"Ugh... Nn..."
Before long, suppressed groans of pain were heard again.
Tayuya collapsed to her knees, hugging herself tightly. She trembled uncontrollably, teeth clenched as she tried to swallow the groans that represented weakness.
Mamoru opened his eyes and glanced over, instantly understanding—her internal injuries were finally flaring up.
Having tanked the impact of Fuga, even though the three Doki had absorbed most of the flame damage and shock, the aftershocks were enough to severely injure her internal organs.
Tayuya lay prostrate on the ground, her body twitching in pain from time to time, intermittent groans leaking through the gaps in her teeth.
"Honestly..."
Mamoru scratched his head helplessly, stood up, and walked over to squat beside her. His palm glowed with a warm green light as he gently pressed it against her trembling back.
Tayuya was being tormented by pain to the point of wishing for death when a gentle, peaceful warm current suddenly flowed into her body. Wherever it passed, the sharp pain was miraculously eased.
Her breathing gradually leveled out, and she could finally draw a normal breath. She slowly opened her eyes, realizing that this enemy was the one treating her.
Confusion followed.
Why would the enemy save her?
She naturally wouldn't know that in Mamoru's eyes, she was a walking piece of merit—capturing a trusted confidante of Orochimaru alive was a major achievement.
Before cashing in the reward, he naturally couldn't let her die so easily.
"Of all things to learn, you chose to be a villain." Mamoru's voice was devoid of emotion.
Tayuya froze, then as if a nerve had been pricked, she retorted indignantly, "Don't be so self-righteous! Not everyone has the luxury of choice!"
Her fingers dug into the ground, and her tone became agitated, carrying a resentment born of being pushed into a corner. "Some people's lives are decided from the moment they're born. If you don't struggle, you don't survive. I'm nothing like you naive bastards from Konoha."
"You wild girl, every other word is 'bastard.' Can't you be a bit more civilized?" Mamoru raised an eyebrow.
"Your life and death are still in my hands, you know."
He certainly knew that few people from Otogakure had good endings. Sympathy was one thing, but he was clear about his own position and couldn't meddle in so much business.
"If you're going to kill me, do it! To think I'd submit... impossible!"
Tayuya barely propped up her upper body and turned her head away, striking a defiant pose.
"Is that so?" Mamoru replied indifferently and withdrew his palm.
"Agh..."
The intense pain returned instantly. Tayuya's face contorted as she curled up, clutching her chest in agony.
"Do you submit?" Mamoru asked.
Tayuya just bit her lip, muffled groans of pain escaping her throat, stubbornly refusing to give in.
Mamoru stood silently for a moment. Seeing the girl still gritting her teeth with no intention of softening, he could only shake his head slightly. He didn't have a hobby for torturing prisoners.
Seeing this, he shrugged helplessly and pressed his palm back onto her trembling back. The soft green light glowed again, and the warm current enveloped Tayuya's pained body. Her tense shoulders gradually relaxed, and her once rapid breathing became steady.
"Name?" Mamoru asked casually.
A silence stretched between the two.
Tayuya looked up, warily sizing up the boy before her, her pale lips pressed into a thin line.
After a long while, she reluctantly spat out three syllables, "Tayuya."
"Tayuya." Mamoru repeated the name.
"People need to learn to be flexible. Being stubborn will only bring you suffering."
"How old are you even, to be lecturing me?" Tayuya sneered, a mocking look appearing on her pale face. "You brat."
"I..."
Mamoru took a deep breath, forcing down the irritation in his heart, telling himself not to lower himself to a child's level.
He looked away and said instead, "As expected of someone raised by that old snake, you really are savage."
"Shut up! Don't you dare insult Orochimaru-sama!" Tayuya snapped her head around, her gaze cold.
"Heh... you really are loyal." Mamoru chuckled, his gaze sweeping over her stubborn face.
"That old snake abandoned you and escaped for his own life."
"Shut up!" Tayuya's voice was suppressed with surging rage.
"In his eyes, you're nothing more than a disposable object."
"Shut up, shut up, shut up..." Tayuya repeated, her voice getting louder as if using it to resist a truth she didn't want to admit.
"He could sacrifice all of you in this plan just to get me." Mamoru's voice remained calm, but every word was like a knife to the heart. "Your life really is tragic."
"Bastard!"
Tayuya could no longer contain her fury and threw a punch at Mamoru's face.
Mamoru easily caught her fist, his fingers closing around it, pinning her hand firmly in his palm. No matter how she struggled, it didn't budge.
"I'm warning you, Orochimaru doesn't see you as human beings at all." Mamoru looked directly into her eyes, which were burning with rage, speaking one word at a time.
"So what?" Tayuya glared at him stubbornly.
"Nothing." Mamoru's tone suddenly became relaxed, and the strength in his hand loosened slightly.
"You bastard, you're messing with me..."
Tayuya struggled to break free, but the movement aggravated her unhealed injuries. The sharp pain instantly took her breath away, and she bent over, clutching her chest.
"Why are you so stubborn?" Mamoru helplessly let go and gently pressed his palm against her trembling shoulder.
"I give up. I'll just let the hospital handle you."
Before his voice faded, the surrounding scenery suddenly distorted.
In the blink of an eye, the two appeared at the entrance of Konoha Hospital. The ninjas coming and going reacted extremely fast, instantly backing off to form a perimeter, the cold light of Kunai and shuriken glinting.
"Quick reactions." Mamoru muttered, then raised his voice. "It's me, Mamoru."
After careful identification, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and put away their weapons, though their wary gazes still fell on the girl beside him.
"You won't die, be happy." Mamoru let go and said to Tayuya.
"You stinking..."
Before Tayuya could finish her curse, Mamoru pinched her mouth shut. He lifted her high and walked straight into the hospital.
Just as he stepped through the door, several Anbu members happened to be coming toward him.
"Perfect timing."
Mamoru pushed Tayuya forward. "This is one of Orochimaru's subordinates."
"One of Orochimaru's?"
The Anbu members immediately became alert. One of them quickly grabbed the stumbling Tayuya. The moment she tried to resist, her hands were pinned behind her back, and she was firmly restrained.
"She's still injured, do with her as you see fit."
Mamoru turned to leave, then as if remembering something, he looked back and added, "Wild girl, remember to reform yourself. Drop the habit of swearing, got it?"
"Bastard, just you wait!" Tayuya struggled fiercely in the Anbu's grip, shouting through gritted teeth.
Mamoru waved his hand with his back to her, his figure vanishing the moment he stepped out of the hospital.