Chapter 32: A Gamble and a Ghost
A moment later, Kimimaro jolted back to consciousness. He couldn't believe it. Not only had this guy not killed him, but he had also used some miraculous method to heal him.
He stood up, testing his body. The ever-present feeling of weakness was gone. He could jump without feeling winded.
He stared at Takahashi in shock. "You... you cured my illness?"
Takahashi just shrugged. "Is that difficult?"
Kimimaro was stunned by the casual reply. Isn't it difficult? If it wasn't, why had this disease tormented him for over a decade?
But that wasn't the important part. His expression darkened. They were enemies. Why would this Konoha ninja save him? There had to be a trick, a scheme. It was the instinctive thought of someone raised in darkness.
"Even if you healed me," Kimimaro declared, his voice firm, "I will still defeat you. I won't let you interfere with Lord Orochimaru. I will stop you."
"Then go."
"...I will definitely stop you! What... what did you say?" Kimimaro couldn't believe his ears. They had just fought so fiercely. He had been healed, only to be... let go?
"Are you serious?" he asked, utterly confused.
Takahashi gave a simple, affirmative nod. The truth was, he had never intended to kill Kimimaro. He sympathized with the tragic character. He felt a strange kinship with him. More importantly, he didn't truly want to stop Orochimaru. If anyone could force a lasting peace onto the ninja world, it would be through the strength of people like them.
And if you asked who could genuinely advance the ninja world, Orochimaru was undoubtedly the one. Others put their faith in raw power, tailed beasts, or genjutsu. But Orochimaru was different. He believed in science. In the end, after all the fighting, what remained was progress. Real scientists were madmen, and Orochimaru was no exception.
Besides, with his arms sealed, more than half of his power was gone. Even if he escaped, he couldn't cause major waves anymore. It was better to leave him be.
Since gaining his power, Takahashi's goals had expanded. He didn't just want to be strong; he wanted to be powerful enough to change the ninja world itself. Orochimaru was a piece on that board.
He looked at Kimimaro. "Go back and tell Orochimaru this: he is talented. He shouldn't let hatred blind him. It wasn't Konoha that destroyed his parents, but the entire, rotten ninja world. If he wants to change that reality... he should contact me."
He paused, his gaze steady. "And you... you were a dead man. You dedicated everything to Orochimaru. But now, you are a free person. You can decide your own destiny."
With those final words, he turned and left gracefully.
The words hit Kimimaro like a key turning in a long-locked door. He had struggled so hard to become strong, all to be recognized by Orochimaru, to dedicate his entire being to his master. That fanatical devotion was the very reason for his existence.
But now, after experiencing death and rebirth, he felt, for the first time, that he was not just "Kimimaro, the Cursed Seal vessel." His thoughts drifted back to the simple boy from the Kaguya clan he once was.
In a daze, he began walking in the direction Orochimaru had fled.
Takahashi flashed back towards Kakashi's location. He wasn't worried about Sasuke; that guy was too stubborn to die.
As for Sasuke's vow to destroy Konoha, Takahashi just laughed inwardly. His goal was to find his brother for revenge against Konoha. If Sasuke tried to destroy the village, his brother would probably be the first one to stop him. I sacrificed everything to protect this place, and you, you little brat, want to wreck it?
When he arrived, he found Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura. They looked at his empty hands and sighed. Facing such a powerful opponent, simply escaping with their lives was an accomplishment. Catching Orochimaru was now clearly unrealistic. They had underestimated the Sannin's resources.
The mood was somber as they returned to Konoha that evening. Takahashi, the only one unaffected, split from the group and found a barbecue restaurant, deciding to reward himself.
Using "Please Don't Die" twice in a row was draining, both physically and mentally.
He ordered over a dozen plates of meat. His enhanced body came with a ravenous appetite.
The restaurant was bustling, most tables filled with groups of two or three. Only Takahashi sat alone.
Just as he was happily devouring his food, a figure slid into the seat opposite him. The strong smell of alcohol hit him before he even looked up. Annoyed at the interruption, he raised his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a terrifyingly impressive "murder weapon" straining against a green jacket. It took a great effort to drag his gaze upward to the face of Tsunade, who was currently glaring at him with a very bad temper.
"See enough, you little pervert?" she grumbled.
Takahashi cleared his throat, masking his embarrassment. "Can I help you, Lady Tsunade? This is my private time. My enjoyment of a meal shouldn't be a problem, should it?"
Tsunade didn't answer directly. Her eyes bored into him. "That technique you used during the day. How does it work? I've studied medical ninjutsu for decades and have never seen anything like it. Teach it to me. Name your price."
She leaned forward slightly, a playful glint in her eye. "Remember. Anything is fine."
She wasn't lying. Despite her age, she maintained the appearance of a woman in her prime, and her figure was indeed a powerful weapon.
But she soon noticed there was no lust in Takahashi's eyes, just mild annoyance. This bored her. She'd hoped to tease some information out of the young man.
No matter how she pressed, Takahashi simply avoided the subject, focusing entirely on demolishing the barbecue in front of him.
Frustrated, Tsunade slammed her palm on the table. The plates jumped, drawing stares from other patrons. She didn't care. If she was unhappy, nobody got to be happy.
"Fine! A contest, then!" she declared, glaring at him. "You against me. If you win, I'll never bother you again. But if you lose, you tell me everything about that mysterious jutsu. I'm being very reasonable, and I never go back on my word."
Even the other customers listening in thought her "reasonableness" was a joke. She was the one harassing him, and when she couldn't get her way, she was trying to force a bet. What kind of logic was that?