Arisu was searching for Uchiha Hikari in the Pure Land.
He found Uchiha Hikari's figure.
The location was at the very end of the Pure Land, at the boundary.
"Quite capable, actually managed to open up so much on your own...", Arisu nodded slightly and instantly arrived there.
What came into view was a thin and frail figure. The girl was wearing a Uchiha outfit that had been washed to the point of fading, looking dirty.
She was Nameless. At this moment, she was tightly gripping the pickaxe that Arisu had personally given her with both hands.
She stood on her tiptoes, using all her strength, swinging again and again toward the invisible yet real air wall of the Pure Land in front of her, digging with all her might, bit by bit expanding the boundary of this Pure Land.
Arisu stood quietly in the empty space not far away, not making a sound to disturb her, just watching her.
He watched as the girl's movements with the pickaxe gradually slowed down. It seemed she was tired, so she stopped forcing herself and sat down on the spot.
She tilted her head up and looked at the eternally clear sky of the Pure Land.
After resting for a moment and recovering some strength, she immediately grabbed the pickaxe again and threw herself back into the digging work, repeating the cycle.
What surprised Arisu was the color on the girl's face was far better than when she had been alive in his memory.
When she was alive, her eyes were filled with numbness, endurance, and an unshakable gloom. Her face was pale and haggard, like a flower battered by violent storms, on the verge of withering.
But now, her eyes were bright. Though her body was still thin, it carried a vitality she had never had before, no longer lifeless like before.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The heavy sound of the pickaxe echoed especially clearly in the silent boundary of the Pure Land.
At this moment, the space around Arisu rippled slightly, and his figure appeared out of thin air behind Nameless without any warning, making no sound at all, as if he had always been standing there.
"You seem to be enjoying it here."
A calm and gentle voice slowly sounded. There was none of the usual pressure in it, carrying a hint of warmth.
Arisu was this kind of person. When dealing with good people, he naturally had the bearing of a sage.
Nameless's pickaxe swung to a sudden stop. Her hands tightened slightly around the handle, and her body froze in place.
After a brief moment of daze, she suddenly turned around, her hair lifting slightly with the motion, and raised her eyes to see the figure in midair.
Arisu held the Six Paths staff, a faint soft glow hanging from it. His legs were crossed as he floated quietly in the air, his robes moving without wind, Truth-Seeking Balls suspended behind him.
"Six Paths Sage!"
Nameless cried out in shock. A trace of flattered surprise and panic flashed in her eyes as she hurriedly let go of the pickaxe.
The pickaxe fell to the ground with a clang.
She didn't have time to care about it. She immediately straightened her body and respectfully knelt on the ground to salute, her movements devout and restrained, afraid of showing the slightest disrespect.
Arisu slightly waved his hand and spoke in a calm tone, "No need for such courtesy."
Arisu lowered his eyes to look at the small figure of the girl at his feet. His voice slowed slightly as he continued to ask, "So? Five years in the Pure Land, how has it been?"
Hearing this, Nameless slowly straightened up and looked at Arisu. The tension on her face gradually melted into a pure and sincere smile.
"Very good, it's very good here. Thank you, Great Sage!", Nameless said with a sweet smile.
After speaking, she bowed deeply to Arisu again. This bow was filled with heartfelt gratitude, far more solemn than before, gratitude from the depths of her soul.
Arisu looked at her, his gaze slightly deepening.
With a hint of confusion in his tone, he slowly asked, "You don't resent me for killing you?"
As soon as those words were spoken, Nameless firmly shook her head.
Her eyes were full of gratitude as she looked at Arisu, her voice carrying a slight choke, "I don't resent you. I'm grateful to you! Thank you for ending my sinful and miserable life."
She clenched the corner of her clothes tightly. There was no hatred in her eyes, only relief, "When I was alive, I had no parents, no companions. I was never truly a person, just a tool for the Uchiha clan to use as they pleased."
"They forced me to kill, used jutsu seals to control me and bind me. I lived every day in pain and fear. I didn't even have my own will."
At this point, she raised her hand and gently touched her chest, a relaxed smile appearing on her face. "But after coming to the Pure Land, all those Uchiha seals that bound me disappeared. They can't control me or hurt me anymore. I'm free!"
"In the Pure Land, there's no fighting, no control. I don't have to kill, and I don't have to live in fear. It's carefree. These are the most peaceful and secure days I've ever lived in my life."
"...."
Arisu quietly listened to her words. His expression remained calm, but deep down he let out a slight sigh.
After a long time, Arisu asked again, "But you're still so young, at the best age of your life. There are still many beautiful things in the world that you've never seen or experienced. Staying in the Pure Land like this, don't you feel any regret?"
Hearing this, the smile on Nameless's face gradually faded. She lowered her head slightly, her long eyelashes falling to cover the emotions in her eyes, sinking into silence.
Her small figure stood at the boundary of the Pure Land, looking especially lonely.
Perhaps in moments no one knew, she had also longed for those lives she had never had. It was just that this longing had long been buried deep under the suffering of her past.
Arisu lowered his eyes to look at her dirty clothes, at her small hands covered in thin calluses yet still tightly clenched.
His thoughts suddenly drifted far away, recalling memories from his previous life, of those children living in war-torn and impoverished regions.
Girls of the same age, those born in peaceful and prosperous cities, could grow freely under the care of their parents.
In reality, they could travel to different places and see the landscapes of the world, have youthful and beautiful romances, check in at their favorite restaurants and scenic spots.
But those born into war and suffering were helpless from the moment they were born.
They were trapped in small villages their whole lives, unable to see the outside world. Marriage and love were decided by their parents at will.
Even having a full meal was a luxury. Some had to endure unimaginable hardships, tormented by fate, with even basic survival becoming a problem.
Same age, same pure girls.
Yet their fates were worlds apart, such a stark contrast.
After a long silence, Arisu looked at the still silent Nameless and spoke in the same calm tone.
"You're so young. Staying in the Pure Land will only make you miss many things. Are you willing to leave the Pure Land with me and start a new life?", Arisu asked softly.
Nameless was stunned for a moment, then slowly lowered her head.
"Immortal, thank you. I still prefer staying in the Pure Land. It's been five years, I've already gotten used to it..."
Nameless said in a low voice.
Arisu could see her hesitation.
Thinking about it, it was normal. Nameless had never experienced a normal person's life, never lived the life of an ordinary girl.
However, Arisu only wanted her to accompany Kaguya.
With Kaguya leading her, she could become a normal girl. She could watch dramas with Kaguya, learn how to dress up, and happily gulp down iced black tea.
[🎉 Shoutout to Paulius and CJ for joining p@treon. Thank you for keeping me motivated.🤗]
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