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No matter how grand or insignificant the world is, it's hard for one person to influence it. But it's extremely easy for the world to influence a person.
The reason why Might Dai's incident had such a huge impact on Haori was that the other person could bring him a sense of reality. From life to death, Haori could feel that Dai was a real person, not some other "thing."
In the past ten years, there weren't many people who could give Haori this feeling. Because of the kind of dislocation and fragmentation that experience had caused him, he sometimes felt like he wasn't even that real, let alone other people.
So, even though something as significant as assassinating the Raikage had happened, did Haori really care that much? He definitely didn't care as much as most Konoha ninjas who knew the truth imagined.
On Konoha's front line, the information Haori brought back after this mission was almost at the highest priority and had the most influence among his peers.
Both were incredibly important pieces of information.
First, there was Yashamaru's situation. After Yashamaru was captured, perhaps because Sunagakure's actions towards her, their so-called "hero," were too heartbreaking, she didn't have any obligation to keep Sunagakure's secrets when facing Konoha's interrogation, as a ninja who had been abandoned.
So, she told Konoha everything they asked, seeming very cooperative.
As for this incident, the mission Yashamaru was supposed to be carrying out was to go to Kirigakure, express Sunagakure's goodwill, deliver the Kazekage's letter, and seek peace.
She had always carried that letter with her, and now it was in Konoha's hands. The content matched what she had said.
But in reality, it was all a lie. Seeking peace was true, but the truth wasn't so straightforward. It was, on the contrary, incredibly dark. Because the condition for peace was Yashamaru herself. Only her death, as the "Sunagakure hero," was the foundation for peace between the two countries.
This was Kirigakure's condition, and the Kazekage had agreed without hesitation.
After a detailed interrogation, as for what would happen to Yashamaru next… it wouldn't be up to Haori to decide, of course. Although he had captured her, he didn't have any say in what happened to her.
It wasn't even decided by Orochimaru. Yashamaru was a well-known ninja from an allied country. It was up to the Hokage to decide what to do with her. So, she would be sent to Konoha soon.
Would she be executed immediately, imprisoned, controlled and used, or even left alone? Yashamaru herself didn't know. Haori didn't know either.
But before that, her injuries needed to be treated systematically. Otherwise, with the results of Haori's emergency treatment, Yashamaru probably wouldn't live for a few more days.
Haori's electric shocks and burns were just like giving her a shot of hormones. In reality, it was more like adding injury to injury. It was good enough that she could live at that moment. The subsequent treatment still needed to be done by a professional medical ninja.
As for the news that Haori brought back, that Might Dai and the last five of the Kirigakure Seven Ninja Swordsmen had died together, from the command's calm, rational, even cold judgment, it was a good thing… Dai had eliminated Kirigakure's famous Seven Ninja Swordsmen by himself. "It was worth it."
Losing Might Dai wasn't an unbearable loss for Konoha. But after Dai had replaced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the threat that Kirigakure posed to Konoha in terms of high-level combat power was greatly reduced.
But Konoha wouldn't be so heartless. Although for some reason, Dai's matter wouldn't be publicized, it was clear from the way his body was handled and other such things that he had received the treatment due to a great hero. Some of his legacy would be bestowed upon Guy.
And Dai's deeds gradually spread. The advantageous news that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen no longer existed wouldn't be deliberately concealed.
So, for the great feat that Genin Might Dai had accomplished, whether people had heard of him or not, whether they knew him or not, and what their original attitude towards him was, from then on, they could only feel admiration.
Unfortunately, most people admired Dai's act of dying with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. This couldn't be considered an understanding of Dai. Because Dai's goal wasn't to kill the enemy, but to protect Guy and his comrades.
As the only two witnesses and the only people on his side, Haori reported the details of Dai's matter to Orochimaru. He told him everything that had happened. He didn't hide any of his actions that were illogical for a ninja.
It was a good thing that he was reporting to Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin didn't even ask why about the illogical parts of Haori's actions. He wouldn't impose any punishment. In fact, after Haori finished his report, he simply left, without any consequences.
Because Orochimaru didn't care about many things. The only two things he cared about regarding Dai's incident were: first, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had been killed, which was beneficial to Konoha's future operations. Second, he needed to re-evaluate the power of the Eight Inner Gates.
If a certain one-eyed white-haired person were to tell Orochimaru that he could die with him, he would probably just sneer and not take it seriously. But if a certain green-skinned watermelon head were to say that to him, he would have to carefully weigh his options.
If Haori's report had been to Shimura Danzō instead of Orochimaru, then he might have been immediately sentenced to "unjustified information disclosure," "village betrayal," or "treason" and sentenced to be burned alive…
After all, he was a known supporter of the Hokage. It would have been a waste of a death.
So, the Snake Sannin was a good ninja. He only cared about the things he cared about.
In the days after Dai's incident, Haori didn't have any specific missions. He also became unusually silent.
He was thinking about some things, so he didn't do anything else. The most he did was to keep looking out at the sea from that sea-viewing reef.
He was still there now.
The sea breeze ruffled his white hair and pulled at his dreams. Unconsciously… Guy had come up behind him.
"Haori… thank you." He said.
The thing Guy was grateful for was that Haori had brought Dai's body back. Now, he finally had the chance to say those words.
Haori came back to his senses, turned around, and looked at Guy. He found that although Guy was in low spirits, he didn't have any major problems. So, he said, "It's what I should have done. The person who should be apologizing is me. Perhaps if I had arrived a little earlier, things wouldn't have been like this."
Those were the right words to say, but in reality, they were a meaningless hypothetical. If Dai hadn't entered the Eight Gates state, even if Haori had flown ten times over his predetermined route, he wouldn't have noticed him fighting. And the fact that Haori could sense him fighting meant that he had entered the Eight Gates state.
In this insoluble contradiction, Haori couldn't do anything to help.
Guy just shook his head. He was indeed grateful to Haori. As for the apology Haori mentioned, he couldn't accept it. Haori wasn't responsible for Dai's situation.
Guy didn't say anything more. His current state wasn't good. His eyes followed Haori's gaze towards the depths of the sea.
People like Guy were very easily moved by many trivial things. They would get excited, shout about youth, and cry tears of joy. But when they truly encountered great sorrow, they wouldn't be able to shed a single tear… At least, Guy had never cried about Dai's matter in front of anyone.
Even when he saw Dai's body like that, Haori was right there. Guy just remained silent.
For him, his father's death was a fulfillment of his wish, a death worthy of his life. So, he wouldn't cry.
"Guy."
Haori's voice made Guy turn his head back.
"Your old man… was super cool in the end."
Hearing Haori's words, Guy's face moved slightly. He didn't look as lifeless as before.
After a moment of silence, he continued, "Yeah, although I didn't see it with my own eyes, I think so too."
The final Might Dai was definitely super cool.
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