123 122 Memories

"Kozuki isn't my Jutsu Great?"

Kurenai looked towards Kozuki expecting praise as beside her was Shizune, who was under her Genjutsu.

"Not bad"

"Yes!!!"

"Haha!!!"

Kurenai cheered loudly after hearing the praise of Kozuki, and even Kozuki laughed a little, amused by her childish acts.

_____________

"Seriously, you should have listened to me."

Kurenai holding her injured arm, sat on the ground as Kozuki bandaged her arm while admonishing her.

"I'm sorry."

Kurenai, like a kid, caught after mischief, apologized, keeping her head down.

"Listen, Kurenai, ever since we first met, you have always tried to help me in way or another, so you are special to me."

"I don't want to see you hurt, be careful next time, do you understand?"

"Um"

Kozuki stood up after bandaging her arm, and Kurenai, who had her head down, nodded and her face was red, and the smoke seemed to come out from her ears.

_______________

"Please wake up, Kozuki, please wake up, don't leave me."

Kurenai shouted in despair, looking at the corpse of Kozuki, but it was useless.

_______________

Konoha.

Fighting Square.

In the stands,

Kurenai's eyes were focused on the figure at the center of the square, and memories of Kozuki kept flashing in the mind of Kurenai. Finally, the image of the blood-stained body of Kozuki appeared.

Boom...

"Die...You bastard"

Kurenai immediately disappeared from the stands leaving cracks on the floor, and instantly appeared in Kozuki, her mighty fist about to hit his chest.

Kozuki, who sensed the attack, was about to block it but seeing the angry face of Kurenai, his heart seemed to rip apart.

He wanted to bring his hand forward to block her fist, but his body seemed out of control as no matter how much he tried, he couldn't.

Boom...

The power-filled Punch fell on the chest of Kozuki.

Despite the fierce Punch which completely destroyed the already damaged ground, Kozuki didn't move an inch from his place.

A drop of blood fell from the corner of Kozuki's mask as the smoking fist of Kurenai was still stuck on the chest of Kozuki.

This all happened in seconds without giving everyone in the stands a chance to react.

Kurenai, at this time, seemed to have recovered sanity as she looked at Kozuki with some horror and confusion on her face.

"Why didn't he block it?"

Whether it was Minato, all the Kage, or every experienced Jonin, they all had the same question in their minds.

They were worried about him injuring Kurenai, but his holding back confused them.

Watching the beautiful face a few inches away from him, Kozuki didn't know how to explain his mood.

The pain of the Punch was not worth mentioning in front of the pain of having someone you love right in front but not being able to embrace her.

Sigh...

"Maybe... I should have really died."

Kozuki keeping his head down, said these words and, in sorrow, even forgot to change his voice.

The eyes of Kurenai widened when she heard his words and that "somewhat" familiar voice also made her tremble.

"No, it's not possible."

Kurenai immediately denied the thought that came to her mind.

She had seen his corpse with her own eyes; it couldn't be possible.

And his words also left her confused as her anger eased a lot unknowingly.

"Sensei"

Ino, along with Konoha Genin, saw Kurenai so angry were surprised.

They had never seen her so angry, and they wondered what hatred she had with that red-haired man in the fighting square.

Whoosh...

Minato disappeared from his place, and the next moment he was at some distance in front of Kozuki.

Whoosh...

More black shadows flashed, and Kozuki found himself surrounded.

Tsunade, Jiraya, Kakashi, Sakumo, and Minato had surrounded him with him being in the center.

Shisui and the rest of the Jonin of Konoha had already started to evacuate the civilians from the square since they knew the upcoming fight could damage the surroundings.

Rasa also ordered Baki to take Gaara and others away since the next fight was something they couldn't fight.

"What are you planning, Shanks?"

Minato said, looking at the red-haired man with a mask on his face.

Minato could easily guess that Shanks being here means that something is fishy.

"Minato his robe; he's from the Akatsuki."

Jiraya, who saw his robe, immediately recognized it since it matched the report that Onoki gave.

"Akatsuki, where is Roshi?"

Onoki in the stands recognized the robe of Akatsuki and shouted angrily.

The Rest of the Kage also arrived at the fighting square.

"We were just looking for you, but you came straight to us; now you'll tell us everything you know about Akatsuki."

Thunder began to dance around A as he was ready to start any moment.

"It's terrifying, 1 vs. 11."

Knowing that this isn't the time to be guilty, he can't show weakness now; otherwise, his so many years of work in Akatsuki would be useless.

He can't reveal his identity before catching Nagato and destroying his Rinnegan.

"Don't say it's unfair; it's an acknowledgment of your strength."

Terumi extinguished the fear in her heart, said while looking towards Kozuki.

With so many strong people together, she believed even the Ninja God Hashirama would have a hard time.

"I would really love to play with you all, but it isn't possible."

Kozuki had already sensed the vast amount of Chakra hidden underground.

Before the Kage could respond, they saw numerous white beings with green hair drilling out of the ground.

Boom...

Exploding sounds rang throughout Konoha as White Zetsu could be seen on the streets of Konoha.

"Akatsuki attacked the village."

Looking at the White Zetsu in front and hearing the exploding sounds, Minato knew immediately that Konoha was under attack.

Whoosh...

Kozuki disappeared from the fighting square, appearing on the enclosure's roof.

Minato and the others couldn't stop Kozuki from leaving since even if Zetsu were weak, they were just too many, so they couldn't afford to be careless.

Kozuki sat down, waiting for the appearance of Nagato.

"Damn, they are just too many."

A destroyed the Zetsu in front and couldn't help but curse.

"Move away. I'll destroy all of them."

At this time, they heard the voice of Onoki from above and saw white light emitting from his palms.

Minato and others immediately flashed, appearing in the stands.

"Particle Style! Atomic Dismantling Jutsu"

As soon as the voice of Onoki fell, a white light enveloped the whole fighting square.

When the light disappeared, a vast leveled pit appeared with no signs of White Zetsu.

"What amazing destruction power"

Even Kozuki had to admit that the Particle style was one of the best in offensive power.

The power to reduce anything into atoms was naturally scary, but it also had a significant weakness.

It takes too much time to launch this attack which could be deadly in a fight.

Minato and others seeing Onoki wiping out the Zetsu, also had to admit that even if Old, Onoki had a lot of strength.

"Kakashi, Kurenai, Sakumo Senpai, you deal with the enemy outside; the rest of us will deal with Shanks."

Noticing the chaos in the village, Minato ordered them as Kakashi, the confused Kurenai, and Sakumo quickly left the fighting square.

Minato and the others appeared on the roof, ready to attack Kozuki.

"Huh"

Kozuki, ready for a big fight, suddenly sensed a familiar gloomy aura and looked in its direction.

"Orochimaru"

Jiraya and Tsunade recognized Orochimaru immediately.

"Hehe, it's a rare sight so many strong people together."

Orochimaru laughed while licking his lips with his long tongue.

"Orochimaru, are you also a part of the Akatsuki?"

Orochimaru wasn't wearing the robe of Akatsuki, but his timely appearance made Jiraya think so.

Orochimaru didn't answer his question and immediately printed several hand signs and finally slammed his hands on the ground.

The moment Kozuki saw Orochimaru making hand signs, he knew immediately what he was about to do.

But he didn't stop him because this would alert Fukashi and Nagato, ruining his plan to kill them.

Orochimaru, at this time, shouldn't have perfected the Edo Tensei, so he wasn't much worried.

The roof started shaking as 6 coffins drilled out from the ground.

"What's he doing."

Looking at the coffins, nearly everyone present here was confused since they didn't know much about Edo Tensei.

"If I'm not wrong, it's the Forbidden Reanimation Jutsu."

Minato, who has read the book of seal, recognized the Jutsu.

Thud...

The lid of the coffins fell as 6 silhouettes could be seen with eyes closed.

Whether it was A, Terumi, Onoki, or Minato, they all recognized the figures in the coffin.

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