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Naruto sped toward the village with Konan in his arms, her breathing shallow and labored. Blood trickled from her wounds, soaking through her clothes. Panic gripped him as he realized how serious her injuries were. If he didn't act quickly, she wouldn't make it.
"Hold on, Konan," Naruto muttered, his voice shaking. "I'll get you to the hospital. Just hold on!"
But with every passing moment, her chakra weakened further, and a chilling thought struck him—she might not survive the trip. Desperation clawed at his mind as he searched for any way to save her. Then, a memory resurfaced.
His battle with Pain.
The King of Hell.
He'd seen Nagato use it to heal his allies, restoring even fatal injuries. Naruto's eyes widened as the idea took hold. He had the Rinnegan now—if Nagato could do it, maybe he could too.
Coming to a sudden stop, Naruto gently laid Konan on the ground. Her eyes fluttered open weakly, and she looked up at him. "N-Naruto…"
"Don't talk," Naruto said, his tone firm but filled with worry. "I'm going to save you. Just trust me."
Closing his eyes, he focused on his Rinnegan, channeling his chakra into the summoning technique. Slowly, the air around them rippled, and a massive spectral figure rose from the ground—the King of Hell. Its eerie presence loomed over them, its mouth open wide, waiting.
Naruto carefully lifted Konan's body and placed her before the figure. "Heal her!" he commanded, his voice filled with urgency.
The King of Hell's mouth opened further, swallowing Konan in a blinding light. For a moment, nothing happened, and Naruto's heart clenched in fear. But then the light faded, and Konan emerged, her wounds completely healed. She took a deep, steady breath, color returning to her face.
Naruto fell to his knees, relief flooding him. "It worked…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Konan sat up, looking at her hands in amazement. She was unscathed, her strength fully restored. She turned to Naruto, who was visibly drained, his breathing heavy. "Naruto… you saved me."
Naruto gave her a tired but genuine smile. "Yeah… guess I did."
Before he could say anything more, Konan leaned forward and kissed him. Naruto froze, his mind going blank. His cheeks turned bright red as his thoughts spiraled in every direction.
When Konan finally pulled back, she gave him a soft smile, her voice gentle. "Thank you… for everything."
Naruto sat there, stunned, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He couldn't form a single coherent word, his brain still trying to process what had just happened.
"Uh… um…" was all he managed to stammer.
Konan chuckled lightly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Let's get back to the village," she said, standing and offering him a hand.
Naruto shook himself out of his daze and took her hand, rising to his feet. He felt exhausted from the chakra he'd used to summon the King of Hell, but seeing Konan alive and well made it all worth it.
As they began their journey back, Naruto couldn't help but glance at her, his mind replaying the moment over and over. One thing was certain—his life had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.