Chapter 34

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The inside of the house was hiding an unusual dread, Hanako felt like there was something wrong as soon as she stepped in. She hurried down the long hallway towards the room the three girls shared and slid the door open.

Hikari was coughing her insides out on the floor, blood trailing down her chin. She looked terrible. Bags under her eyes, chipped lips and a certain look of fatigue. In a hurry, Hanako left the room and came back moments later with a glass of water. "Here drink this."

She accepted the drink with an apologetic smile, as if sorry for becoming a burden. The liquid felt magical as it moved down her throat. Hanako let go of the glass and helped her up. After making sure her sister was comfortable again, she hurried out the door and into the main office.

Madara hadn't really done anything besides review other petitions that arrived earlier, but it didn't mean he had been busy. Hanako supposed he had been slacking the last few days, since he wasn't accustomed to being the clan leader.

"We need to talk," she said once she stood in front of him. Madara glanced up from his work and smiled sightly.

"What about?"

"My sister. She's not okay, is there anyone here who could possibly treat her? A medic? Or someone who knows about medicinal herbs?"

Madara huffed. "We don't have medics. Some women downtown may know about herbs, but mainly for the purpose of treating injuries." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Your sister doesn't seem to have a visible wound, if it's an illness you're talking about then there's nothing we can do."

Hanako grit her teeth. In this aspect, the Uchiha were really inferior to the Senju, but these were thoughts she couldn't voice out loud. The only option she had left to find a possible cure for her sister was recurring to the Senju once again. "Damn, you don't seem worried at all."

He straightened up crossing his arms over his chest. "Why would I be?"

"I would have thought you would be a tad concerned about a member of the clan dying, but I guess you're so used to it that you don't even mind."

With narrowed eyes, Madara stood from his place and walked over to her. His gaze made her feel so small, but Hanako didn't flinch. "Have you ever experienced the death of a sibling, Hanako?" he asked. "Do you think I'd be that heartless if I hadn't already been through it?"

"I'm making sure I don't get to experience it so soon. I do have siblings to worry about, and that's what I'm doing." Hanako looked at him with fierce eyes. "As I suppose you would do if it were Izuna in that situation." Without a second thought, Hanako turned on her heels.

Madara put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from leaving. "What are you planning to do?"

"Hikari needs a medic. If the Uchiha doesn't have one, then I'll go somewhere I know there is one."

Medics were rare, and Madara knew that. Illness was a grave matter in that time, life expectancy was barely above 30 years due to the war and sickness. But the Senju Clan found a way to deal with that, and they were training themselves not only as ninja but as medics as well. "Don't tell me..." Madara's gaze hardened. "You'll go to that limit."

"If I have to recur to the other half of my lineage for Hikari's health, I will." Hanako turned to him. "Which reminds me, Hashirama-san gave me a message for you."

Madara was astounded. Hanako's actions were sometimes so unpredictable that not even he could tell what she had been doing or was going to do. Hanako continued, "Now that you are both leaders, you can stop this conflict. You can let go of the past, and free the new generations of this eternal battle."

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