Chapter 151: The Shadow of Death

The air smelled of salt, the wind carried the sound of gentle waves, accompanying the survivors of Kirigakure's cruelest exam.

The boats drifted slowly toward the shore, heavy with scarred bodies, broken souls, and hollow gazes.

Some barely trembled, their eyes fixed on nothing, unable to process what they had endured.

Others clenched their fists, too filled with rage to accept that it was over.

And then, there were those who did not move at all.

Ren lay still.

His breathing was barely perceptible.

His skin was pale, like the morning mist.

He did not respond to anyone.

He was no longer present.

The same was true for Kurara, her body still unstable, her heartbeat weak.

Beside her, Misaki did not step away.

Her eyes remained fixed on the girl, her hands lightly clenched over her knees.

She didn't know why she was there.

But she couldn't turn away.

Next to her, Aoi kept monitoring Kurara's breathing, his face tight with concentration.

Not everyone had returned alive.

Along the deck of the boat, the Mist Anbu laid out four bodies, covered in white sheets.

One belonged to Munashi Touma.

The other three… were unrecognizable.

Their bodies had been completely charred by lightning.

No one could identify them.

Only one bore a distinguishing mark.

Bones protruded from their skin.

A member of the Kaguya Clan.

But who it was—was impossible to tell.

Not all enemies had been eliminated.

Zabuza lay unconscious, his body covered in wounds and cuts, but he was still breathing.

Sora sat on the ground, his body stiff, his head bowed.

He was not gravely injured.

But his gaze…

It was empty.

Not from the bitterness of defeat.

Not from fear.

But from remorse.

- - -

Shinji watched Ren, his face tense.

"He's still not moving…"

Aoi held his wrist, searching for any sign of improvement.

But there was nothing.

His hand was too cold.

Too lifeless.

Jun'ko bit her lip, struggling to contain her frustration.

Yukiko stood with her arms crossed, but her gaze was fixed on Kurara and Ren.

Shin, though still injured, had recovered enough to remain conscious.

"This can't be how it ends…"

No one had the courage to say anything more.

But they all shared the same fear.

The Fourth Mizukage showed no visible emotion.

But when his gaze fell upon Ren's battered body…

Something changed.

A barely perceptible shift in his expression.

A shadow of regret—almost nonexistent.

Only for a moment.

Then it vanished.

Around him, the Anbu remained impassive.

No one commented on the students' condition.

Kirigakure was not a village for the weak.

Yagura was not looking for pity in their faces.

He was looking for winners.

But this time, he was certain—these children had been victims of something far greater than themselves.

And he wanted to know who was behind it.

Fujino remained expressionless, his gaze fixed on the Mizukage.

But Lantern noticed something.

He slowly stepped closer to Yagura.

And without anyone else seeing, he whispered something in his ear.

His voice was low, barely a breath.

But the tension in the air changed.

Fujino didn't move.

But for a brief moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Lantern withdrew without another word.

° ° ° Between Reality and Dreams ° ° °

The air was still, suspended in a moment too perfect to be real.

There was no pain.

No wounds.

Only an endless sky, a clear and serene blue.

The grass beneath him swayed gently, caressed by a light breeze.

Ren slowly opened his eyes.

He didn't know where he was.

But for some reason, he wasn't afraid.

Only an odd sense of peace.

Then—

A faint sound.

Footsteps.

And a voice.

"I was waiting for you."

Ren turned.

And he saw her.

Kurara.

She stood just a few steps away, her face calm, a gentle smile on her lips.

She didn't look hurt.

She didn't look like she was suffering.

She simply looked… happy.

Ren stared at her, unable to speak for a moment.

Then, without thinking, he smiled.

Not a forced smile.

Not a sarcastic or bitter one.

A real smile.

One he had never had a reason to show before.

Kurara tilted her head.

"I've never seen you smile like that."

Ren lowered his gaze for a moment.

Maybe because… he never had.

Kurara took a few steps forward, her presence light, almost unreal.

"You're late."

Ren raised an eyebrow.

"Did you really think I'd get here first?"

Kurara let out a soft laugh.

"Still the same."

For a moment, everything felt normal.

As if there had never been a war.

As if there had never been battles, wounds, or blood.

Just the two of them.

But then, Ren's expression grew serious.

"Where are we?"

Kurara looked up at the sky.

"I don't know."

Then she lowered her eyes to him.

"But everything's fine here."

A light wind began to blow.

Stronger than before.

Kurara closed her eyes slightly, lifting her face toward the sky.

Ren tensed.

He didn't know why, but he felt something was wrong.

Then he saw it.

In the distance, beyond the endless horizon…

A shadow.

Small.

Far away.

But moving.

Kurara followed his gaze.

For an instant, her eyes darkened.

"Not yet…"

Ren turned sharply toward her.

"What does that mean?"

Kurara didn't answer immediately.

Then—

She smiled again.

But this time…

It was a sad smile.

The wind grew even stronger.

Kurara raised a hand, as if trying to stop it.

But the shadow kept approaching.

Ren felt a chill run down his spine.

Was this a dream?

Or was it something more?

Then—

A sound.

It did not come from the sky.

It did not come from the wind.

It was a distant sound, muffled.

A heartbeat.

A slow… but steady heartbeat.

Kurara lowered her hand.

She looked into Ren's eyes one last time.

"For now… let's just stay together a little longer."

The air remained light.

The wind brushed against the grass, the sky remained unchanging, infinite.

There were no missions.

There were no battles.

Only the two of them, suspended in a moment outside of time.

And for the first time, Ren stopped thinking.

He allowed himself to stay there, without questions.

Even if only for a moment.

Even if only for one last time.

But the shadow still drew closer.

° ° ° ° ° ° °

In the real world, in a hospital room, a hand twitched slightly.

Fingers trembled.

A heartbeat.

A slow… but steady heartbeat.

Naruto: The Mist Within - First Volume - The End.