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Edited by FlickHero (Writer of Naruto Hikikaeru) and MoaningFrodo (Writer of Easy Cultivation)
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Hidden Leaf Village.
A new construction site had been set up a few days ago covered in tents which hid two individuals within as they worked together.
< Wood Release! >
Hashirama joined his hands together to grow a wooden base into being as it supported the sleepers that were being laid out for the new train service around the village.
Hashirama sighed, "I really admire the technological developments of the future…"
"You're like this after laying just two compartments worth of tracks?" Tobirama asked.
"Cut me some slack Brother, I'm handling all the heavy duties here," Hashirama sighed.
"Hmph, that's nowhere close to me using my water release to cut down metals for the rails," Tobirama argued.
"Hm…" Hashirama thought.
"What is it?" Tobirama asked.
"It's been a while since we've heard from Danzō," Hashirama said as he folded his arms.
"Hmm…" Tobirama also thought for a bit.
("Indeed, it's been two days. But isn't it enough time as well…") Tobirama thought.
"Let's take a break," Hashirama laughed as he walked off the track to grab a flask by the table.
"Huh?" Tobirama looked at Hashirama who was eager to drink his tea.
"Here," Hashirama said as he handed over a cup to Tobirama.
"I don't need a break, Brother!" Tobirama waved off.
"Come on Brother, they say this tea tastes good," Hashirama said as he remained persistent in handing over the cup.
Tobirama felt helpless.
Indeed things have improved in the world from the time they had departed.
Especially the culinary skills. Ever since his resurrection, Hashirama had taken his time exploring the new variety of food in the past few days.
"Fine!" Tobirama said as he grabbed the cup.
"Haha," Hashirama laughed as he poured some tea from the flask into the cup.
"Go ahead and drink!" Hashirama said.
"Hmph!" Tobirama stared at the teacup in his hand.
Crack!
A part of the teacup had cracked.
"Huh?" Tobirama stared at the cup.
"You don't have to be so tough on the cup, right?" Hashirama asked since he was used to seeing Tobirama stay tough all the time.
"No, Brother. I didn't do this," Tobirama said.
However, he was thinking something else entirely…
("Could something bad have happened? Is it Danzō, perhaps?") Tobirama thought.
Root Training Grounds.
Danzō looked at two people on the ground a few meters away from him.
"What did you just say, Danzō-sama?" Sai asked with an expression of despair as he stared at Shin who was in front of him.
"I said that you two are to fight each other with your lives on the line," Danzō said emotionlessly.
"That can't be right," Sai said with disbelief.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
A few kunais landed on the ground around Sai and Shin in a circular formation.
Danzō looked on emotionlessly.
"This will be your final test and your destiny as a member of Root. However, If you're both alive at the end or if you both try to escape from this mountain…" Danzo paused.
"Well, I don't think I have to say what will happen to you two." Danzō said following which he vanished from his spot.
Sai looked at Shin with beads of sweat seeping out the pores of his face…
"I can't do that. There's no way," Sai said as he turned to the side to avoid Shin's gaze.
"I can't fight against my brother," Sai said.
("Sai…") Shin stared at Sai, following which he steeled his resolution as he held on to the Kunai in his right hand firmly.
Sai and Shin were both excellent friends whose relationship slowly developed into that of brotherly bonds.
Shin was a very caring brother, and so was Sai.
However, they didn't have a choice.
Reluctantly, Shin glared at Sai while almost being unable to look at him directly in the eye.
It was not easy for him to do this. With the added fact that their lives were on the line, he could only make sure that Sai was capable of protecting himself before Shin died from his own disease, for he knew that in this battle, he would undoubtedly be killed by his own illness before he could make Sai land a blow on him.
It was that moment; he became decisive.
"If that's how you feel, then I'll just kill you!"
Whoosh!
Shin appeared with his kunai in front of him, following which Shin swung the kunai.
Whoosh!
Shin's kunai swiped past the air completely missing Sai who jumped out of the way in the nick of time.
"Brother!" Sai called out from mid-air.
On the ground, Shin looked at Sai with deadly eyes as he just landed, only to launch off the ground with a single kick and caught up to Sai who was in mid-air.
Whoosh!
Shin swiped at Sai only to swipe at nothing but air again.
Clang!
Shin sent a shuriken forth only to be blocked by Sai's kunai.
"Are you being serious?" Sai asked in a desperate voice as he landed on the ground again only to jump off in another direction.
Whoosh!
Shin swiped again, only to miss Sai completely.
Shin's eyesight followed Sai who escaped into the forest to escape from Shin.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Sai jumped across trees while Shin continued following from behind.
THUMP!
Shin felt something explode within his chest.
He tried to force back his attention into chasing down Sai desperately; however, his frail body could not keep up with his will power.
"Ah!"
Shin let out a short muffled shout following which he fell without resistance to the ground.
Bang!
"Huh…" Sai heard a sound of something fall down.
Rustle!
Sai landed on a tree branch and turned towards the back to see, Shin lying down on the floor.
("Brother!") Sai was concerned.
Whoosh!
Sai landed beside Shin.
"Brother!" Sai called out.
However, the next moment he felt something cold on his neck.
Sounds of footsteps echoed around the surroundings as Danzō, along with his few subordinates walked through the forest to go back to the Root HQ building.
However…
Whoosh!
Tobirama appeared in front of Danzō.
("Lord Second…") Danzō's eyes widened.
Shing!
Danzō's subordinates took out their kunais in turn since Tobirama appeared in an ANBU robe and mask.
However, Danzō wouldn't mistake his arrival for any other thing.
He had precisely arrived in the worst possible time for Danzō.
"Leave us alone," Danzō said.
"Yes, Danzō-sama," his subordinates responded, following which they instantly dispersed into the surroundings.
A moment passed by silently.
"Lord Second," Danzō broke the silence.
"Danzō," Tobirama called out.
"I didn't expect Lord Second to arrive so soon," Danzō said with a slight smile.
Tobirama was not feeling comfortable.
There was something definitely going on, especially with how the atmosphere was.
Not only that, but the crack on the cup from earlier made Tobirama suspect a few things.
"Danzō, do you have an answer yet?" Tobirama asked with folded arms.
"…" Danzō stared silently.
The wind blew over the two, echoing around them with two or three leaves flowing past their visions.
"I may need more time…" Danzō said.
("What is he buying time for?") Tobirama thought as he extended his perception across the forest.
"Ugh!" Danzō's expression twisted.
"You!" Tobirama glared at Danzō though his mask, following which he lifted his index finger.
Whoosh!
A colossal pressure fell upon Danzō's head forcing him to the ground.
("As expected of the Second….") Danzō tred to stare at Tobirama with all his might…
Beads of sweat appeared across Sai's face as his eyes lowered to look at the kunai that was being held against his throat by his beloved Elder Brother.
Shin's face was against the ground, yet his determination painted a picture of him looking directly at Sai's face.
"You're too damn soft-hearted to survive," Shin said as he turned his face slightly, with his eyeballs staring up at Sai with a firm resolution.
"Brother…" Sai continued to stare.
"Even so, the one who will continue to live is you," Shin said in a firm voice as he lowered his kunai, following which…
Cough! Cough!
Blergh! Shin spat out a few mouthfuls of blood onto his hand that tried to hold back what he was coughing out desperately.
"I'm sick," Shin said as he panted for breath.
"We have to get you treated quickly!" Sai panicked.
"Don't bother, I've already researched my disease. There's no cure for it," Shin said.
"That can't be…" Sai was shocked.
"Not even Danzō-sama knows about this," Shin said, "Just tell Danzō-sama you finished me off..."
"I can't," Sai said.
"I already knew that the final test was to kill your comrade," Shin said as he looked at his blood filled hands.
"That's exactly why I kept my illness a secret… so you could live on," Shin said as his flames of life was slowly fading.
"I wanted to be defeated by you in battle. But it turns out, I don't even have enough strength for that… pathetic, isn't it?" Shin asked.
"Brother, even I knew that I had to fight you one day," Sai said.
Shin was surprised; however, he didn't have enough energy to even react to those words of Sai.
"But I still couldn't do it," Sai said.
Shin finally regained a bit of his breath.
"So you knew, huh…" Shin sighed.
("I'm sorry Sai…") Shin prayed, following which his voice became firm once again.
"Kill your emotions! Otherwise, the burden of your missions will overwhelm you!"
"Go... and live for me as well," Shin said.
"Brother…" Sai looked at his brother, of which he thought would be his last moments.
"I can at least… finish myself off." Shin said.
("No…") Sai wanted to retaliate, but his body said otherwise.
Sai froze as he stared at his Brother with tears emerging from his eyes.
"Get GOING!" Shin pushed Sai away.
"Uhuh….." Sai shook his head trying to say no as more tears emerged uncontrollably across his face.
"Don't cry! I told you that you will need to kill your emotions," Shin said.
"…"
"I understand," Sai said, following which he ran away from the spot into the forest forcing himself to not look back on the decision he had taken.
Back in the spot where Shin had fallen.
Shin stared at the ground in a daze, slowly losing his remaining life force,
"I wish... I could have seen your picture book once it was done…" Shin murmured.
Whoosh!
Sai jumped past the trees with a firm determination, fleeing away from the spot which he so badly wanted to return to.
Bump!
Sai then hit something and landed on the floor.
"Huh?" Sai looked up to see a man in ANBU robe staring at him with two other agents holding Danzō in the back.
Sai froze.
"Where's the boy you were supposed to fight against?" Tobirama asked.
Sai slowly pointed towards the back, the direction where he came from.
"Let's go," Tobirama gave out the order.
"Yes," The two agents nodded in return as they walked past Sai.
However, just as they were passing by…
Danzō looked at Sai.
"I'm disappointed in you…" Danzō said, following which the four of them flashed past into the distance.
Sai turned to stare in the direction they went. Only that now, he no longer knew what he was supposed to feel, especially after hearing those words...