12dz Chapter 641 Sea!
Chapter 641 Sea!
Everything happened so quickly, so silently. The darkness receded, and the memorial stone was once again exposed to the cold moonlight. It was as if everything that had just happened was merely a chilling illusion.
At the same time, the soul power within Zhang Hai's body did not dissipate, but instead surged into his spiritual sea. The feeling was like merging the darkness of an abyss into a vast ocean of stars, instantly making his spiritual world even broader and deeper. The light of the Mangekyou Sharingan also faded, returning to its original pitch-black pupils, though a faint, occasional glimmer of light in the depths of its eyes indicated that it had not truly disappeared.
As the last bit of darkness dissipated, the area shrouded by the Four Purple Flames Array finally welcomed the long-awaited light.
Outside the barrier, Minato and Tsunade, who had been anxiously waiting, rushed in almost simultaneously.
"Zhang Hai!" Tsunade exclaimed, her eyes filled with worry and urgency.
The moment she and Minato saw Zhang Hai, their expressions froze on their faces.
That person, who once had short, glossy black hair, now had a full head of silver hair, as if he had gone from a youthful boy to an old man overnight. The sudden increase in age made his appearance more stern, but also carried an indescribable sense of vicissitude and weariness.
"What...what's going on?!" Minato stared in shock, his eyes wide. He had never imagined that a person's appearance could change so drastically in just one night.
Zhang Hai slowly turned around and looked at the two people rushing towards him. A forced smile appeared on his face, a smile that carried a hint of weariness, a hint of relief, but also a hint of heartbreaking bitterness.
"I'm fine," he said softly, his voice a little hoarse, but his tone was warmer than before.
Tsunade, disregarding her shock, rushed forward and placed her hands on Zhang Hai's shoulders, green chakra light instantly illuminating her palms. She quickly examined Zhang Hai's condition, her worry undiminished.
"Nonsense! Look at yourself!" Tsunade scolded in a low voice, her tone filled with concern. "Your hair turned white overnight! Do you think this is a joke?!"
As the medical chakra was introduced, Tsunade's expression became even more serious.
"You have severe internal injuries! Chakra disorder, mental exhaustion... What on earth happened?!" She frowned, realizing that Zhang Hai's internal damage was far more serious than it appeared on the surface. Clearly, the eruption and backflow of dark soul power just now had placed an enormous burden on him.
Zhang Hai simply shook his head, offering no reply. He allowed Tsunade's medical ninjutsu to flow through his body, repairing the damage caused by the backlash of his soul power. Under Tsunade's treatment, his pale complexion gradually regained some color, his disordered chakra stabilized, and the weakness he felt from overexertion was greatly alleviated.
Seeing Zhang Hai gradually return to normal, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a sense of relief, but the deep-seated unease hadn't completely dissipated. Overnight white hair, the Mangekyou Sharingan… all these indicated a profound change had occurred in Zhang Hai. He knew that the Zhang Hai before him was no longer the Zhang Hai of the past.
"Third Hokage." Zhang Hai's voice became clearer and more composed after he regained his strength. He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his eyes filled with an unprecedented calm and seriousness.
“I feel much better now. However, that battle just now gave me a completely new understanding of my own strength.” He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes. “I want to find someone to spar with to test the results of my swordsmanship.”
Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's unease intensified. A test of swordsmanship? The power he had just displayed far exceeded what mere swordsmanship could encompass.
"Sparring?" Minato immediately volunteered, a hint of eagerness on his face. "If Zhang Haijun doesn't mind, I can spar with you. Although I don't know much about swordsmanship, my speed..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Zhang Hai calmly interrupted him.
“I’m sorry, Minato-senpai.” Zhang Hai shook his head slightly, his eyes showing no contempt but rather an undeniable certainty, “You… are not suitable.”
"Why?" Minato paused, somewhat puzzled.
"Because you don't know how to use a knife." Zhang Hai's answer was concise and clear, yet it left Minato speechless for a moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's alarm bells rang loudly. Looking into Zhang Hai's strangely calm eyes, his unease intensified. Zhang Hai's reason for refusing Minato wasn't because he thought Minato was weak, but because he "didn't know how to use a sword." This meant that Zhang Hai's "swordsmanship" far surpassed a simple contest, involving something much deeper.
"Zhang Hai, who exactly do you want to spar with?" The Third Hokage's voice carried a hint of seriousness as he stared intently into Zhang Hai's eyes, trying to discern something from them.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Zhang Hai's mouth. It was a very shallow smile, but it carried an indescribable complex emotion.
“I’m looking for… ‘Shadow Spot’.”
The moment Zhang Hai uttered the words "Shadow Splatter," Hiruzen Sarutobi's body trembled violently. His eyes widened instantly, and an expression of disbelief and shock appeared on his face.
Kagemaru... that was a name almost forgotten in Konoha Village many years ago. A top ninja who existed only in legends, on par with "Konoha's White Fang" Hatake Sakumo.
The Third Hokage looked at Zhang Hai again, his eyes filled with doubt, shock, and a deep sense of entanglement.
Kage-damaru… Of course he knew who Kage-damaru was. He was Sakumo Hatake's most trusted partner, and the only Kage-level ninja whose swordsmanship could rival Sakumo's. However, after Sakumo's death, Kage-damaru also disappeared without a trace, as if he had completely evaporated from the ninja world.
How could Zhang Hai know about "Shadow Spot"? Did Shuo Mao say something to him before he died? Or did Zhang Hai find out about this relationship from somewhere?
In an instant, countless questions flooded Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind. He was caught in an unprecedented dilemma. Summoning "Shadow Madness" back was undoubtedly an extremely risky decision.
"Teacher? What's wrong?" Tsunade asked, puzzled, looking at the Third Hokage's suddenly stiff expression. She didn't know the meaning of the name "Kage Madara," but she felt that the Third Hokage's reaction was a bit too intense.
“Third Hokage, Zhang Hai simply wants to spar with someone. Please call him out quickly,” Tsunade urged, finding no problem with Zhang Hai’s request. In her view, Zhang Hai merely wanted to find a master swordsman to test his skills.