It took Linto seven days to kill Orochimaru.
Returning to Konoha took five days.
But in those twelve days, when Linto saw Jiraiya again, he almost couldn't recognize the man before him.
Jiraiya looked terrible.
His hair was matted, his eyes were bloodshot, and he had been intensely focused, without sleep, for twelve days, all while keeping the Clean Water Sphere running properly...
It had almost completely exhausted the legendary Sannin.
"Seeing you come back puts my mind at ease."
Jiraiya grinned, revealing a smile.
"Thanks for your hard work."
Linto gently patted Jiraiya's shoulder, the last trace of misgivings vanishing like smoke, and controlled White Snake to undo the "command" written in Jiraiya's heart.
The command only kept Jiraiya by Sasuke's side; it couldn't make him try so hard.
Kakashi nodded slightly to Jiraiya as the four of them walked out.
Only Linto, Jiraiya, Konan, and the unconscious Sasuke remained in the room.
Jiraiya sighed softly.
More than physical fatigue, the mental guilt pained him more. Thankfully, it was all worth it. He formed hand seals, manipulating the Clean Water Sphere to slowly dissipate, revealing Sasuke at the core.
Sasuke had lost a lot of weight. His cheeks were sunken, his ribs were clearly visible, like a famine victim, and his life energy was barely perceptible.
If it had been delayed a few more days, Sasuke might really have died.
Linto didn't delay any longer. He placed the Orochimaru disc into his chest, gathering natural and ripple power at his fingertips, and gently touched Sasuke's forehead, using the method for operating a curse mark to gradually remove all the invading power.
Drops of black commas flowed along Sasuke's meridians, finally flowing out from between his eyebrows, which Linto caught in a pre-prepared small bottle.
Jiraiya and Konan, who were watching, unconsciously softened their breathing.
Ten minutes later, all of the Curse Mark of Heaven inside Sasuke's body had disappeared.
Perhaps because it had been flowing out from between his eyebrows for so long, a black, inverted three-comma symbol appeared at the center of Sasuke's eyebrows.
The rounded parts of the three commas overlapped, with the pointed ends facing outward, looking a bit like an arc-shaped Mercedes-Benz logo.
Linto recognized this pattern.
"Three fish sharing one head?"
The so-called "Three Fish Sharing One Head" pattern was mainly used in tombs since the Eastern Han Dynasty. Later generations gradually popularized it, no longer limited to funerals.
In Taoism, its meaning is the cycle of rebirth, endless life.
Is it a coincidence?
Or is it...
Linto looked at the thorny crown on Sasuke's head.
Was it a miracle bestowed by a saint?
As the last drop of the Curse Mark of Heaven departed, the pure water surrounding Sasuke shattered. He stood firmly on his feet, his eyes lowered, as if looking at the ground, yet also looking down on the world.
Linto looked at Jiraiya.
He shook his head, indicating he hadn't done it.
"I lost control of the Clean Water, no, not just the Clean Water..."
Jiraiya formed hand seals.
It was the simplest Clone Technique seal, a basic ninjutsu that any ninja school graduate could master.
However—
A small wisp of smoke appeared. Jiraiya's clone only existed for half a second, then, under Sasuke's gaze, vanished after quickly flickering and shaking like a TV with a bad signal.
Jiraiya stared blankly at Sasuke standing on the ground, his thoughts racing and yet going nowhere. The only thing he could be sure of was that, under the gaze of the child before him, his ninjutsu…
Had been "invalidated"!
"Did you see that?!" Jiraiya asked.
Konan said, "I saw it!"
"I didn't see it."
Linto reached out and ruffled Sasuke's messy hair. "I only saw a newly awakened child, and a middle-aged man who's had too little sleep and is hallucinating. As for you—"
Linto looked at Konan.
Konan realized what he meant and quickly said:
"I didn't see it either."
She covered her chest, afraid Linto would inject some strange command into her again.
Everyone in the room understood how much of a storm "Ninjutsu Invalidation" would cause in the ninja world if it were real.
Konan knew that Pain's Hungry Ghost Path could absorb ninjutsu fired at him, which was already terrifying enough, but the ability Sasuke had just displayed was even more frightening.
Being unable to even use the Substitution Jutsu within his field of vision... What did that mean? It directly reduced ninjas to mere samurai.
Jiraiya and Konan had different thoughts.
Just then, Sasuke suddenly came to his senses:
"Brother Shou? Where...where am I?"
"Konoha."
"Huh?"
Sasuke didn't understand how he had returned to Konoha.
Linto explained, "During the time you were unconscious, I still felt it was more important to continue the Uchiha Clan's bloodline, so I signed an agreement with the Third Hokage.
After you turn eighteen, different strong women will be breeding with you every day. Sasuke, you have to work hard. The future of the Uchiha rests on you."
"Huh???"
Sasuke was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he no longer had the slightest bit of his previous sacred and dignified appearance.
Linto laughed loudly, took out the clothes he had prepared, and tossed them to him.
Sasuke then realized that Linto was teasing him, and he grinned foolishly as he put on the clothes.
Jiraiya performed hand seals again, and ninjutsu could be performed normally, as if what had happened before was really just a hallucination caused by his exhaustion.
But everyone knew that it wasn't a hallucination.
Linto put his index finger to his lips, making a "shh" gesture.
Jiraiya nodded slightly, indicating he wouldn't talk nonsense.
The Sharingan alone was tempting enough. If the "Ninjutsu Invalidation" ability was added, it would definitely attract the pursuit of countless ninja villages and bounty hunters.
Linto and his group walked out of the infirmary. Kakashi and the others were still waiting outside. As the host, Jiraiya proposed to personally treat them to a meal, celebrating Sasuke's awakening and Linto's return.
Linto didn't refuse and followed Jiraiya to his usual izakaya, where a table full of good wine and food was set out.
Kakashi and the others sat at another table.
They were on a mission and couldn't drink alcohol, so they drank tea and ate some light dishes.
But after a short while, the proprietress brought them wine and meat.
Kakashi was stunned. "We didn't order these."
The proprietress pointed to Linto and said, "That customer ordered them. He also asked me to bring a message: 'I don't plan to kill anyone today, and I'm leaving tomorrow, so feel free to drink.'"
Kakashi and the others were stunned. They turned their heads and saw Linto and Jiraiya with their arms around each other, talking about something, while Konan was shelling edamame for Sasuke.
Seeing them looking over, Linto raised his glass in greeting, smiling freely.
"Ha—"
Asuma rolled up his sleeves, stroked the beard on his chin, and laughed, "Kakashi, I understand what you meant when you said he was 'interesting.' Linto… is indeed very interesting."
With that, Asuma didn't bother with his mission as a mascot and took his wine glass to Linto's table to drink and make merry.
Before long, Might Guy and Kurenai Yuhi also joined in, leaving only Kakashi sitting at the neighboring table, remaining vigilant.
However, he wasn't wary of Linto, but of other malicious people.
After a few rounds of drinks, Linto approached Kakashi and said softly:
"Thank you."
Linto was thanking Kakashi for taking the initiative to "block" Linto and Sasuke on the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre.
Everyone was smart, and many things didn't need to be said too explicitly.
Kakashi clinked glasses with Linto. "How was the feeling of going out for a trip?"
Linto pondered for a few seconds. "Konoha is bad, but the outside is even worse. It's just a world of comparing who's the worst."
Kakashi laughed.
"You've summed it up very thoroughly. Konoha does have many not-so-good points, but it also has many 'treasures' that I cherish… It's already very good."
Linto raised his glass. In the dim light of the izakaya, the wine shimmered like flowing gold.
"But can't it be a little better?"
"Better..."
Kakashi said, "I don't dare to think about it, and I can't imagine it."
When the banquet ended, Jiraiya was dead drunk. He was really too tired, and two Anbu ninjas helped him to rest.
Kakashi asked, "It's getting late. We've arranged a guest room for you. Do you want to go now?"
"Before sleeping, I want to take a detour to a place."
"Where?"
"The Uchiha Clan ruins."
Linto looked towards the darkest, most profound area of Konoha Village.
"I want to go back and take a look."
As soon as the words fell, rain suddenly began to fall from the sky.
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