His entire existence had lost all meaning—why bother with such matters anymore?
It seemed both an eternity and the blink of an eye. Shiki had simply arrived at the hospital without even realizing it.
"Hello there, little one, where are your parents?" A nurse saw Shiki's blood-stained hands and hurried over in concern.
Parents?
His father, Mū, had died in battle long ago, and his mother had vanished without a trace.
Suddenly, after living for so long, Shiki felt just like a helpless child again.
The world revealed its cruel face to him.
Seeing Shiki's silence, the nurse grew even more worried.
"Um… if you haven't paid, we can't provide treatment…"
No treatment?
Shiki smiled bitterly. It seemed he truly held no value at all—even though he did have plenty of money in his pocket.
Yet he turned on his heel, ready to leave, not even sure why he'd come here in the first place.
Dying from blood loss might actually be a fitting end.
It would be better than continuing under Danzo's orders—to go against his own conscience, doing things he disliked and killing people who shouldn't be killed.
Even now, Shiki wondered: what if Danzo ordered him to assassinate The Third again?
If told to kill his own friend, what should he do?
Even if never asked to do such things, Shiki knew he could never bring himself to kill innocent people.
The entire Uchiha clan had been wiped out—only Sasuke survived—and among the victims were countless underage children.
How utterly innocent they had been?
Then perhaps, this was how he should die.
After all, his presence in this world had merely been an accident.
Perhaps this world might become a better place without him?
"Please wait!"
Shiki turned around and suddenly saw that young female nurse running toward him with a medical kit.
Without hesitation, she grabbed his blood-covered right hand and began disinfecting the wound.
"Little one, you must endure the pain. Honestly, I don't know how you got hurt like this."
Shiki was slightly taken aback, asking in surprise, "But I didn't pay anything."
The nurse gave him a sweet smile and said, "Don't worry, this is my personal medical kit. Besides, I'm only an intern—I hope you'll forgive me if I hurt you."
Something warm stirred inside Shiki. Such a sincere, kind-hearted girl.
Before he knew it, he asked, "Big sister... what should someone do when they're stuck with something they can't solve?"
"Unsolvable? Like what kind of problem exactly?"
Shiki answered softly, "Choosing life, but having to betray your own will. Choosing death, yet feeling unwilling."
He had spoken it out loud, though he didn't expect the nurse before him to offer any answer. He just wanted someone to open up to.
Sena Hoshino heard Shiki's question and paused in surprise. Why would a child ask such deep questions? Suddenly, she thought he might've picked up such lines from a comic book. So she replied,
"Hmm, you've been reading too many comics."
"Well, if it were me, I'd still choose to live. Where there's life, there's hope, right? Eventually, you'll find a way that doesn't betray your own will."
Shiki hesitated for a moment. Sena Hoshino's voice reached his ears and seemed especially sweet.
Looking down, he realized that while he had been thinking, his right hand had already been bandaged.
"Mission accomplished! Little boy, next time if you get injured again, come find this big sister, okay!" Sena smiled sweetly.
Shiki thought for a moment, then asked, "Big Sister, can I learn Medical Ninjutsu from you these days?"
"Nope, treating people is a very serious matter."
Shiki shook his head. "I just want to watch you work. Of course, it would be even better if Big Sister could teach me Medical Ninjutsu."
Sena hesitated for a moment. Actually, as an intern nurse, the medical procedures she was involved with were all quite basic.
Considering that, maybe this child's request wasn't too unreasonable?
Well then, why not agree?
After all, he looked so pitiful.
"Okay, fine! You can come find me whenever you have free time. But don't expect me to play with you, and my medical skills aren't very good."
Shiki shook his head and said, "It's okay, Big Sister is the best! Then I'll come here tomorrow."
"All right then, let me introduce myself. My name is Sena Hoshino! Please take care of me in the future!"
"I'm Shiki Uzumaki. Please take care of me too, Big Sister!"
After saying this, the two looked at each other and smiled. Then Shiki left.
Under the sunset, there was even a feeling of quiet passing years.
"Sena, I've told you before. Don't be so kind. If everyone refuses to pay, our hospital won't be able to survive. And when that happens, there'll be even more problems," an older nurse said to Sena Hoshino after seeing Shiki leave.
Sena nodded obediently, like a student receiving feedback, and looked up in the direction Shiki had gone, still wearing a pure smile. "But that boy was just like my little brother. Isn't a stubborn little brother really cute?"
With a long shadow trailing behind him, Shiki headed toward his originally planned next destination, his hand still wrapped in bandages. This time, though, his heart was no longer confused.
Three more months! There definitely will be a way!
P.S.: As always, please recommend this story. Regarding the cover issue—it's already done, it just hasn't updated yet.
Chapter 24: Steady Companion
"You're late, Shiki!"
Lee was striking the wooden post when he saw Shiki arrive, and said, "You're late, Shiki!"
Over the past three years, Rock Lee had grown significantly and had become even stronger than in the original ninja chronicles. Perhaps because there was someone like Shiki who worked hard alongside him and competed with him.
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