OBS Chapter 661 Disdain
Chapter 661 Disdain
Danzo Shimura's chilling laughter echoed in the Hokage's office, tinged with mockery and disdain.
"Sakumo Hatake's death was simply his own choice," Danzo said coldly, his tone filled with disdain. "A ninja who abandons a mission for his comrades doesn't deserve to be called a hero! His fate was entirely his own fault!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils constricted sharply upon hearing this. Looking at Danzo's scarred face, a surge of anger welled up within him. Danzo's words had once again pierced a deep wound in his heart. He recalled Zhang Hai's Mangekyou Sharingan in the prison cell, its eyes streaked with blood and tears; he remembered Zhang Hai's brutal killing of "Kagemaru" and his denunciation of the world's prejudices.
“Zhang Hai is right…” the Third Hokage thought to himself, “It is this world, it is these prejudices, that drove Sakumo to his doom.”
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. He knew that arguing with Danzo was pointless. Danzo's heart had long been corrupted by darkness; he only believed in his own version of "justice."
"Enough, Danzo." The Third Hokage's voice carried a hint of weariness. He waved his hand, indicating that Danzo could leave. "I have already entrusted Tsunade with the matter of Zhang Hai. You don't need to interfere here any longer."
Danzo snorted coldly and said nothing more. He knew the Third Hokage was giving him the order to leave. He gave the Third Hokage a sinister look, then turned and left the Hokage's office.
After Danzo left, the Third Hokage slowly stood up from behind his desk. He walked to the window, looked at the village shrouded in night, and his eyes were filled with complex emotions.
He knew that Danzo's appearance had complicated Zhang Hai's situation. But at the same time, he also began to reconsider his decision.
He walked to his desk and took a crystal ball from a drawer. He channeled his chakra into the crystal ball, which immediately emitted a faint light. Within the light, an image slowly appeared—it was the mansion prison where Zhang Hai was located.
Through the crystal ball, the Third Hokage could clearly see Zhang Hai reading in his room or carrying out the "auxiliary work" assigned by Tsunade in the laboratory. He noticed that Zhang Hai had been behaving unusually "well-behaved" during this time. Apart from occasionally complaining, he had hardly done anything out of line.
"This is so unusual..." the Third Hokage muttered to himself, "When did this kid... become so obedient?"
A sense of doubt crept into his mind. He knew Zhang Hai's character; he was by no means someone who would willingly be bound. The more "honest" he acted, the more uneasy he became.
A pang of self-reproach surged through the Third Hokage's heart once more. Perhaps, his punishment of Zhang Hai had truly been too harsh?
His decision to entrust Zhang Hai to Tsunade's full responsibility was not simply for "keeping an eye on" him. There were deeper considerations behind it.
"Letting Zhang Hai and Tsunade be together might not be a bad thing for Konoha," the Third Hokage thought to himself.
There is a special emotional bond between Tsunade and Zhang Hai. Her concern for Zhang Hai even surpasses the ordinary teacher-student relationship. With Tsunade as this "shackle," even if Zhang Hai harbors hatred and resentment, he will never easily betray the village. Because if he were to betray it, it would mean he would harm Tsunade.
Thinking of this, a complex light flashed in the Third Hokage's eyes. This was the first shackle—the bond of emotions.
He thought of Shuimen again. He had specially granted Shuimen visitation rights, allowing him to see Zhang Hai at any time. Shuimen and Zhang Hai also shared a deep friendship. This friendship was one of the few emotional anchors Zhang Hai had in the village.
This is the second shackle—the power of friendship.
Love and friendship, these two invisible shackles, are perhaps more effective than any prison or seal in binding the darkness deep within Zhang Hai's heart.
……
The night was deep, and Konoha Village was shrouded in silence.
In a secluded cave far from Konoha, a woman with short purple hair and a cold, aloof demeanor, dressed in an Akatsuki uniform, was practicing paper shuriken against rows of wooden stakes.
The paper shuriken in her hand, like a sharp blade, pierced the wooden stake with unparalleled precision. Her gaze was resolute and cold, seemingly devoid of any emotion. She was Konan, a ninja from Amegakure, and Nagato's most loyal ally.
However, just as she was focused on practicing, an invisible force quietly descended upon her mental world.
"Xiao Nan..."
A familiar voice suddenly rang in her ears. The voice carried a hint of weariness and vicissitude, yet possessed a unique charm that made her startle.
"Teacher?!" Xiao Nan suddenly stopped what she was doing. She looked around in disbelief, only to find that there was no one around.
However, the voice rang out again, as if speaking directly into her mind.
"Xiao Nan, it's me."
Xiao Nan's pupils contracted sharply. She clearly felt that this invisible force and this familiar voice came from her teacher, Zhang Hai!
In the early morning, in a wooded area behind the Akatsuki's secret base, the mist had not yet completely dissipated. Konan, dressed in a dark blue robe, had a beautiful face and a focused expression. Her fingers danced lightly, and in her hands, intricately folded paper shuriken seemed to come alive, becoming sharp and resilient with the infusion of chakra. A faint whistling sound filled the air as the paper shuriken precisely struck the bullseye on distant tree trunks, each hit hitting the bullseye without exception. Occasionally, a few paper shuriken would scatter after hitting their target, transforming into paper butterflies that swirled lightly in the air before coalescing back into new weapons. This unique chakra manipulation technique was already masterful. Her practice was silent, yet contained astonishing efficiency and undeniable power. Beads of sweat slid down her forehead, but they did not shake her focus in the slightest. Deep in her eyes was a firm will and an unyielding pursuit of power.
Just as the last paper shuriken struck the bullseye with pinpoint accuracy, transforming into a flurry of paper flowers, Xiao Nan's consciousness was suddenly drawn by a familiar, warm, and profound power. The surrounding woods, the morning mist, and even the paper in her palm blurred and became illusory in an instant, replaced by a vast and tranquil starry sky. Deep purple intertwined with countless stars—a unique scene in her spiritual world. And within that boundless sea of stars, a figure flickered in and out of sight—it was "Zhang Hai."
"You've made remarkable progress, Xiao Nan." Zhang Hai's voice echoed in her spiritual world. It had no specific source, yet it seemed to strike directly into the depths of her soul, carrying a hint of satisfaction and appreciation.