1novels Chapter 104 Lost and Found
Chapter 104 Lost and Found
Consciousness, like someone sinking into the deep sea, slowly rises, gradually breaking free from the shackles of darkness. The black-haired girl lying on the hospital bed trembled slightly and opened her eyes with difficulty.
What came into view was an unfamiliar ceiling, and the air was filled with the distinctive smell of disinfectant.
Where is this...?
Uchiha Satsuki slowly propped herself up, her mind still somewhat hazy and blank. She subconsciously raised her hand to touch her cheek, her fingertips brushing against two not-yet-dry, cold tear tracks—marks left by tears she had unconsciously shed.
Why... do I feel so sad?
A heavy, gloomy sorrow pressed down on her heart like a boulder, so heavy that she could hardly breathe.
Just then!
"Hmm!"
A sudden, intense, burning pain shot through the depths of my eyes!
Satsuki cried out in pain, suddenly covering her eyes with her hands, her body curling up from the unexpected agony.
She didn't notice that the moment the pain struck, her dark pupils suddenly changed—the deep black was instantly replaced by an ominous scarlet, and three black tomoe appeared out of thin air in the blood-red base, slowly rotating once!
At the same time, more tears welled up uncontrollably and slid down between his fingers.
And along with this intense physiological reaction, the veil that obscured the memory was forcibly torn apart by the pain!
The last, and most terrifying, vision before she lost consciousness flooded her mind like a burst dam—her parents lying on the ground in the moonlight… Itachi Uchiha's cold face… and… and…
Naruto!
He was pierced through the body by a short sword! It was her... It was Uchiha Itachi... who killed him!
An immense, overwhelming grief and despair, far exceeding her psychological limits, instantly engulfed Zuo Yue. Her heart ached so much she could hardly breathe. The unvented hatred, almost tearing her soul apart, burned wildly in her chest like poisonous flames.
"...Did...something... happen...?"
Broken, choked, and extremely painful syllables unconsciously spilled from between her lips.
All that kept flashing through my mind was the resolute and cold look in the eyes of that black-haired woman when she raised the butcher's knife.
Her sister, whom she once admired and trusted the most, destroyed everything she had.
Anxiety fuels an even stronger craving for a tangible, comforting touch.
However, as her fingers unconsciously tightened, what she felt in her palm was the cold, rough texture of the fabric at the corner of the blanket.
This cold feeling brought her no comfort; instead, a deeper sorrow and despair blew into her chest.
Zuo Yue once again stood frozen on the edge of reason and utter madness. The dark desire within her chest to destroy everything and burn herself to ashes rose wildly, almost breaching the last dam.
That name, carrying all the hatred and pain—Uchiha Itachi—almost burst forth from his teeth, transforming into a ripping scream...
At that very moment, a very faint, yet extremely unnatural sound came from the side.
Is that...the sound of breathing?
It wasn't her own rapid and painful breathing, but another kind of... steady breathing, with a slight snoring sound.
This sudden sense of presence belonging to the "other" seemed to pull her back a little from the edge of that self-destructive vortex.
Satsuki slowly turned her head, her eyes blurred with tears, and looked at the other side of the hospital bed.
In an instant, the pain and hatred that had almost devoured her began to recede and fade away like an unbelievable tide.
She didn't even realize what she had done; she simply called out another name in an incredibly weak voice, with unbelievable hope.
"Naruto...?"
The blond-haired boy sitting in the chair beside the hospital bed was indeed Naruto Uzumaki. At this moment, he was in a very awkward position with his head tilted to the side, fast asleep, emitting very faint snores.
After Naruto took the unconscious Satsuki to Konoha Hospital and settled her in last night, he simply couldn't be in the mood to go home and rest alone.
So he chose to stay here and wait for Zuoyue to wake up.
When Menma's shadow clones finally completed their mission and disbanded, the immense fatigue accumulated over the entire night and the heavy burden of controlling the tailed beast's chakra instantly backfired.
Exhausted, Naruto finally succumbed to sleepiness and leaned back in his chair, falling into a deep sleep.
Satsuki walked barefoot and silently off the hospital bed, all her senses occupied by the blond figure sleeping soundly before her.
She was inches from his face. That usually noisy face was now unusually quiet, even carrying a hint of weariness from a tightness in her chest.
As if possessed, she reached out and pinched Naruto's warm cheek.
it is true……
It wasn't a dream, nor was it that chilling illusion that shattered her spirits.
It's alive, it's warm...
The raw, vibrant energy of life instantly melted the heartstrings that had been stretched to their limit.
A suppressed gasp, choked with sobs, escaped her throat. She immediately bit her lower lip hard, trying to use the pain to hold back the overwhelming emotions.
However, after experiencing the immense shock of going from the depths of despair to regaining what was lost, crying is no longer an instinct that can be controlled by willpower.
The first scalding tear fell without warning, followed by the second, the third... like a flood that had breached a dam, impossible to contain.
She didn't even realize what she was doing; she was just following her instincts and reaching out her arm.
The pent-up fear, despair, and immense relief, suppressed for so long, burst into a torrent of sobs.
In his hazy sleep, Naruto vaguely felt a familiar weight with a faint fragrance pressing down on him, followed by a fragile sob he had never heard before, which was being suppressed but was still broken.
This unprecedented situation jolted him awake from his deep sleep almost instantly.
He opened his eyes abruptly, still dazed from just waking up, but his body had already sensed something was wrong. He instinctively looked down and saw a black head buried against his chest, trembling incessantly.
"...Sasuki?"
His voice was still hoarse from just waking up, but it was full of astonishment and disbelief.
Before him was no longer the proud Uchiha genius. She had completely abandoned all pride, revealing her most vulnerable inner self without reservation.
He was trembling with sobs, his tears flowing to express all his fear and sorrow. The suppressed sobs were something he had never imagined he would hear from her.
At this moment, Naruto fully regained consciousness.
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(One update this morning, three updates this afternoon)