Chapter 46 - Lord Yuto, Do You Need Eyes?
The power of the cursed seal was absorbed swiftly. Kimimaro felt a sharp pain pierce through his body, and before he could even react, darkness filled his vision and he collapsed unconscious.
The reason he had seemed stable before was entirely due to the curse mark sustaining him. Losing it so suddenly, his body couldn't endure the strain.
Even the Sound Four, whose physical strength far exceeded Kimimaro's, had all fainted when Yuto once absorbed their curse marks.
Catching Kimimaro before he fell, Yuto sighed softly. Kimimaro's condition had already reached a terminal stage—far worse than Jūya's had been back then.
To completely cure him, one would need to remove the very bloodline limit from his body. Otherwise, the disease could never be fully eradicated.
Still, Yuto had confidence he could at least suppress it.
As he pondered, a familiar voice called out from ahead.
"Lord Yuto, I knew you'd be here."
Chōjūrō appeared, breathing lightly as he jogged over.
"Chōjūrō? What brings you here?" Yuto asked, surprise flickering across his face.
"Ringo Ameyuri and Bubbles have returned," Chōjūrō said respectfully. "Bubbles also brought back a child. The Mizukage wishes to know how you'd like to handle him."
Yuto's expression shifted slightly. That child—if he remembered correctly—should be Ranmaru, the one who possessed the ability to suppress the Byakugan.
A power like that was not something to waste.
"Tell Bubbles to take the child back to where he lives," Yuto said with a faint smile. Then he paused, turning his gaze toward Chōjūrō. "Do you even know where Bubbles lives?"
Chōjūrō nodded blankly. Before he could process anything further, Yuto placed the unconscious Kimimaro into his arms.
"Lead the way," Yuto said pleasantly.
Caught off guard, Chōjūrō instinctively replied, "Y-Yes, Lord Yuto!"
Cradling Kimimaro carefully, he started forward, guiding Yuto through the mist village streets toward Bubbles' residence.
It wasn't until they had walked some distance that Chōjūrō suddenly remembered the purpose of his visit.
"Um… Lord Yuto, about the message from the Mizukage—shouldn't I return and report back?"
Yuto waved his hand dismissively. "No need. Just find someone along the way and have them deliver the message."
Chōjūrō could only sigh helplessly, tightening his grip on Kimimaro as he continued leading the way.
He soon realized that Bubbles' home was located far from the village center—an isolated, quiet place few ever visited. The farther they went, the fewer people they saw.
If not for Chōjūrō guiding him, Yuto might not have even known such a remote spot existed within the Mist Village.
Half an hour later.
Chōjūrō's arms were trembling slightly as he set Kimimaro down inside Bubbles' modest dwelling.
He rubbed his sore arms with relief and exhaled deeply.
When he stepped outside, he saw Yuto leaning casually against a large tree in the distance. Chōjūrō quickly approached.
"Thank you for your help, Chōjūrō," Yuto said with an easy tone.
Chōjūrō shook his head quickly, though his face held a hint of unease.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Yuto asked, curious.
Chōjūrō scratched his head awkwardly and explained the situation about the reformation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"Have a little confidence in yourself," Yuto said, patting him lightly on the shoulder. "Your strength may be lacking, but your efficiency isn't bad."
Chōjūrō gave a weak laugh. Somehow, he didn't feel comforted at all.
Since there was much to prepare regarding the swordsmen, he excused himself and hurried back toward the village.
Not long after he left, Utakata appeared in Yuto's line of sight, carrying a floating bubble beside him.
Inside it, a small child—Ranmaru—sat quietly, eyes wide and wary.
Utakata' expression remained cold as ever. He extended a hand and pushed the bubble forward toward Yuto.
"The person you wanted—I've brought him."
After speaking, Utakata turned and walked toward his house without another word.
"What an unpleasant personality," Yuto muttered with a shrug, his tone half amused as his gaze shifted toward the small figure floating inside the bubble.
Inside, Ranmaru watched him nervously, his body tense.
Just moments ago, Utakata's expression had shown a rare trace of fear toward this man. That alone made Ranmaru uneasy — after all, Utakata was the strongest shinobi he had ever met.
A flicker of curiosity appeared on Ranmaru's face. His dark brown eyes began to turn a deep crimson.
Boom!
In the next instant, Ranmaru felt as if his head would explode. An overwhelming sense of danger pressed down on him, suffocating and absolute.
In Ranmaru's sight, Yuto was nothing like any shinobi he had ever seen.
Normally, a person's strength could be roughly gauged by the amount of chakra they possessed — not perfectly, but accurately enough for a sensory-type like him.
When Ranmaru had first seen Utakata, he had immediately known that Black Hoe Raiga stood no chance against him.
It had been the first time Ranmaru had witnessed such immense chakra from a human being.
But now, in front of Yuto, there was nothing.
His entire body seemed like a vast black void — not a trace of chakra could be sensed, only a distortion in space itself, as though Yuto absorbed everything around him.
A primal instinct screamed inside Ranmaru's mind. His red eyes throbbed painfully, every nerve firing with pure terror.
It was the unmistakable feeling of standing at the edge of death.
The crimson faded rapidly from his eyes, returning to dull brown. His small hands clutched his head as his frail body trembled uncontrollably.
From Yuto's perspective, the boy's eyes had merely flared red for an instant before returning to normal. Then he clutched his head in fear, shaking like a frightened animal.
Yuto blinked in mild surprise, then smiled faintly. He extended one finger and tapped lightly at the surface of the bubble. It burst instantly with a soft pop.
Ranmaru tumbled to the ground, landing awkwardly on his knees.
"Little one," Yuto said in a calm, unhurried voice, "I'd advise you not to use those red eyes on me again. Otherwise, your small head might just burst."
His tone was quiet, but the warning carried weight.
Ranmaru froze — and then suddenly felt his body being lifted effortlessly by one hand.
Yuto held him up, examining him closely. The boy had grayish-black hair and delicate features, the very image of a fragile child.
Feeling no killing intent from Yuto, Ranmaru's trembling slowly ceased. He looked up cautiously, his voice soft and uncertain.
"Who… are you?"
"My name is Yuto," the man replied with a gentle smile. "I'm an elder of the Hidden Mist Village."
Seeing no malice in his expression, Ranmaru relaxed slightly, though his eyes still held a trace of wariness — and something else.
A faint glimmer of hope.
"Lord Yuto," he said timidly, "do you need eyes? I can be your eyes."
(End of Chapter)
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