EBE Chapter 668 Little White Hair
Chapter 668 Little White Hair
"You little white-haired bastard!" Kushina, hands on her hips, pointed at Zhang Hai and started yelling, "You bastard! You brought Minato to this gloomy place again! Do you know how unsafe this place is?! And you, you clearly have such great abilities, why won't you go back to the village to help?!"
Zhang Hai looked at the fiery girl before him, who resembled a little chili pepper, and raised an eyebrow. He knew that Kushina was a Jinchūriki, with the Nine-Tails sealed within her, and her personality was indeed as energetic and explosive as the chakra she represented. Every time he met Kushina, it seemed they couldn't escape an argument, as if the two were inherently incompatible.
"Hmph, foolish woman," Zhang Hai retorted indifferently. "This is the safest place in Konoha. With Tsunade's barrier here, even if the Nine-Tails goes berserk, it won't be able to get in an inch. As for going back to the village to help? Do I need to worry about Konoha's troubles?"
"You—!!" Kushina's face turned red with anger. She was about to rush forward to argue when Minato stopped her with lightning speed.
"Alright, alright, Kushina, don't be angry, don't be angry." Minato could only act as a peacemaker between the two, comforting Kushina while explaining to Zhang Hai, "Zhang Hai, Kushina is just concerned about you, she didn't mean any harm."
Zhang Hai merely snorted and ignored Kushina, continuing his research. Kushina couldn't do anything about it and could only sit there sulking, but she was quickly amused by a joke told by Minato.
Besides Minato and his wife, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha also visited once. They brought with them a tiny, toddler-like figure—Itachi Uchiha.
When the Fugaku couple pushed open the laboratory door, Zhang Hai's gaze was instantly drawn to the toddler who had just learned to walk. Even at such a young age, Uchiha Itachi displayed an extraordinary calmness and intelligence. His eyes were deep and clear, as if they could see through everything in the world.
Looking at Uchiha Itachi, Zhang Hai felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. He even gave a bitter smile to his heart. Uchiha Itachi… this child was the first being he instinctively wanted to eliminate when he transmigrated. Because in the original story, Uchiha Itachi personally ended the fate of the Uchiha clan. More importantly, if the original owner of his body hadn't died, then his future destiny would also have been erased by this little Uchiha Itachi. It was a cruel, ironic fate.
"Zhang Hai." Fugaku's voice interrupted Zhang Hai's thoughts. He walked up to Zhang Hai, a hint of apology on his face. "What happened last time was too impulsive of me. I shouldn't have spoken rudely to you. I hope you won't take it to heart." He was referring to Fugaku's attitude towards Zhang Hai when Zhang Hai appeared at the Uchiha clan's territory last time.
Zhang Hai simply waved his hand dismissively. "It's alright, I didn't take it to heart." His voice was calm, as if he truly didn't care. He readily accepted Fugaku's apology, because he knew that Fugaku's intentions were for the sake of the family, and although his methods were somewhat extreme, they were understandable.
Mikoto, carrying Itachi, walked to Zhang Hai's side, her eyes filled with worry and concern. "Zhang Hai, what are your plans after you get out?" she asked softly, her voice gentle and considerate. "Whatever choice you make, Fugaku and I will respect your decision."
Mikoto's words, "Whatever choice you make, Fugaku and I will respect your decision," stirred something within Zhang Hai. Looking at Fugaku's face, etched with complex emotions, he suddenly realized a detail: Fugaku's discovery of his identity at the Uchiha clan's territory was likely more accidental than due to Mikoto's betrayal. Mikoto was clearly on his side; her kindness and thoughtfulness brought Zhang Hai a long-lost warmth.
"My future has already been arranged by the Hokage," Zhang Hai said calmly, his tone carrying an undeniable air, as if declaring a settled fact. "After my release from prison, I will join Tsunade's medical department. Therefore, I will not return to the Uchiha clan." His words were both a response to Mikoto and a rejection of Fugaku. He knew that the Hokage's arrangement was enough to leave Fugaku speechless.
Upon hearing this, Fugaku frowned, his eyes filled with confusion and a hint of disappointment. "Why are you so resistant to the clan? Could it be... related to the deaths of your parents?" he asked tentatively, trying to touch upon the deep wounds in Zhang Hai's heart. The Uchiha clan is bound by blood, and clan honor is paramount; he couldn't understand why Zhang Hai was so distant from the clan.
Zhang Hai's illusory figure swayed slightly in the air, a subtle, complex emotion flashing in his deep eyes. He certainly wouldn't reveal the real reason; he came from another world, and his ties to the Uchiha clan felt more like a constraint to him.
“It’s irrelevant,” Zhang Hai replied calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion. “It’s just that I’m used to being alone. The constraints of family are not my home.” His answer was so calm yet so firm that Fu Yue could no longer press him for an answer.
Seeing Fugaku's discomfiture, Mikoto sighed helplessly. Then, she carefully held Uchiha Itachi in her arms and offered him to Zhang Hai. "Zhang Hai, hug Itachi. He seems to like you a lot." She tried to ease the atmosphere and also wanted Zhang Hai to get closer to the child.
Zhang Hai hesitated slightly, but still took Uchiha Itachi from Mikoto's arms. The little Uchiha Itachi was held in Zhang Hai's illusory arms, but he was surprisingly quiet. His obsidian-like eyes curiously looked at Zhang Hai, and occasionally he would reach out his little hand to try to touch Zhang Hai's illusory body.
Looking at the tiny life in his arms, Zhang Hai was filled with mixed emotions. He gently teased Uchiha Itachi, poking his cheek with his illusory finger and watching him giggle. However, deep inside, his heart was churning like a raging storm.
"Should I... eliminate him now?" A cold and cruel thought flashed through his soul. This was his instinctive reaction to Uchiha Itachi when he first transmigrated. Eliminating him would completely eliminate future threats, avert the tragedy of the Uchiha clan's annihilation, and also avert his own fate as the original owner of this body being eliminated.
But when he looked at the pure, innocent child in his arms, that cold thought melted away like ice and snow. Harming an innocent life, especially a child destined to bear a heavy fate, was incompatible with the "Way" he pursued deep within his heart. He was no longer the cold-blooded soul who only knew how to pursue power and disregard life. Haku's presence, Tsunade's kindness, and Konan's affection were all gradually changing him.