Naruto: Manipulation-Chapter 162: Do You Think Seeing a Single Leaf Means You Have Seen the Entire Tree?

"What are you doing, Shigen?!"

Naruto Uzumaki stared in shock at the man before him.

Emiya Shigen!

How could it possibly be him?

Why was Shigen here, on the battlefield, at this moment?

And why—why was he helping Konoha's enemies attack Tsunade, who was maintaining the Four Red Yang Formation?

For Naruto, who had spent three to four years under Shigen's care and guidance, the thought of this man standing against him was unfathomable.

But compared to Naruto's disbelief, those in Konoha who truly understood Shigen's ways were utterly shaken.

No one—absolutely no one—could have imagined that the greatest medical ninja in the history of the Shinobi World was, in fact, the hidden master behind a dangerous organization that harbored S-rank rogue ninjas.

It made no sense.

There was no apparent connection between the two.

How could a man revered as a savior—a healer who stood like a divine guardian in people's hearts—be linked to an organization filled with outlaws?

"Lord Shigen..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, hesitated as he spoke.

His aged body trembled slightly, his face pale, devoid of the grandeur of the legendary shinobi he once was.

He couldn't fathom why Shigen had revealed himself at such a moment.

"This is impossible..."

Danzo Shimura, who had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right opportunity, had his eyes widen in an instant when he saw Shigen attack Tsunade.

Even Danzo—

Even he couldn't believe that Shigen was the true leader of the Akatsuki!

Both Hiruzen and Danzo had once traveled the world alongside Shigen, witnessing his boundless compassion as he healed the sick and wounded.

To them, Shigen was always a man of kindness—someone incapable of harming others, let alone endangering the Shinobi World itself.

That was why Danzo had always thought he could manipulate him.

How could such a man...

Be the leader of Akatsuki?

"This isn't real!"

Ignoring her injuries, Tsunade gritted her teeth and struggled to her feet.

She tried to step toward Shigen.

"Lord Shigen could never be—"

"When..."

Shigen's cold voice cut through the air like a blade as he gazed at the wavering Tsunade.

"When did you start believing that the Shigen you knew... was all there was to me?"

"No..."

Tsunade stumbled at his words but stubbornly kept moving forward.

She desperately wanted to defend him.

She desperately needed an answer for herself.

"Lord Shigen would never—"

She couldn't accept it.

She refused to believe it.

This was the same man who had given her warmth beneath his cold exterior when she was just a child.

The man who had gifted her an unforgettable childhood, a dream to chase, a back to follow...

Someone like that—

Someone who would never harm the world—

Why would he hurt her?

But then—

In the instant Tsunade finally reached him, Shigen suddenly raised his hand.

A blade of emerald-green chakra sliced through her chest.

In that moment—

Tsunade was an enemy.

At least, for now, he considered her one.

Blood splattered through the air, tracing the luminous arc of the chakra scalpel.

Horrified, the onlookers saw the green blade protruding from Tsunade's back.

"Tsunade!"

"Tsunade!"

"Lord Shigen..."

Tsunade ignored their cries.

Stubbornly, she lifted her head, trying to meet Shigen's gaze.

She wanted to see if there was any sorrow in his expression.

She wanted to know if there was some deeper reason behind his actions—if he was suffering from hurting her.

But—

There was nothing.

Shigen's face, once cold but layered with hidden warmth, was now devoid of anything but ice.

No trace of his past self remained.

Placing a hand lightly on her shoulder, Shigen showed no remorse for stabbing her.

His words, sharper than any blade, pierced deeper than his scalpel ever could.

"You've only seen a single leaf..."

"So why do you stubbornly believe you've seen the whole tree?"

"!!!"

Tsunade's heart shattered.

"But..."

"I suppose this isn't surprising."

A hint of contemplation flashed through Shigen's voice, before shifting to a tone of melancholy realization.

"The one leaf I left behind in this world... was enough to blind all of you."

Blood continued to flow...

Tsunade's expression twisted in pain, but as she looked at the green blade in her chest, a sudden spark of hope reignited in her eyes.

Her voice, once weak, now carried newfound resolve.

"You're wrong about one thing."

"Lord Shigen, you are a medical ninja."

Gripping Shigen's arm, Tsunade showed neither pain nor despair.

Instead, her eyes gleamed with determination.

"A mistake like piercing between the heart's chambers... should never happen to people like us."

"..."

Shigen furrowed his brow, puzzled by her insistence.

"This wound is enough to incapacitate you."

"I only needed your blood to summon Katsuyu. Killing you outright would be inconvenient."

"If that thought comforts you..."

"Then feel free to be happy about it."

"Because soon, your life and death will no longer matter."

Without hesitation, Shigen pulled his arm free, letting Tsunade collapse beside him.

Unfazed, he began weaving hand seals, pressing his palm against the air.

"Summoning Jutsu."

Using Tsunade's blood, he completed the summoning contract.

A technique like this—

Was only possible because they shared the same contract.

Boom!

A thick cloud of smoke erupted!

A massive slug emerged from within.

"Lord Shigen!"

The slug immediately recognized his chakra.

For the first time in a thousand years—

Shigen had summoned it once again.

Excitedly, the slug turned to greet him—only to notice Tsunade lying on the ground.

"Huh? Lady Tsunade? I'll heal you—"

"Don't bother."

Shigen's cold voice stopped it.

His eyes fell upon Nagato and Konan.

"Check on their wounds instead."

"Eh?"

The slug hesitated.

Just moments ago, Konoha's shinobi had been fighting Nagato and Konan.

But now...

"They are my comrades."

Shigen's eyes lifted slightly.

"...Understood, Lord Shigen."

The slug dared not question him further, splitting into two to attend to them.

Tsunade, still lying on the ground, heard every word.

Her eyes lost their light.

Shigen had never said such words to her.

He had never called her his comrade.

Everything—

It was all real.

The Akatsuki truly belonged to him.

Its members—

Were truly his allies.

"...Now."

"Your life and death no longer matter."

Shigen raised his hand once more, the emerald glow of the chakra scalpel flickering back to life.

"Tsunade!"

The voices of Hashirama and others rang out in alarm.

Any doubts they had before were now completely erased—

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Shigen intended to kill her.

But—

They were too far away!

Even the Flying Thunder God needed a marker!

The closest person—

Had already charged forward when Tsunade fell.

"Tsunade!"

Jiraiya's figure lunged toward Shigen.

Seeing the pain and confusion in Tsunade's eyes filled him with nothing but fury.

"You bastard..."

Clenching his teeth, Jiraiya slammed a Rasengan toward Shigen's chest.

"Do you know?!"

"Tsunade always admired you!"

Jiraiya's voice trembled with anger.

"She wanted to be just like you..."

But Shigen merely looked away.

"I am no longer who I was."

"A narrow-minded person who never understood me... do you expect me to praise her for copying a shallow imitation?"

"..."

Jiraiya clenched his fists.

Tsunade...

Had done everything for nothing.

Hashirama watched his granddaughter's bitter smile, his heart aching at the sight.

She had done so much—

Yet, in the end, she was nothing more than a narrow-minded fool in his eyes?

"Little Tsuna..."

The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, gazed at his granddaughter with sorrow.

Anyone who had ever witnessed how much Shigen doted on Tsunade as a child would never have believed that one day, he would be the one to hurt her.

But—

It had happened.

And now—

Hashirama clenched his fists, fury swelling within him as he turned toward Shigen.

Yet, as his eyes fell upon him, that anger gave way to something else—

Confusion.

And pain.

A feeling all too familiar—

The same pain he had felt when his dearest friend chose a different path from him.

"Why?"

Hashirama's voice was filled with sorrow, his gaze fixed on Shigen.

"Why did things turn out this way?"

A deep sadness overcame him, one he could barely contain.

He thought of his younger brother, the one he had always relied on.

With a quiet murmur, he asked, "Tobirama... tell me... why did Lord Shigen become like this? The man we knew was never someone who would harm others..."

"..."

Tobirama Senju lowered his gaze.

"Tobirama?"

Not hearing an immediate response, Hashirama felt something was off.

Tobirama had never hesitated to answer him before.

Even when their views clashed—

Tobirama always spoke his mind.

"Wait..."

Hashirama turned abruptly to face his brother.

Seeing the heavy look on Tobirama's face, an unsettling thought struck him.

His voice trembled as he asked,

"Tobirama... do you... know something?"

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