Naraku sped along, frequently using the Body Flicker Technique, and finally managed to get Obito to the Hospital emergency room within a few minutes, where a doctor set his bones.
Shisui's injuries were lighter, mostly scrapes and bruises.
He led the boy to a corner, pulled out alcohol and cotton balls from a medical kit, and gave a heads-up before starting.
"This might sting a bit, just bear with it."
"Mhm."
Shisui silently gritted his teeth.
As soon as the alcohol-soaked cotton ball touched the wound, a burning pain immediately flared up, like scorching flames.
With each wipe, the cotton fibers lightly grazed the exposed flesh, a tingling itch mixed with the pain that made every second feel like a year.
Once the disinfection was complete, Naraku looked up and saw Shisui gritting his teeth in endurance, and took the opportunity to coax the child.
"Shisui is really amazing, enduring such serious injuries until now."
The bandage gently yet firmly covered the wound, with just the right pressure so it didn't hurt too much.
Shisui only needed to lower his head slightly to see Naraku concentrating on tying the knot in the bandage, his movements so practiced they must have been repeated countless times.
He thought, how could his injuries be called serious?
Senior Naraku had been through so many battles, he must have suffered more and more severe injuries than this; how much pain must he have been in then?
"Yo!"
A carefree greeting echoed in the room, breaking the quiet atmosphere.
Obito walked in, leaning on a crutch, his good foot on the ground, and the other foot, in a cast, dragging lightly; even in this state, he still had the presence of mind to smile at them.
Shisui finally experienced firsthand the extent of his clan brother's optimism, which surpassed even that of a carefree bird in the jungle.
"Thanks, Naraku, it's a good thing you came to find me earlier."
--Although I really didn't want that princess carry at the end… Obito grumbled softly in his heart.
"You're welcome, Obito."
Naraku had just finished bandaging Shisui's last wound, tying a bow, and patting the boy's head.
"Shisui was very brave too."
"Right, right, Shisui, thank you!"
The praised boy quickly waved his hand; his clan brother got injured saving him, so how could he accept the thanks?
"No, I didn't do anything… If Big Brother Obito hadn't tried to help me, it wouldn't have ended up like this…"
Guilt made Shisui's voice grow softer and softer, and his spirits also sagged.
Just before he completely fell into dejection, Naraku blinked as if realizing something, and uncharacteristically, his words became exceptionally blunt and lacking in tact.
"Next time, if something happens, you can call me; at least I won't end up as miserable as Obito."
Obito, caught off guard by the venomous attack, immediately widened his eyes, as if seeing someone else's phantom on Naraku, and instantly bristled.
"Ah—Naraku, you bastard! I knew you'd been with Kakashi too long and learned bad habits!"
Naraku's movement paused for a moment, then he crouched down and leaned on Shisui's shoulder, his aggrieved expression slightly exaggerated, and he "whispered" a complaint: "Can't I even say it when someone's not as skilled… Obito is so domineering…"
"A duel! I challenge you to a duel, you bastard!"
Obito tossed his crutch aside, hopped over on one leg, grabbed Naraku's collar, and turned to shout at Shisui.
"Hey, Shisui! You be the referee for us! I'll definitely beat this guy until he surrenders!"
Meanwhile, Shisui, standing nearby, had already crashed, completely bewildered as to why things had turned out this way in the blink of an eye.
Including Senior Naraku, how could such a gentle person suddenly… But the situation didn't allow for too much thought.
He quickly went over to support the wobbling Obito, attempting to control the situation.
"Big Brother Obito, take it easy… Hold onto your crutch… Whatever happens, wait until your injury heals…"
"No! I'm going to make him see what I'm capable of right now!"
"No, no, no… Senior Naraku, say something…"
"Obito, I'll give you one leg; come at me."
"You'd better not say anything, Senior Naraku!"
…The three of them were in a chaotic mess for a long time, eventually ending with Naraku easily knocking out Obito.
The youngest, Shisui, was utterly exhausted.
But after all that chaos, the negative emotions in his chest were completely washed away, leaving only the fatigue of wanting to go home and lie down in bed.
Walking out of the Hospital gate, seeing Naraku casually open his arms to lean on him again, Obito absolutely refused to let him carry him home.
Lord Obito couldn't afford to lose face like that.
As the two were bickering, a strange, round, bulky shadow quickly approached from a distance.
When the figure got a little closer and entered the light, Shisui realized it was Naraku's Shadow Clone, returning with the wild boar that had been killed earlier.
"It seems I've returned just in time."
Easily carrying hundreds of pounds of prey, the Shadow Clone still had energy to spare, and from behind him, he produced the wild rabbit Shisui had dropped in his panic; the poor little creature had been knocked unconscious when it fell down the dirt slope and hadn't woken up yet.
The Shadow Clone's lips curved into a gentle smile: "This should be important to you two?"
Shisui stared blankly at him; this was the Senior Naraku he remembered.
Seeing the little boy staring at him without answering, the Shadow Clone tilted his head in confusion, frowned at his main body, and silently asked with his eyes what had just happened.
Shisui snapped back to reality, realizing that the bickering between the two behind him had stopped at some point.
He turned around with a start, seeing Naraku's main body smiling rather bashfully.
It was as if, after being exposed by his Shadow Clone, he could no longer keep up the charade, and his gentle nature finally broke through the disguise and reasserted control over his body.
"Ahem, alright, alright."
Naraku forcibly ignored that hint of awkwardness, avoided Obito's teasing gaze, and looked up at the deep night sky, attempting to change the subject: "It's getting very late, shouldn't we head home soon?"
Shisui's eyes sparkled with countless stars, and he nodded vigorously: "Mhm!"
He had realized that the earlier spectacle was probably Senior Naraku's way of intentionally causing a ruckus so he wouldn't blame himself.
Given the senior's consistently kind and gentle personality, pretending to be sharp-tongued and making Big Brother Obito angry must have been difficult for him.
He couldn't let this kindness go to waste.
He had to take tonight's events as a warning, bear this lesson, and continue to work hard to become stronger.
Obito was just about to tease Naraku a bit, making fun of him for giving up so quickly.
Suddenly, he noticed Naraku had quietly moved next to him; he frantically tried to run, but before he could take half a step, he was caught.
Under Shisui's sparkling gaze, Naraku ignored Obito's resistance and struggles, directly picked him up in a bridal carry, determined to take him home that way.
The helpless Obito was frantic: "I told you I can walk myself! Naraku, you bastard, put me down!"
Naraku, however, feigned innocence, with a "I'm very worried about you" expression: "With you like this, it'll be dawn by the time you get home, won't it?"
"None of your business!"
Under the night sky, the boy's desperate cries were clear and loud, and completely useless.
—
Naraku: Give up, Obito, tonight I'm definitely going to embarrass you all the way home~
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