Chapter 79 The Cause and Effect Are Settled/Reincarnation (Three-in-One...)

The rather formal black haori that Hozuki was wearing at the moment was not something he usually wore. Normally, he preferred simple clothes that allowed him to move around easily and that didn't matter if they got a little blood on them, such as a regular black haori.

Yes, although they are both haori, just like suits, there is still a big difference between formal and informal.

Back to the script.

Recently, Hell welcomed a special visitor: Lilith, a high-ranking official from the Western Hell.

As Hell's chief assistant, Hozuki was responsible for receiving and accompanying the inspection, so he had to pay attention to diplomatic etiquette and changed into this formal outfit that represented Hell's image.

Having just finished exchanging pleasantries and touring the place, he was about to head back to his own courtyard to relax and admire the "adorable" snapdragons when he bumped into Yan Sheng, the uninvited guest.

***

Faced with this powerful, intimidating Hellish citizen who held his fate in his hands, Yan Sheng remained silent for a moment. At this point, concealing the truth was pointless; the other party clearly possessed the ability to easily expel him.

Without further hesitation, he succinctly and clearly stated his purpose:

“I have come here to find someone. I owe him a huge karmic debt, so I have accumulated these merits in the hope of offsetting his sins and reducing or exempting him from punishment.”

Hozuki listened quietly, his dark eyes remaining completely still until Yan Sheng mentioned the name "Tsugikuni Yoriichi," at which point a very subtle hint of understanding flashed in his eyes.

However, he did not respond immediately, but instead raised his hand and snapped his fingers crisply.

As the snap of his fingers fell, an invisible force enveloped Yan Sheng.

On a level that Yan Sheng could not perceive, his appearance as "Uchiha Yan Sheng" rippled and faded like water, revealing the outline and face of his soul from his previous life as Tsugikuni Yan Sheng—that black-haired, purple-eyed man with flame markings on his forehead.

Hozuki looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar face, his tone carrying an "I see" implication: "It really is you."

—Because it had been reincarnated, its soul had put on a new "skin" and its aura had changed, so much so that Hozuki did not immediately connect the living soul with the one who had caused such a big commotion with Yoriichi Tsugikuni's older brother.

But then again, even without Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Hozuki still had a deep impression of Mikoto.

After all, it was the soul with the second-highest level of karmic retribution in the history of Hell.

Hozuki crossed his arms and looked Kokusatsu up and down, who had regained his former appearance (but was soon covered by the world's rules and reverted to Uchiha Kokusatsu's appearance). He commented in a flat tone:

"You two brothers really have a deep bond."

The words he uttered were ambiguous; it was impossible to tell whether they were heartfelt sentiments or tinged with cold sarcasm, or perhaps both.

He was clearly recalling that not-so-pleasant "past event".

"Back then, your brother single-handedly ventured into Hell for your sake, turning several layers of Hell upside down." Hozuki's tone remained flat, "He slapped Hell's face hard." As he spoke, he lightly patted his arm twice, simulating the imagined slapping sound.

"However, he did achieve his goal in the end." Hozuki changed the subject, "It's just a pity that the ending wasn't exactly happy for your brother."

His dark eyes stared directly at Yan Sheng, announcing Yoriichi's current situation:

“He himself was sentenced to 9,999 years in prison.” He paused, emphasizing his words, “and he wasn’t just serving his sentence in one level of hell. He was going through all the hells in order of the severity of his sins.”

Yan Sheng wasn't surprised because he already knew, but his heart still ached a few times when he heard it again.

Hozuki observed Yan Sheng's changing expression and finally concluded, the ambiguous meaning in his tone becoming even more pronounced:

"Now, it's your turn, as the older brother, to enter hell with such immense merit, all for the purpose of saving your younger brother."

He tilted his head slightly, feigning a thoughtful expression: "You two brothers, you saved me, I saved you... that's truly a deep bond, and you both have the ability to do it, which is rare, very rare. Personally, I admire you both. How about coming to work for me?"

Yan Sheng: "...?"

Isn't this a huge leap in topic? And logically, shouldn't the Hell authorities be vehemently opposed to troublemakers like them who repeatedly challenge Hell's rules and increase their workload?

Hozuki seemed to be able to hear Yan Sheng's thoughts—in fact, he had lived for thousands of years and had seen all kinds of people. No matter how calm Yan Sheng appeared on the surface, based on the "previous events summary," it was enough for Hozuki to guess the truth with a high degree of accuracy.

“So I already said that,” Hozuki said matter-of-factly, “I admire you, mainly because I value your abilities.”

He valued Yoriichi Tsugikuni's martial prowess, capable of penetrating multiple layers of Hell, as well as Kokusatsu Tsugikuni's strategic acumen and execution skills. Such high-caliber talent was a scarce resource even in Hell, especially given the increasingly busy and ever-evolving nature of Hell's operations.

"Alright." Hozuki waved his hand, forcibly bringing the topic back on track. "You should focus on something else right now. Let's resolve this first, then we can talk about other things."

"You want to save Yoriichi Tsugikuni, right?" Hozuki used a declarative sentence, not needing Michikatsu to answer, and continued on his own, his tone like that of a shrewd creditor: "Your merit points are indeed enough to repay the 'principal' he owed you for defying fate back then."

A glimmer of hope had just begun to rise in Yan Sheng's heart.

But Hozuki immediately poured cold water on the idea: "But, when it comes to repaying debts, you know, there's no such thing as only repaying the principal." A calculating glint flashed in his dark eyes. "Interest is naturally involved."

Yan Sheng: "..."

The next second, Hozuki pulled out an old-fashioned black abacus from somewhere, and his fingers began to tap on it like a phantom, the beads colliding with a crisp and rapid sound.

Finally, the sound of the abacus abruptly stopped. Hozuki announced an astronomical figure that made even Yan Sheng's soul dizzy and beyond his reach.

"That's about it," Hozuki announced expressionlessly. "The merit points you've brought so far aren't even a fraction of the interest."

Yan Sheng: "......" This must be usury! How can there be more interest than the principal?

But it's okay, there's still a chance, as long as there's hope...

Hozuki watched as the flickering hope in Yan Sheng's eyes dimmed again due to the enormous numbers, then suddenly changed the subject, seemingly casually mentioning, "Of course, this is only the 'interest' part. Besides that, if you want to push for such a significant reduction in sentence or even release, you'll also need to grease some palms... well, that is, bribe some key Hell officials."

Yan Sheng: "......" So this is how hell works too?

Hozuki glanced at the nearly shattered Yan Sheng and added calmly, "Moreover, the key point is that you have to 'bribe' him." He looked at Yan Sheng meaningfully, "Do you think that, given how your brother turned Hell upside down and added countless workloads for us, the officials he offended would easily accept your bribes? They probably don't have a good impression of you, the 'culprit's' brother, either."

Yan Sheng: "..."

This is terrible. What they said isn't wrong. The people of Hell must hate Yoriichi to the core for what he did. But he has no connections in Hell, let alone any network of support. He's probably already at the maximum level of hatred, with only "enemy connections."

Therefore, this road, though seemingly a road, is actually impassable.

But--

Yan Sheng's gaze, silently carrying the last glimmer of hope, fell upon Hozuki before him. He met those deep, cold black eyes.

This way of speaking... suggests there's still hope! If there were truly no hope, the other party wouldn't even mention these things; they'd simply throw him back to earth. The fact that someone specifically points out the difficulty of "bribing" is more like... raising the price.

Hozuki, seeing the look in Yan Sheng's eyes, knew the fish had taken the bait. A faint smile played on his lips as he said lightly, "What, you want to bribe me?"

He made no attempt to hide it, even with a hint of admiration: "Indeed, bribing me is the easiest way. After all, if you can convince me, you only need to 'bribe' me, and I can handle all the procedures and details for you, making this matter 'legal and compliant'."

Yan Sheng: "..." Sure enough, the true purpose has been revealed. After going through such a long and complicated process, the real goal is here.

He took a deep breath, knowing this was his only chance, and asked directly, "What do you want?"

Hozuki seemed to have been waiting for these words. He shrugged and made a rather "fair" gesture: "I'm not some kind of devil. I still value the spirit of contracts and my own opinions."

He set the following conditions:

"Alright then, I don't want your merits, nor will I force you to do anything immediately. My condition is—when your lifespan ends naturally and you go to hell after death, come and work for me."

He began to paint a picture of the future: "As the world ages, the number of the dead increases dramatically, and their demands become more diverse. Hell must also follow suit with modernization reforms. The work is extremely busy, and we urgently need talented people like you who are capable, persevering, and... well, 'unconventional'."

Hozuki was calculating in his mind: looking at the relationship between the two brothers, as long as he could keep the older brother, Tsugikuni Mikatsu, in his position in Hell, wouldn't the younger brother, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, with his explosive fighting power, come to help his brother after he was released from prison? Wouldn't that be like buying one and getting two top-notch employees? This deal couldn't be more worthwhile.

Does Yen Sheng have a choice?

He had no choice at all.

This is like facing a giant who has monopolized the only lifeline. No matter how harsh the conditions they offer, you have no choice but to accept them because you have no other option.

So, after a brief, almost frozen silence, Yan Sheng raised his eyes, meeting Hozuki's seemingly calm yet undeniable gaze, and said in a deep voice:

"I agree."

Hozuki was not surprised by the answer. He nodded, his face still expressionless, but the oppressive aura around him subsided slightly.

"A wise choice."

Hozuki was extremely efficient; as soon as he finished speaking, he took out an ancient scroll. The scroll unfurled automatically and floated in the air, displaying clauses written in a script imbued with the power of rules.

Hozuki pointed to the scroll, speaking in a calm tone as if introducing an ordinary job contract, "The salary and responsibilities are clearly written down, take a look for yourself."

Yan Sheng stared intently at it.

...The terms and conditions were indeed beyond his expectations. They clearly stated the work period, salary, scope of responsibilities, leave policy, and various benefits.

This treatment was far better than the endless, exploitative "illegal labor" that Yan Sheng had imagined; in fact, it was quite generous.

So when Hozuki handed him a pen that emitted a ghostly glow, Yan Sheng didn't hesitate at all and signed his name at the end of the contract.

The moment the pen touched the paper, the scroll transformed into two streams of light, one disappearing into Yan Sheng's brow, the other returning to Hozuki's sleeve. The contract was established, witnessed by the laws of hell.

After signing the contract, Hozuki didn't delay any longer.

"Come with me." He turned and walked away, his steps slow but each step was incredibly fast, and the surrounding scenery changed rapidly.

Yan Sheng immediately followed.

They passed through the shrill snapdragon garden, crossed the scorching earth burning with inextinguishable karmic fire... and finally arrived before a barren, massive mountain range made of millennia-old ice.

Before even stepping inside, an aura of extreme cold swept over you. It was not merely a physical low temperature, but an absolute cold capable of freezing the soul and annihilating consciousness.

"This is the Eighth Cold Hell." Hozuki's voice was clear even in the howling wind. "Your brother is currently being punished on this level."

He stepped first into the entrance, which seemed to be made of ice crystals. Yan Sheng followed closely behind.

As soon as Yan Sheng stepped into the area of ​​the Eight Cold Hells, he couldn't help but shiver.

As far as the eye can see, there is an endless ice field, the sky is an eternal leaden gray, and goose feather-like black snowflakes keep falling, each one containing a chill that erodes the soul.

The gale, like countless ice blades, scraped across the exposed ice surface, producing a sound like the wailing of ghosts and wolves.

The cold here directly affects the very essence of the soul. Yan Sheng felt as if his consciousness was about to freeze, his thoughts became sluggish, and his soul body felt as if it were being torn apart and frozen to pieces. He had to circulate his own power to resist, but he still found it difficult to move, as if if he stayed any longer, a part of his soul would be permanently damaged.

Yoriichi...is he being punished here?

The thought of his younger brother possibly having to stay here for an unknown amount of time sent a chill down Yan Sheng's spine, turning into boundless anxiety and fear.

He suddenly remembered the information he had heard when he first came to Hell—if the soul could not withstand the punishment, it would truly collapse completely and be scattered.

"Lord Hozuki!" Hozuki's name appeared on the contract, which is how Yan Sheng learned the man's name.

At this moment, he could no longer maintain his usual composure. His voice trembled slightly from the cold and urgency as he urged, "Please hurry."

Hozuki, who was walking ahead, maintained his speed and glanced at Yan Sheng with a slight tilt of his head.

Do you think your younger brother is some delicate person?

"......"

Yan Sheng was speechless for a moment.

He recalled his younger brother's almost bug-like, illogical talent. Whether it was his unparalleled swordsmanship and physique as a human, or his terrifying strength that allowed him to fight his way through hell after death... it seemed... indeed... beyond the comprehension of ordinary reasoning.

I'm worried he'll freeze to death here. Maybe that guy... has already gotten used to the temperature here, and is even thinking about how to improve his swordsmanship?

Thinking of this, an indescribable feeling, a mixture of relief, helplessness, and a familiar sense of defeat, welled up in Yan Sheng's heart.

As they descended, the cold intensified, as if time itself had frozen. Finally, they reached the lowest level of the Eight Cold Hells—Mahapadma.

The scenery here is beyond description by ordinary ice and snow.

The world was a deathly white expanse, with enormous, ancient, unyielding lotus buds scattered across the land. However, these lotuses were not plants, but terrifying instruments of torture formed by the fusion of the souls of the condemned with the extreme cold, constantly undergoing a cycle of breaking and freezing.

[Those who enter will have their bodies broken, like a large lotus flower, or like a white lotus flower] Note 1

Yan Sheng's gaze swept urgently across the desolate icy plain, finally settling on a particularly enormous, almost transparent ice lotus in the distance.

At the heart of that lotus, he saw a figure so familiar it was etched into his very soul: Yoriichi.

Yoriichi's soul was almost naked as he endured the most extreme torture at the bottom of hell. His body, under indescribable absolute cold, was slowly and continuously torn apart along a predetermined, lotus-blooming pattern.

The cracks spread like ice, reaching deep enough to see the "bone," but what seeped out was not blood, but rather more essential points of soul light. These points of light were frozen as soon as they seeped out, turning into beautiful ice crystals on the lotus petals.

Then, the laws of hell will forcibly freeze and mend these cracks, and then a new round of tearing will begin again... This cycle repeats endlessly.

This kind of pain is enough to drive any steadfast soul to madness, wail, and ultimately perish.

However, Yoriichi's expression remained calm throughout.

Or rather, numbness.

His eyes were closed, frost clinging to his long eyelashes, his face serene as if asleep. Only his slightly furrowed brow and the occasional uncontrollable trembling of his fingertips betrayed the cruelty of this punishment, which was being inflicted constantly and capable of tearing his consciousness apart.

But the deepest suffering that Yoriichi endured did not come from this endless torment of the soul.

Imprisoned in hell, enduring this long sentence, he had endless time to reflect and repeatedly relive his life filled with regrets.

During this time, his thoughts were mostly focused on his elder brother, Yan Sheng.

On the other hand, in his entire life, only three people truly left an indelible mark on his heart.

One is the mother.

The gentle woman who gave him his first warmth in the dark mansion, but who passed away like a shooting star.

Her soul has long since been freed, reincarnated, and embarked on a new beginning. This longing, though deep, has now come to an end.

Secondly, there is the elder brother.

He spent his entire life chasing after his twin brother, a life filled with regret, only to be separated from him in such a tragic way. This obsession was the root of his sins and the cause of his endless sentence.

Thirdly, his wife.

That woman, whose smile was as bright as the sun, briefly illuminated his world.

He also remembered that shortly after entering hell, he saw his wife, who had been waiting for him and therefore had not been reincarnated for a long time.

She didn't blame him, she didn't resent him, she just looked at him with those still gentle eyes and said softly, "Don't be sad, don't blame yourself, don't feel guilty. Yoriichi, your heart is good, you just... don't understand."

Her voice carried a hint of pity and helplessness.

"You're like an innocent child. No matter how big your body gets or how powerful you become, you're still naive and ignorant about the world, people's hearts, and emotions. Even when we got married, you just saw a couple passing by and proposed to me because you envied their close relationship."

She paused, her tone softening further, yet still tinged with deep regret:

"But in fact, people who are not related by blood, even if they are not husband and wife, can become each other's most important family. During the time I was waiting for you, I kept thinking about it and felt very sorry. I didn't have time to teach you how an ordinary person, a normal person, should look at this world, how to live in it, and about our child... I died."

When her child was mentioned, her voice lowered, filled with an indescribable sadness and resolve:

"For our child, perhaps... it would be the best ending if he died with me. After all, Yoriichi, you can't even take care of yourself, so how can you take care of a child who needs meticulous care and guidance? I don't want to... watch him live a miserable and painful life because of our negligence."

Finally, she raised her head, tears welling in her eyes, but she forced a smile that shimmered with moisture: "I'm sorry, Yoriichi, we couldn't live to see you come back."

How did he respond at that time?

"Feel sorry."

Only a dry "sorry" was offered.

He could utter nothing more than an apology. Though countless unspoken words churned within his chest—

He thought to himself that he should have regretted not agreeing to escort the old man to see his son back then;

He thought that if he stayed by his wife and children's side, the evil spirits would never have a chance to take advantage of him.

But these assumptions seemed so pale and powerless in the face of the predetermined tragedy. His wife's eyes were also filled with guilt; he couldn't let his remorse add to her burden. Silence was the best course of action.

Only in this way could his wife, who had waited for him for so many years, finally let go of her worries and embark on the path to the afterlife after saying her last words.

Both of his most important women have moved on to new lives. The regrets he harbors for them should be buried deep within him, just as they have relinquished their past.

The last one left was the elder brother.

Perhaps because his elder brother did not go through the proper reincarnation process, but was forcibly sent into the reincarnation pool, his elder brother still remembered his past life and did not forget his past life like his mother and wife.

His brother, like him, was trapped in a cage called "the past".

Upon realizing this, Yoriichi felt a secret sense of relief.

Someone else remembers the past just like him—this feeling of "not being left behind" becomes the only light in the darkness.

He often despised such despicable thoughts of his own, but it was the only thought that kept him trapped in this lotus seat of despair, enduring endless torture, his soul torn apart by memories and regrets.

......

"Yosuga...I...Yosuga—!"

A hoarse and urgent call pierced through the eternally howling cold wind of Mahapadma, like a pebble thrown into a dead, frozen lake, creating a faint ripple in the depths of Yoriichi's almost numb consciousness.

Yoriichi slowly raised his head, his eyes, which had been somewhat dimmed from years of being frozen, opened with difficulty. The thick ice crystals that had formed on his eyelashes trembled off with his movement.

Is it just my imagination?

In this desolate place where there was no sound except the whispers of the laws of punishment and the agonizing cries of frozen souls, he seemed to... hear his brother's voice.

His blurred vision strained as he focused on the snow-covered path ahead. A figure, staggering yet resolute, broke through the layers of icy mist, rushing towards him.

Closer and closer.

The figure gradually became clearer.

Yoriichi opened his eyes wide.

Although the person standing in front of him was Uchiha Kokusatsu reincarnated, in Yoriichi's eyes—or rather, in his perception distorted by his long prison sentence and deep obsession—he saw a figure with black hair, purple eyes, a flame mark on his forehead, and dressed in samurai attire.

Brother...?

The man finally reached the giant ice lotus and stopped in front of it.

He looked so anxious, even somewhat at a loss. His raised hand trembled slightly, as if he wanted to touch it, but dared not touch it because he was "embedded" in the ice lotus and covered with cracks, for fear of causing him more pain.

"Yoichi, how are you?" The other person's voice trembled with undisguised worry, an emotion that his brother would occasionally reveal for him, an emotion born of concern for him.

Yoriichi blinked, and tiny icicles once again condensed on his long eyelashes. He still couldn't be sure whether this was an illusion or... reality.

Even if it was a hallucination, he accepted it.

After all, his elder brother was so harsh that he was reluctant to visit him even in his dreams... or even in the hallucinations caused by his pain.

Seeing his "brother," even if it's just an illusion, would be enough to comfort him during this long prison sentence.

Perhaps to confirm whether it was an illusion or reality, or simply to get closer to that bit of "warmth," Yoriichi actually exerted his strength and forcibly "torn" himself off the constantly tearing and freezing ice lotus torture device.

"Snap—!"

That was the sickening sound of a soul being forcibly ripped from the laws of punishment. More sparks of soul light burst forth from the cracks in his body, like shattered stars, flickering and dissipating in the cold air.

"Yoriichi—! What are you doing?!" Yan Sheng was terrified, his voice trembling. He rushed forward, staring at the even more grotesque cracks on Yoriichi's body, which looked as if they were about to completely collapse at any moment. He was so anxious that he couldn't speak coherently, "Can these...can these be put back together? What do we do?! Hozuki! Lord Hozuki!"

He glanced in a panic at Hozuki, who hadn't caught up yet, only to see him standing at a distance with his arms crossed, looking like he was watching a good show, showing no intention of intervening.

Yoriichi, seemingly oblivious to the intensifying pain of his soul being torn apart, merely swayed before regaining his footing. His usually clear and pure eyes were now fixed intently on Yan Sheng with an almost greedy focus.

Suddenly, he raised his arm and gently embraced Yan Sheng with a force that was both irresistible and extremely careful.

Yan Sheng froze instantly, as if frozen by invisible ice. This was partly due to the bone-chilling cold emanating from Yuan Yi's soul, and partly because he was unaccustomed to being hugged by his younger brother.

Yoriichi gently rested his chin on Kokushige's shoulder, letting out a satisfied, dreamlike murmur:

"So warm...brother."

He always remembered.

In that dark and oppressive Tsugikuni mansion, in that narrow courtyard that felt like a prison, besides my mother, there was... my brother.

The older brother who sat on the wall, backlit, seemed to tear through that suffocating cage and reach out to him.

That warmth from his memory, spanning a century and piercing the extreme cold of hell, was now being embraced once more on this despairing icy plain.

***

Even after leaving the Eight Cold Hells, Yoriichi still followed closely behind Yan Sheng, never leaving his side.

His gaze remained fixed on Yan Sheng, paying no attention to the surrounding scenery, focusing solely on Yan Sheng's figure.

Even after reaching this point, deep down, Yoriichi still stubbornly believed that everything before him was nothing more than an overly realistic dream or an illusion.

Otherwise, how could his nearly ten thousand years of punishment, which had no end in sight, have suddenly ended? And how could he have so smoothly completed all the procedures and stood before this Rebirth Pool, which symbolizes rebirth?

Yan Sheng felt uncomfortable under the intense gaze from behind. He stopped and turned to Hozuki beside him, awkwardly asking the question that was on his mind most:

"Which world will he be reincarnated into?"

Hozuki crossed his arms, his black eyes sweeping over Yoriichi, who was following closely behind Miku, and replied in a calm tone, "Generally speaking, souls return to the world they belonged to in their previous life."

Yan Sheng keenly caught the implication in his words: "So, you mean there are unusual times?"

Hozuki raised an eyebrow, his tone playful and meaningful as he said, "So, you want your brother to be reincarnated into the same world as you?"

"No!" Yan Sheng immediately denied.

Hozuki slowly uttered an "Oh," and said, "No, it's not. Why are you getting so worked up?"

Yan Sheng's face darkened further, feeling that talking to this hellish assistant was extremely mentally taxing.

He took a deep breath to calm his somewhat chaotic emotions, then turned and walked towards Yoriichi, who had been watching him the whole time with a bewildered yet focused gaze.

"Alright, you can go in now." Yan Sheng pointed to the Reincarnation Pool in front of him, which was emitting a soft light, and tried to keep his tone calm.

Yoriichi stood still, motionless, simply watching him quietly.

Yan Sheng seriously suspected that Yoriichi's mind was a bit... not quite right now because his soul was so badly damaged. He gritted his teeth inwardly; if this matter weren't ultimately related to him, he wouldn't want to deal with this troublesome guy.

Feeling awkward, he finally reached out, intending to simply grab Yoriichi's sleeve and drag him towards the Reincarnation Pool.

However, the moment his hand touched the fabric, Yoriichi reacted swiftly and used his cold, bony hand to firmly grasp Kokushi's hand.

Yan Sheng jolted as if struck by lightning, instinctively trying to shake off the contact. This sudden, overly intimate contact made him extremely uncomfortable.

But Yoriichi's next words acted like a spell, freezing his movements.

Yoriichi lowered his head, looking at their clasped hands, and said in a soft voice with reminiscence, "Brother, when we were little... you took me away like this too."

Yan Sheng: "..."

Is Yoriichi referring to the time when he was eight years old, when Yoriichi secretly took him out of Tsugikuni to see the market? When they returned, his enraged father beat him so badly he couldn't get out of bed for days...?

Yan Sheng: Thank you so much for reminding me of such "wonderful" memories.

A mixture of shame, embarrassment, and a deeply hidden longing that even he himself was unwilling to admit welled up in his heart. Yan Sheng gritted his teeth, straightened his face, and, in that awkward hand-holding posture, forcefully pulled Yoriichi along, striding to the edge of the Reincarnation Pool.

"Get in!" Yan Sheng said with a hint of viciousness, forcefully pushing Yoriichi into the shimmering pool of water.

In truth, with Yoriichi's strength, even with his soul damaged, if he didn't want to, Konoha would have absolutely no chance of pushing him away. But precisely because it was Konoha who did it, Yoriichi didn't resist, allowing that force to push him into the Reincarnation Pool.

His figure was quickly swallowed by the soft light, and the last thing Yan Sheng saw was that pair of eyes that were focused on him, until they disappeared completely.

Watching Yoriichi disappear into the Reincarnation Pool, Yan Sheng's tense shoulders finally relaxed slightly, and he let out a long, silent sigh of relief.

This entanglement of cause and effect, which lasted for several years, has finally come to an end.

Hozuki, who had been observing from the sidelines, finally spoke slowly: "You two brothers are so lovey-dovey."

After saying that, he waved his hand and said, "Alright, that's all for you here. You can go back now. Don't forget our contract. I'll be waiting for you in hell."

Before the words were even finished, giving Yan Sheng no time to react, a familiar and irresistible force of repulsion suddenly came over him.

The next second, Yan Sheng felt as if his soul had been thrown out by a catapult, and the scene before his eyes rushed backward and blurred, eventually turning into darkness.

......

In reality, in the Daimyo's Mansion of the Land of Fire.

The sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn, the first rays of sunlight outlining the luxurious furnishings in the room in a hazy glow.

On the bed, the man in his nightgown suddenly opened his eyes.

Yan Sheng's pupils contracted slightly, and he gasped for breath a few times before his consciousness was completely pulled away from the hellish scene and returned to his real body.

He raised his hand, looked at it, and felt the chakra flowing within it, finally confirming—

He's back.

The land of the Thousand Hands Clan.

On this day, a pregnant woman who was nine months along and nearing delivery gave birth.

After two hours, the baby was finally born safely.

The midwife, holding the swaddled baby, smiled and handed him to the mother: "Congratulations, it's a boy."

The woman was covered in sweat, but ninjas were naturally strong, especially members of the Senju clan. She sat up, took the child, and gazed tenderly at the newborn's still wrinkled face, her eyes filled with maternal love, finding it not at all ugly.

After the midwife finished tidying up, she left the room. The husband, who had been waiting outside the door, rushed into the room to see his wife and child as soon as he learned that both mother and child were safe.

The midwife and the women who had helped exchanged smiles and gently shook their heads. The arrival of a new life is always a joyous occasion, and even if it wasn't their own child, they felt genuine happiness from the bottom of their hearts.

inside the house.

The man gazed at the baby in his wife's arms.

"It's a boy, so let's use the name we thought of before—Yuan Yi."

Since becoming pregnant, the couple had been preparing to name their child. Although they deliberated for several months, they finally decided last month: if it's a boy, they will name him "Yuan Yi"; if it's a girl, she will have the single name "Yuan".

"Yoriichi, Senju Yoriichi," his wife whispered. "My Yoriichi, grow up healthy and safe."

The husband chuckled and said, "Things are different now than they were back then. He'll definitely grow up safe and healthy."

-----------------------

Author's Note: Note 1: Original text

The older and younger brothers both seem to have brownish-black eyes, but people usually use dark red/purple, so I'll use the more common description too.

Brother: Yoriichi, as expected of you!

The younger brother was actually daydreaming; he didn't actually have any sword skills, and he hadn't practiced swordsmanship much while he was alive—it was all based on talent.

The original text describes the poems too little; these are just my personal opinions QAQ

This story is nearing its end; it's almost finished. I'm planning to write a movie review as an epilogue. If you have any requests for specific content, let me know in the comments! [doge emoji with rose in hand]