Chapter 46: Mito, I've Actually Been Thinking of You.
After the two had finished their tearful embrace, the middle-aged man finally noticed the blonde man who had accompanied his son inside.
"Hello, my name is Might Duy, I am Gai's father. Thank you very much for escorting my child back. May I ask your name?"
"My name is Saito."
"Thank you so much, Saito-kun!" He finished speaking and bowed deeply.
"If you want to thank me, let's save Gai's mother first, and then you can thank me later."
"Ah! Saito-kun, are you perhaps a medical ninja?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
"That's wonderful! Please, come in!"
The room was very tidy.
To be precise, there was very little furniture.
There was a large bed, a small bed expanded with wooden planks next to it, and a simple wardrobe opposite the bed, which looked like it was homemade.
Lying on the bed was a middle-aged woman, whose face was extremely pale.
Saito walked ahead, secretly activating Sage Mode.
He discovered that the woman's life energy was flickering like a candle in the wind; she had only a few days left.
Saito approached the woman, placed his hand near her, and pretended to be sensing her condition.
"Big brother, how is it? Can my mom be cured?"
Looking at his mother lying unconscious on the bed, Might Gai once again couldn't control his emotions and questioned Saito.
"Hmm, the illness is terminal. Medicine and food can no longer help."
Upon hearing Saito words, even though he was mentally prepared, Might Duy couldn't help but feel sadness well up.
After all, if the diagnosis wasn't absolute, it meant there was still hope, right?
"Sigh, you've gone to a lot of trouble, Saito-kun. It's all my fault. I never let Nanako live a single good day, which is why... boohoo..."
"However, you met me!"
"...Boohoo... wuh... Huh?!"
Saito dramatic pause and sudden shift in tone completely threw the grieving Might Duy off balance.
"That's wonderful! Saito-kun, please, you must save her! I beg you!"
Seeing Might Duy kneeling before him, begging him to save his wife, Saito shook his head.
Watching Saito shake his head, Might Duy plunged back into despair.
"[As expected! It still can't be done! In the end, I still failed to protect Nanako!]"
"[Back then, during a mission, the young him met her while she was fleeing for her life, and he saved her. She wasn't particularly beautiful, and he wasn't particularly handsome, but she fell for him and followed him all the way.]"
"[After passing through the layers of tests required to enter the village, she found him—the eccentric one in the village. Ultimately, the two lonely souls found each other and got together!]"
"[He told her that things would get better, and she always believed him. In the end! He broke his promise! And she would never see it happen!]"
"Saving her doesn't depend on me, but on you!"
"Me?"
"That's right! I can treat your wife, but how long do you think someone who has just recovered from a serious illness can last in this environment? One year? Two years? Or three years? And then what? Won't she end up back in bed? So, what would be the meaning of my treatment?"
"I..."
Faced with Saito blunt question, Might Duy knew he couldn't answer.
"I... I will definitely work hard. I will definitely let Nanako live a good life!"
"Then, where are the results of your efforts?"
"Duy-san is a Genin, right?"
"Uh, yes."
"As far as I know, Konoha currently has more escort missions than they can handle. Although Genin receive the smallest share of the rewards, it still shouldn't lead to the kind of poverty your family is experiencing. And I can tell Duy-san is not someone who shirks work. Therefore, there is only one answer: absolutely no one is willing to take missions with you, right?"
"I..."
Might Duy, having the truth laid bare by Saito once again, lowered his head even further.
Seeing that the moment was right, Saito abruptly changed the subject.
"But I have an opportunity here. I wonder if Duy-san is willing to accept it. If you agree, I can treat Mrs. Duy, and I guarantee that Duy-san's income will be at least ten times what it is now!"
"What opportunity?"
Like grabbing a final lifeline, Might Duy suddenly raised his head and spoke to Saito.
"It's very simple: come with me to Hidden Sand Village. I happen to need a Taijutsu instructor, and you will fill that role. If you agree, not only will your wife receive treatment, but your son will also be trained as a top-tier student in Hidden Sand Village. What do you say?"
"Hidden Sand Village! Who exactly are you? Why are you approaching me?"
"[Don't object. Low-level ninja at most know that an envoy from Hidden Sand Village is coming, but they would never know or even see who the person from Hidden Sand Village is.]"
"A good question! My name is Saito, and as for my identity, I am simply the Third Kazekage of Hidden Sand Village."
"Eh!!! The Third Kazekage!!! Doesn't that mean you're as strong as the Hokage-sama!!!"
Before Might Duy could react, Gai, standing nearby, already cried out in shock.
"What kind of talk is that! Is the Hokage as handsome as me?"
"..."
"Why me?"
"Emmm... you could say I was bored. I came to Konoha just wanting to wander around, and then I happened to see a child crying, and on a whim, I felt like playing the role of a powerful person who could change someone's destiny."
"However, that was only my initial thought. When I arrived here, I noticed traces of training outside. I deduced that Duy-san must be an excellent Taijutsu ninja. Furthermore, I sensed a powerful energy within Duy-san; it is thoroughly hidden, just like Duy-san himself—unremarkable on the surface!"
"But I believe that the moment that energy bursts forth will be a moment that shocks the world."
"Therefore, Duy-san, come to Hidden Sand Village. I will give you a sufficient stage to display your talents, so you no longer have to live such an impoverished life."
"And besides..."
Saito leaned his head close to Might Duy's ear and whispered softly.
"Duy-san, you don't want Mrs. Duy to die like this, do you? You don't want Gai to lose his mother so young, do you? And you definitely don't want Gai to grow up to be just like you, do you?"
Having finished, he pulled his head back from Might Duy, patted Duy's shoulder, and continued.
"Think it over carefully. You have three days. If you take longer than three days, I won't be able to save her either."
"Furthermore, I promise you that once you are in Hidden Sand Village, I will absolutely not make you fight against Konoha ninja!"
With that, he left behind a gold card (not a card for exceptional talent, just an ordinary gold card imbued with a trace of Saito chakra) and then walked out.
"If you've made up your mind, you can use this gold card to find me at the guesthouse. If you don't come, then you can sell this card to improve your family's living conditions!"
...Saito walked back alone. To be honest, Konoha was quite large; he had walked so long he was getting hungry.
Should he go for yakiniku or Ichiraku Ramen? Such a dilemma!
Suddenly, Saito seemed to sense something. His gaze fell upon a spot in the forest, and a glistening trail of drool slipped from the corner of his mouth.
"It is the Nine-Tails, as expected. What massive chakra! If I could take a sip of that, it would be absolutely exhilarating. Too bad it's being watched too closely."
"Yakiniku and ramen are more realistic. I've decided! I'll eat both!"
---
The Pure Land.
On the Husband-Watching Rock.
A certain individual with long black straight hair was thinking of his deceased husband.
"Madara! Where in the world are you!"
"Big Brother, that's enough!"
Tobirama, standing behind Hashirama, had lost count of how many times he had said that.
Suddenly.
He sensed someone approaching.
He turned his head to look, and was immediately startled.
"B... B..."
"Shh!"
"Sigh, Madara, where are you exactly!"
"Do you miss Madara that much? Have you thought about anyone else?"
"Someone else? Huh, I don't think so. Wait, your voice sounds familiar. Are you someone I know?"
He finished speaking and turned his head to see who it was, but as soon as he turned, he immediately snapped his head back, cold sweat already beading on his forehead and dripping onto the ground.
This was because he saw a familiar red-haired woman, her hair floating in the air, with four menacing chains thrashing behind her.
"Heh heh, looks like you don't recognize me. Perfect. Then I'll help you jog your memory."
"Ah! Mito, I was wrong! Please spare me~~~ Ah!!!"
At that moment, Tobirama was hiding nearby, watching his older brother being hung up and beaten.
He silently offered a prayer for him, then quickly ran away.
"[Once he's done beating Big Brother, he won't be able to beat me too, right!]"
---
Deep beneath the Land of Grass.
Uchiha Madara was currently eating the dinner Tobi had brought him.
Just then, a White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
"Lord Madara, Black Zetsu sent word that Uzumaki Mito passed away this morning!"
Hearing this news, Uchiha Madara's hand, which was holding his food, paused slightly, then immediately resumed its normal motion.
"Mm, I understand. You may leave."
After the White Zetsu left, silence returned to the cave.
There was only the sound of Madara eating alone, and then... "Sigh, the green leaves of the past have all withered away. Hashirama, I will definitely prove that I was right!"
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