Chapter 8: Angel, Is That You?

Very quickly, the disgraced Inuzuka clansman was taken away by the ANBU operatives. Morino Ibiki noticed the injured Uchiha Xia Yu and approached him, asking, "Masked brother, are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Hospital? No way!" Xia Yu shook his head vehemently, firmly refusing. 

He remembered all too well what happened the last time he was there. He had been swarmed by infatuated nurses who, under various pretexts, kept him tied to the bed for their own amusement. His body's vital essence was too precious to be wasted so frivolously. Only those he truly loved would get to share in it.

Ibiki, seeing Xia Yu's gaunt appearance, assumed he was a poor fellow and tried to persuade him, "Brother, you were injured during our mission to capture that criminal. Don't worry about the medical fees; we'll cover it."

Uh... do I really look that destitute? Xia Yu thought to himself. If I hadn't been exerting myself for a whole day and night, over 20 times in total, I wouldn't look this thin.

Xia Yu sighed, continuing to decline Ibiki's offer. "It's just a superficial wound, no need to trouble anyone. Right now, I just want a good night's sleep."

With that, he turned and walked home, clutching his back.

"Stop! You can't leave, you might die!" A girl grabbed Xia Yu's arm, her expression tense. "That pervert's claws were coated with our Inuzuka clan's secret slow-acting poison. You might not feel it now, but if we don't treat it, you won't survive until tomorrow!"

"What?" Xia Yu broke out in a cold sweat. "I can't die yet! I haven't finished my mission to greenify Konoha!"

The girl reassured him, "Don't worry, big brother. Our clan will take care of your injury. Come with me, my mother will treat you..."

"By the way, nice to meet you. I'm Inuzuka Hana. I should thank you for helping us catch that criminal. If you hadn't blocked his path by chance, we might not have caught him so quickly."

Inuzuka Hana? It's her! Xia Yu recognized her from the anime. Inuzuka Hana, the eldest daughter of Inuzuka Tsume and sister of Inuzuka Kiba. She was a beauty in the anime, with an impressive figure and stunning looks.

But right now, she was only thirteen, the same age as Uchiha Itachi.

No way, not yet. He couldn't act on it now.

Girls change a lot as they grow up... She looks nothing like she will in the future. If she hadn't introduced herself, Xia Yu might not have recognized her.

"Alright, Inuzuka Hana, please lead the way," Xia Yu agreed.

...

Soon, Inuzuka Hana led Xia Yu to the Inuzuka clan's compound.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" Three identical dark brown puppies jumped on Hana as soon as they entered. They were her combat partners, the Haimaru brothers.

Kiba emerged from the house, holding a young Akamaru, and greeted, "Sister, you're finally back. Huh? Who's the masked guy with you?"

"Oh, he got poisoned by Inuzuka claws. I brought him for treatment. Is Mom home?" Hana asked.

"She's not. She's out on a patrol mission with Kuromaru. She should be back in an hour or so," Kiba replied.

"Oh no... what should we do?" Hana's eyes filled with concern. "Big brother, only my mom can detoxify the poison quickly and thoroughly. You'll have to wait here for her. Let me give you some first aid. I'm a vet, though still a beginner, but I can handle stopping the bleeding and cleaning the wound."

"Uh... sure," Xia Yu agreed, seeing no reason to refuse the care of a pretty girl.

Entering the living room, Hana asked Xia Yu to take off his shirt. He revealed a pale, lean, yet muscular torso.

Though thin, it was all muscle, particularly his abs. Most people achieved such abs through rigorous training, but Xia Yu had earned his through extensive nightly activities... if you know, you know.

"Wow! This brother's body..." Hana marveled, her early maturity evident in her understanding.

This was her first time seeing such a perfect male body. She swallowed hard, carefully cleaning Xia Yu's wound with a clean cloth.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Xia Yu winced.

Hana apologized, "Sorry, did that hurt? I'm not very skilled yet... Please bear with it, big brother."

Sweat beaded on Xia Yu's forehead as he forced a smile. "It's not your fault. Somehow, my wound started hurting even when you weren't touching it. It's a sharp pain, like needles."

"Oh no... Could it be...?" Hana quickly cleared the clotted blood, revealing a large purple area around the wound, with the surrounding skin also showing signs of infection.

"This is bad! The poison is spreading uncontrollably. If it continues, you might die in ten minutes..." Hana exclaimed.

Xia Yu shivered. "What? It can't be this fast...!"

Hana panicked, frantically searching the medicine box. Despite the tools and medicines being right in front of her, she didn't know what to do.

"5555... It's all my fault. If only I had learned detoxification methods earlier, I could have helped you myself... Big brother, hold on! I'll go find my mom!" Hana cried, dashing out with the Haimaru brothers, leaving Xia Yu writhing in pain on the living room floor.

"Damn it, what bad luck! Ouch... ouch... ouch..."

Five minutes passed...

Hana still hadn't returned.

Xia Yu was nearly hopeless.

As a transmigrator, dying in such an ignominious way felt too unfair!

If he had to die, it should be in the arms of a woman!

"System, are you there? Help me!"

[Sorry, kid, I can't save you. I regret that I can't help... You were just too careless.]

"That's easy for you to say! What was I supposed to do? I was just an innocent bystander. Who could have expected this?"

[Hehe... Luck is part of strength. Maybe this is the Uchiha clan's fate. It seems the heavens want to end the Uchiha.]

"Damn!"

The system, his last hope, was speaking in such a defeatist manner...

"Am I really going to die?"

Despite having planted many seeds, all he needed was to wait patiently for them to bear fruit. 

But now... it seemed he would die before realizing his dream!

"Heavens! Are you jealous of my handsome face too?"

The purple toxin had spread to Xia Yu's neck.

The burning pain!

His breathing became labored...

"It's over... I'm done for..."

Xia Yu could feel himself slipping closer to death.

Just then, the door suddenly opened.

A woman, looking like an angel, walked in.

"Tsume, are you home? I have some questions... 

"Huh?"

"Why is there a man here? Wait, your injury...!"

Seeing Xia Yu struggling in pain, the woman noticed his wound and immediately ran to his side, expertly using the medical tools and medicines to treat the poison.

The excruciating pain brought Xia Yu to the brink of unconsciousness. He opened his eyes slightly, turning to look at her through a haze.

"Wow..."

"So... beautiful..."

"This must be heaven..."

"Are you... an angel?"

...