Chapter 12: Shimura Danzo
"You're not Araki!"
Uzumaki Kushina immediately realized that the person in front of her was someone she had never seen before.
In an instant, an inexplicable sense of fear enveloped her heart.
Her first instinct was to escape from this place.
She could sense that the person in front of her had come for her.
"Uzumaki Kushina, come with me. I have something important to tell you."
A calm and hoarse voice slowly echoed, accompanied by a steady tone that showed no emotional fluctuations.
The figure still stood in the shadows, blending with the darkness, making it impossible to make out even the basic features.
In this environment, Kushina's heart was filled with intense unease. She couldn't convince herself not to be afraid.
The person directly mentioned her name.
So...
It was obvious...
The person had come for her!
Kushina's mind immediately started to think. She didn't know many people in Konoha, and the person in front of her didn't seem like a classmate she had just met at the ninja school.
"Who are you?"
Kushina gently shifted her feet and slowly stepped backward, her beautiful eyes filled with seriousness, and her heart pounding in her chest.
At this moment, she had conflicting thoughts. She desperately wanted Araki to appear and rescue her from this crisis, but at the same time, she hoped Araki wouldn't show up to avoid getting involved in this dangerous situation.
"Let me introduce myself."
The shadow still spoke in that steady tone, taking a step forward from the darkness. With each step, there was a clinking sound, and after a few steps, it was revealed that the person leaned on a cane in their left hand, as if their legs weren't as agile.
"My name is..."
The figure emerged from the darkness, revealing a middle-aged man with black hair dressed in a dark green robe. However, unlike an ordinary man, the right half of his face and his body were wrapped in thick white bandages.
"Shimura Danzo!"
The middle-aged man introduced himself with a name that Kushina had never heard before.
If Araki were here, he would definitely be cautious and try to avoid him.
As someone who has watched Naruto, Araki knows very well the position Danzo holds in Konoha.
Araki had been in Konoha for three years and never encountered Danzo.
He never expected that Kushina would meet Danzo on her second night here.
"Do you... have something to discuss?"
Kushina's cautious gaze focused on Danzo as he emerged from the shadows. She carefully moved her feet backward, trying to create some distance between them that had been closing in.
"I'm going to take you to meet someone."
Danzo's exposed left eye surveyed Kushina, particularly lingering on her red hair.
His gaze gave her a strange feeling.
It was as if he wasn't looking at a living person but rather a human-shaped tool, with no difference from looking at an object.
"I won't go!"
Kushina shook her head almost without hesitation. She had no idea what she would be facing, but the thought of being taken away filled her with a deep sense of fear. The unknown was too terrifying.
"You don't have a choice in this matter."
As soon as Danzo finished speaking, he swiftly moved and appeared in front of Kushina. Then, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, as if lifting a small animal, and took Kushina away.
...
Araki was sprinting through the forest, his forehead covered in sweat. The intense training he pursued every day made him feel fulfilled.
He didn't even consider Danzo's existence.
He had no idea that Danzo had appeared at his doorstep and taken Kushina away.
If he knew...
He would definitely stay even farther away!
Are you kidding? That's Danzo we're talking about. If that old schemer found out he could use Wood Release, he would meet a gruesome end.
Let someone else handle the heroics of saving damsels in distress!
Araki hoped he wouldn't be dragged down.
Only when he felt there was no risk involved and it was necessary to intervene would he consider taking action.
...
The next day, in the early morning.
When Araki returned to his doorstep, he saw a tired-looking Kushina. She was sitting huddled at the entrance, holding his school bag in her hands. Her eyes were vacant and hazy, as if burdened with a heavy heart.
"What happened?"
Araki frowned. Even if he wasn't particularly perceptive, he could tell that something was off with Kushina's state.
What's going on?
Wasn't I just gone for one night?
Why does it seem like something serious happened?
Her mental state...
It feels a bit off?!
"Araki..."
Just then, Kushina suddenly raised her head. Her face, buried between her knees, emerged. It was pale and devoid of color, with dark circles under her bloodshot eyes. The previous innocence and cheerfulness had completely disappeared, replaced by a suffocating sense of loneliness and suppression.
Kushina's gaze was hollow, her eyes dim and almost devoid of emotion, yet seemingly suppressing intense emotions.
It was a feeling of wanting to cry but being unable to shed tears.
"Who hurt you?"
Araki was taken aback. He had never seen Kushina like this before; she seemed like a completely different person. It raised complex questions in his mind.
Overnight, everything had changed drastically.
It was that kind of feeling.
He couldn't imagine what could have happened to transform an optimistic and cheerful girl into such a gloomy state.
"I... I'm so scared!"
Kushina mustered some strength and jumped up from the ground. She embraced Araki from the front, her hands tightly wrapped around his neck, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
"I don't know what to do..."
"I'm filled with despair!"
"Is this my life?"
"I can't accept this cruel reality!"
"Is everything predetermined by fate?"
"I feel so helpless!"
"I... I can't tell you... I can't say anything..."
Kushina uttered one sentence after another. It seemed that because it was Araki, the emotions she had suppressed inside her were bursting out like a collapsing torrent. Tears welled up in her vacant and dim eyes, streaming down uncontrollably, falling onto Araki's shoulder.
Araki felt the near-collapse of Kushina's emotions and faintly understood what had happened.
After all...
Kushina came to Konoha.
It wasn't just for a casual visit.
There were more important matters at hand.