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Could they, though? Could they leave the man at the whims of Konohagakure's R&D department to search for a cure that may not have existed? Could they risk the danger of the man's presence reanimating the dead of the village? Could they allow the old man's bloodline to continue existing, to be utilised as a weapon for those with their own dark desires? Could they?

In a perfect world, maybe they could have. Maybe they wouldn't have needed to kill a man who had suffered for so many decades. Maybe they wouldn't have allowed such guilt to stain their hearts. But it wasn't a perfect world. Haruka knew enough that such a world was near-impossible to strive for, but he longed for it all the same.

"[color=007236]How do you want to help him?[/color]" the green-haired chunin asked quietly, turning to look at his companion. "[color=007236]How can you help somebody who utterly desires death?[/color]"

Death was final. The deeds, dreams and beliefs of a person were snuffed out in an instant as their soul left the Impure World for the Pure one that lay beyond life's horizon. It was never easy to subject someone to it.

Haruka understood why Dotorame was hurting. He knew what it had felt like once, to experience the pain and guilt that washed over him after his first kill. The kill that stuck with him. The one that continued to lie there in the background.

"[color=007236]What would you do, Osumari-kun?[/color]" he continued. "[color=007236]What [i]could[/i] you do?[/color]"

Dotorame sought to save the old man. The old man sought salvation through death.

Preserving life was important. It was a reason why Haruka had joined the shinobi forces; to protect the people of his village.

Saving the man preserved his life. Killing him preserved the lives of potential others in the future.

Was the latter a choice Dotorame could truly face?