He really was not stammering on purpose.
His mouth was simply dry.
Araki did his best to keep his eyes from wandering. Even though such a view was exceedingly rare, and he might never get another chance like this, he knew what mattered most right now.
"I... I... I have something... to say... I saw..."
Araki felt thirstier the more he spoke, so he picked up his glass and drained the water inside.
"What did you see?"
A huge question mark popped up in Tsunade's mind. Then, taking Araki's actions into account, she suddenly realized something and lowered her head slightly to look down.
Swish!
Tsunade's cheeks flushed slightly.
She quickly adjusted the neckline of her camisole.
She had something she wanted to say.
But she did not know how to put it.
Araki was still a child, after all!
"I saw... the future... part of... what happens in the future..."
After drinking the water, Araki's expression turned grave. He knew he had to start gambling now, and hoped this would produce the desired effect.
Take a gamble, and turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!
Most of the time, Araki kept a low profile and stayed put, but when an opportunity arose, he would give it his all.
"What?!"
Tsunade and Nawaki exclaimed at the same time. The question marks in their heads grew even larger; neither understood what Araki meant at all.
He had seen the future?
What was that supposed to be?
Could someone really possess the ability to foresee the future?
Or...
Was he pulling their legs?
In an instant, Tsunade and Nawaki focused all their attention on Araki. Both their expressions became extremely serious, and the way they looked at him changed as well.
At the same time.
With her attention diverted, Tsunade relaxed the hand that had just pulled her neckline tight, instantly revealing an expanse of pale skin again.
The sight fell into Araki's eyes once more, making him instantly raise his head and look at the ceiling, taking the opportunity to adopt an unfathomable air.
No!
I can't look anymore!
Otherwise, I won't even be able to speak clearly!
"I-it... it's... like this..."
Araki immediately began explaining, saying in a low voice, "I... I... when I... touched... the necklace... I saw... the future..."
"The necklace?"
Tsunade knitted her brows tightly, then her eyes suddenly lit up. She looked at the First Hokage's Necklace around Nawaki's neck, and the scene from the interview abruptly resurfaced before her eyes.
Back then, it was precisely when Araki touched the First Hokage's Necklace that the chakra crystal had glowed green.
The chakra crystal had also pulsed like a heartbeat, as if it were coming to life, which had shocked her considerably at the time.
This was also an important reason why she had chosen to take Araki as her disciple.
She felt this was her grandfather's wish.
"Do you mean this necklace?"
Tsunade grabbed the necklace around Nawaki's neck. When she touched the chakra crystal, nothing changed.
"Yes!"
Araki nodded immediately. Knowing the moment had arrived, he began delivering the explanation he had prepared.
"When I touched the necklace, an image of Nawaki appeared before my eyes. He died amid a pile of explosive tags."
Araki's speech suddenly became fluent, because he felt that attributing this to the First Hokage's Necklace treating his mind was the most reasonable explanation. This was also the best opportunity to change his way of speaking.
Of course, another part of the reason was that continuing to stammer now would make his delivery far less forceful.
The moment Araki fluently finished that sentence, it dealt Tsunade a tremendous shock.
Before Tsunade could react.
Araki spoke again.
"I have an incredibly strong feeling that this is something that will happen in the future!"
Chapter 47: The Chakra Crystal of the First Hokage's Necklace
Hiss...
After hearing those words, Tsunade and Nawaki both could not help drawing in a sharp breath.
Something like this sounded utterly absurd.
"Wh... what... do you mean?"
At that moment, even Tsunade began stammering. She felt she had heard something utterly inconceivable; she had never heard anything like it before.
"Seeing the future?"
Nawaki's expression also grew grave. What drew his attention most was the statement that he had died amid explosive tags. This was something directly related to his own life.
Even though, while speaking to Araki, he had passionately declared that he was already prepared to die.
Who would willingly die if they could live?!
Dying for no reason would only be a meaningless sacrifice!
Nawaki still understood that much!
"No wonder Araki was acting strange this afternoon..."
Nawaki pondered inwardly. When the matter concerned him personally, he grew nervous as well.
As Tsunade's and Nawaki's nervous gazes both focused on Araki...
Araki clearly realized that the first stage of his plan had succeeded.
Whether these two believed him or not, he had at least built the suspense to its peak. After all, this was something that had never appeared in the ninja world; even people's fantasies had never stretched that far.
"When I touched the necklace, I felt a powerful mental will that directly formed an image in my mind and told me this was something that would happen in the near future."
Araki spoke in a low voice. His speech was now no different from an ordinary person's, flowing so smoothly that he seemed like a different person.
"Could Grandfather be giving us a warning?"
Tsunade stared intently at Araki. She did not consider that Araki might be hiding anything. After all, in her eyes, Araki was still just a child. How could a child lie?!
However...
She was no fool, either.
She would not simply believe whatever Araki said.
Tsunade immediately looked at the chakra crystal on the First Hokage's Necklace she was already holding. Nothing like this had ever happened during the many years it had been in her possession.
She had only recently given it to Nawaki, and when he touched the chakra crystal, she had not seen any change, either.
Why would such a strange phenomenon occur with Araki?
Tsunade thought rapidly, but this sort of thing sounded far too bizarre, leaving her completely unable to make sense of it.
"Araki, try touching it again. Maybe you imagined it."
Tsunade immediately tugged the First Hokage's Necklace around Nawaki's neck forward. The necklace was still around his neck and had not been removed, so the movement also pulled Nawaki over like a puppy on a leash.
Had he been treated like this before, Nawaki would certainly have complained about his big sister, but right now, he was just as curious about his future.
"All right."
Araki immediately took a deep breath. He understood that this was the crux of his enormous gamble.
Whether he could gain the trust of the siblings, Tsunade and Nawaki, depended entirely on whether he could activate the First Hokage's Necklace again.
Araki did not know whether what happened during the interview had been a chance occurrence or a one-time event. He hoped it was something repeatable, as he had conjectured.
He slowly raised his right hand, extended his index finger, and reached toward the chakra crystal of the First Hokage's Necklace in Tsunade's palm.
The gesture held everyone in the room in suspense.
Even Araki was incredibly nervous.
For a moment, all three held their breath, their eyes fixed on Araki's finger as it touched the chakra crystal.
Hum!
In an instant.
The chakra crystal on the First Hokage's Necklace suddenly began trembling like a heart coming back to life. Rays of soft green light burst forth, bathing the room in a green reminiscent of nature.
"This..."
"Heavens..."
Tsunade and Nawaki widened their eyes at the same time. Their gazes were fixed on the chakra crystal glowing green, and even the whites of their eyes were tinted green, varying in shade with the pulsing light.
By this point, both of them believed Araki's words in their hearts.
Even though something like this sounded utterly absurd.
But...
The necklace their grandfather had left behind had come alive!
It was hard for them not to think that their grandfather was protecting them.