Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 148 Xiyan's Sixth Birthday

Tsunade is gone.

He left decisively with a check for ten million taels of silver. Sosuke sat on the bed.

His body was covered in needle marks, especially his spine and chest, which are key points for bioelectrical conduction.

"breathe--"

Sousuke is familiarizing himself with the "Lightning Breath" taught by Tsunade.

This is not ordinary breathing.

It requires mobilizing the diaphragm to force a large amount of oxygen into the alveoli at an extremely fast and deep frequency.

Oxygen enters the bloodstream, and hemoglobin becomes saturated instantly.

Oxygen-rich blood is pumped into the heart and then squeezed throughout the body by the powerful myocardium.

Mitochondria. They are the cell's power plants.

In a high-oxygen environment, mitochondria begin to operate frantically, releasing weak but dense bioelectric currents.

zizi.

Sosuke heard a sound. Not a sound he heard with his ears, but an electrical noise that traveled through his nerves to his auditory center.

The fine hairs on his skin stood up slightly.

A tingling sensation shot from the tailbone straight to the top of the head.

Sosuke suddenly opened his eyes.

The snake-like pupil in the left eye contracted sharply under the eyepatch, while the black pupil in the right eye became extremely clear.

He looked up at the sky.

A fly is buzzing around.

Previously, he could only see the trails of flies.

But now, he can see the amplitude of each flap of a fly's wings, and even the reflection on its compound eyes.

The world has slowed down.

No, it's that his processing speed has increased.

Sosuke raised his hand. Without thinking, his fingers naturally extended.

Snapped.

Two fingers gently pinched the fly. The fly didn't even have time to change direction.

"Very good—I have mastered the Thunder Breath technique and can enter overclocking mode at any time."

Sosuke released his grip, and the fly fell to the ground. It wasn't dead yet, but it was stunned from being pinched.

He looked at his palm. The gray scales on the back of his left hand, stimulated by bioelectricity, actually opened slightly, as if they were breathing.

"It lacks the ferocity of Lightning Release chakra, but it is more refined and more controllable."

"Tsunade is indeed Tsunade."

This kind of purely physiological modification is much more reliable than those mysterious ninjutsu techniques.

There are also side effects.

Sosuke felt a surge of intense hunger. Extremely intense.

That's the cell's thirst for energy after operating at high intensity.

"Time to go home for dinner."

Back to the Kikyo Pavilion.

Ryoma Aburame was standing under the tree. A black insect was perched on his shoulder.

"Takaya Jonin"

Longma raised his head slightly.

"The logistical work for today is complete; there's nothing else for you to do."

"Very good." Sosuke nodded in satisfaction.

Normally, special jonin always have a lot of work. But Ryoma is a great assistant, which gives him a lot more free time.

Sosuke glanced at the lobby on the first floor.

-

"Has Kaori returned?"

"Just got back. I'm in the kitchen now."

Sosuke entered the hall.

Today, the Bellflower Pavilion feels a little different. It has a more lively, homely atmosphere, and a touch of joy.

The kitchen was steaming hot.

Kaori, wearing an apron, is busy.

The cutting board was covered with ingredients: fresh beef, river fish, vegetables, and a basket of eggs.

In this wartime of scarcity, these things were enough to make many families envious.

"Mom, I want to help too!"

Xiyan carried a small stool and stood in front of the sink, carefully washing the tomatoes.

"Be careful, the water is cold."

Kaori gently gave instructions, her hands moving swiftly as she chopped vegetables.

Sosuke leaned against the kitchen doorway, quietly watching this scene.

"How sumptuous!"

Sousuke spoke.

"What day is it today?"

Kaori turned around, her cheeks flushed slightly from the steam.

"Boss, today is Xiyan's sixth birthday." She wiped her hands and said with a smile.

Sosuke was taken aback.

Birthday.

In this world where people die every day, he had forgotten that such days even existed.

Six years old.

According to Konoha's rules, this is the age when one can enter the Ninja Academy, and also the age when life truly begins to face trials and tribulations—however, Yugao entered the academy at the age of five.

"I see."

Sosuke walked in and patted Yugao's head.

"Sorry, Uncle forgot."

"It's okay!"

Xiyan looked up, her smile radiant.

"Mom said that the best gift is simply for everyone to be able to eat together."

"That won't do."

Sousuke smiled.

"Since it's a birthday, it should look like a birthday celebration."

He turned and walked out of the kitchen.

"Ryoma".

Longma instantly appeared.

"Jōnin Takaya, what are your orders?"

"Go to the Takaya Trading Company and ask my uncle for a bottle of the best fruit wine, the kind for women and children."

"Also, go to Hongshan Street and find the old man from the Ministry of Revenue."

"Have him make a cake right now. A big one, with lots of strawberries."

"Then, go to the Hyuga family and invite Mr. Katsura to dinner."

"Yes."

Dinner.

The long table at the Kikyo Restaurant was laden with dishes.

The sukiyaki was bubbling away, and the aroma of beef filled the air.

Sosuke sat in the main seat.

On the left are Kaori and Yugao.

On the right are Chiba and Hinata Masaru.

Ryoma sat at the very end. Although Ryoma initially refused to sit at the table and insisted on standing guard, he eventually sat down under Sousuke's insistence.

Even this group of women, who always hide themselves behind sunglasses and high collars, took off their sunglasses and revealed their eyes at this moment.

But he kept his head down, avoiding eye contact. He was still resentful of his past "betrayal."

"Cheers."

Sosuke raised his glass.

"For Yugao."

Everyone raised their glasses.

Except for Xiyan, who was drinking fruit juice, everyone else had spirits or fruit wine in their glasses.

"that----"

Chiba took out a small box and handed it to Yugao.

"This is a gift."

"Wow! Thank you, Chiba-nii-san!"

Xi Yan opened the box.

Inside is a set of exquisite, miniature—decoding tools?

The entire room fell silent.

"This—" Kaori's lips twitched.

"This is specially made," Chiba said earnestly. "Not only can it be used to dissect frogs, but it's also very handy for treating wounds on the battlefield. Plus, the handle is non-slip."

"Cough cough."

Sosuke coughed twice.

"A very practical gift. Please accept it, Yugao."

This is Chiba's style. Pragmatism above all else.

Katsuya Hinata presented a gift.

It is a talisman.

But if you look with your Byakugan, you'll see a white bone fragment wrapped inside. That's his finger bone, containing his chakra.

"If you encounter danger, crush it," Hyuga Masaru said in a deep voice. "I will sense it."

This is a weighty promise.

Ryoma gave her an amber pendant containing a glowing insect—a light-emitting insect from the Aburame clan, capable of dispelling darkness.

Xi Yan hugged a pile of gifts and smiled happily.

"The cake is here!"

An old man from the Ministry of Revenue rushed in carrying a huge cake.

It was covered with strawberries.

The candlelight was lit.

"Make a wish," Kaori said softly.

Xiyan closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

In this era of war and chaos, a child's wish is all the more precious.

"I hope—"

She opened her eyes and blew out the candle.

"I hope we can all stay together and that no one dies."

No one speaks.

Ryoma took a swig of sake, concealing the emotion in his eyes. Hyuga Masaru gripped his glass tightly.

Sosuke cuts the cake.

"Eat it. It's very sweet."

This meal took a long time.

Outside the window lies a harsh world of war, of controlled supplies, and of death lists.

Inside the window, there was the warm glow of the fire, the sweet aroma of cake, and a haven for this group of people.

Sosuke looked at everyone's faces.

He also hoped that no one would die.

late at night.

The banquet ended.

Hyuga Masaru went back to the Hyuga clan. Ryoma retreated into the shadows. Chiba disappeared into the laboratory.

Xi Yan went to bed early because she was too full.

Second floor, master bedroom.

Sosuke was soaking in a steaming hot bath.

The water was very hot, scalding my skin until it turned red. This heat can accelerate blood circulation and relieve fatigue deep within the meridians.

The bathroom door was pushed open.

Kaori walked in.

She was only wrapped in a white bath towel, her hair was tied up, revealing her slender neck.

The steam gave her skin a pinkish hue.

She didn't say anything, and silently walked behind Sosuke.

Pick up a towel and gently wipe his back.

"Is the force okay?" she asked softly.

"Um."

Sousuke closed his eyes.

Kaori's fingers traced the needle marks on his back.

She leaned down and gently pressed her warm lips against the faint scars.

"Boss————"

Her voice was gentle.

"It's good to be alive."

While Sosuke was on his S-class mission to the northern front, she lived in fear every day.

She feared the news that would come back would be bad.

She feared that the man who gave her a second life would become a cold, lifeless memorial.

Sosuke turned around.

A splash of water.

He grabbed Kaori's wrist and pulled her into the bathtub.

Water splashed everywhere.

Kaori gasped in surprise, then obediently nestled into his arms.

The bath towels were spread out, and their skin touched.

"Don't be afraid."

Sosuke stroked her wet, long hair.

"I value my life very much."

"No one can kill me until I achieve my goal."

He whispered in her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe.

Kaori's body went limp.

In this warm water, in this enclosed bathroom, the shadow of war is temporarily shut out.

What remains is only the most primal desire to confirm each other's existence.

Kaori wrapped her arms around Sousuke's neck.

She was his sword, his shield, and his woman.

This intertwining of multiple identities makes the relationship unbreakable.

The water temperature is rising.

Or rather, it was their body temperatures that were rising.