Chapter 26: A Restless Heart, The Curtain Rises!
The Weight of Survival
With the creaking sound of Hidan closing the door, the room returned to silence.
Tsukasa looked at the scroll in his hand, his heart heavy with conflicted emotions.
He should have died inside that volcano, yet here he lay—alive.
In his hand was a scroll containing an S-rank forbidden technique.
He wouldn't consider this stroke of luck. He could breathe fresh air, see sunlight streaming through holes in the wall, and feel burning warmth against his skin.
Every texture on the back of his hand was vividly real.
This was because Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna had chosen to sacrifice himself in the end, carving out a path for Tsukasa to survive.
However—
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
Tsukasa clutched the bedsheet tightly, his face showing not a trace of joy at surviving disaster.
Instead, it was filled with terror!
He lowered his head, eyes wide and crimson. His lips, teeth, and entire face trembled.
The tomoe in spun wildly as his blood-swollen heart beat like thunder in his chest.
The weight on his conscience grew heavier—boulder after boulder bearing the name "Uchiha Setsuna"—so crushing he could barely breathe.
Tsukasa had a clear understanding of himself.
He knew he was merely human—laughing when happy, crying when sad, feeling defeated when beaten, becoming angry when humiliated.
He possessed normal human emotions. If someone truly treated him the way Karin had treated Sasuke—willingly sacrificing her life for him—would he coldly stab them as Sasuke had done?
Or would he lash out destructively like Itachi, disregarding family bonds?
That wouldn't solve anything; it would be pathological emotional venting.
Therefore, he constantly avoided contact with the original story's events or forming bonds with people from this world.
But now...
At that moment, a piece of paper nestled within the unfolded scroll landed in Tsukasa's palm.
The words on it startled him:
'Just handle the delivery. I'll figure out a solution. Also, I'm not dead.'
Tsukasa: "..."
He blinked and scratched his head.
Finally, he exhaled with relief.
Then his expression twisted again as he closed the scroll, cursing internally:
"Damn old man! Why didn't you just say you weren't dead from the beginning? Why hide it so dramatically? What was I supposed to think, lying here imagining the worst? Get lost! All of you!"
Tsukasa quickly raised his palms and waved them skyward, as if shooing away something foul.
Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna—the last surviving veteran jonin from the Warring States period—would certainly have mastered Izanagi, the technique that could rewrite any unfavorable situation.
Distracted by concern, Tsukasa had momentarily forgotten this crucial detail.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Hidan, entering with a doctor, happened to witness Tsukasa waving his hands wildly in the air—movements that looked like sword techniques.
Hidan chuckled: "Wow, didn't expect you to be so energetic already."
"Not bad, keep it up!"
"I haven't experienced that kind of... phase... but I've read about it in books."
"Don't be embarrassed, I understand completely."
Tsukasa's expression remained impassive, though he thought: You've definitely experienced that phase. You call everyone 'bastard' constantly—clearly you never got over your rebellious period!
Facing their stares, Tsukasa turned away slightly embarrassed, coughed, and said: "There was a fly."
The tall doctor behind Hidan raised his eyes slightly and stated calmly: "Impossible. I sprayed insect repellent around the entire area."
[Shinno expresses disdain for you.]
Tsukasa's face flushed instantly, but after glancing at the system message, he couldn't help being stunned.
An Unexpected Encounter
"Let me introduce you. This is Dr. Shinno, a traveling physician." Hidan stepped aside, pointing at the tall doctor beside him.
"Thanks to him, you would've died from blood loss otherwise."
Tsukasa looked up, subtle surprise flickering in his eyes.
The tall doctor Hidan called "medical-nin Shinno" wore a brown hood revealing light gray hair and a pale yellow coat.
This outfit, combined with his name—wasn't this Shinno, leader of the Sky Village?!
Why would this major player who roamed the shinobi world in a flying fortress appear in the Land of Hot Water at this time? And alongside Hidan?
Shinno glanced at Tsukasa with indifference, as if observing worthless meat.
After studying Tsukasa briefly, he said calmly: "I've treated your injuries. Drink plenty of fluids. That's all."
With those instructions, Shinno shook his head—seemingly uninterested in Tsukasa—and turned to leave.
Tsukasa watched him go without interference.
They had no common ground, no conflicts, and Shinno certainly didn't align with his goal of achieving a meaningful death.
Just as Shinno showed little interest in him as an Uchiha, even though Tsukasa knew he was formidable enough to open the Eight Gates and crush him effortlessly, he had no interest in provoking him unnecessarily.
There was a difference between intentional suicide and legitimate combat—especially when the opponent showed no malicious intent.
That's why Tsukasa preferred battlefield scenarios. On battlefields, opposing identities and conflicting objectives naturally divided people into distinct camps where life-or-death struggles were perfectly justified.
"Dr. Shinno is a noble physician. He never charges for treatment." Hidan watched Shinno leave with obvious respect, then turned to Tsukasa.
He walked to the bedside, pulled out an apple, and tossed it over.
Tsukasa didn't respond but simply observed Hidan with a penetrating gaze and clicked his tongue.
Noble? Hardly.
After consideration, the only reason Tsukasa could imagine for Shinno approaching Hidan was interest in the Jashin Cult's secret techniques.
After all, the forbidden "Physical Regeneration" technique that allowed him to open the Eight Gates without dying might connect to the Jashin Cult's "immortal body" physiology.
At this moment, Hidan sat down casually and said: "Tsukasa, I saved your life, but I didn't do it to keep you bedridden."
"Since Dr. Shinno says you're fine, come with me and do me a favor."
Tsukasa tilted his head, surprised by such brazen confidence.
"How can you say that so casually?"
"Besides, why should I help you?"
"I haven't stabbed you yet—you should be grateful for that mercy. Now you want to ask a rogue shinobi for favors?"
Hidan didn't seem bothered at all. He chuckled: "I read about this in books. It's called 'repaying a debt of gratitude.'"
"You're a good person. You'll definitely help me!"
Tsukasa rolled his eyes, somewhat speechless.
He retracted his assessment of this 'clever' Hidan's intelligence.
Shaking his head, Tsukasa raised a corner of his mouth and said lightly: "Let's hear it first—"
"Also, let me be clear: I won't take any job that doesn't put my life in danger."
Hidan's expression grew serious as he restrained his smile and asked solemnly:
"Do you know about the Jashin Cult?"
End of Chapter 26