MTLNOVEL Chapter 48: chapter 48
'Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!' She spat out a big fireball, which split into smaller ones, each shooting toward the man from different angles.
Shion used the Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation to dodge them all. Yumiko frowned at the display, realizing it would be harder to immobilize him. Her eyes flicked behind him before smiling faintly
'The Byakugan has only one blind spot. I'll take advantage of that and create a barrier. It'll be hard to maintain given his strength. However...' Her faint smile turned into an excited grin 'It seems like I will have to finally use that justsu after all'
Yumiko formulated this plan, fully aware of her disadvantage in the battle.
Seiza was injured while she fought a rogue ninja of jonin level. She didn't want to take a gamble on winning.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
She created ten clones that rushed at Shion to distract him.
'She is doing a good job keeping her distance. However, I need to end this now'
He gritted his teeth in irritation. The clones, just as they were about to strike, exploded again. He forced his attention back to Yumiko, who was charging another jutsu.
Preparing to use Rotation again, his eyes widened when he noticed a clone sneaking up behind him.
"Fuck"
He tried to flicker away, but golden chains shot out, blocking his path and wrapping around him.
While Yumiko held the man, her clone poured all its chakra into forming a barrier, causing it to dispel upon completion.
'What are these chains?' Shion thought, alarmed 'I can't break them, even with chakra enhancement'
Despite his solemn situation, the man inside the barrier chuckled at Yumiko, keeping up his act "It'll be amusing to see how long your chains and barrier can hold me" he stated sarcastically.
Yumiko ignored him and created two clones to stand guard. The chains had separated from her body, anchoring themselves to the ground.
Without hesitation, Yumiko sprinted toward where Seiza and Natsuki were.
Yumiko arrived just as Natsuki delivered the final blow to Seiza, sending him flying. If Sasamaru hadn't caught him, his back would have slammed into a tree.
"S-Seiza," Yumiko mumbled, wide-eyed, staring at her severely injured teammate.
Rage boiled inside her at the sight of him and Sasamaru in such a state- it was caused by their own teammate, no less.
Her hardened gaze snapped to Natsuki. At this point, she would be lying if she said she was thinking rationally.
Unconsciously, her Sharingan activated on its own, making Natsuki pose in shock.
"Now it makes sense why Genma and Hayate-sensei favored you so much. It was their way of pitying your clan"
She laughed, but it was anything but real.
Yumiko was stunned by this sudden shift in personality. After all the time they had spent together, she thought she knew Natsuki well. It seemed she was wrong.
"Who would've thought? Our teammate is an Uchiha. This will be interesting-Hyuga against Uchiha."
Something snapped within Yumiko-her sanity.
Truthfully, she had never experienced emotional damage like this before. She was supposed to heal Seiza-to ensure his safety-then fight this bitch.
Yet here she was, trembling, rooted to the ground.
Before anything else could happen, a sudden wind vacuum shot toward Natsuki at blinding speed. If not for the Sharingan, Yumiko wouldn't have seen it.
The vacuum pierced Natsuki's heart as if she were nothing. Her body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
Yumiko immediately sensed Danzo's presence, instinctively deactivating her Sharingan.
A few seconds later, a hand landed on her shoulder. She flinched at the sudden contact.
Looking up, she found Danzo standing beside her, his expression twisted in pure disdain
"How foolish."
He mumbled the words, disgusted at the scene before him.
Yumiko ignored him and ran to Seiza, checking his heartbeat. It was slow...
"Shit."
She tore open Seiza's shirt and began CPR, breathing oxygen into his lungs, compressing his chest. From the way he was hit, it was clear-Natsuki had used the same technique Neji had on Hinata during the Chunin Exams.
'Why isn't this working?'
"Come on, Seiza, don't die on me. please"
Her breath came in frantic gasps as she repeated the process, pouring every ounce of her medical knowledge into saving him.
...
Ten minutes.
Ten fucking minutes.
His heartbeat was gone.
Yumiko looked like a maniac, trying over and over again to revive him.
Danzo watched from the side, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke "That's enough. He's dead, Yumiko. You cannot save him" He stated the bitter truth-one Yumiko refused to accept. The truth she kept denying over and over again.
Her gaze flicked toward Sasamaru. Without hesitation, she rushed to him, healing his wounds. Her desperation to save at least someone from her team made her look pitiful.
Thankfully, Sasamaru wasn't in critical condition-just locked chakra points and a few injuries, something Yumiko can heal.
When the dog's breathing stabilized, Yumiko finally stopped.
"Let's go back" Danzo ordered "The Grass ninja shouldn't see this, or they'll suspect Konoha has internal conflicts."
"W-What about Seiza?" Yumiko whispered.
"We'll seal his body and bring it back to Konoha."
Yumiko remained rooted in place, the shock still overwhelming her. Everything felt like a dream
"It's an honor for him to sacrifice his life for the village. This is the life of a shinobi. Losing people close to you is something you need to get used to, Yumiko"
Those were the last words she heard before she collapsed. Her mind could no longer keep up with her body.
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
Next time she woke up, she was in her inn room. Sasamaru lay beside her, breathing peacefully.
Yumiko stared at the ceiling blankly.
Then, she started crying.
Her throat was so dry it made the sobs more painful. Sasamaru whimpered at her distress, nuzzling against her in an attempt to comfort her. But it was useless.
Yumiko clutched her head, sobbing like a child. It had been so long since she cried this way.
The door suddenly opened, and Santa entered.
"Yumiko" he said worriedly before sitting beside her on the tatami mat.
She was in no condition to speak. She couldn't even think properly.
"Santa-san, p-please leave me alone," she whispered, trembling. Thankfully, he was understanding and gave her space.
After all, losing not one but two dear teammates at the same time was anything but easy-especially at her age.
The rest of the trip was a blur. Yumiko spoke to no one, and no one attempted to speak to her.
The rogue shinobi she fought had failed to escape her chains and was now being transported back to the village, heavily sealed to prevent any risks.
When they arrived in Konoha, Yumiko isolated herself, sinking deeper into her depression.
She heard that Seiza's funeral would be in two days.
That day came faster than expected. And, coincidentally, it rained.
It made Yumiko even more agitated.
She remembered the end of the Chunin Exams when many people-including the Hokage-died. It had rained that day, too. The same for Haku and Zabuza's deaths.
As if it was a way for the universe to make the situation more depressing.
Sensing the prying eyes, Yumiko didn't stay more than an hour and instead went to her apartment, she resumed her Fuinjutsu training. A pitiful attempt to distract herself from her sorrows since she had no TV.
Unfortunately, her peace didn't last long as one day, not too long after the incident, her doorbell rang.
Opening the door, she was met with a young woman-lavender eyes... Byakugan.
Yumiko resisted the urge to frown.
'Augh, I want to throw up. Not that I have a grudge against them, but I'm so feed up with Hyuga affairs'
The woman got straight to the point
"The Hyuga clan leader want a direct report about the incident that involves Natsuki. He wants you Yumiko-san, the only one alive who witnessed her acts to give him the details"
Yumiko sighed heavily.
This time she wasn't able to help the frown that appeared in her features
"When?" She asked patiently, trying not show her irritation.
"Tomorrow evening, at the main branch family compound"
Yumiko nodded before closing the door
'The nerve!'