[System detected Suzaku’s affection value + 5000]
[System detected Kurogaya’s affection value + 5000]
[System detected Sakikawa’s affection value + 5000]
[A total of 15000 affection points have been collected, and your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika’s rank has increased to 65%.]
"Enough! Suzaku!" Kurogaya couldn’t listen anymore.
He got up from the ground, knelt beside Haruki, put his hand on Haruki’s shoulder, and said to Suzaku, "He’s already very tired. Don’t question him anymore. He did everything for us."
"Are we more important than Amegakure’s future?" Suzaku glared at Kurogaya with red eyes.
Kurogaya’s throat tightened, his eyes reddened, and his gaze at Suzaku was filled with pleading. He pleaded with Suzaku to stop talking.
Let Haruki rest for a while first!
"But in my heart, everyone in Amegakure is the most important. It’s because of everyone that Amegakure exists, and only then will there be a future for Amegakure..." Haruki’s tearful voice rang out.
He looked up, met Suzaku’s gaze, and tears streamed down his face.
[System detected Suzaku’s affection value + 5000]
[System detected Kurogaya’s affection value + 5000]
[System detected Sakikawa’s affection value + 5000]
[A total of 15000 affection points have been collected, and your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika’s rank has increased to 66.5%.]
These tears were worth it!
Haruki continued to sob.
"I’m sorry..." Suzaku suddenly said.
He lowered his head and repeated, "I’m sorry."
He shouldn’t have questioned Haruki. He shouldn’t have spoken to Haruki like that in Amegakure.
Too worried about Haruki.
Haruki wiped away the tears from his face and gave Suzaku a bright, unreserved smile. "I know brother was so anxious because he was worried about me."
[System detected Suzaku’s affection value + 2000]
[Your companion Cursed Spirit, Rika’s rank has increased to 66.7%.]
Suzaku reached out to Haruki and ruffled his hair.
Since Suzaku had contributed so much affection, Haruki generously let him rub his head.
The emotions of all four slowly calmed down.
Sakikawa looked at Haruki and teased, "You little brat, you’re really something. You managed to evade the village patrol, and even followed us without being discovered. You truly are Hanzo-sama’s student."
Haruki smiled shyly and humbly said, "It was just a coincidence."
Kurogaya clicked his tongue in wonder, "That’s too much of a coincidence."
Suzaku frowned and asked worriedly, "How did that puppeteer Akasuna leave?"
Kurogaya and Sakikawa’s expressions became serious, and they simultaneously focused their attention on Haruki.
Akasuna was a well-known puppeteer in Sunagakure, after all.
Haruki visibly tensed under their gaze, his expression flustered. "It’s... it’s the curse... it ran out again... I won’t let them hurt you..."
Kurogaya immediately comforted him, "Haruki, we’re not afraid of you, don’t worry."
Haruki stared at Kurogaya, gulped, and cautiously said, "I practiced controlling them well in the village, but this time, when I saw you guys were injured, I got a little anxious, and they lost control... Then I don’t know what happened, that ninja just ran away..."
Suzaku and the others exchanged glances. The most likely possibility was that Haruki lost his control over the curse. The curse had already threatened Akasuna’s life, so Akasuna chose to flee.
"That’s amazing, Haruki." Sakikawa patted Haruki’s shoulder and laughed. "We don’t even have your curse power. Don’t be afraid of your own strength."
Haruki’s stiff body gradually relaxed, and he nodded towards Sakikawa and the others.
"So what do we do now?" Kurogaya looked at Suzaku.
Suzaku pursed his lips, his peripheral vision on Haruki. He couldn’t guarantee that the path ahead was without danger.
Similarly, he couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t encounter Akasuna again on the way back to Amegakure.
There was danger whether they advanced or retreated. In that case, it was better to choose to take the contract to the border.
"Keep going forward." Suzaku stood up and said to Kurogaya and Sakikawa.
Kurogaya smiled. "Alright!"
Sakikawa looked at Suzaku, his eyes questioning.
Suzaku gently shook his head at him.
They had no other choice.
Sakikawa withdrew his gaze and put his hand on Haruki’s shoulder. "Haruki, you walk in the middle of us later."
Haruki nodded. "Okay, I understand."
The group of four continued towards the border of the Land of Rain. Haruki was protected in the middle by the three of them.
Hanzo stood still and looked at the rising sun.
Three whole hours had passed since five o’clock. Haruki’s figure was nowhere to be seen. Hanzo’s gaze became increasingly solemn.
"Hanzo-sama, Haruki might have forgotten..."
The other ninjas in the training ground saw this and helped Haruki explain.
"Yes, Hanzo-sama, Haruki is still a child who is growing, it’s normal for him to oversleep."
The ninja said, enduring Hanzo’s pressure.
Hanzo’s gaze swept over them. The ninjas immediately felt their scalps tingle, and no one dared to speak again until Hanzo’s figure disappeared from the training ground.
Hanzo came to Haruki’s single apartment, opened the window and entered. The room was empty.
His peripheral vision caught a piece of paper on the desk. He walked over and picked up the paper, it was a letter left by Haruki.
- Sensei, by the time you see this letter, I have already left Amegakure. I went to find brother Suzaku. You don’t have to worry about me, I will return safely with brother Suzaku and the others. Do not worry.
Hanzo’s pupils constricted. He should have known Haruki was audacious in this regard.
He should have realized that Haruki had a close relationship with Suzaku. How could Haruki just watch Suzaku go to his death?
Hanzo held the letter and walked quickly towards the office.
Yushi rushed to the office in a hurry. "Hanzo-sama, what’s wrong?"
He took a breath, looking at Hanzo, who was exuding a low pressure.
Hanzo handed the letter to Yushi. Yushi scanned the contents of the letter, and his vision immediately went black, falling straight to the ground.
Muteki supported his body and asked in confusion, "What’s wrong?"
Yushi tightly grabbed Muteki’s wrist and said, "Haruki... he followed Suzaku to the border for a mission..."
Muteki’s body trembled, and his heart immediately sank.
A chill rose from his feet, quickly spreading throughout his body. Just thinking that Haruki might not return, Muteki felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
"Muteki, you lead twenty ninjas to the border to support Suzaku." Hanzo commanded.
Muteki quickly recovered from the terrifying conjecture, and he nodded without hesitation.
"Go quickly and return quickly!" Hanzo said solemnly.
Muteki immediately turned and left the office.