Shiki glared back at her, his mood darkening. After all, there was no way she could actually harm the ninjas of Konoha unless she did something outrageous.
"I won't lie either. The reason I'm still here is simply because I still hope to receive treatment! Whether or not you give me treatment is entirely your choice; I wouldn't force it on you. I'm just expressing my opinion and attitude! No matter what else you say, there are some things I will not abandon—and cannot abandon!"
Shiki's voice was filled with hostility, clearly unafraid of provoking a conflict with the woman before him.
"Ugh, this is bad. There's absolutely no hope now," Hayate Gekko thought inwardly, frustrated that Shiki once again failed to gauge the stakes properly and remained so stubborn.
Boom!!
Shiki was thrown backward, crashing into the wall at the other end of the hallway.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune cried out in alarm.
"I'll give you the treatment you want tomorrow morning. But with your attitude, if you cause trouble, don't come crying to me later!"
Tsunade turned around, her tone still heavy with confrontation.
Chapter 175 – The Argument
"Tsunade-sama has agreed?" Hayate Gekko asked blankly.
In fact, it wasn't just him—almost anyone would find it impossible to reconcile such an intense contrast in circumstances.
Seiji Ito nodded slightly, "Yes, she has definitely agreed."
Even he, however, looked puzzled beneath his calm gaze.
Even Shiki himself hadn't expected Tsunade to actually agree to treat him.
And yet—
Chapter 176 – Reflection
Will this injury… really heal?
Lying on the bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.
It had been a very long time since he last experienced such a quiet moment.
Even though he always seemed cheerful, when alone, he either trained or fell asleep immediately.
His lifestyle was extremely simple, giving him little time to stop and think.
He spent almost all his time running around—either on missions or grinding in training.
The only time he could lie down and rest, he would fall fast asleep.
"Time sure flew by faster than I expected."
Shiki almost had an illusion that yesterday he had still been beside his mother, listening to her tell stories from the past.
But in the blink of an eye, he'd already been in Konoha for six years.
He'd gone through countless events, many of which were completely unforeseen.
Yet stumbling forward step by step, he had managed to survive resiliently in this world.
Even though he remained weak, others were willing to share in his life, his pain.
People always say the purpose of life is to live for others.
Whether it's hatred, anger, admiration, or love.
If everyone ignores you, if they treat you like you don't even exist… then what's the point of living?
Shiki felt he had done well in that regard.
Still, he remained very weak—he lacked the power to protect the things he wanted to defend.
Just like his own mother.
The boy probably thought Orochimaru wouldn't lie to him. If he said he knew where his mother was, then he really did.
He may have wanted to use a group of loyal children as pawns, but hadn't each of those pawns already gotten what they desired?
At least in this regard, Orochimaru had no reason to deceive a child.
And he himself wasn't even important enough for Orochimaru to bother with a lie.
Still, Shiki felt slightly relieved because this at least suggested his mother wasn't in Orochimaru's hands.
Snake Sage was undeniably a genius. Many focused on Orochimaru's combat abilities but overlooked his most fundamental trait.
Anything that fell into Orochimaru's grasp would be completely stripped of its value.
Of course, only if the item held value for Orochimaru in the first place.
He was an interweaving figure—a scientific freak fused with a charismatic leader.
Throughout the entire Naruto series, only Orochimaru could freely assimilate various powerful Kekkei Genkai as his own.
Even the abominable right hand of Danzo was created by him.
Officially, the theory was combining the First Hokage's highly active cells with the Uchiha clan's Sharingan—but in reality, how simple could that possibly be?
Moreover, he was a leader of extraordinary charisma. No matter which ninja village they came from or what kind of personality they had, whoever Orochimaru desired would become his most devoted followers.
Seeing Orochimaru as just a fighter—that was the greatest insult of all.
Conversely, Shiki couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like if his mother fell into Orochimaru's hands.
This was also why Shiki felt some small comfort.
As he thought, Shiki recalled Danzo again.
That schemer—his short-term goal was likely ensuring the Third survived Orochimaru's invasion of Konoha.
But his long-term objective? Ensuring that man himself died.
Even under the Third's watchful eye, Danzo was the root supporting Konoha—the gathering place of all darkness within the village. Without Danzo, Konoha wouldn't have remained unshaken like this.
Yet the things Danzo did had already exceeded acceptable limits.
He existed entirely for the sake of the name "for Konoha."
He existed purely for power.
For this reason, he was willing to let the Third die—or anyone else who stood in his way.
Such a person didn't deserve to live.
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