Thanks Yoish for the 3 extra chapters, remember to donate some power stones, at 30 I'll drop an extra chapter!!
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Death is an ordinary, common occurrence.
When an ordinary person dies, relatives and friends hold a funeral, and others come to mourn and bid farewell.
When a slightly famous person dies, in addition to relatives and friends, admirers also come to pay their respects.
When a hero dies, the funeral is grand. People hold a deep reverence for heroes, sincerely honoring them as they depart.
Ye Zi died, and Orochimaru built him a grave. No one knew about it—only Orochimaru.
He stood before the grave, placing a bouquet of fresh flowers quietly at the base of the tombstone.
The fragility of life resurfaced in his mind once again.
The sky was a brilliant blue, clear and pure like a gemstone, with clouds lazily drifting by, bathed in warm sunlight.
A sudden distant wind swept across the empty, desolate graveyard, lifting the hem of Orochimaru's black robes and his long hair.
The wind was chilly, a precursor to rain.
This kind of wind always arrives first, followed by dark clouds gathering in the sky.
Orochimaru stood in silence, gazing at the grave. He had experienced the deaths of those closest to him, witnessed the loss of too many comrades, and seen many people weep and grieve over partings. That's why he had told Ye Zi countless times: "Don't die."
But he still died.
"Where did you come from, and where do you think you're going?" A soft murmur broke the silence in the desolate cemetery.
The wind suddenly grew stronger.
In the distance, a line of black clouds appeared against the blue sky, quickly approaching. Soon, the warm sunlight was hidden behind the clouds, and the world darkened.
Next to the tombstone, a small sprout was just beginning to emerge from the ground. The wind pressed it down, almost flattening it. The cheerful chirping of birds and insects fell silent. Leaves, carried by the wind, scattered across the neatly arranged graves.
Drip!
A large raindrop suddenly fell from the sky, splashing onto Ye Zi's grave.
Orochimaru looked up. His long hair danced wildly in the wind as he gazed at the gloomy, dark sky. A hint of sorrow flickered in his eyes.
You say a snake is a cold-blooded animal, incapable of feeling sadness.
Yet at this moment of farewell, any lingering attachment could only be met with silence, now accompanied by the start of rain.
The rain poured down suddenly, drawing a curtain between heaven and earth.
Orochimaru stood in the downpour, his figure becoming more and more obscure as the heavy rain continued. Mist began to rise from the ground, shrouding the flowers in front of the grave in a thin veil of water. The rain mercilessly pounded the flowers, breaking them apart.
The figure shrouded in rain slowly turned and walked away.
The news of "Konoha's Little White Fang" being dead spread like wildfire.
Everyone in the village seemed to have heard the news.
What effect does fame bring? And what about infamy?
After the news spread, the villagers began to talk about it in the streets and alleys.
"So, that monster who eats people is dead?"
"Yeah, I heard he failed a mission and was killed by Iwa-nin. Serves him right."
"It's good that he's dead. Just thinking about him being in the village made me uncomfortable. The idea of someone who eats people is chilling."
"Exactly. A few kids have gone missing recently, and I've always suspected it was him. Now that he's dead, I can finally feel at ease."
"Haha, I didn't even let my children go out alone because of him. They were so upset about it, but now things can go back to normal."
"Hey, did you know that this man-eating monster was brought back to the village by Orochimaru-sama? I heard he was a war orphan."
"Is that so? Why did they even take him in?"
"Who knows?"
Kushina walked along the street, her gaze unfocused, wandering aimlessly as she listened to the words pouring from the villagers.
He wasn't a man-eating monster; he had a name—Ye Zi.
Ye Zi carried out missions for the village and sacrificed himself for it.
Why can you all so easily speak ill of him, even though he's gone?
Why are you so quick to place all the blame on him?
A war orphan… Do you even understand that kind of pain? Why do you speak about it with such mockery?
Enough…!
Kushina suddenly stopped, clenching her fists tightly. A surge of anger rose from the depths of her heart, flooding her entire being.
Her face, contorted by the mix of sorrow and anger, paled slightly. Her expression twisted as the pain she felt deep inside grew unbearable, and her fury reached its peak.
"Can't you… just show some respect for the dead?!"
Tears streamed down her face, a torrent of emotions spilling over. The red-haired girl stood in the middle of the street, her fiery gaze sweeping over everyone in sight.
The conversations ceased. People turned to look at her.
Kushina Uzumaki, a jonin of Konoha, had trained alongside Minato Namikaze. She was also a disciple of Tsunade-sama and had healed many shinobi in the village. Her reputation, while not as illustrious as Minato's, was still highly regarded.
Why was she… speaking like this?
Were those tears for that man-eating monster?
The collective opinion of the villagers would not change just because of Kushina's outburst. Her words didn't sway them. They only looked at her with confusion and indifference.
"He wasn't a man-eating monster. His name was Ye Zi. He died on a mission. He sacrificed his life for the village."
Her tears flowed like a broken dam, soaking the ground beneath her.
"He wasn't a monster. He saved people. He was a hero. So why… Why are you so quick to belittle someone who deserves respect?"
Her emotions, like a taut rubber band, finally snapped with Ye Zi's death.
"So please, show some respect for the dead, can't you?!"
The villagers' harsh words only deepened her grief, and with tears in her eyes, she angrily refuted their beliefs.
Then, like a helpless child, she slowly crouched down, burying her face in her arms, sobbing quietly to release the overwhelming sorrow she felt.
The villagers watched Kushina cry, their eyes cold and indifferent.
Because her grief was for Ye Zi—the man they saw as nothing but a man-eating monster.
At that moment, a figure approached. He had unmistakable golden hair, and under the curious gazes of the villagers, he walked silently toward Kushina.
Minato crouched down next to her, his eyes level with her head, still buried in her arms. He watched her quietly, sympathy and compassion filling his gaze. He reached out to comfort her, hesitated, and then pulled his hand back.
He desperately wanted to hold her in his arms, but he knew she wouldn't accept his comfort.
Watching her like this, Minato's heart ached.
How can anyone compete with the memory of someone who's already gone?
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Currently on Chapter 201: Severing of Bonds...