on the right wing, waving at him for the ball.
"Ah? Oh!" A surge of almost instinctive heat welled up inside him. He subconsciously started, sprinted, made runs, and raised his hand to signal. The captain delivered a precise through ball, which landed comfortably at his feet.
"Dribble past them, shoot!" his teammates shouted.
At that moment, Chakra, Taijutsu, and the Seven Heavens Breathing Method were all forgotten. His world consisted only of the soccer ball at his feet, his teammates, and the goal in the distance.
He turned with the ball, used a beautiful feint to get past a defender, and unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area!
The football drew a beautiful arc and flew straight into the top corner of the goal!
"Nice shot--!!"
The cheers, the impact of teammates rushing up to hug you, the sweat mingling with the scent of grass—everything felt so real, so vibrant.
He was panting heavily, a genuine smile on his face, high-fiving his teammates in celebration, as if he had transformed back into the seventeen-year-old boy who ran freely on the field, cheering for every goal.
After training, he and a few of his best buddies walked arm in arm back to the classroom, discussing the tactics they had just used, complaining about the midterm exams next week, and talking about which newly opened badminton hall they should go to play at over the weekend.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the camphor trees, creating dappled patterns. Everything was so peaceful, so normal.
He even dreamed that after evening self-study, he bumped into the quiet girl he secretly liked, who sat in the front row, on a moonlit path. They simply greeted each other, but his heart pounded for a long time.
There are no life-or-death battles, no conspiracies or schemes, no heavy responsibilities or the obsession with becoming stronger. There are only the troubles of youth, simple joys, and vague hopes for the future.
The dream was so beautiful and warm that he was almost immersed in it and didn't want to wake up.
However, just as he was immersed in this regained "daily life," the image suddenly began to distort and shatter.
The green field turned into a sky full of yellow sand, the teammates' smiles turned into Fang fangs, the sound of a football breaking through the goal turned into the crisp sound of Kunai hitting the ground, the classroom lights turned into the dim oil lamps in the tents of Kusagakure, and the face of that quiet girl blurred into Ameno's worried eyes.
A chilling murderous intent, searing pain, heavy breathing.
Memories of the real world surged back like a tidal wave, instantly shattering the beautiful illusion.
"No!" he struggled in his dream, trying to grasp at the fleeting warmth.
But a more intense, burning pain suddenly shot through his lungs, accompanied by a needle-like stinging sensation at the wound on his cheek, abruptly pulling him from the depths of his dream!
"Ugh!" he groaned in pain, and suddenly opened his eyes.
The blinding white light made him squint instantly. The smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils. He found himself lying on a soft bed, covered with a clean white blanket.
As the view gradually cleared, the pristine white ceiling of the hospital ward came into view.
" Shira, you're awake?! That's wonderful! How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?" A voice, trembling with tears yet brimming with joy, rang in my ears.
He turned his head with difficulty and saw his mother, Rira, with bloodshot eyes and a haggard face, and his father Shiya, with red eyes, holding his hand tightly.
The beautiful dream, accompanied by physical pain and the worry of loved ones, was completely suppressed.
That dream about the basketball court, friends, and sunshine, like the moon's reflection in water, shattered into tiny sparks with the slightest touch, dissipating into the depths of my consciousness.
He's back. Back to this world full of sandstorms and fraught with danger.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his throat was too dry to make a sound. He could only blink weakly, and a few tears slid down his cheeks.
This was the first time he had ever shed tears.
Outside the window, the sky over Sunagakure was still that familiar, dusky yellow color.