dmims Page 172
Page 172
Complex emotions surged wildly within Tsunade's heart like an overturned palette of paints.
She instinctively avoided Naruto's burning gaze, as if that light would scorch the darkness deep within her heart.
She silently turned her head and stared blankly out the window of the Japanese-style room.
The sky outside the window was somewhat gloomy, with leaden-gray clouds hanging low, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.
Just like her mood at this moment, heavy and confused.
Pedestrians hurried along the street, and the casino sign in the distance still shone with a blinding light; it was her haven for escaping reality.
However, Naruto's words, "I will definitely become Hokage!" were like a thunderclap.
It stirred up a monstrous wave in the long-dormant lake of her heart.
Rope Tree and Broken's smiles, their hopeful eyes, their appearance before death...
Scenes flashed through my mind in turn.
Ban's cold words—
"Indecisive and hesitant, you're not even fit to carry Hashirama's shoes!"
It lashed at her soul like a whip.
She is Tsunade.
Granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage.
One of the legendary Sannin of Konoha.
A medical expert...
Do we really have to keep sinking into this state?
For an impossible lie of resurrection, she abandoned the village that raised her?
To bring shame upon my grandfather's glory?
Will Rope Tree and Broken Dreams...become a complete laughingstock?
Her haggard and bewildered face was vaguely reflected in the windowpane.
She looked at her reflection in the glass, her fingers unconsciously tightening, her nails digging deep into her palms.
A brief silence fell over the room. Jiraiya watched Tsunade's forlorn figure, hesitated, and finally let out a silent sigh.
Naruto looked at the silent Tsunade with some confusion, then at Jiraiya, scratched his head, and sensed that the atmosphere was a bit heavy.
Chapter 194 Madara's Abnormality and Sasuke's Dream
A few days passed quietly.
The smoke of the fierce battle in Tanabata Street seems to have dissipated, leaving only gradually healing wounds and a heavy, unresolved feeling.
The atmosphere within the sealed space inside Naruto's body was subtly different.
On the massive head of the Nine-Tails, Madara Uchiha remained asleep with his eyes closed, his posture almost unchanged, as if the passage of time outside had nothing to do with him.
His signature frizzy black hair contrasted sharply against the nine-tailed fox's crimson fur.
However, this slumber seems to be deeper and longer than before.
Minato approached Kurama's head and gazed at the sleeping Madara.
The Nine-Tailed Fox's enormous beastly eyes swept over Madara's quiet, almost lifeless figure.
A low gurgling sound came from his throat, as if he were talking to himself, or perhaps to Minato: "Strange... what's wrong with Old Madara lately? He's like a hibernating snake, always sleeping? He used to sleep, but never like this."
Upon hearing this, Minato also showed a thoughtful expression, and his phantom image rippled slightly: "Indeed... Although Mr. Madara often rested in the past, his senses were still very sharp, and he would wake up if there was any big noise in the outside world."
"But I have never seen such a deep sleep lasting for several days in a row..."
Nine-Tailed Fox flicked its massive tail, stirring up illusory "splashes" within the sealed space. Its tone carried its usual awkwardness and sarcasm: "Whatever! Who cares if he lives or dies! Let him sleep as long as he wants! Ideally, he'd never wake up! If that day really comes..."
A mischievous glint flashed in the Nine-Tails' enormous beast eyes as it muttered to itself, "I absolutely must celebrate with a Tailed Beast Ball, setting off fireworks for three days and three nights! I'll light up the entire ninja world!"
Minato looked at Kurama's hypocritical expression, how she clearly cared but insisted on speaking so maliciously.
He smiled helplessly, his azure eyes filled with understanding and tolerance.
He knew that although this proud fox spirit was sharp-tongued, she probably wouldn't be truly happy if something really happened to Ban.
After all, the "cohabitation" relationship within this sealed space had already unknowingly formed an extremely complex bond that transcended friend and foe.
"Hopefully, Mr. Ban just needs more time to recover."
Minato spoke gently, his gaze returning to the sleeping Madara, with a hint of sincere blessing.
In the real world, in the hotel room where I am temporarily staying in Tanabata.
Most of the bandages on Naruto's body had been removed, leaving only a few deeper wounds with plasters on them.
The boy's amazing recovery ability was perfectly demonstrated with the help of Tsunade's superb medical skills.
He was now lively and energetic, and even started pestering Jiraiya to practice "stillness" again.
However, Sasuke was still lying quietly on another futon on the floor in the room.
His complexion was much rosier than it had been a few days ago, and his breathing was steady and long.
The wounds on his body that Tsunade had treated were healing steadily, and there was no sign of any danger to his life.
But those tightly closed eyes never opened.
After her daily routine check-up, Tsunade would give the same conclusion: "The external injuries and internal damage have basically healed, and the chakra is also recovering steadily."
"The rest... is that his own consciousness has not fully returned. Whether he can wake up, and when he will wake up, depends on himself."
This conclusion made Naruto feel like something was tugging at his heart every day.
Although Tsunade assured her that there was no danger to his life, she was still saddened to see Sasuke lying there unresponsive, like a sleeping prince.
Naruto's worries and anxieties grew wildly like weeds.
Every day, after finishing his training, Naruto would immediately run to Sasuke's sleeping mat and sit down.
He wouldn't hold the other person's hand and say sentimental things like in TV dramas; instead, he would do it in his own unique way—showing off.
"Hey! Sasuke! Guess how long I lasted today?"
Naruto sat cross-legged next to Sasuke, his face bearing an expression that was a mixture of pride and anticipation.
"Five minutes! A full five minutes! I sat motionless like a stone on that tiny rock for a full five minutes! Amazing, right? Haha!"
He continued talking to himself, as if Sasuke were really listening: "That perverted sage was so surprised his jaw almost dropped! He said my progress was like a monster!"
"Hey, if you don't wake up and try harder, you'll really be left far behind by me! Don't cry then!"
He went on and on about the details of his cultivation practice.
It tells the embarrassing story of Jiraiya sneaking out to "gather material" and being caught red-handed.
They said that the food made by Sister Jingyin was delicious.
Tell me which gambling den on Tanabata Street has lost all its money today...
He tried to use these lively, noisy sounds.
To fill the unsettling silence left by Sasuke's slumber, and to awaken his sleeping comrades.
However, all he heard in response was Sasuke's steady breathing and the occasional hustle and bustle of the city outside the window.
His handsome face remained expressionless, not even a tremor of his eyelashes.
The smugness on Naruto's face gradually faded, replaced by an undisguised sense of loss and worry.
He reached out and carefully poked Sasuke's bandaged arm with his finger: "Hey... arrogant Sasuke... can't you hear me? Wake up... we agreed to have a contest to see who can learn Sage Mode first..."
His voice lowered, carrying a barely perceptible plea.
If it weren't for Tsunade's unquestionable authority, Naruto would probably have been frantically pacing around Sasuke like an ant on a hot pan.
This waiting was more agonizing than facing any powerful enemy.
However, deep within Sasuke's seemingly dormant consciousness lies a bizarre and breathtaking scene.
Sasuke felt as if he had fallen into a long and chaotic dream, or rather, as if another life had been forcibly inserted into him.
That was a period of his life that was completely different from, even the opposite of, his current life.
In this "dream," he is still Uchiha Sasuke.
However, when he was seven years old, the entire Uchiha clan was massacred.
The blood-red moonlight on the night of the massacre, the fallen figures of his parents, and the cold, despairing Mangekyou Sharingan of his older brother, Uchiha Itachi…
All the unforgettable pain surged in like a tide.
He went mad here in his quest to gain the power to kill the itachi.
He even went so far as to defect from Konoha to follow that dangerous man who exuded the stench of snakes—Orochimaru.
In the shadowy lair of the Sound Village, he endured the corrosive effects of the cursed seal and underwent inhuman training, all for the day he could personally avenge his enemies.
However, the second half of the dream took a sharp turn, becoming strange and absurd!
When he finally believed he had enough power, he sought out Itachi for his revenge.
What awaited him was not a satisfying revenge, but a cruel truth!
Behind Itachi's seemingly ruthless slaughter lies unimaginable pain and sacrifice!
Was it to protect him?
To protect the village?
An order from the higher-ups in Konoha?
A series of mind-blowing images and information pierced his mind like sharp knives!
What he found even more unacceptable was that Itachi held back at every turn during their fight.
He even helped him remove Orochimaru's cursed seal and soul from his body at a crucial moment!
Finally, Itachi collapsed in front of him, exhausted.