aircannonsinc Chapter 150 Offering Loyalty and Life
Chapter 150 Offering Loyalty and Life
Chapter 150 Offering Loyalty and Life
"Clever," Yuan Tuoye thought to himself.
As expected, without any additional coercion or persuasion, Yakushi Nonou, as a hostage, had firmly secured Yakushi Kabuto's actions.
For her sake, this calm and rational young man would naturally be willing to serve him.
The road wasn't far, and soon the lively little courtyard of the orphanage came into view.
The children's clear and cheerful laughter poured out like sunshine, filling the air with a peaceful and warm atmosphere.
As Kabuto's gaze swept eagerly across the courtyard, his breath caught in his throat. There stood that motherly figure, bathed in warm light and shadow.
She lowered her head slightly, her gaze so focused and gentle, like a warm stream, tenderly caressing every running and playing child.
The sunlight outlined her serene silhouette, bathing her in a sacred halo.
That scene was so beautiful, so serene, like an eternal painting frozen at the end of time, flowing with tenderness and love.
That person was none other than Yakushi Nonou.
The cold sunlight pierced through the sparse clouds, casting dappled patterns on the muddy path leading to the orphanage.
Kabuto's steps abruptly stopped in the silence.
His gaze, as if drawn by invisible chains, was firmly locked on the gentle and familiar figure in front of him.
The gentle smile on Yakushi Nonou's face was the pure warmth of a "nun" that he had longed to see.
"Ugh—" A barely audible sob escaped from Dou's throat, his body stiff as a statue.
In that instant, all the carefully constructed defenses and the spies' composure crumbled, replaced by a fear bordering on cowardice.
Is it a case of fear of returning home? After many years apart, meeting again in this way, burdened by unspeakable shackles, what he fears is perhaps precisely that warmth so close yet impossible to embrace wholeheartedly again.
Takuya Minamoto stood a few steps behind Kabuto, the cold wind ruffling his clothes. Like a patient hunter, he quietly observed the complex pain that Kabuto was experiencing.
The more Yakushi Kabuto struggled, the more undisguised his affection and pain became in his gaze toward Yakushi Nonou, and the more profound the barely perceptible satisfaction in Minamoto Takuno's eyes grew.
The pieces he meticulously laid out, the unwavering bond he held, will ultimately become the strongest reins, and their value has already been demonstrated.
Time slipped away quietly amidst this oppressive standoff.
Finally, Kabuto took a deep breath, as if to absorb and melt away all his hesitation and unease.
A resolute determination rose in his eyes behind his glasses, and he suddenly looked at Gen Takuno.
It was no longer a wary scrutiny, but a complete submission.
He knelt heavily on one knee on the cold, damp ground, his voice hoarse from extreme suppression, yet unusually clear: "Collector—" He paused, as if savoring the weight of the title, "Although I don't understand why my insignificant power is worth your elaborate schemes and manipulations, as long as you can guarantee the nun can live the life she desires, no longer worry about resources, and no longer be forced into those filthy quagmires—"
Kabuto raised his head, his eyes fixed on Takuno Minamoto, his gaze filled with a sacrificial resolve, each word spoken with deliberate force.
"I am willing to give you everything. My talents, my freedom, my loyalty, even my life."
Everything became clear at that moment.
When Kabuto saw the long-lost peace and contentment in Yakushi Nonou's eyes, all his escape routes were abruptly cut off.
A false surrender? To take her away? These illusions have all been shattered.
She has settled here and found the "Shangri-La" she has strived for half her life.
To protect this false yet precious peace, he must pay a real price and become an absolutely loyal tool in the hands of the man before him; he has no other choice.
"Her peaceful remaining years depend on your loyalty." Yuan Tuoye's voice was low and cold, as if stamping the final seal on this deal. "If she never harbors any disloyalty, she can live out her days in peace here."
Yakushi Kabuto did not respond, but lowered his head even further, his forehead almost touching the cold soil.
He was willing to be her servant as long as she was well.
"Furthermore," Takuno's voice was like a judgment, devoid of any warmth, "I have already placed two seals on Yakushi Nonou."
As soon as he finished speaking, Kabuto Yakushi said almost without hesitation, as if he had already anticipated this shackle: "Please perform the hand seal, sir." There was no surprise or resistance in his voice.
This is precisely the imprisonment of a traitor. He understands, he doesn't resent it, because the other end of these shackles holds the life of the only person he truly cherishes.
"Hmm." Gen Takuno nodded almost imperceptibly.
Being tactful is an advantage, but not a reason for exemption. This layer of insurance is essential; it's better to keep it hidden forever than to be without it.
Yuan Tuoye stepped forward and placed his palm on Dou's shoulder blade.
In an instant, a powerful and icy torrent of chakra surged in!
The pitch-black incantation crawled out of Genji Takuno's palm like a living thing, carrying a bone-chilling cold and a sharp stinging sensation. It instantly spread across Yakushi Kabuto's skin and was deeply imprinted into his flesh and bone marrow!
The excruciating pain felt like countless ice spikes piercing his body, yet Kabuto's back remained ramrod straight, without even the slightest tremor. His body was as stiff as a dead tree or a stubborn rock, as if the one bearing this potentially fatal restraint was nothing more than an insignificant shell.
The incantation faded, the engraving complete. Though the pain lingered, Kabuto Yakushi quickly regained his composure, raising his head. Behind his glasses, his gaze had transformed into that of a subservient and resolute one: "Master, what task do I need to perform next?"
He was ready to once again step into that dark and cold abyss of espionage.
This was his area of expertise, and the only "value" he could think of for his master.
"Oh?" Gen Takuno let out a light, ambiguous scoff, scrutinizing Kabuto with a hint of amusement. "You thought I'd send you as an undercover agent?"
"Yes, Master," Kabuto Yakushi replied clearly. "You reside in this remote place, yet you intervene in the conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure. Your ambitions are far from small. With the Five Great Shinobi Villages standing side by side, you are a deeply buried pawn—of irreplaceable value."
"Ha," Yuan Tuoye's sneer sounded particularly clear and sharp in the quiet night, "A hidden move? Anyone can do it. And what makes you so sure it has to be you?"
Like a hammer blow to the heart! Kabuto's body instantly stiffened.
The air was so still it was suffocating. This was the deepest confusion and doubt in his heart. He had risked his freedom and even his life, but he still didn't understand what the other party really coveted.
Yuan Tuoye seemed to see through his churning confusion, and gave an answer that was completely beyond what he had ever prepared for: "I have absolutely no interest in your undercover career. Your duty is solely in the laboratory."
"—The laboratory?" The air seemed to freeze.
Kabuto blinked incredulously, overwhelmed by a profound sense of absurdity and a distorted self-perception.
He stared at Yuan Tuoye, the other's cold mask reflected in his glasses, his voice dry, "But Master—"
I—have never been involved in research—”
"I trust my judgment." Yuan Tuoye's tone was unquestionable and resolute.
His own light seemed to pierce through Kabuto Yakushi's current confusion, revealing the potential of the "mad scientist" hidden beneath his "spy" identity—a potential that could shake the true ninja world in the future.
Kabuto remained silent. His master's confidence was as solid as a rock, leaving him no need to struggle or ask any further questions.
However, he suddenly realized that if he did that, he would no longer need to leave the village, and so the last shred of humble longing in his heart burst forth.
He spoke cautiously and nervously, his voice carrying a plea he himself was unaware of: "Then—when Master has some free time—may I—may I come to visit the nun—" He held his breath, like a prisoner awaiting final judgment.
This was his only remaining, and perhaps only, bit of greed.
Yuan Tuoye's gaze lingered briefly on the fleeting, suppressed anticipation in his eyes, those yearning eyes seeming both pitiful and laughable. He nodded slightly: "Okay."
The answer is concise and clear.
"I have no intention of binding you with common sense and human relationships. But you must always remember to keep your boundaries. What can be said, and what must be kept silent, concerns your life and death." His voice was cold and ruthless, carrying a final warning.
As if a heavy stone had been removed from his heart, Kabuto Yakushi took a deep, almost greedy breath of the cool, dewy air, and the intense sense of relief made his fingertips tingle slightly.
He nodded with almost all his might, with a do-or-die determination: "I swear to you! I will be careful in my words and actions, and I will never let you down! All research tasks—I will give my all!"
At this moment, he was no longer the bewildered pawn who had been chosen.
He is the vessel, filled with a single mission.
To protect the warmth within that lamplight, he would ignite all his wisdom and offer it as a sacrifice to the unknown laboratory, without a single complaint.
"Let's go in and take a look," Yuan Tuoye said after everything was over.
Kabuto nodded obediently, a complex mix of emotions flashing through his clear eyes behind his glasses—a mixture of nervous anticipation of returning home and long-suppressed longing.
He lifted his feet slightly, his movements deliberately gentle, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the courtyard.
The air in the courtyard seemed to freeze for a moment. Pharmacist Nono, who was wiping the old tables and chairs, seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up.
When her own light captured the familiar yet seemingly distant silhouette at the doorway, the gears of time seemed to suddenly rust and come to a halt.
The rag in her hand slipped silently from her grasp, and her pupils dilated instantly in shock.
An uncontrollable tremor spread from her voice as she called out, almost relying on her deepest intuition, with an incredulous tentative tone: "You are—Kabuto?"
"It's me, Sister—it's me." This long-awaited call was like a sharp needle, precisely piercing through all the hard shells that Yakushi Kabuto had carefully built.
The moment Nono uttered the word "Kabuto," which contained the deepest tenderness and symbolism, all her defenses and strength crumbled instantly.
An uncontrollable layer of moisture immediately blurred his vision through his glasses, and scalding tears teetered on the edge of his eyes. He suppressed his surging emotions, his voice choked but unusually clear.
Tears finally streamed down Yakushi Nonou's face, landing hot on the ground.
"Thank goodness! Thank goodness! You're alright! Thank goodness!" She didn't even have time to wipe the wetness from her cheeks before she stumbled over and opened her arms to hug Yakushi Kabuto tightly, tightly.
Although before this, Genno had told her that Kabuto Yakushi had been dispatched on a mission before the upheaval at Konoha Root, and had temporarily avoided the core of the vortex.
But this rational reassurance could not suppress the anxiety in a mother's heart.
Even if he wasn't at the root, his identity as a spy, which was like walking on thin ice, meant that every step he took could lead to an abyss, and every moment could bring him misfortune.
Only when she could truly feel the presence of the boy in her arms did her worry sink to the bottom of the valley like a boulder being unloaded.
Kabuto almost greedily and deeply absorbed this belated warmth.
The familiar scent from the nun's embrace, a mixture of faint soap and sun-dried clothes, instantly enveloped him.
At this moment, those cold dogmas about survival, killing, conspiracy, and lies that have been repeatedly instilled in the cold roots;
Those arduous undercover lives in foreign lands, enduring countless humiliations and living in constant fear;
And the loyalty and life he just carved.
All the heavy sacrifices and efforts seemed to have found their ultimate meaning and value.
It was all worth it, everything was worth it.
A humble yet incredibly strong desire took root in his heart and rapidly expanded, taking over his entire mind.
He would give anything to have this safe haven forever, to live peacefully with the nun who is like a beacon in his life!
Yuan Tuoye's gaze fell on the "mother and child" who were tightly embracing each other in the orphanage, and a playful smile flashed across his lips.
The heartwarming scene before my eyes stands in stark contrast to the heartbreaking tragedy in the original story.
Here, the fatal moment when Yakushi Nonou failed to recognize Yakushi Kabuto was successfully avoided—the moment that had given Yakushi Kabuto "the deepest despair."
In the original work, Kabuto Yakushi gave his all, but in the end, all he got in return was a complete sense of alienation and murderous intent from his adoptive mother and mentor, Nono Yakushi.
This pain stems from the fact that all his efforts have lost their meaning in the eyes of the other party, and he has even become an enemy whose name he does not know.
However, this tragedy that tore apart family ties was not accidental.
The root cause lies in Danzo Shimura's meticulous calculations and malicious interference.
In the original work, even though the passage of time may blur a person's appearance, when Kabuto calls out "Nun" with anticipation and deep affection, Nono should instantly recognize her beloved child "Kubo" based on this emotional bond and his voice.
This should have been the opportunity for them to reunite.
But this is precisely where Shimura Danzo's brilliance lies.
Instead of providing false information all at once, he acted like a patient weaver, choosing to deliver the forged "Yakushi Kabuto" photos, accompanied by carefully crafted lies, in batches to Yakushi Nonou, who was carrying out the espionage mission.
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