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The Two-Tails' chakra was unmistakable on the battlefield.
Violent and icy, its oppressive pressure stole the breath from one's lungs.
Yugito's rush into full tailed beast transformation wasn't just fueled by rage and hatred toward Heshu; it was also the agony of a reality she couldn't immediately accept.
Countless orbs of chakra coalesced in Yugito's hands. Transparent threads of chakra, nearly invisible to the naked eye under the sun, controlled the terrifying energy shooting toward Heshu.
Heshu nimbly dodged the incoming Tail-Severing Orbs, but they kept chasing him, steered by those chakra threads.
He stopped dodging. Not because he couldn't, but because it was annoying.
He extended a hand. Mental feelers stretched out infinitely, severing the threads completely and collecting the orbs into his storage space.
The next instant, he was among the Cloud ninja.
The Tail-Severing Orbs detonated.
Heavy casualties.
A was furious enough to want to smash him to paste with his fists.
Heshu's figure flashed behind Yugito. Shinsō aimed at her chest.
"AOOOOOOOO—!"
The piercing shriek made eardrums vibrate.
The Two-Tails' screech echoed across the entire battlefield.
The beast's form gradually replaced Yugito's, becoming a complete tailed beast.
Its sharp fangs glinted coldly. A massive fireball shot from its maw toward Heshu.
Heshu still didn't dodge. Shinsō pierced through the Two-Tails' mouth.
"AROOOOWL!"
The Two-Tails leapt back two meters, shaking its head violently, its sharp claws raking deep gouges into the ground in agony.
It glared at Heshu, then became a blur streaking toward him—fast enough to escape the eye.
Too bad. Among all the shinobi present, if Heshu claimed second place in speed, no one dared claim first.
That was the confidence Gojō-sensei's teleportation afforded.
Heshu's Shinsō always struck first, piercing parts of the Two-Tails' body.
The Two-Tails retreated again, all four legs trembling.
Partly from fury, partly from being skewered.
It didn't advance again, snarling low and restless.
A dark sphere began to form at its mouth.
"Oh ho!"
Heshu sheathed his blade.
Watching the black sphere he'd seen countless times in the anime, a thrill of excitement stirred within him.
A Tailed Beast Ball was coming.
A vortex of wildly fluctuating yin-yang chakra rapidly condensed. The Tailed Beast Ball grew larger and larger.
"It's a Tailed Beast Ball!"
"My god! First time I've ever seen one!"
"You idiot, move! Unless you want it to be your last!"
"…"
The shinobi stared, mouths agape.
"Fall back!"
A frowned, ordering all Cloud ninja near the Two-Tails to retreat.
Everyone knew a Tailed Beast Ball's explosion carried the force to shatter mountains and split the earth.
Orochimaru also signaled the Leaf ninja behind Heshu to scatter.
"Heshu!"
Minato Namikaze, locked in combat with A and other Cloud ninja, frowned with concern. He glanced at Orochimaru, hoping he'd intervene.
Orochimaru's lips curved into a smile. His gaze swept coolly over Minato before settling on Heshu with a glint of interest, his whole demeanor radiating a ruthless indifference to life.
"Ultimate move time!"
Heshu exhaled, buzzing with excitement.
Who didn't love the feeling of unleashing an ultimate move?
Step aside!
He—Tsukimi Heshu!—was about to put on a show!
Heshu focused his mind. The technique came naturally.
A surging power spilled from him, a palpable pressure slowly spreading.
An intangible aura enveloped the space between him and the Two-Tails like a thin film.
"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue."
Heshu clasped his fingers. Power was drawn to its limit. Chakra drained rapidly, then refilled instantly.
Crimson energy materialized, gathering to his left.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
Azure energy churned and coalesced to his right.
"Hollow Technique—"
Blinding arcs of lightning crackled around Heshu's fingertips and arms with sharp, snapping sounds.
"—Purple."
The space warped into a massive concave. Two enormous compressed spheres of chakra energy collided. Crackle-pop! The arcs of electricity snapped as the spheres fused.
A dazzling violet light blazed across the sky, momentarily overwhelming the sun itself.
A tidal wave of immense pressure spread. Space twisted and tore. The oppressive force from the Tailed Beast Ball was utterly dispersed. Everyone stared, stunned, at the blue-violet sphere wreathed in lightning arcs.
For an instant. Just one.
The Tailed Beast Ball met the sphere that tore through space.
A deafening blast of energy, like thunder cracking the heavens, rendered ears momentarily deaf.
Boulders powdered. Trees disintegrated. The earth split apart.
On the battlefield, a massive chasm dozens of meters long tore the ground in two.
At the chasm's end lay Yugito, battered and bruised.
Her eyes were closed. Unconscious, possibly dead.
Heshu stood on a branch, then leapt down, landing lightly on the ground.
So damn satisfying!
Though he felt a little… lacking in chivalry.
Bullshit!
He looked like a delicate flower himself. Yugito hadn't shown him any mercy either!
With that thought, Heshu felt entirely justified.
"No way…"
"Impossible…"
"Lady Yugito… lost?"
Yugito of the Two-Tails, whose prestige in Kumogakure was second only to the Raikage, his son, and Killer Bee.
Defeated in front of everyone. By a Leaf spy.
In such a pathetic state.
"Yugito!"
A's form flashed to Yugito's side. His fingers went to her nose.
Her breathing was faint. Almost gone.
With their medical capabilities, she'd die before reaching Kumo.
Heshu had kept some sense. He hadn't poured in maximum chakra.
This outcome was perfect.
Yugito hung on by a thread. The only person present who could save her was Heshu.
"Choose. Yugito's life, or the war."
Heshu spoke up. "She's the Two-Tails jinchūriki. You can't just let her die, right?"
A clenched his fist. Said nothing.
If he could, he'd rip this shameless spy's head off and take it back to Kumo as a football.
Heshu added, "The war between Kumo and Konoha was instigated by Iwa. Given the current situation, a ceasefire is the most sensible choice."
Wasn't it just?
Minato was pressuring A. Yugito was on death's door. The remaining Cloud ninja, tough as they were, weren't Konoha's match.
A understood the situation. But resentment churned inside him.
Heshu slowly retreated to the Leaf ranks. Let Orochimaru and Minato handle the negotiations.
"Heshu, you're amazing!"
Uchiha Juri stared at Heshu, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Just alright."
Heshu smiled modestly.
In the end, A had no choice but to accept reality.
He chose the ceasefire.
Orochimaru held a handwritten truce agreement. A signed on behalf of the Third Raikage.
The reversal happened too fast. Leaf and Cloud ninja alike were caught off guard.
Just… stop fighting? They were a little confused.
But not having to fight was generally a good thing.
Heshu naturally stepped forward to treat Yugito.
Honestly, the pressure from the stares was intense.
Every Cloud ninja watched him with a mix of emotions.
Shock. Rage. Hatred. Disgust… Admiration?
Wait.
Admiration?
Heshu traced the gaze to a dark-skinned young man whose eyes lit up.
Impressive!
A Cloud ninja actually admired him?
Kid!
Good taste!
Heshu shot him a subtle, appreciative glance.
Ahem.
Heshu reached Yugito's side. Under A's "scorching" stare, he applied Reverse Cursed Technique.
A moment later, Heshu withdrew his hand.
Yugito stirred, consciousness returning.
"Princess…"
Still disoriented, Yugito reached out and grabbed Heshu's hand.
"…"
Even Heshu's thick skin flushed a little.
A's death glare burned into him.
"No! You're not the princess!"
Yugito shoved Heshu's hand away, her face changing dramatically.
"Well. Yugito seems lively. She'll be fine."
Heshu stood up and returned to the Leaf formation.
Shisui and Juri both stared at him. They had a feeling something had happened during Heshu's spy mission in Kumo that they didn't know about.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Heshu looked puzzled.
"Nothing."
Shisui smiled.
A led Yugito and the Cloud ninja away.
As they left, Heshu thought he saw Yugito glance back.
Or maybe it was just his imagination.
Though A shooting him several fierce glares? That, Heshu definitely saw.
"Can we trust the Cloud?"
A Leaf ninja in the crowd voiced the question.
"We can. A, son of the Third Raikage, isn't one to break his word. Besides, Kumo is threatened on three fronts now. Their situation is critical. They can't afford to prolong a front with us."
Heshu explained.
"It seems you gathered quite a bit of intelligence during your time in Kumo."
Orochimaru remarked coolly.
"I just wanted to secure the greatest benefit for the village, end the war sooner, restore peace. Compared to what Lord Orochimaru and everyone else has done, my contribution is insignificant."
Heshu remained humble.
"Lord Heshu is truly an admirable shinobi!"
His words earned everyone's respect, but also made them recall how Orochimaru had publicly exposed him earlier.
Many harbored doubts they didn't dare voice.
But a seed of prejudice had taken root.
That very night, shocking news swept across the shinobi world.
The Third Raikage had fallen in battle.
Fighting one against ten thousand, dragged to his death on the battlefield.
Iwagakure didn't get off lightly either.
Over half of their twenty thousand forces were dead or wounded. The village's vitality was severely damaged.
At this moment, the Great Shinobi War seemed to be approaching its finale.
Everyone glimpsed the dawn before the sunrise.
With Iwa and Kumo both withdrawing from the field, Kirigakure chose that moment to start harassing the Land of Fire's borders.
Orders from Konoha's Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, also arrived at the front.
Orochimaru was recalled to Konoha. Command of the front against Kiri was fully transferred to Minato Namikaze.
Heshu received the news. His expression turned inscrutable.
Hiruzen's move at this time was… interesting.
Balancing Orochimaru and Minato's influence, heating up the competition for the Fourth Hokage.
Despite Minato's repeated pleas, Tsunade chose to leave the front.
"Minato! I believe you can handle the rest of this war!"
"As for the medical corps, leave it to Heshu! Her medical ninjutsu has already surpassed mine!"
With that, she left with a flourish, ruffling Heshu's hair on her way out.
"…"
Tsunade left. Jiraiya followed.
"Minato! You know how it is… Sensei doesn't like being tied down… I believe in you… Do your best… Sensei needs to find new… material… Heh heh heh…"
And so, only the new generation remained.
"Such unreliable seniors."
Someone in the ranks muttered.
Minato wore an awkward smile, scratching his head. "Ah! We'll just have to work harder!"
Despite his gentle, approachable demeanor, Minato assigned tasks with swift efficiency that inspired confidence.
"Heshu, you'll have to work a bit harder. I'll need to rely on you for both frontline duty and medical tasks sometimes!"
Minato said apologetically, patting Heshu's shoulder. "The capable bear more burdens!"
Thanks. That doesn't comfort me at all.
Heshu spent the next few days spinning like a top.
Not only treating patients, but also dealing with Kiri's constant harassment.
Kiri was sneaky. Never engaging head-on, just launching sudden raids before retreating to their own territory.
How annoying was that?
Late at night.
In the medical tent, Heshu finished treating the last patient of the day.
"Thank you for your trouble."
The wounded ninja thanked him politely.
"Not at all. Seeing you recover brings me joy as a medic-nin."
Heshu offered a comforting smile.
The man looked at Heshu, genuinely moved. "Lord Heshu… you're truly a kind person."
Someone who could be a model for all shinobi.
Since Heshu's battle with Yugito, the look in the Leaf ninjas' eyes held a new layer of respect.
The reverence shinobi held for pure strength.
Heshu smiled without replying.
He tidied the scattered medical tools on the table, then suddenly stiffened.
A strange, yet familiar chakra coalesced behind him.
"Staying in Konoha too long… have you forgotten who you are?"
A sinister tone sounded at Heshu's back.
A masked man in a black cloak materialized behind him.
The patient on the bed widened his eyes, staring past Heshu.
"Lord Heshu, behind you!"
The wounded ninja instinctively leapt from the bed. Before he could even draw a kunai from his leg pouch, a wooden spike pierced his heart.
The spike impaled the ninja's heart. His pupils contracted. Blood gushed from his mouth.
Thud.
The ninja collapsed at Heshu's feet.
The body made a dull sound.
Heshu watched, silent.
"…"
I just saved him, and Tobi sends him off. All that work for nothing.
Behind the mask, crimson light bloomed in the visible eye.
Obito's gaze fixed on Heshu. His tone was ambiguous. "Long time no see. You've grown, Heshu."
Bullshit.
Heshu retorted inwardly.
That guy Obito… it was like he was on growth hormones.
Shot up in height.
Heshu only came up to Obito's chest now.
And Heshu was still growing too!
"The body is inconvenient. Hard to explain."
Heshu looked at the corpse by his feet, changing the depressing subject as he turned to Obito.
His face was cold, devoid of all the gentleness and sunshine he showed others by day.
Obito's gaze didn't waver. "Don't worry. I'll take him."
"As for your explanation…"
Obito drawled, his tone laced with meaning. "Given your current standing in Konoha… any excuse you give, they'll believe you, won't they?"
Heshu: "…"
If you want to shade me, just say it.
"Why are you here? Is there something?"
Heshu asked.
Obito said, "In the Land of Rain, I found an organization. Called Akatsuki. There's a child there named Hanataki. Looks exactly like you."
?
Heshu wasn't sure what Obito meant by that, but he had no intention of telling anyone about the Corona Mode Clone.
"Looks exactly like me?"
Heshu looked at Obito, genuinely startled.
His expression seemed real.
Obito didn't speak, as if gauging Heshu's reaction.
After a long moment, he lowered his gaze, changing the subject. "While you're in Konoha, find a way to get close to the Nine-Tails jinchūriki."
"Understood."
Heshu nodded. "Don't worry about that."
Infiltrating Konoha, his primary objective was the Nine-Tails jinchūriki.
That much, Heshu remembered clearly.
Even if, in his heart, nothing trumped earning favorability points.
"You've changed…" Obito murmured.
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