Chapter 54 (C54)
The soft water supported her body, her long, flowing brown hair swaying with the current. A light green, transparent liquid was enveloped by a circular barrier, like a pearl resting on a leaf. Slender branches extended from the barrier's membrane, gently clinging to her neck, chest, shoulders, waist, abdomen, and calves, like the veins of a plant leaf transporting nutrients, maintaining the body's basic vital signs.
As her hand, which had been pressed against the outer wall of the sphere, fell away, Kana's forehead broke out in a thin layer of sweat, and she slowly exhaled.
The principle of medical ninjutsu is to use chakra to stimulate the differentiation of human stem cells, which then rapidly grow and transform into cells of other specific tissues to achieve renewal. When the rate of renewal exceeds the rate of cell death, the wound can heal.
However, for the vast majority of human cells, the number of times they divide is limited.
At the end of each chromosome is a DNA-protein complex called a telomere. Every time a cell divides, a small segment of the telomere is lost. When the telomere shortens to a critical length, the cell ages and eventually dies.
Therefore, medical ninjutsu is often powerless; otherwise, Tsunade, the most powerful medical ninja of her time, would not have lost her lover and brother.
If Neji hadn't come from Qishan, a place known for its life-giving power, through his reverse summoning, he wouldn't have survived until now.
Similarly, if only ordinary medical ninjutsu can be used for treatment, given Neji's terrible condition, it would be no different from being dead.
The biggest difference between Qishan and medical ninjutsu is that Qishan's life energy does not rely on the cell's own division, but directly repairs the damaged cells. As long as there is still a breath left, there is a possibility of survival.
However, the prerequisite is that the human body must be able to absorb this energy; otherwise, the environment of Qishan can only keep the injured person in a near-death state, but cannot truly bring them back to life.
Neji hasn't yet reached the point where he can directly absorb Qishan energy, so Kana uses herself as a medium to absorb it first, fix it within her own body, and then transfer it through Sage Chakra, a method that can be absorbed by others.
Of course, all powers that defy the heavens come at a price. Once you convert this power into your own, it will be like a hard drive that is constantly reading and writing data, wearing down and consuming your own body.
Therefore, Qingyuan was initially unwilling to teach and even kept this technique a secret.
But the contractor's mind always works fast in places she shouldn't, and she even got inspiration from the principle of absorbing natural energy to enter immortal mode, figuring out the trick herself, and she's even probing in more dangerous directions.
Therefore, it is only a matter of time before the research is successful.
Qingyuan had no choice but to exchange shortening the time for a promise from her.
“You promised me,” Qingyuan shrank to a tiny size, landed on her head, and pecked her head hard with her beak, “that you wouldn’t use this technique to save people casually.”
"I remember, I remember." This treatment was more tiring than the eight-cornered one she had been fighting. It was a very subtle feeling. Kana could feel something that belonged to her flowing slowly through her hands into another person's body like water.
Feeling somewhat exhausted, she simply lay back on the soft grass. Qingyuan took flight because of her sudden backward movement, flapped its wings a few times, and then landed next to her face.
"Do you call this casual? Don't you want me to save him?"
It certainly wanted Neji to live, so it didn't stop him.
But in this world, the only people it cares about are the two of them.
So it considerately conceded, "No one but Neji is allowed."
"Kana," Qingyuan nudged her face with her fluffy head, "Did you hear me?!"
"And you absolutely must not use [Regeneration] to save people," Qingyuan's voice became exceptionally serious. The essence of that technique is to give up one's own life. "No one is worth doing that for."
"I'm so tired, don't bother me." Any non-threatening attacks are taken as coquetry, so Kana turned her head away and ignored them.
Neji floated quietly in the water with his eyes closed, while Kana's fingertips moved lightly across the barrier, tracing along his brow bone and the bridge of his nose.
He had been unconscious for nine days, and Kana had been continuously treating him for the seven days since the "fall from the cliff." Perhaps because it was her first time practicing, although his bodily functions had been almost fully restored, he still hadn't woken up.
After disobeying orders and leaving the village, Kana immediately used reverse summoning to return to Qishan. After confirming that Neji was not completely dead and that his condition would not worsen, she calmly turned around and decided to draw her sword and kill Deidara and the others first.
You spend over a decade raising your dog to be clean, healthy, and lively, only to return from a mission looking like this—anyone would be furious.
In the field of forensic medicine, corpses don't lie. Similarly, wounds on the body can tell the truth.
Neji's leg wounds were blistering and carbonized, stuck tightly to his melted clothing, a typical injury caused by an explosion – Deidara's Explosion Release, which perfectly matched the intelligence.
The wounds on her waist, abdomen, left shoulder, and neck were clearly marks left by the raging wind blades. During her battle with Kakuzu, Kana became even more certain that they were his Earth Grudge.
The most serious injury was the sword wound that pierced through his heart.
That wound still held a trace of chakra.
That was a near-fatal sword strike, hitting the target cleanly and decisively. As a result, the Dark Guard was unable to find any traces at the scene, and naturally, this detail was not included in the information that Shikaku gave her.
Ordinary swords can become legendary weapons in the hands of a master. This is partly due to the user's increasing strength, and partly because the chakra of the wielder will inevitably cover and infuse the weapon during long-term use, eventually making it tainted by chakra.
This level of chakra is very difficult for humans to perceive; even a normal Byakugan would struggle to detect its trace—unless you can unlock the Byakugan to the next level.
Unfortunately.
Kana, who has entered Sage Mode, can see it.
Those leaping, tiny black flames.
It is the Amaterasu of the Mangekyou Sharingan.
— Sasuke Uchiha didn't get beaten up enough back then.
Qingyuan was clearly dissatisfied with her "three no's" attitude of not answering, ignoring, and not cooperating, and angrily shouted, "Anyway, you've already used up your chance to bring people to Qishan twice, you..."
Kana suddenly sprang up from the ground, startling it.
Because Neji later signed a summoning agreement with Qingyuan, aside from the first time she took him to Qishan, the "three times" that she and Qingyuan agreed on would no longer be discounted.
The second time was when she brought Yuya in. Although the personal bodyguard was an excuse Kana used to leave the village for her secluded training, Yuya, who was just a weakling in this life, really needed protection—was there anywhere safer than Qishan?
Neji's incident happened unexpectedly.
The decision to "kill the shameless adult who bullied the child" was an impulsive one made on a conditioned reflex. The consequences of this—disobeying the Hokage's orders, giving the advisory group, who were eager to fill the Anbu with people, Tsunade's desire to temporarily control her to prevent her from going berserk, her need for enough time to stay in Qishan to heal Neji, and so on—only came to mind after she killed Kakuzu.
No matter how bad the hand you're dealt, you have to play it right. This is something she's been doing for two lifetimes.
She seized the opportunity and jumped off a cliff in front of Kakashi, thus escaping Konoha.
But because it happened so suddenly, she didn't even think to inform Yumi.
Kana sighed inwardly, hoping he wouldn't die.
And Yuya really did almost die.
—If Kana hadn't appeared in time.
After reincarnating so many times, and finally seeing a glimmer of hope to escape this world, he suddenly heard the news of Neji and Kana's deaths. An ordinary person would go insane even if they didn't die.
From this perspective, the system's arrests weren't random. Although Yumi may not be outstanding in other aspects, her strong mental fortitude is something even Kana can't match.
Kana grabbed him by the back of his collar, lifted the person who was hugging her and wailing, and pulled him away. "Stop crying. Go get me some clothes to change into. Your snot is all over me, it's filthy."
Yumi's eyes were swollen like two walnuts, her nose was bright red, and her voice was still a little hoarse from crying. "So what are you going to do next?"
"I just got back from Qishan. Tell me what happened these past few days. What's going on in Konoha?"
“You’re dead, why should I care what they do?” Yumi stared at her in disbelief. “But I’ve already released the information we prepared beforehand.”
He was referring to the news about the caged bird.
He said ominously, "The Hyuga main family must be having a tough time right now."
If they were strong enough, that would be one thing, but their heirs are inferior to the branch family in every way, yet they rely on cursed seals to enjoy the fate of being protected by others with their lives.
A collection of stories based on the Hyuga clan has already been published. He only needs to stir things up in the shadows, and with people's regret over the fall of a genius and the deep-seated human desire for freedom, they will naturally have opinions about the Hyuga main family's inhuman behavior.
"...Did I disrupt your plans?"
This was purely Yuya's personal revenge and emotional outburst. After calming down and seeing that Kana was alright, he belatedly realized that his unease had turned into a cold sweat.
“No…” Kana’s expression was subtle. Although it was a reaction he made without thinking in an irrational state, it was perfectly timed. “I should say, you did very well.”
The Hyuga clan was not the only ones with ambitions to revive their clan and become famous in the ninja world. For example, there was the Uchiha clan, and there was the Kurama clan, whose leader, Hayate, died at the age of twelve due to a bloodline disease.
You have to be strong enough for others to recognize your title of "Number One in Konoha".
The best way to demonstrate strength is not by looking at the average, so even though the Hyuga clan has the highest Jonin rate, it doesn't have a strong deterrent effect. The most direct way is to look at how far the strongest person in the clan can go.
Now, because of Kana's "death," those who are afraid of being suppressed due to the power gap will turn into provocations and tests and spring up like mushrooms after rain.
It's no exaggeration to say that the Hyuga clan is facing difficulties both internally and externally.
Yuya asked her if she would be happy.
She said, "Of course, I'm not a saint."
Moreover, this is just the beginning.
“Find your letter,” Kana reminded him.
Because of his noble status, it became easier for Yumi to build his own intelligence network. Just because he wasn't in the mood to look at the information didn't mean that the news hadn't come through.
"And the things I left with you." At this moment, Kana couldn't help but feel a little fortunate. She had collected so many ninjutsu scrolls. If they had been in Konoha, they would most likely have become her belongings and benefited the main family.
Yumi carried the sealed box out of the dark room and handed it to her. "Are you leaving?"
Kana paused in her hand as she flipped through the scrolls, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the scroll buried at the bottom. Nothing can withstand the test of time; it had faded somewhat, and holding it in her hand felt like holding a long-forgotten memory.
She didn't open it, but instead put it directly into her bosom, and tossed another barrier scroll to Yumi, saying, "If the Fourth Shinobi World War is unavoidable as you know it, then protect yourself."
Kana stood up, put on her veil, and the white veil that fell down covered her face and also her forehead, which was no longer marked with curse marks.
So much has happened in the days she's been gone, and there's so much for her to do.
Yumi suddenly realized something and rushed towards her, clutching her clothes tightly as if she were grasping at a straw. "Can you not go?"
He was a nobleman from the Land of Fire, so he wouldn't go to the battlefield or get hurt, but she was different.
"You've already left Konoha, you're no longer a ninja. The Fourth Shinobi World War has nothing to do with you. Once the protagonist defeats the boss, we..."
Kana withdrew her hand without hesitation, taking the sleeve with her, her tone tinged with the indifference of a bystander: "Without military achievements or fame, the system cannot be changed by a few people's pity, sympathy, or anger."
"You want to leave here, right?"
Yumi had no way to refute it.
"Then you shouldn't have stopped me."
In the blink of an eye, the area under the eaves was empty, with only a single leaf quietly falling.
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