Naruto: IHCS Ch. 147

Two Iwa ninjas had their wrists destroyed. Two more had their knees shattered. They collapsed to the ground, howling in pain.

Three were paralyzed by the jellyfish's toxin, unable to move.

Only one remained, he was swept up by the wind, and by the time he fell to the ground, his body was covered in wounds and his consciousness was fading. On the bridge, only the sound of the wind and the groans of the Iwa ninjas remained.

Aoki stood frozen for a moment. He was still holding a kunai in a defensive stance. Shock flashed across his eyes. He had known these two youths were gifted beyond measure, but he had never imagined their real combat ability could be this terrifying.

Their coordination was perfect, their techniques ruthless.

In an instant, they had reversed the battle and subdued seven seasoned Iwa ninjas.

He took a deep breath, slowly lowering his kunai, his gaze complicated as he looked at the two.

Shiratori sheathed his sword.

Nagato was breathing lightly, the light in his Rinnegan gradually fading. He had spent quite a bit of chakra. His body felt heavy for the moment.

The jellyfish dissolved beside Shiratori. He walked up to the Iwa ninjas, crouched down, and met their eyes, filled with fear and rage.

"Why did you attack us?" he asked.

Their identities shouldn't have been exposed yet.

Even if they had been, the Iwa ninjas shouldn't have had any reason to kill them.

Of the three of them, two were from the Land of Rain, and one was even from Iwa itself.

Why kill them?

The Iwa ninja being questioned clenched his jaw, glared at him, and spat with disdain, "Damn Konoha ninjas! You think we wouldn't recognize you just because you took off your headbands?"

Hearing this, Aoki frowned, a trace of disgust flashing in his eyes. "We are not from Konoha."

To attack without even confirming their true identities, what if they had been ordinary civilians unable to defend themselves?

Would they just have killed them outright too?

"Lies!"

Another ninja, the one whose tendons had been severed, roared in pain, eyes burning with fury as he glared at Aoki. "If you're not from Konoha, why do you use their jutsu and techniques? You're Konoha ninja, don't deny it!"

Aoki knew, this was the result of paranoia and the reflexive thinking born of war.

In the chaotic battlefield of the Land of Grass, any unidentified ninja could be treated as an enemy. No matter how many times he heard such words, it never failed to enrage him.

He cast a cold glance at the fallen Iwa ninjas, then looked toward Shiratori and Nagato. Hesitation flickered in his eyes, but it soon turned into chilling killing intent.

"These ninjas can't be allowed to live."

"They saw Nagato's eyes. They've seen our fighting techniques. If we let them go, the consequences will be dire. Your identity will be exposed."

That last sentence was directed at Shiratori.

A shadow passed over Aoki's gaze. A dark glint flickered deep in his eyes.

"Are you saying we should eliminate them?"

Hearing those words, Shiratori looked at him. Even though they had escaped the battlefield, Aoki couldn't possibly be so cold toward his former comrades, could he?

His reaction was almost like Obito's later on, heartless, devoid of ties.

Aoki lowered his gaze to the Iwa ninjas before him. Such was the cruelty of the battlefield's law. Mercy often demanded one's life in exchange.

Nagato remained silent, looking at the Iwa ninjas who had stopped resisting, their eyes filled with hatred and fear.

At that moment, Shiratori stepped forward. He could kill them later, after this was done. His eyes swept over all the fallen Iwa ninjas.

He took a deep breath, his gaze radiating sincerity as he spoke, "Warriors of Iwa, please listen. We truly are not from Konoha, nor are we your enemies. We bear no ill will toward your village."

His voice was clear and carried through the stillness of the bridge.

"We came to the Land of Grass not to take part in the war, nor to fight for any faction."

"We came here for only one purpose, to save as many innocent people caught up in this war as possible. To heal the wounded, bury the dead, and give a bit of food and hope to the displaced."

His tone was earnest, his eyes bright as he looked intently at the Iwa ninjas.

"We've seen too much pain and death. War brings only destruction and sorrow."

"Whether they are Konoha's children or Iwa's children, they are all losing their loved ones."

"We sincerely hope you can stop this war with Konoha, let peace return to this land."

The Iwa ninjas stared blankly at him.

What a joke.

Was war something they could decide?

They only followed orders. Whether to fight or to stop, such decisions were never theirs to make.

Nagato looked at Shiratori.

[Faith detected: Nagato +2000 points]
[Energy transferred to Suguru]
[Development progress: 76%]

Suddenly, one Iwa ninja, who had seemed unconscious on the ground, a crazed gleam flashed in his eyes.

While everyone's attention was focused on Shiratori, he suddenly sprang up, a kunai hidden in his sleeve sliding into his hand. He poured the last of his strength into one final, desperate strike, like a dying venomous snake.

The kunai in his hand stabbed straight toward the nearest target, Nagato, who had been watching Shiratori.

It all happened too fast.

Too suddenly.

Even Aoki didn't have time to react, nor did the other fallen Iwa ninjas. They could only watch in shock as their comrade lunged forward, leaving a blur in the air. He roared and lunged to stop him, but it was already too late.

Nagato sensed the danger and instinctively tried to dodge, but his body was exhausted and his chakra drained, his reaction was slower by that one second.

The dull sound of a blade piercing flesh rang clearly in everyone's ears.

Time seemed to freeze.

The kunai had driven deep and true into Nagato's abdomen.

The force from the Iwa ninja was so great that the tip of the blade even protruded through Nagato's thin body by a joint.

Nagato's body suddenly went rigid. A look of incredulous pain and shock flashed across his Rinnegan. He looked down at the kunai handle embedded in his own belly, bright red blood poured out, quickly soaking his dark clothes.

His lips parted but no sound came. His body wavered and slumped forward.

"Nagato!"

Shiratori's voice cracked through the air.

Almost at the same moment Nagato fell, every trace of warmth in Shiratori's blue eyes vanished, replaced by something cold and absolute.

He moved.

The Iwa ninja who had stabbed Nagato still wore a crazed, triumphant smile, then, in the next instant, his expression froze forever.

A cold blade flashed before his eyes.

No scream.

A thin line of blood bloomed across his throat.

Blood spurted like a fountain.

The Iwa ninja's body convulsed and collapsed.

Shiratori didn't glance at the corpse. He returned to Nagato's side.

Aoki fumbled, desperately supporting Nagato's limp body. Seeing the kunai's protruding tip and the rapidly spreading blood, his face went ashen.

What could they do? Nagato couldn't die.

His pupils trembled as he stared at Nagato's pale face. He reached out with shaking hands, trying to pull the kunai free, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Shiratori took over. Half-kneeling beside Nagato, his face showed no expression, only an extreme, precise calm. He gripped the kunai handle buried deep in Nagato's flesh.

"Hold on, Nagato."

He applied a gentle force.

The kunai was pulled free.

Nagato made a muffled moan. His pupils blurred. Cold sweat covered his brow.

Shiratori tossed aside the kunai and placed both hands lightly over the terrible wound in Nagato's belly.

A soft power began to gather in his palms. Light emanated from his hands like warm sunlight, slowly seeping into the terrible wound.

A miracle happened.

The flesh, organs, and blood vessels torn by the kunai began to regenerate and heal at a visibly frantic pace.

New tissue knitted together, skin closed swiftly.

"I won't let you die, Nagato."

[Affection detected: Nagato +3000 points]
[Curse Growth - Love: 54.3%]

Within only a few breaths, the fatal, horrifying puncture in Nagato's abdomen vanished.

There wasn't even a scar.

Only his tattered clothes and the surrounding bloodstains proved he'd been injured.

"Cough..."

Nagato gave a small cough.

He was still pale, but his heart beat strongly.

Aoki stared at Shiratori in shock.

His medical ninjutsu was powerful enough to astonish him. He had never seen healing technique so strong. He'd heard of Konoha's Tsunade-level miracle medicine, but nothing that could instantly heal such a penetrating wound. Shiratori's medical skill completely exceeded Aoki's prior understanding.

Shiratori relaxed only when he saw Nagato fully recovered.

Nagato struggled to sit up and felt his intact abdomen with trembling hands. He reached for Shiratori and gripped his shaking hands.

Shiratori felt the warmth of Nagato's palm, then looked up into Nagato's Rinnegan.

"I'm alright. Thank you, you saved me again."

Nagato gave him a pale smile.

"..."

In truth, Shiratori hadn't planned to be fully merciful. He had used Nagato as a test against these Iwa ninjas. If they hadn't moved, he might really have let them go.

But they had moved.

Aoki took a deep breath and forced down his shock. He looked again at the remaining Iwa ninjas. His eyes grew resolute and icy.

This time, he would kill them.

Leave no loose ends.

"These scum must be eliminated!"

Aoki gripped a short blade and strode toward the powerless Iwa ninjas.

Nagato instinctively looked at Shiratori. Shiratori stood before him without speaking, and Nagato understood his choice. It seemed his earlier injury had influenced Shiratori's judgment.

"You still say you're not from Konoha?" the Iwa ninjas sneered as Aoki closed in. "If you truly came for peace, why raise your knives? You've not even put down your hatred! Why should we put down our hatred for Konoha?"

They laughed coldly.

Aoki tightened his grip on the short blade and looked down from above at the Iwa ninjas.

"Your souls have been corroded by hatred. Even to live must be painful for you. It's fine, I will end your pain. Don't worry. A world of peace will come someday."

He believed that Shiratori and Nagato would slowly accept his method of achieving peace. The recent events, to him, were proof that the hatred in these men's hearts could not be easily erased.

"No, wait."

The one who stopped Aoki was Nagato.

Aoki's brow furrowed. His short blade was already at the neck of an Iwa ninja. It would take only the slightest force...

"Stop."

Nagato stared at Aoki's back and spoke, word by word.