Chapter 42 – Reboot
With a goal in mind, I analyze my chakra network.
Chakra starts in every cell of our body. It starts with the physical energy every cell produces. This energy is carried over by the network to the heart where it is refined into chakra when spiritual energy is added. The dantian then stores most of the chakra and the network focuses on distributing it to where it is needed in the body.
In that case.I look at all the chakra in my body. I avoid looking at the blinding white chakra pathways, instead, I stare at the most minute amount of chakra in every one of my cells.
Chakra is made from spiritual energy. That is why it is controllable, but our chakra is also deeply connected to our soul.Chakra is what is used for reincarnation. Chakra is what is used to leave behind one's will.
In that case, I need to do something else firstI first need to bind my soul to my chakra.
At any other moment, I would have just said it was impossible without a chakra technique. But this is not any other moment.
I can feel my soul trying to leave my body. Thus I can find my target. I latch onto it, I use my every will, my full intent to tie my soul down into my chakra.
IT HURTS LIKE HELL.Like a million knives being stabbed in every single atom of my body.But I ignore the pain, I persist.For myself and to save others from pain.
Slowly but surely my soul gets glued to my chakra. I can feel that I won't pass on now. Not until my chakra dissipates from my dying flesh.My soul is not in my chakra, but so long as a final ember remains, it's not going anywhere.
Now for the second part.I push my intent into every cell in my body. An intent to burn my chakra into life for my cells.I need to push it several more times until I finally see my intended result happen in a few cells.
Some of my chakra is gone. But in every cell where it is gone, physical energy, and thus life is returned to it.Once I realize how it’s being done consciously it becomes simpler to coerce the process.
I take it very slowly. Not every cell needs energy, most can starve for some time and I need to be very stingy with my leftover chakra.
I open my senses again.My head becomes clearer as my brain has energy once more.Sound fills my ears and time no longer seems to stand still.
“Did you see my finger anywhere Kakuzu”“No”“Don’t tell me they grabbed it before running away. Who the fuck would do such a thing.”“Idiot…”
I can hear Hidan and Kakuzu’s talk as they walk away.
I need to play dead for longer. That’s easy, I am dead already in a way. I’m not breathing, my heart isn’t beating. My own chakra is returning the life it took back to me, for now…
I slow down my body as much as possible. My blood doesn’t need to flow, my kidneys and stomach don't need to work right now.I set just about everything except my brain on standby to consume as little energy as possible.
Then I also slow down my thoughts.
I let 30 minutes pass before I’m finally confident enough that the zombi combo has left for good.
Let’s start things slow. I open my eyes and see the same forest scenario I last saw before I died.For now, I’m considering myself dead. This is just borrowed time.It takes a few tries before I manage to move to a sitting position while using as little of my muscles as possible.
I keep my movements slow, conserving my physical energy and thus my chakra. I open my supplies and grab some bandages. I wrap one around my leg and another around my heart.If my heart was still beating they wouldn’t have been enough to prevent blood loss. But without a pulse, they just need to act as a barrier so more of my blood doesn’t fall from my body due to gravity.
A wave of nausea passes through my head. I bend my chest down and puke onto the ground. With my stomach stopped, that cancer of a finger was wreaking havoc.It might have saved my life but I’m still not returning it. I bring it along as a souvenir for now.
Now… to head home... or at least to safety for now.
I can’t generate any more chakra without a functioning heart. I need to either get mine healed or another transplanted… ala Kakuzu… fucking zombie combo…
I’ll make Hidan suffer forever if I ever get my hands on him.
Without being able to generate chakra, I have no choice but to slowly walk my way back. No running and no body-flicker… I don’t know how long it’s going to take to reach a town. I just pray my chakra can last until then…
It was now a week since Team 10 had encountered Akatsuki’s Hidan and Kakuzu.
Anko was leading the search team for Yami comprised of 4 Jonin and 2 Chunin.
Of the Jonin besides Anko, there was a member of the Hyuga side-branch and 2 Jonins specialized in combat.
As for the Chunin, one was a rare medical ninja, and the other was an Inuzuka clan member with his ninken sent to assist with tracking down Yami, having been given a sample of his used clothes before.
They had just passed the town Anko and the rest of team 10 had retreated to and once they confirmed they had no news of Yami or other relevant ninjas. They got on their way heading towards where Anko last saw Yami and Hidan.
No sooner after they entered the forest Anko summoned a big snake.This one in particular had once had a good taste of Sakura.
“Remember Yami girl, I need you to find him for me”
“Isn’t it too soon? You told us you left him over 50 kilometers to the west” The Hiuga clan member asks.
“He might have made his way closer since.”“That makes no sense, he either died in place or got taken, there is no way he-”“HE’S ALIVE. Now stop wasting time and let’s go” ‘He has to be alive. He wouldn’t abandon me.’ Were the thoughts repeating themselves in Anko's mind.
The team had only run for less than an hour, less than 5km away when the snake and ninken caught onto his scent. As they headed several kilometers closer the Hyuga soon saw their target.
“There’s a… body on the ground”“YAMI”
Lying on the ground they found Yami’s lifeless body.
Anko rushes to hug him as tears well in her eyes. Her emotions leaving her unable to realize the strangeness of the situation.It was the words of one of the combat Jonin that woke her up from despair.
“This makes no sense at all. It’s been a week but the body is as fresh as if it’d just died, but if that’s the case why is there no blood outside bandaged wounds, and why is it so far away from the reported region.”
As they look the west they notice clear signs, Yami had walked his way there before falling down.Anko gurgles an order
“HEAL HIM!!”
The medical ninja shows reluctance, noticing the unnaturally grey color from the lack of blood in Yami'sskin, but he follows orders and raises Yami’s upper body, holding him in a seated position.
He starts performing the Mystical Palm Technique on Yami, as Anko starts unbandaging Yami to assess the situation.Yami's body feels cold to the touch.
As the bandage on his chest is unwrapped they see nothing… an actual hole showing the other side.
“He’s… dead… There is no surviving a missing heart. Even if it had been ripped out right now I would be just as powerless to save him”
The medical ninja stops wasting his chakra and lets go of Yami
“Nooo!!!! don’t stop!!!”The medical ninja ignores Anko’s grief and turns his back
“YAMI! YAMI! DON’T YOU FUCKING DIE NOW.THIS ISN'T FUNNY. DON’T LEAVE BEHIND SAKURA AND HINATA.DON’T LEAVE… me…"
Anko screams loud enough to raise the dead. And from Yami’s mouth, a small whisper leaks out...
“... ...chakra.”