manynovel Chapter 137 The Walking Shrine Maiden
Chapter 137 The Walking Shrine Maiden
Chapter 137 The Walking Shrine Maiden
As the last rays of the setting sun bathed the ruins of Konoha Village, Yakushi Nonou wandered alone through the familiar streets, a profound and indescribable heaviness weighing on her heart.
She was once an outstanding member of Root, shouldering the important task of infiltrating enemy villages. In those years, she traveled through the wind, frost, rain, and snow of Iwagakure, just to gather intelligence.
However, this game of deceit and treachery had already exhausted all her enthusiasm.
She didn't like this kind of task, nor did she like this kind of life.
When she finally broke free from the shadows of her roots and became the director of an orphanage, she seemed to have found the meaning of life—to care for children who had lost their parents in the war.
Those innocent smiles and those dependent eyes made her feel true warmth and satisfaction for the first time.
However, reality is always cruel.
The orphanage's funding chain is intermittent, and it can barely survive on meager grants from the grassroots.
Whenever war broke out, she could earn a little money to make a living by working in logistics and medical care with her children; but when peace came, this meager source dried up completely.
Moreover, after the Nine-Tails' attack, Danzo Shimura approached her again, wanting her to return to her old ways. He believed that Konoha was in dire need of rebuilding and that other villages might have designs on her, so he wanted her to infiltrate Iwagakure.
She naturally wanted to refuse; she no longer wanted to face that kind of life. But ultimately, she was forced to accept Danzo Shimura's coercion by threatening to deprive the orphanage of its operating funds.
He embarks once again on his undercover mission in Iwagakure in exchange for the orphanage's survival.
At that time, she was heartbroken, but had no other choice.
The undercover work proceeded as usual at first, but soon became shrouded in a strange fog.
Her contact at the root suddenly disappeared, and all the intelligence she received vanished without a trace.
Yakushi Nonou is confused and uneasy. Why has there been no news of her?
In this case, without a contact person, what use would it be even if she found out some information?
What she didn't know was that the Root organization had already vanished, and Danzo Shimura, the former controller, had been rendered useless by the Fourth Hokage's ruthless methods.
This news did not spread throughout the entire ninja world; it only circulated among the high-ranking officials of various villages.
This is because Shimura Danzo remained hidden behind the scenes, and many ordinary ninjas probably didn't even know he existed, so the story didn't spread.
In other words, Shimura Danzo did not have the qualifications or status, and no one would care about his affairs.
If it were Minato Namikaze who became a cripple, the entire ninja world would probably know about it within a few days.
Yakushi Nonou considered returning to Konoha to find out what was going on, but just then the war between Kumogakure and Konoha broke out, and Iwagakure was also in a state of panic.
As a member of Konoha, she forced herself to stay in Iwagakure and wait for an opportunity, thinking that this latent seed might still be useful in the future.
Perhaps the Root organization is temporarily preoccupied with the affairs of Kumogakure and will reconnect with her after some time.
Unfortunately, she never received any contact from the Roots after the war ended.
One day, after Yakushi Nonou realized that there was no point in her staying there, she embarked on her journey home alone.
Returning to Konoha, the scene before her eyes made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
The base at the base has become a ruin, silent and deserted.
She stood there stunned, unable to believe it. How could the Root organization have collapsed so suddenly, given Danzo's power?
Unable to resolve her doubts, she headed to the place she cared about most: the orphanage.
What came into view was an even crueler reality: dilapidated courtyard walls, collapsed eaves, and all the children had vanished.
At that moment, regret surged like a tidal wave.
She believed that Danzo Shimura had broken his promise and cut off funding while she was undercover, causing this once joyful place to vanish.
At this moment, her thoughts were a bit chaotic, and she felt like a headless fly, completely unsure of what to do.
Ultimately, her professional instincts led her to investigate the reasons behind it.
During this process, she also discovered that some members of the secret service were looking for something, and what puzzled her even more was that it seemed that they were looking for her.
Yakushi Nonou didn't quite understand how she had been exposed. After all, after Minamoto Takuno completed the modification of the Konoha Great Barrier, she was no longer a member of Root or a ninja, so she didn't know that the key to the Konoha Great Barrier would be changed periodically.
But remembering the current state of the Root base, and since she was still a member of Root, she began to deliberately avoid the other party and carefully investigate the intelligence.
She quickly gathered the information she needed from the streets and alleys. It wasn't difficult, since these were all things that were out in the open.
The truth dazzled her, and shortly after she left, Danzo Shimura was personally crippled by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Meanwhile, the new orphanage was built with the support of the Fourth Hokage, and all other scattered old orphanages were replaced.
Those children have found a more secure home.
Yakushi Nonou stood there dumbfounded, feeling both happy for the children and overdue regret.
"If I wait a little longer," she murmured to herself, "I could escape Danzo's threat, and with the Fourth Hokage's support, I could transfer to a new orphanage and continue caring for those children?"
Unfortunately, it's too late to regret it now.
So what should we do now?
Yakushi Nonou is a little confused. Should she go to the Fourth Hokage to confess her past? If she admits that she is a remnant of Root, will she be considered a remnant and executed?
After a period of inner struggle, Yakushi Nonou finally felt relieved.
"I'll go see the children first and make sure they're safe and sound with my own eyes. After that, even if I'm executed by the Hokage, I'll die without regrets."
Just as this thought arose, a deep-seated sorrow tore at her heart.
Kabuto Yakushi, the child she treated like her own son, was also drawn into the darkness of the Root and joined it.
Based on current intelligence, Kabuto Yakushi is likely in grave danger.
Resentment? No, Yakushi Nonou didn't. She knew the Fourth Hokage hadn't done anything wrong; in fact, he had specifically prepared a better orphanage for those orphans.
Knowing the state of Root yet unable to stop Kabuto from joining, what right does she have to resent him?
After shedding a tear, Yakushi Nonou made up her mind and quietly headed to the new orphanage.
As she approached her destination, she keenly sensed something amiss: figures in the shadows were appearing and disappearing among the eaves and trees, seemingly lying in wait for her prey.
She was also filled with surprise: "Just one glance at the old orphanage, and the Anbu tracked us all the way here? Konoha's surveillance system is truly awe-inspiring."
But this actually made her feel somewhat relieved; how safe the children were living under such protection.
If this continues, even if she wants to continue hiding, she will probably be caught by the other party in a few days, right?
However, there was no need to hide any longer. She had made up her mind that as long as she saw the children living normal lives, she would show herself, and whatever happened after that, she would be fine with it.
Just as she was about to take a step, a cold voice suddenly rang in her ears.
"Found you, the walking shrine maiden, Yakushi Nonou."
Before she could finish speaking, her eyes widened and she was plunged into darkness in a dizzying moment.
Yuan Tuoye gently took her unconscious body, yawned slightly, and then left with her.
He needed to take the other party away from the Konoha Great Barrier so that the Anbu could also get the news from the Sealing Department that the other party had left Konoha.
However, he will probably give these secret agents a good scolding afterward.
Yuan Tuoye suddenly felt a little embarrassed. After all, he was the one who caused his subordinates to fail, and yet he had to criticize them afterwards.
But there's nothing we can do; he's their boss, so we can only offer them more compensation later.
And so, Takuno led Yakushi Nonou out of the Konoha Great Barrier. As for himself, he naturally used the backdoor he had left in the Konoha Great Barrier.
Night was falling.
Deep in the dense forest, a campfire is the only flickering light in the darkness.
The flames crackled, illuminating the face of Gen Takuno hidden behind the fox mask, making him appear mysterious and unsettling.
He was slowly and methodically adding new firewood to the fire, his movements unhurried, as if this were not a place of imprisonment, but rather—.
It was a typical camping trip.
The flickering firelight cast swaying shadows on his cold mask, adding to the eeriness of the scene.
Not far from his feet, the unconscious Yakushi Nono lay quietly, the faint rise and fall of her chest a sign of her remaining life.
"If you're awake, stop acting. It's a waste of each other's time." Yuan Tuoye's deep voice pierced the silence of the night without warning, as clear as if it were whispering in her ear.
Yakushi Nonou's body tensed instantly, as if pricked by invisible needles, her last shred of hope ruthlessly shattered.
She sat up abruptly, her eyes filled with vigilance and fear. She quickly scanned her surroundings, finally fixing her gaze on the eerie fox mask.
"You—who are you? What is your purpose in infiltrating Konoha and kidnapping me?!" Her voice trembled with suppressed emotion, yet she tried her best to remain calm.
"People call me a collector." Gen Takuno's voice was light and airy, even with a hint of amusement, as if it were just an insignificant nickname.
Yakushi Nonou felt as if her heart was being gripped by an icy hand.
Of course she'd heard that name!
Recently, news of the Hidden Cloud Village suffering repeated losses at the hands of this "collector" has been circulating widely. He has already been listed on the Hidden Cloud Village's wanted list, which is being pursued by the entire ninja world, and his fearsome reputation has spread far and wide.
But what puzzled her even more was the rumor that this mysterious person seemed to have cooperated with Konoha on the battlefield—
Why would someone who seems to be a friend of Konoha know of her existence? And why would they attack her?
"As for my purpose," Takuno's gaze lingered on Yakushi Nonou for a moment through the holes in the mask, as if assessing an object, "I need you to serve me."
Yakushi Nonou's brows furrowed into a deep frown.
Serving him? That reason is utterly absurd! She considered herself not a core figure in Konoha, nor did she possess any extraordinary talent. What value could she possibly have in making him risk such a risk to infiltrate the village and plunder?
Little did she know that in Yuan Tuoye's eyes, she herself might have limited value, but the adopted son behind her named "Yakushi Kabuto" was an immeasurable, unpolished gem!
"Sorry, I'm loyal to Konoha!" Yakushi Nonou refused without hesitation, her gaze unwavering, her tone filled with a death-defying resolve. "You can kill me right now!"
"Is that so?" A barely audible chuckle came from beneath Yuan Tuoye's mask, carrying a hint of danger.
He casually snapped his fingers.
"ah!!!"
A heart-wrenching scream, inhuman in its deafening sound, instantly ripped through the silent night sky!
Yakushi Nono's eyes suddenly bulged out, her eyeballs almost popping out of their sockets, and her body convulsed and curled up like a fully drawn bow.
His entire body was covered with bulging veins that looked like menacing earthworms, and blood was rushing wildly beneath his fair skin, with his veins clearly visible.
Every inch of flesh and every bone seemed to be undergoing invisible torture; indescribable pain surged like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing her.
She collapsed to the ground, only able to let out broken, desperate sobs.
That familiar and cruel scream rang in Yuan Tuoye's ears once again, as expected, and he seemed to have become accustomed to it.
After an unknown amount of time, the excruciating pain finally receded like the tide, leaving behind a devastated riverbed.
Yakushi Nonou lay limp on the ground like a discarded, broken doll, only able to breathe heavily, laboredly, and intermittently, each breath seeming to exhaust all her strength.
Cold sweat had already soaked through her clothes, sticking stickily to her body.
"So, now," Yuan Tuono's voice was calm and even, as if he hadn't just been the one cruelly administering the torture, "have you changed your answer?"
"No—no—" Yakushi Nonou gasped, her voice weak but still filled with unwavering determination, "I will never—betray Konoha!"
Deep in her eyes, the stubbornness that belonged to the "walking witch" had not been completely extinguished.
A barely perceptible hint of appreciation flashed in Yuan Tuoye's eyes.
It is truly rare and admirable that someone can maintain such willpower under the extreme torment of the "Life and Death Talisman".
However, having planned this for a long time, how could he only prepare this one shackle? Appreciation is one thing, but taming is the ultimate goal.
With a flick of his wrist, a small scroll sliced through the air and landed in front of Yakushi Nonou.
She struggled to sit up, picked up the scroll with deep doubt, and unrolled it with trembling fingers.
When her eyes fell on the words and images on the scroll, her pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints as if they had been hit by a bright light, and the blood in her body seemed to freeze instantly!
That page was filled with densely packed records of the orphanage children she cherished as her own lives—their latest whereabouts, information, and even photos!
The devil's whisper rang in my ear at just the right moment, carrying a faint hint of laughter.
"So, are you still going to refuse, Miss Nonou?"