Chapter 100 The First Day After Haruko's Death
The first day after Haruko Hayama passed away.
Everyone was still immersed in grief. She had many friends and people who had helped her during her lifetime. Many people came to mourn her today after hearing the news of this war hero's death.
There were many people in line, all holding various flowers, mostly purple. Tsunade and her two companions had anticipated this situation and left early in the morning to make room for them.
When Tsunade returned home, she slumped onto the sofa, looking utterly lost. She clutched the necklace around her neck tightly, and tears that had been welling up in her eyes fell in her confusion.
She, whom I grew up with, laughing, crying, angry... it all seems so vivid in my mind.
Kato Dan, who had accompanied her back, slowly stepped forward and silently patted her back to comfort her. Tsunade immediately hugged Kato Dan and burst into tears in his arms.
Even Rope Tree, who always prided himself on being a man, was sobbing at this moment, raising his hand to wipe away the endless tears with his sleeve.
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Jiraiya entered Mount Myōboku, and seeing that he had returned for the first time, some toads gathered around and asked him about the interesting things that happened during his trip.
Seeing that he remained silent, even the most oblivious toads realized something was wrong.
Fukasaku, contrary to his usual practice, left his meditation spot and, with the toads making way for him, walked up to Jiraiya.
He asked in a low voice, "Haruko...did she go back?"
Despite being a question, it made a statement of its own. Jiraiya, not understanding the hidden meaning in his words, answered in a hoarse voice, "Haruko... she's gone."
The toads were shocked and discussed it amongst themselves, but all they said was "impossible."
They had made plans with her; some were going fishing together, some were going to cook together, and some were going to play pranks together... Only she was willing to do these things with them.
After the news spread throughout Mount Myōboku, the mountain was unusually quiet that day, so quiet that it seemed as if Jiraiya was the only person left in the world.
Fukasaku's wife, unusually, didn't stop him from drinking. So Fukasaku sat with Jiraiya on the edge of the cliff, surrounded by empty bottles and newly opened bottles being opened without a care. Jiraiya kept chugging the bottles, as if that would help him escape his grief.
Fukasaku noticed the faint tears in the corners of his eyes and sighed deeply.
The man and the toad sat there for a long time without saying a word.
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Mitarashi Anko hadn't received any work requests from Orochimaru recently and was wondering if he was out on business when she unexpectedly heard from other Jonin that she had passed away.
Haruko, the one who always had a smile on her face, brought her sweets, and accused Orochimaru of abusing children, has passed away...?
Mitarashi Anko stiffened, her vision blurred, and tears streamed down her face. She wanted to protest, "That's not how it is," "It's impossible," but she couldn't say anything.
Orochimaru-sensei... Yes! I'm looking for Orochimaru-sensei!
Mitarashi Anko seemed to have found hope. She hurriedly ran to the laboratory that Haruko had visited before, but when she tried to pull it, the door was locked.
Fortunately, Mitarashi Anko had a spare key because she always prepared her equipment in advance. She took out the key in a slightly flustered manner, and it took her a long time to insert it into the lock and open it.
The laboratory was eerily quiet, with the curtains drawn tightly, not letting in a single ray of light.
The left side of the room was crammed with lab benches, while the extra space on the right held a newly placed, clean white single bed—an item Orochimaru had purchased earlier. Neither she nor Orochimaru had ever slept on it, and even its only owner, who had prepared it for it, could no longer lie down.
Mitarashi Anko approached and, upon seeing the bulging blankets, was about to burst into laughter at the relief of escaping death, only to discover that the person who sat up in bed upon hearing the noise was none other than Orochimaru.
His normally fair face now looked even more lifeless, as if he were not alive.
He glanced coldly at Mitarashi Anko, who was standing there dumbfounded, and said in a hoarse voice, "Get out."
After Mitarashi Anko had to accept reality and ran away crying, Orochimaru slowly glanced around the entire laboratory.
All the reasons for preparing all this are dead, and this laboratory... is useless now.
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Knock knock knock!
"Kushina, isn't it a bit inappropriate to come directly to her like this?" Minato Namikaze stood awkwardly beside her.
Kushina chuckled and snorted, "I come to Haruko-neechan's house all the time, you're the one who should be worried!"
“…It was clearly you who insisted on dragging me along.” Minato Namikaze shook his head helplessly.
Suddenly the door opened, revealing the somewhat haggard face of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Even Kushina, who frequently visited, rarely saw Haruko's brother, the busy Hokage. Upon seeing him, both children unconsciously became nervous.
"Greetings, Third Hokage!" ×2
Looking at their obedient yet curious faces, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but think of Haruko when she was their age.
Despite being just a child, he takes care of him in the opposite way in life. He likes to slack off with Tsunade during training and always laughs at Jiraiya with an innocent face, but in the end, he can't win an argument with the mean Orochimaru.
But even someone like her could say something like, "My dream is to earn money to support Hiruzen in his old age"...
Seeing the two children's puzzled expressions, Hiruzen Sarutobi knelt down, hugged them, and silently shed tears.
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Sakumo Hatake's opinion of Haruko Hayama changed from that of a strangely outgoing person and a well-coordinated teammate to a companion he could entrust his back to.
But after surviving the theft of the documents, hearing her blessings and hopes for him, Sakumo Hatake changed his opinion of her.
A dazzling best friend.
He had heard stories about her to some extent: the Third Hokage's sister, a close friend of the "Legendary Sannin of Konoha," and the mentor of the mechanical boy Hiruko...
Because she had a happy beginning, Sakumo Hatake wished her a happy ending.
But unexpectedly...
Kakashi Hatake came out of school and walked up to his father, who was leaning against the wall with his head down.
The two usually interacted quietly like this. Kakashi Hatake didn't notice anything at first and walked forward with his hands in his pockets.
It's been almost a week...
After hesitating for a long time, Kakashi Hatake couldn't help but ask, "Dad... didn't that weird older sister come?"
"Hmm?" Sakumo Hatake was momentarily puzzled.
Kakashi Hatake continued, "She used to keep running into me, always trying to take off my mask, and even using rice balls to tempt me to call her 'older sister'... But she hasn't been coming lately."
Upon hearing his words, Hatake Sakumo fell silent, his eyes filled with an indescribable complexity.
Sensing something amiss in his father's attitude, Kakashi Hatake asked in an urgent tone he himself didn't realize, "What happened to her?"
Kakashi Hatake slowly heard his father speak: "She... has become a star."
******
The list of recipients of gratitude as of February 29, 2024:
grateful--
Shen Qingfeng sent 4 update reminder charms
You remind me of a love letter from an old friend ×15
The scumbag will not change 2.5 points, and here are 2 update reminder tokens.
K, the one who sent the update reminder charm
A love letter from Fang Wu, Ran Xia Q, and A Cheng AC, who love sweet potato noodles.
Give a thumbs up to the fake painting!
Spray me with Kayako, I'll go to your house. Early summer, starry sky, flowers given by Mitsuri who loves knives.
Bitter melon, porcelain Buddha Bo Donglv, Sun Ao who loves eating bayberry distilled liquor, user 11152674, Henghengte, salty-salted fish, early summer. starry sky, G's cat, A Ning who likes poplar leaves, Mo Wentian who loves eating red bean jelly, Mu Lu, Li Chao of Gujiang, Lin Laoji, Anxi, Wei Shangshang, want to let alpacas travel all over the books they like, Feng Qin who loves eating spicy chicken noodles, bitter quilts flew all over my face, Jin Xiula of Nanning, Shen Qingfeng, Wang is also my wife, Jie Nai, stars are very boring, Tang Xiaoyu of the North, Yun Cheyun of Gumo Island, tragic junior high school sacrifice (Jiangsu version), wives are so hot, Pipa Kongxiang sent for love
Thank you all for the gifts! The author is so touched! Nawaki is chattering away, insisting that all of you lovely readers witness him becoming Hokage! ( `▽′)
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