Chapter 99 Her Choice
Jiraiya suddenly remembered the Toad Sage's prophecy—he could be either a creator god with the power to create, or a destroyer god with the power to destroy the world.
"Nagato! Try using your Rinnegan to see if you can save her!" Jiraiya shouted, clinging to his last hope.
Upon hearing this, Nagato, ignoring the pain of his broken black staff, hurriedly ran towards Haruko Hayama.
Konan carefully embraced her body, allowing Nagato to kneel beside her and unleash the Rinnegan.
What should I do... what should I do?!
Nagato was at a loss. He had never seen Haruko Hayama so fragile, lying motionless and lifeless in Minami's arms.
Upon catching a glimpse of Yahiko's heartbroken expression, Nagato forced himself to calm down and focused on sensing the pain.
"Heretical Path: The Art of Reincarnation and Heavenly Life!"
Nagato suddenly opened his eyes, and as he formed hand seals, green light emanated around Haruko Hayama, and her complexion began to improve. Just as Yahiko was overjoyed, he noticed that Nagato's body was gradually weakening at a visible speed.
"Nagato!"
"It's nothing...it just requires the consumption of my life force," Nagato replied nonchalantly.
At this moment, all I want is to save her; I'd even be willing to sacrifice myself!
As early as when Nagato summoned the Gedo Mazo, Jiraiya knew that the enemy had no chance of survival, so he quickly sent Gamabunta to bring Tsunade and Orochimaru over.
Nagato can't keep dragging this out. If Tsunade's healing jutsu doesn't work, they'll really have to rely on Orochimaru...
Jiraiya instructed Konan and Yahiko to look after Nagato while he went to pick up Tsunade and the others.
Standing at the edge of the valley, Jiraiya was suddenly struck by a sense of helplessness.
If Haruko really...
Tsunade and Orochimaru arrived quickly, having exerted all their strength. As soon as Tsunade jumped off Gamabunta, she rushed straight at Jiraiya.
Tsunade grabbed his collar, her face fierce. "Where's Haruko? I'm asking you, where's Haruko!"
The moment he saw them, Jiraiya's unfocused eyes finally concentrated, and he hurriedly led them there.
Tsunade rushed to Haruko's side and asked Nagato to withdraw his ninjutsu so she could use a healing jutsu herself.
Nagato weakly and unwillingly moved his hand away: "I can't help it... I don't know why her life force is being depleted so quickly, no matter how much I replenish it, it can't keep up with the rate at which it's being consumed."
Everyone's expression turned slightly serious upon hearing this.
Orochimaru asked in a deep voice, "What exactly is going on?"
Yahiko clenched his fist, pursed his lips, and slowly began to speak, "It was me...it was me who killed Haruko-neechan..."
“If I hadn’t trusted the enemy so easily, Haruko-neechan wouldn’t have…” Yahiko said, his shoulders trembling again.
Orochimaru smiled coldly, flashed directly in front of him, and suddenly stretched out his right hand to grab his neck and tighten it.
Sensing the suffocating danger, Yahiko instinctively tried to struggle, but after meeting Orochimaru's violent gaze, he lowered his hands and willingly let him strangle him.
Jiraiya appeared between them, reached out and grabbed Orochimaru's hand, looking at him disapprovingly, "It was Hanzo and Danzo who colluded, not the fault of the three of them."
Orochimaru, forced to release his grip by the force, said with a gloomy face, "It's alright. As long as she has a body, I can revive her using 'Impure World Reincarnation'."
It was as if I was telling them there was still a way, and also as if I was telling myself.
Tsunade was startled; Orochimaru had indeed learned that forbidden technique despite their objections.
But... as long as Haruko can be saved, she's willing to do anything...
Just then, Haruko Hayama, with her last breath, slowly opened her eyes.
Upon seeing her, Tsunade couldn't wait to call out, "Haruko!"
As Haruko glanced at Tsunade's face, which was tearful yet forced a smile, she couldn't help but smile too.
"Tsunade... she looks so ugly when she cries..."
Tsunade paused, then replied helplessly, "Even in your current state, you still have the mood to talk about this..."
Haruko just kept looking at her, trying to etch her face into her memory.
"No technique works on me, cough cough..." Haruko Hayama frowned and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Haruko!"
Tsunade increased the healing intensity in alarm, but those around her noticed that Haruko's body was slowly dissipating. Konan hurriedly reached out to grab the scattered dust, but couldn't grasp anything.
The moment Haruko was attacked by Hanzo the Salamander, she felt—the moment her life ended, the moment she returned to the future.
Fate swept by, and only now did she understand what Fukasaku had said back then.
Fukasaku really is a mysterious master...
"Tsunade... I don't have much time left..."
Tsunade tried to hold back her tears but couldn't stop them from flowing. "Don't say it, don't say it..."
“This necklace…” Haruko looked at her neck, “You must remember to give it to me when you turn fifty…”
Why not take advantage of this opportunity and save it for your future self?
Tsunade, having misunderstood, quickly nodded. "It's a promise, you must live to be fifty and come back to me for it!"
"..." Haruko Hayashi chose to call the next person.
Jiraiya met Haruko's smile and walked over to her, crouching down, his voice unusually gentle, "What's wrong?"
"Jiraiya needs to... take better care of himself, he's already... looking like a little old man..."
She was quite cute when she was little, but she looks older as she gets older.
Jiraiya gave a wry smile. "What can I do if I'm just this ugly?"
"Jiraiya, you absolutely mustn't be unfaithful... I'll... get angry!"
Let's start eliminating lecherous people by cracking down on Jiraiya!
After a moment of surprise, Jiraiya revealed a gentle smile. "I haven't spied on anyone in ages. That was ages ago."
"Xiao Nan will definitely grow up to be a great beauty... Keep your eyes open and don't be fooled..."
"Yahiko, strive to achieve your dreams... I will always be proud of you..."
"Nagato, take good care of yourself... Remember to have Konan cut your hair when it gets long..."
After Haruko finished giving instructions one by one in the morning, her body had already dissipated into her upper body. She raised her hand and pushed away Tsunade's hand that was releasing healing magic.
She said to Tsunade, whose face had turned pale from prolonged use but who still remained stubborn, "It's useless..."
"Orochimaru...Orochimaru..."
Hearing Haruko's faint shouts, everyone else made way for Orochimaru, but Orochimaru didn't make a move.
After the others revealed Haruko Hayama in the middle, Orochimaru saw her more clearly. She was soaked in blood, clearly on the verge of death, yet her bright eyes were still staring at him. Foolish…
Orochimaru walked over unhurriedly, one step, two steps.
By the time he finally approached and squatted down, Haruko's voice had become much weaker, and Orochimaru had to put his ear close to listen.
"I...I've made...a life-or-death decision..."
"I have chosen... to live... in your hearts..."
"Wait for me... Orochimaru..."
"Don't become...a bad person..."
"Wait for me in the future..."
Orochimaru watched as her eyes closed and she stopped breathing. He said coldly, "Who gave you permission to die?"
"Ninjutsu: Impure World Reincarnation"
Ignoring Tsunade and Jiraiya's astonishment, Orochimaru surprisingly chose to use his own body as a vessel to summon back Haruko Hayama's soul.
But his complexion grew worse and worse, and Haruko Hayama's body rapidly dissipated; he couldn't extract any of Haruko Hayama's soul.
"What's going on? Impossible! Impossible!"
Orochimaru was deathly pale. Why was the Impure World Reincarnation technique, which could supposedly summon and revive souls, not working on Haruko Hayama?!
"Who gave you permission to die...who gave you permission to die!!!"
Orochimaru clutched his head and cried out, once again experiencing in reality his powerlessness over the lives that had been lost.
Life is fragile...
Orochimaru listened to their wailing and shouting from the side, and felt as if his brain was spinning. He wanted to yell at them to shut up, but he couldn't open his mouth.
When he finally collapsed to the ground, the last thing he saw was Haruko Hayama completely dissipating into the air.
What a life-or-death choice...
What a ridiculous answer...
******
Thank you for reminding me of the update reminder charm a friend sent me! Your bonus chapter has been delivered (′,,ω,,)
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