Evening, by the river where daily training took place.
Sora, having just finished his training, was panting heavily, his forehead covered in sweat.
"Rest for ten minutes, then try the 'Life Gate' again."
Soon, the ten minutes passed, and Sora began to open the Eight Gates.
"Gate of Opening! Open!"
"Gate of Healing! Open!!"
"Gate of Life! Open!!!"
Sora guided the small amount of chakra within his body. After several attempts, three acupuncture points finally produced clear, faint sounds. The first three gates opened as commanded.
"Huff. This feeling is easily more than twice as strong as when only opening the first two gates. The Eight Gates Released Formation truly lives up to being the strongest taijutsu in Naruto."
Sora quietly sensed the feeling after opening the Gate of Life. His blood flow accelerated, and he could hear the "thump, thump" pulsations within his blood vessels in his ears. It was as if a warm current rushed up along his carotid artery to the top of his head. The view before his eyes also seemed brighter.
Although there was a slight tearing sensation in his muscles, Sora did not mind. With the enhancement of the Azure Dragon Fruit, he could recover fairly quickly after releasing the Eight Gates Released Formation.
Boom!
Lifting his hand to throw a punch, the sound of the wind was also sharper than usual.
The most obvious improvement was in endurance. Sora felt as if he had inexhaustible strength.
"According to Duy, maintain it for an hour, then release the Eight Gates Released Formation afterward."
Sora began his training again. Next was 1000 push ups.
Under the boost of the opened Gate of Life, Sora's push ups seemed to create afterimages.
...
At the same time.
Konoha, in a certain hidden underground base.
Nonō looked at the person before her, her tone carrying a hint of confusion. "Lord Danzo, didn't you say last time that after completing the previous mission, there would be two years for rest and adjustment?"
"Plans have changed." Danzo's voice from the shadows was flat. "We need to send someone to the Land of Lightning to gather intelligence. It's all for the village."
"But..."
"If you are unwilling to go, then let him go." Danzo said, casually tossing over a new file.
Nonō caught it. The moment she saw the contents, her expression changed drastically. "No. He cannot go."
"Why not?" Danzo gave a light chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm. "Weren't you also around that age when you were executing missions in the Land of Earth?"
"No... Absolutely not..." Nonō seemed not to hear his words. She just clutched the file tightly, murmuring repeatedly.
The photo on the file was clearly of Sora.
"Nonō, the village raised them. They should pay their dues to the village. This is all for the village." Danzo's voice turned colder, carrying an undeniable pressure.
"Satō and Inoue already died on the mission in the Land of Lightning!" Nonō suddenly looked up, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
Danzo didn't even lift an eyelid. There wasn't a ripple on his face, as if those were just two insignificant names.
"I'll go. I'll go on this mission!"
Nonō's fingers tightened forcefully on the file in her hand. She finally said it, though her voice carried an unconcealable weakness.
Whoosh.
She grabbed several files from the table, and her figure instantly vanished into the depths of the base.
Tch.
Danzo in the shadows let out a cold laugh, muttering to himself in a low voice. "A tool should have the awareness of a tool. A tool that develops its own thoughts needs to be constantly hammered and repaired."
The Root ninja standing behind him had no reaction, as if he hadn't heard anything. Years of brainwashing had long turned him into a machine that only understood obeying orders, a machine that acted only for the village's benefit.
To be more precise, for Danzo's benefit!
.....
Not long after, the 1000 push ups were done. Sora actually only felt slightly tired.
Sora wiped his sweat and looked up at the sky. "Time to go back."
Sora started walking towards the direction of the orphanage.
Just as he turned the corner into the small alley outside the orphanage, a sudden chill ran up the back of his neck.
'Someone is following me?' Sora's heart sank. 'Anbu? Or... Root?'
Deliberately slowing his pace, Sora pretended to be tired while quietly sensing the movements behind him.
Sure enough, that gaze still existed. Moreover, the other party's aura was cold and hidden, like a venomous snake lurking in the dark.
'Hidden so deeply. If I weren't still under the effects of the Eight Gates Released Formation, I might not have noticed him at all.'
'It seems to be a Root member!' Sora gritted his teeth. 'What scheme is that old schemer Danzo plotting now?'
Sora did not alert the enemy. He continued pretending to be completely unaware and returned to the orphanage.
When he pushed open the orphanage gate, Nonō happened to be coming out of the house.
"You're back?"
Nonō said with a smile, her voice still gentle. But Sora felt a hint of strain in her smile.
The atmosphere during dinner was a bit strange.
Nonō's hand trembled as she served food to the children. Ichirō Miyamoto tried several times to ask about Satō and Inoue, but was subtly pulled by the sleeve by Rin Uesugi each time.
Sora shoveled rice into his mouth, his eyes glancing towards the door. He still felt that the Root ninja from earlier should still be nearby. Unfortunately, Sora could not maintain the Gate of Life open for long periods. Now, after releasing the Eight Gates Released Formation, he could no longer sense that person's presence.
After dinner, Nonō called out to Sora, who was about to return to his room. "Come to my room for a moment."
Sora nodded.
Nonō sat on the tatami, her hands clasped together on her knees. She was silent for a long while before speaking. "Sora, sister needs to tell you something."
"You're going on a mission?" Sora asked directly.
Nonō abruptly looked up, a flicker of panic in her eyes, followed by a bitter smile. "As expected, I can't hide it from you." She took a deep breath, her voice lowering. "This time... I might be gone for a long time."
"How long is a long time?"
"I don't know." Nonō shook her head. "Maybe a year, maybe... several years."
"Is it related to me?" Sora stared into her eyes. That Root ninja earlier was definitely not a coincidence.
Ever since Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned him and his Uzumaki lineage was discovered, Root's attention must have increased. After all, someone like Danzo is best at using people close to someone as a weakness.
Nonō's eyelashes trembled slightly. She picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, as if covering something up. "Don't overthink it. It has nothing to do with you. It's the village's arrangement. Someone has to go."
Sora did not press further. He could tell that Nonō had the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal placed on her. Some things simply could not be spoken. But he was almost certain that Danzo, just like in the original story, must have used the orphanage, used Sora himself, to threaten Nonō.
"The children..."
"I will take care of them." Sora finished her sentence. Like last time, no extra promises were needed.
A relieved smile appeared on Nonō's face. "Next time we meet, you'll be a grown young man. I'll bring gifts back for everyone then."
Sora forced a smile, but his heart felt heavy like a stone was pressing on it. Unlike last time, Nonō's departure this time might very well be permanent.
Last time, Sora could guess that Nonō's mission had nothing to do with him. Compared to the original story, she would definitely return safely.
But this time was different. This mission was clearly because of Sora's own situation that Nonō received this mission.
It must be remembered that Sora is a person who did not exist in the original story. That means Nonō has one more uncertain mission. Sora has no confidence in her ability to return safely.
"Get some rest early." Nonō stood up. "I'll depart before dawn. I won't say goodbye to the others to avoid them crying."
Returning to his room, Sora lay on his bed with his eyes open.
He did not ask Nonō where she was going. A person branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, upon attempting to speak about Danzo or the Root organization, would become completely paralyzed, unable to speak or move.
Moreover, the cursed seal is bound to Danzo's life. As long as Danzo is alive, the seal remains active. The subject cannot remove it themselves and cannot even commit suicide. Only after Danzo's death does the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal automatically release. Sora remembers that Sai determined Danzo's death through this phenomenon.
This is Root's method. Turning people into emotionless tools, unable to even say a sincere farewell.
'Danzo...' Sora whispered the name. This old man, for Konoha's "peace," has his hands stained with blood. Whether it's the annihilated Uchiha clan, the tragic Nagato and others, or even the traitorous Orochimaru, all are connected to him.
'When I reach Kage-level strength, the first person I'll deal with is you.'
Sora said fiercely in his heart. After all, not long ago he had secretly vowed not to let such things happen again. To be slapped in the face by Danzo within less than three months, his mood can be imagined.
...
An unknown amount of time passed. Very light footsteps came from the orphanage entrance. Sora suddenly sat up, ran to the window, and lifted a corner of the curtain.
Nonō stood in the courtyard with a small pack on her back. She looked back at the orphanage, her gaze finally falling on Sora's window.
She seemed to know Sora was watching. She gave a light smile towards the window, but the moonlight falling on her face added a touch of pallor and weakness to that smile.
Then she turned around, her hands quickly forming hand seals. With a "poof" sound, she turned into an afterimage and disappeared beyond the wall.
Sora stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the spot where Nonō had just stood, lost in thought.
The courtyard was empty. Only the wind stirred up a few fallen leaves. Sora spoke softly, as if making a promise to the air.
"I will take care of everyone."
"You must come back alive too... Wishing you peace, sister."
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