mtlumby2d Chapter 858 Tears
Chapter 858 Tears
But these are no longer tears of sadness, but rather an outpouring of relief and emotion.
"That idiot... since he's so good at talking, why doesn't he just tell me himself..."
She cried and laughed at the same time, and the empty space in her heart was instantly filled.
Her initial expectations were not disappointed; the man did not abandon her. He was simply paving the way for their future in a more rational and masculine way.
"Is it valid forever...?"
Mei Terumi wiped away her tears, stood up, and looked in the direction of Konoha, her eyes becoming more determined than ever before.
"Okay. I'll remember that."
She shouted at the air, as if addressing the departing figure, "You remember this too! Zhang Hai! When I come back, I'll be so strong you'll be amazed! Then, you won't be able to use this excuse to get rid of me again!"
After saying that, she took a deep breath, turned around, and embarked on her journey home.
The wind rustled through the trees, whispering tales of rare warmth and promises amidst the chaos of the world. Meanwhile, on the distant battlefield of Iwagakure, a storm poised to change the fate of the entire ninja world was quietly brewing.
A forest breeze swept by, carrying away the last trace of herbal scent from the girl's body.
Mei Terumi stood on the treetop, looking back in that direction one last time. Her eyes no longer held hesitation or tears; instead, they shone with a light called "hope."
"Lord Slug, could you please pass on a message to him as well?"
Mei Terumi turned her head and smiled brightly at the little slug on her shoulder, a smile as radiant as sunlight piercing through dark clouds. "Tell that idiot: I will keep striving to become stronger, and I will always wait for him... the day he comes to pick me up."
With that, she lightly touched the ground with her toes, and her red figure, like a butterfly fluttering in the air, disappeared into the vast forest in a few leaps. This time, her silhouette was resolute and swift, for she knew that although the road ahead was lonely, the promise at the end was worth her life's journey.
……
Only after confirming that Mei Terumi's aura had completely disappeared from his perception range did Zhang Hai slowly emerge from the shadow of a large tree.
"call……"
He let out a long breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Lord Zhang Hai, since you're so reluctant to part with her, why don't you tell her directly?"
The slug climbed down from the tree trunk, its tone filled with great confusion. "Humans are such complicated creatures. They think one thing and say another, and then I have to find a way to relay their message. Wouldn't it be more romantic to just hug them and say goodbye?"
"Romantic?" Zhang Hai shook his head with a wry smile, catching the slug that jumped into his palm. "Romantic gestures at times like this only make people weak. If I really said goodbye to her in person and saw her crying like that, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to resist softening my heart and keeping her here. That would only hurt her and me."
His eyes deepened: "That's the difficulty of being human, you slug. Sometimes, being ruthless is the greatest kindness."
"Alright, enough with the sentimentality. Let's get down to business."
Zhang Hai suppressed his sentimental thoughts, his eyes instantly turning sharp. He formed a hand seal, and a gigantic ink eagle puppet shot out into the air.
"Time... hopefully there's still time."
Zhang Hai leaped onto the eagle's back, and the black eagle let out a sharp cry, rushing northward like an arrow released from a bow.
A vague unease crept into his heart. Although he knew the original plot by heart, so many years had passed, and his intervention had already triggered numerous butterfly effects. What if the timeline of the battle at Kannabi Bridge shifted, or that unfortunate Obito encountered some unexpected event beforehand? Then his plan would be in serious trouble.
"Obito, you better not die too soon. Your eyes, and that old bastard Madara, are waiting for me."
……
Meanwhile, deep in the dense forest, dozens of kilometers away from the Kannabi Bridge.
"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! I'm going to be late! I'm going to be late!"
A boy wearing a blue tracksuit and orange goggles was running frantically along a forest path. He was covered in sweat, and his face was filled with anxiety.
"Ugh! It's all that old lady's fault! Why did her cat climb up a tree? And such a tall tree at that!"
Obito Uchiha muttered to himself as he ran. He had gotten up especially early today, hoping to make a perfect run, but then he encountered an elderly person in need of help on the way. As a kind-hearted young man easily swayed by moral considerations, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. And before he knew it, time had slipped away like water.
"If that bastard Kakashi catches me doing something wrong, I'll be mocked again! Damn it!"
Because he was running too fast and had something on his mind, Obito didn't notice a tree root growing out horizontally under his feet.
"Ouch!"
With a scream, Obito tripped hard and rolled down the slope like a ball.
crackling-
After a dizzying spin, Oto, covered in leaves and mud, crawled out of the bushes in a disheveled state.
"It hurts..."
He rubbed his bruised knee, wincing in pain. But before he could even brush the dust off his clothes, his first instinct was to check his watch.
"Oh no! I'm already five minutes late! Rin will be angry! And Minato-sensei will be disappointed too!"
Ignoring the pain, Obito readjusted his crooked goggles and sprinted away again.
……
The meeting point is an open space with a wide view.
Minato Namikaze leaned against a tree with a smile, wiping his specially made Flying Thunder God kunai. Rin Nohara sat on a rock nearby, organizing a medical kit.
Among them, a boy with silver-white broom-like hair and wearing a mask stood with his arms crossed, staring indifferently at the hands of his watch.
"Huff...huff...I...I'm here!"
Obito rushed into the open space, panting heavily. Before he could even stand properly, he put his hands on his knees and gasped for breath, "I...I'm sorry! Everyone! I...I was on my way..."
"you are late."
A completely emotionless voice interrupted him.
Kakashi didn't even lift his eyelids, just stared coldly at Obito. "Ninja Code Number One: Strictly abide by the rules and time. No matter the reason, being late is being late. On the battlefield, being one second late means the death of a comrade."
"Someone like you who can't even uphold basic discipline has no right to be a ninja. You'll only drag the team down. You're a complete waste."
"Hey! Kakashi! Don't go too far with your words!"
Obito instantly bristled, his initial guilt completely washed away by the scolding. Pointing at Kakashi's nose, his face flushed red, he shouted, "I have a reason for being late! I met a lost old lady on the way. She had difficulty walking and had lost her cat. I couldn't possibly..."