EBE Chapter 515 Crimson
Chapter 515 Crimson
He carefully plucked a hair from his own head and gently extended the tip of the hair toward Kakashi's upturned nose.
He scratched back and forth, and Kakashi wrinkled his nose uncomfortably, letting out a dissatisfied "humph," but he didn't wake up.
Zhang Hai increased the force, and finally, Kakashi couldn't help but sneeze loudly, waking up abruptly.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes and saw Zhang Hai looking at him with a mischievous grin. He instantly understood what had happened.
"You!" Kakashi's face turned bright red as he glared at him angrily, but he didn't know what to say.
"Sorry, sorry," Zhang Hai quickly raised his hands in surrender. He sat up, looked at Kakashi's adorable appearance, and couldn't help but laugh, "To express my apology, I'll take you out for a delicious meal, how about it?" He could feel a slight, smooth sensation on his fingertips, as if he were touching cool silk.
Upon hearing "delicious food," Kakashi's anger dissipated by more than half. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Zhang Hai took Kakashi to the most famous noodle shop in the village—Ichiraku Ramen.
The rich aroma of pork bone broth wafted over them, making both of them swallow hard.
They ordered two bowls of the signature miso chashu ramen. When the steaming hot noodles were served, Kakashi's eyes lit up.
The two of them didn't bother to talk and started eating right away.
The chewy noodles, the rich broth, the fatty yet not greasy char siu, and the soft-boiled egg make it an absolute delicacy.
They ate until they were sweating profusely, completely satisfied, and full of praise for this legendary ramen shop.
After finishing his ramen, Zhang Hai took Kakashi home and then returned to the empty dojo.
He picked up the short knife again and began practicing the thirteen basic movements.
He could almost hear a faint ticking sound, like the ticking of a clock, reminding him of the preciousness of time.
After last night's extreme training and a morning's rest, he felt as if his body had been opened up, and every swing of the knife was smoother and less strenuous than before.
He could clearly feel that he and the knife in his hand were becoming more and more in sync at an astonishing speed.
Kakashi didn't go home; instead, he secretly followed them. He hid by the dojo's door, secretly watching the figure inside, sweating profusely.
He saw in Zhang Hai's every movement a power and beauty, his focused expression and resolute gaze making him understand for the first time why his father, the man he regarded as a god, would make an exception and accept such a student.
A strange emotion welled up in Kakashi's heart. ...It wasn't jealousy, but a longing.
He also wanted to become as strong as that person, or even stronger!
He stopped peeking and instead turned and ran back into the yard, arriving at the small wooden stake that belonged to him.
He took a deep breath, mimicking Zhang Hai's posture, and kicked out with all his might his clumsy foot.
"Hey!" "Ha!" In the courtyard, two figures, one tall and one short, one in the dojo and the other in the courtyard, were engaged in tedious yet persistent training for their respective goals.
Sweat soaked their clothes, but it also watered the seed of "strength" in their hearts, waiting for it to sprout and shine with the most dazzling light one day in the future.
Time flies, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.
In the past six months, Zhang Hai has practically made Hatake Sakumo's house his second home. Apart from occasionally going back to his own place to clean, he has spent all his time in that empty dojo.
He could feel a faint, dry taste, like a mixture of dust and old newspapers, spreading in his mouth.
His daily life consisted of nothing but eating, sleeping, and wielding his knife.
He had practiced those thirteen basic movements countless times; each strike seemed to be etched into his very bones.
His relationship with that white-haired little brat also grew much closer through their daily interactions.
Kakashi no longer rejected him like he did at the beginning. Although he still refused to call him "brother," he would hand Zhang Hai a clean towel every time he finished training.
Zhang Hai was happy to tease this seemingly aloof but actually awkward little guy, buying him candy, taking him to eat Ichiraku Ramen, and watching him pretend to be indifferent when he was clearly happy became one of the few joys in his monotonous training life.
That afternoon, Zhang Hai was practicing a set of combined sword techniques in the dojo, sweat streaming down his resolute face.
He could almost hear a faint rustling sound, like silkworms eating mulberry leaves, ringing in his ears.
Just then, Sakumo Hatake appeared at the entrance of the dojo like a ghost.
"Zhang Hai." His voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable command. "Put on your ninja uniform, headband, and ninja tools. Meet at the entrance in ten minutes; we're about to embark on a mission."
Zhang Hai's heart skipped a beat. This was the first time in six months that Hatake Sakumo had asked him to carry out a mission.
"Yes, teacher!" Without asking any further questions, he immediately stopped what he was doing, turned around, and went back to his room to prepare.
When he arrived at the door fully dressed, he found that Hatake Sakumo had already changed into a standard Jonin combat uniform, his face showing an unprecedented solemnity.
He could feel a slight, damp sensation on his fingertips, as if he were touching cool dew.
"Teacher, what happened?" he couldn't help but ask.
"The war is about to begin." Hatake Sakumo's answer struck Zhang Hai like a boulder crashing into his heart.
“Just now,” he looked up at the gloomy sky, a gesture that lasted about half a second, “news came from the Land of Rain. Hanzo of the Salamander, who is known as a ‘demigod,’ has declared war on Konoha, Sunagakure of the Land of Wind, and the neutral Land of Iron, all with the power of his own country.”
Sansho fish Hanzo?
Zhang Hai had some recollection of this name; it seemed to be an important stepping stone on Payne's path to future rise.
But he still had some doubts: how could one person, one country, dare to declare war on three major powers simultaneously?
What is the difference between this and seeking death?
"Teacher, is this Hanzo... very strong?" "Very strong." Sakumo Hatake gave a concise and affirmative answer. "He is a respectable opponent, and also a complete madman. Because only a madman would yearn for peace, he waged war to realize his ideals, and ideals cannot be measured by common sense."