Chapter 38: Who Gave You Permission to Touch Me with Those Filthy Hands?
The Chase
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several figures darted through the dense forest at breakneck speed.
They were Root operatives—but now, all their usual arrogance had vanished completely. They were fleeing in absolute panic.
The lingering terror on their faces suggested that something monstrous was pursuing them through the shadows.
"Faster! Move faster!" Terai, the Root squad leader, roared desperately, urging his team to accelerate. He glanced back repeatedly, his fear intensifying with each look. "Don't slow down! That... that girl is still following us!"
Heavy breathing echoed through the forest.
Each breath brought searing pain to their lungs as they strained to keep pace. Despite their desperate efforts, they still felt like they were suffocating.
Even though their lungs felt ready to burst, no one dared slow down even a fraction.
How did things end up like this?
Terai's mind raced with terror as memories from just ten minutes ago flooded back unbidden.
Their plan had been a complete success. They'd managed to kidnap the child traveling with Tsunade without a hitch.
Everything had proceeded according to plan—Tsunade had been successfully lured away from Uchiha Kazuki's location, creating the perfect opportunity for Hanzō to strike.
But then, everything had gone catastrophically wrong.
The kidnapped little girl had instantly displayed terrifying power, cutting down the ANBU operative holding her in mere seconds, tearing him to pieces right before everyone's eyes.
Then, the girl had calmly wiped the blood from her face—and a Mangekyō Sharingan like a spinning windmill had appeared in her eyes!
"We must... we must report this intelligence to Lord Danzō!"
Snapping back to the present, Terai could still feel the murderous intent radiating from behind them. "The Uchiha clan is plotting something far deeper than we realized!"
However, in the very next instant—
A petite figure dressed entirely in black suddenly materialized in their path, blocking their escape.
The Predator
In that moment, all dozen Root operatives seemed to freeze in place, their eyes filled with pure terror as they stared at the small figure perched on a tree branch ahead.
"I hate it when people touch me."
Uchiha Hikari's face was completely expressionless, like a cold killing machine that chilled everyone to their core. "Who gave you permission to touch me with those filthy hands?"
Her tone was flat and emotionless, yet it instilled bone-deep fear in every one of them.
It felt as if a razor-sharp blade was pressed directly against their throats.
The icy, death-cold sensation sent shivers cascading down their spines, making every hair on their bodies stand on end.
The air itself felt heavy—almost solidifying around them—and the suffocating killing intent seemed to lower the temperature of the entire forest.
Fear spread through the squad like wildfire, devouring their reason like a ravenous beast.
"Everyone, attack together!"
Terai knew he couldn't wait any longer, or his entire team's will would crumble completely under the weight of their terror.
"Heh... Hehehe... HAHAHAHA!"
Uchiha Hikari covered her face with one hand, laughing with wild, twisted arrogance. Her entire being radiated morbid fury. "I belong to him. Only he is allowed to touch me. As for you... you disgusting scum—how DARE you touch me with your filthy hands! You all deserve to DIE!!!"
"ATTACK!!!"
Cold sweat flew as the Root operatives' faces contorted in fear. Roaring savagely to suppress their terror, they charged toward the girl with everything they had.
Uchiha Hikari partially covered her eyes with one hand as the crimson glow of her Mangekyō Sharingan blazed to life. Her cherry-red lips parted slightly:
"Kill each other, you worthless trash."
The genjutsu took hold instantly.
In their eyes, their comrades transformed into the very demon they'd been fleeing from.
Screams filled the forest as the Root operatives turned on each other with savage brutality.
Endless Sorrow
Dark clouds gathered overhead, and torrential rain began to fall.
Enveloped in endless grief, Konan let the downpour soak through her clothes and hair.
Hanzō was dead.
Killed by the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, slain by Nagato's uncontrollable rage.
But... this wasn't the outcome she'd wanted at all.
"Konan..." Nagato's eyelids drooped heavily as blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. Using the last fragments of his strength, he whispered to her: "Take us... back home..."
With those words, he collapsed unconscious to the ground.
The rampaging Demonic Statue vanished in a puff of smoke, its summoning ended.
"Nagato!"
Ignoring the mud staining her clothes, Konan stumbled forward and gathered the unconscious Nagato into her arms.
What she saw shocked her to her core.
The massive Demonic Statue had absorbed an enormous amount of Nagato's chakra. If not for his Uzumaki clan constitution granting him extraordinary life force, he would certainly be dead already.
Even so, Nagato had paid a devastating price—his body had become frighteningly emaciated, as if all vitality had been drained from him.
Moreover, the black chakra receivers that had pierced through his body had caused severe internal injuries. He needed immediate medical attention, or his life would be in genuine danger.
"Why... why did this happen?!"
Konan was overwhelmed by endless sorrow, her tears mingling indistinguishably with the falling rain.
"Is this... is this the punishment for trying to change fate?"
"Why... why would you do this to me?!"
"You showed me the future, yet you won't let me change it!"
"I hate this! I hate this so much!"
In the pouring rain, Konan curled up helplessly and sobbed openly.
If she hadn't insisted on believing the prophecy from her nightmare... if she hadn't dragged Yahiko and Nagato to the location from her dream to seek the truth... would none of this have happened?
But reality never offers second chances.
Yahiko was dead—just as the dream had foretold—dying to save her life.
Nagato was crippled—forced to summon the Demonic Statue to avenge Yahiko by killing Hanzō.
Everything had unfolded exactly as destined. No matter what efforts they'd made, the ending couldn't be changed!
Taking Them Home
"Yahiko... I'm taking you home."
Her face deathly pale, Konan carefully wrapped Yahiko's broken body in white paper, then lifted the unconscious Nagato with trembling arms. She began walking listlessly toward the distant horizon.
"We'll go home together... just like we promised."
The girl's steps were painfully slow, as if each one required every ounce of strength she possessed.
When she passed by the fallen Konoha ANBU operative, she instinctively stopped. Her kind heart ultimately couldn't ignore him, even in her grief.
The Uchiha ANBU who'd been slashed by Hanzō was unconscious but still salvageable. A gruesome scar ran diagonally across his chest—deep enough to expose bone—and blood had stained the surrounding ground crimson. He looked as though he was moments from death.
"Thank goodness... it's not immediately fatal," Konan murmured as she bandaged his wound with trembling hands. "As long as the bleeding stops, Tsunade-sama should be able to heal you when she returns."
Then, with immense difficulty, Konan led both Nagato and Yahiko's body away from this place of sorrow.
The soft patter of rain returned the forest to silence.
The Mastermind Revealed
A long moment later, Uchiha Kazuki opened his eyes.
He slowly sat up and touched the scar on his chest with clinical detachment.
"Damage transfer... a Magician's ability truly is convenient."
Gazing at Hanzō's drained corpse lying not far away, he adjusted his glasses with one finger. His eyes were completely devoid of emotion.
"If there's a next life, Hanzō... remember my advice: beware the spectator."
This performance had been quite spectacular indeed.
But even more spectacular was the true mastermind behind it all—the one who'd orchestrated everything from the shadows.
Uchiha Kazuki himself.
Hanzō, Konan, Yahiko, Nagato—every single one of them had been nothing more than puppets dancing on his strings.
Following a pre-written script, they'd walked step by step toward a predetermined conclusion.
"It's unfortunate about Yahiko..."
Uchiha Kazuki murmured to himself, his eyes downcast and expressionless. "In my future plans, you were never necessary."
He stood slowly, brushing mud from his ANBU uniform.
The rain continued to fall, washing away the evidence of his deception.
Everything had gone exactly according to plan.
[End of Chapter 38]
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