Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 538 Kurenai Yuhi is pregnant

"I went to the hospital for a check-up yesterday," Hong suddenly said, her hand unconsciously resting on her lower abdomen.

Asma shuddered, and the cigarette almost fell out of his mouth.

He turned his head abruptly, staring wide-eyed at Hong, his voice trembling slightly: "You're pregnant!"

The corners of her red lips turned up slightly, a smile he hadn't seen on her face in a long time—a gentle, slightly shy smile.

"Yes, it's been three weeks, and I just confirmed it today."

He reached out and took the cigarette from his mouth, stubbed it out between his fingers, then stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

His arms were wrapped tightly around her, as if he wanted to meld her into his body.

Her red forehead pressed against his chin, and he could feel his heart racing, the pounding of his chest heavy and rapid.

"Asma," Red's voice muffled against his chest, "do you think the child we have here will ever see the outside world?"

Sarutobi Asuma's arm stiffened.

Kurenai continued, "Perhaps in the future, the children in the village will never have seen the outside sky, and will never have been anywhere outside of Konoha."

"They don't know what color the sea is, they don't know that snow melts in your hand, they don't know what real stars look like at night. There are stars here too, you know, but they're not stars at all."

There are also points of light in the night sky here, but those points of light do not flicker or move. They are just rigidly fixed on the dome, like small holes poked out by someone, letting light from behind them through.

Those children who have never left this space believe that this is what the world is really like.

"Is it really the right thing for us to continue resisting?"

"Red." Asma loosened her grip slightly, cupped her face in her hands, and brushed her eyes with her thumbs. "Look at me."

Hong raised her head, her wine-red eyes glistening with tears, but they didn't fall.

"I assure you," Asma said, his voice low and firm, "our son will definitely be able to see the outside world. I will make sure he sees the sea, sees the snow, and sees the real starry sky."

"Sasuke and Naruto will definitely grow up in the future, after all, they have the mission of sealing the demons of the insects!"

Don't overthink it. We've sacrificed so much, how could we possibly give up halfway? Don't worry, the ninja world will definitely return to what it was before.

Hong was amused by his serious expression and laughed: "How do you know it's a son? What if it's a daughter?"

"A daughter is fine too," Asma grinned. "Anyway, she's our child, so anything is fine with her."

Hong gently punched his chest, but her smile didn't fade. The two stood there on the high ground, neither showing any intention of leaving.

Just then, the space flickered, and four figures walked towards Konoha Village from afar.

Upon seeing this, the two immediately became alert. Sarutobi Asuma gently nudged Yuhi Kurenai, saying, "Go back and inform the others!"

"Then be careful. If you really can't beat them, activate the barrier." After saying that, Kurenai Yuhi quickly disappeared from the spot.

However, less than ten seconds after she left, the four great masters of the craftsman village had already arrived at the village entrance.

"Initial Konoha, test strength, determine if it's up to standard." The four mechanically announced, their bodies conjuring various weapons.

Asuma did not hesitate, instantly channeling chakra into the chakra blades in his hands, the wind-attribute chakra attaching to the blades to unleash a double slash.

However, they found no signs of insects on them, which was completely out of character for the insect demons.

He frowned slightly and stood in front of the village entrance. "No matter who you are or how you got in, if you want to enter the village, you'll have to get past me first."

The four androids stopped simultaneously, and four special weapons popped out from their bodies.

"Obstruction detected, assessing strength."

"Judgment: Can be removed." The second person extended a slender rapier from his palm.

The third person remained silent; her weapon was the most peculiar—a thin steel wire, as fine as a hair, extended from the tips of each of her ten fingers, swaying gently in the air and almost invisible in the grayish-white light.

Asma didn't wait for them to make the first move; he suddenly lunged forward, leaving a trail of afterimages on the ground with his speed.

The chakra blades drew two silver-blue arcs in the air, heading straight for the first person's throat and chest. This was a skill honed on the battlefield, a preemptive strike to eliminate enemies as quickly as possible.

The chakra blade struck, but it generated a recoil force!

It's not muscle or bone inside; bone wouldn't have this metallic recoil force.

The android's expression remained unchanged; it didn't even look down at the blade embedded in its neck.

His long sword arm had already swept across.

Asma reacted extremely quickly, drawing his sword and leaning back. The blade of the long sword grazed the tip of his nose, severing a few hairs on his face.

But the second android's short blade was already thrusting from the left, and the third android's rapier blocked his retreat from the right.

Attacked simultaneously from three directions, without gaps or hesitation, with seamless coordination.

Asma gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and exhaled a burst of intense flame, accompanied by thick smoke.

His body quickly disappeared into the thick smoke. "What a troublesome opponent. Fire Release: Ash Burst!"

Their bodies tumbled in mid-air, their hands rapidly forming hand seals. Intense flammable smoke once again enveloped them, and the wisp of fire fell, creating a deafening explosion.

At this moment, the villagers were also awakened by the battle.

Their peaceful life, which had lasted for a year, was disrupted once again by the war, and they instinctively covered their ears and hid under cover.

"Oh no! The insect demons are attacking again!"

"Don't be nervous, everyone. It's not the Insect Demon!" Tsunade reassured them from her high vantage point, but no one listened. They remained immersed in their own world of fear.

"What? Why won't they let us go even after we've escaped here and are living such a miserable life?"

"I don't want to live anymore, I can't go on living!"

He said he wanted to die, but his body instinctively curled up, showing he didn't want to die at all.

"Fifth Hokage!" Kurenai finally returned, clutching her stomach and urgently saying, "Asuma is in danger! Go save him quickly!"

Tsunade quickly reached out to reassure her, "Don't worry, tell me who they are?"

Kurenai Yuhi shook her head and replied, "I'm not sure, but it doesn't feel like the minions of a demon."

"He'll be alright. Sarutobi Asuma is very strong." Tsunade said, then quickly disappeared.

Kurenai wanted to go with them, but Shizune stopped her, saying, "Don't worry, with the Hokage and the others there, everything will be fine. You're pregnant, so don't overwork yourself."

Kurenai nodded, but she was still uneasy.

"Asma, you promised to return safely. Our children are still waiting to see their father."