dmims Page 268
Page 268
A voice suddenly exploded in Konohamaru's mind!
Those were Naruto's words, spoken countless times before him, full of confidence and determination, no matter the circumstances!
"I'm going to be Hokage someday!"
"I will fight against fate, that is my ninja way!"
"Don't choose a path you'll regret!"
The scene flashed by rapidly, finally freezing on the moment before Naruto was petrified.
The anxious yet incredibly determined look in his eyes when he yelled at them, "Go!"
A surge of scalding heat suddenly dispelled the icy fear in Konohamaru's heart!
His body stopped trembling, and his clenched fists were so tight that his knuckles turned white.
He suddenly raised his head, though there was still lingering fear in his eyes.
But more than anything, it was an ignited, unquestionable determination!
He stepped forward, his voice not loud, but unusually firm, breaking the suffocating silence:
"Your Highness, please rise."
Full Moon paused for a moment, then slowly straightened up, looking at the boy in front of her with a puzzled expression, who seemed to have suddenly become different.
Konohamaru didn't look at him, but turned to Moegi and Udon, who were still afraid.
His voice rose eight octaves, as if he were not only speaking to his companions, but also shouting to himself, declaring to fate:
"Mogi! Udon! What are you afraid of?! Have you forgotten what Naruto taught us?!"
He took a deep breath and roared with all his might, his voice echoing through the cave, making the torchlight seem to flicker:
"Naruto encountered an even stronger enemy in the Land of Waves back then. He didn't back down, so why should we?!"
"What is our ninja way?!"
He stared intently at his two companions: "It's about forging ahead! It's about keeping your word! It's about never giving up!"
"Naruto-sensei was petrified to protect us!"
“If we back down and run away now because of fear, do we still deserve to be his students?”
"Does he even deserve to be a Konoha ninja?!"
"The enemy is very strong! Even Naruto-sensei couldn't defeat them! But!"
Konohamaru slammed his fist into his chest with a dull thud: "But we can't keep hiding behind Naruto-sensei forever!"
"We must become stronger! We must fight! We must carve out our own path!"
"Not only must we save ourselves, but we must also come back in the future to save Naruto-sensei!"
His words struck like a heavy hammer, each syllable hitting Mogi and Udon's hearts, as well as the hearts of Mangetsu and all the guards.
As Moegi looked at Konohamaru's profile, which, though youthful, was filled with fearless light, the fear in her eyes was gradually replaced by a resolute light.
She nodded vigorously, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "Konohamaru is right! We can't let Naruto-sensei down!"
Udon also sniffed hard, and although his body was still trembling slightly, he tried his best to stand up straight.
With a voice trembling with tears but utterly earnest, she said, "Yes! I...I want to fight too! I want to help in my own way!"
The atmosphere of despair was instantly dispelled by Konohamaru's resounding words!
A tragic yet hopeful fighting spirit ignited in the small cave!
Prince Manyue looked at the three Konoha genin who had undergone a complete transformation in an instant, his eyes filled with disbelief, shock, and deep emotion.
He bowed deeply once more, this time with heartfelt gratitude and respect: "Thank you, all three! The Moon Kingdom... will never forget you!"
At the same time, outside the cave
Naruto had broken free of the outer petrification chakra and followed them here.
Leaning against a tree, Naruto gazed at the starry night sky, his senses spreading out like the most sophisticated radar.
They could clearly "see" everything that happened inside the cave.
He "heard" the old king's dying words and the tragic silence of death.
He "saw" the full moon prince's sincere plea, where he set aside his arrogance.
He also "felt" Konohamaru's passionate and indomitable declaration!
Naruto couldn't help but reveal an extremely gratified and radiant smile.
The sunlight seemed to dispel all the gloom.
"Well done... Konohamaru... Moegi... Udon..."
He murmured softly, filled with pride and emotion: "Let's keep going like this..."
Chapter 289 We will never give up!
The night was as dark as ink, and the cold sea wind howled across the desolate coastline of the Moon Kingdom, stirring up fine sand and salty moisture.
Far from the hustle and bustle of the capital, in a remote corner, a small port that has been abandoned for many years lies quietly beneath a cliff.
The dilapidated wooden pier has mostly collapsed and is submerged in the dark seawater.
The waves emitted a piercing groan.
Several rusty old ships, reduced to mere skeletons, lay aground on the beach like the remains of giant beasts, adding to the desolation and deathly silence.
This is the evacuation point chosen by Konohamaru and his two companions, Mangetsu and his son, and several loyal members of the old king's personal guard.
According to secret intelligence held by the Royal Guard, there is a small, long-forgotten smuggling route leading to the coastal waters of a neighboring country.
It was their only hope of escaping the tight blockade of Nashadaba.
The bumpy and slow journey left everyone exhausted and their nerves on edge.
Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon pushed their senses to the limit, vigilantly watching every shadow and every rock.
The sight of Naruto being petrified was like a nightmare, constantly reminding them of the enemy's terrifying nature.
But it is precisely because of this that Konohamaru's declaration of "never giving up" carries even more weight.
This sustained them, preventing them from retreating in the slightest.
"This is it."
The captain of the guard lowered his voice and pointed to a small, almost indistinguishable section of the damaged dock hidden in the shadow of the cliff below: "There should be a small boat for emergencies hidden down there. Hopefully, it will be useful."
"Quick! Be quiet!"
"Full Moon Prince urged, holding his son Guang's hand tightly," he said.
His face had long lost its former greasy arrogance, leaving only the panic of fleeing for his life and the fear of the future.
Like frightened birds, the group cautiously made their way down the steep and rugged path.
The roar of the waves crashing against the rocks drowned out their footsteps, but it also made their hearts leap into their throats.
However, just as they were about to step onto that dilapidated dock—
Three ghostly figures appeared silently on the mast of the tallest abandoned ship at the end of the dock.
Looking down at them from above, like a night owl waiting for its prey to walk into its trap.
The cold moonlight barely outlined their silhouettes—long, pale red hair and a slender figure.
A towering, silent Vajra;
And Kim Yeon-hwa, with her exaggeratedly white, frizzy hair and a cruel smile on her lips.
"Hey, look who's here?"
Shi Li's soft, mocking voice carried clearly through the wind: "A bunch of stray dogs, they really know how to find a place."
"What a pity, this road is a dead end."
Despair gripped everyone's hearts in an instant!
"How could... how could they know about this place?!" The captain of the guards was deathly pale, gripping his knife tightly.
“It’s over…” Prince Manyue’s legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground.
Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon instantly stood back to back, protecting Mangetsu, his son, and their guards behind them.
Although their bodies trembled slightly with fear, their eyes were filled with determination.
"Tsk, these three brats from Konoha think they can put up a fight?"
Jin Lianhua let out a shrill laugh, toying with a few chakra threads that gleamed coldly between her fingers: "How pathetic and laughable."
Shi Li waved his hand, a cruel, playful look on his face like a cat catching a mouse: "Anyway, it's still early, let's play with them for a while."
"Kongo, Golden Love Flower, don't kill them all at once. Take it slow and let me see how far the seedlings of Konoha can struggle."
King Kong let out a deep roar.
Like a heavy tank, it leaped off the mast and crashed onto the dock, shattering the rotten planks instantly!
He strode forward and charged straight at Konohamaru, who looked the strongest!
Jin Lianhua giggled as her figure floated down like a weightless feather.
With a wave of his hands, countless invisible chakra threads with a paralyzing effect were scattered like a spider web towards Moegi and Udon!
The battle breaks out instantly!
Or rather, it's a one-sided, brutal "game"!
"Tu Dun·Tu Liubi!"
Udon desperately formed hand seals, and a short, thin earthen wall rose up in an attempt to block Vajra, but it was shattered by a single punch from the opponent!
Stone fragments flew everywhere, and Udon was thrown out by the blast wave, crashing heavily to the ground.
Moe-Gi-Oh cried out in alarm and hurriedly threw a shuriken to distract Kongo.
However, her ankle was easily entangled by Jin Lianhua's chakra threads, and a strong numbing sensation instantly came over her, causing her to cry out and fall to the ground.