"What? No! I can't let you face them alone! Especially if they really are Anbu! That's insane!" I spoke with an angry tone, but there was a worry I couldn't hide.
I knew that if they were truly Konoha's Anbu, Aoki would lose.
Even if there were only two of them, they were elite trained shinobi, while Aoki was just a teenager, a Bounty Hunter who wasn't experienced enough to take them on.
My eyes widened in disbelief as I looked at Aoki.
I knew what I was saying was a bitter reality.
There was no other way; Aoki was just a young samurai who wasn't strong enough to withstand two Anbu.
And I, an Anbu from Kirigakure, knew very well how terrifying they were.
"Mei!" Aoki looked at me with eyes full of determination, glowing in the darkness of the forest.
Aoki's voice, though calm, carried a depth of firmness that cut through the hesitation in my heart. "There's no time to debate! If we fight here without a plan, we could all die!"
The atmosphere around us grew tenser.
The cool night wind had turned cold, biting sharply at our skin.
Every breath felt heavy, hindered by the tension that crept in the air.
The dark shadows of the trees seemed alive, moving slowly, casting strange reflections, making the atmosphere even more oppressive.
This forest became a silent witness, shrouded in thickening mist, as if nature itself was holding its breath, waiting for what would happen next.
They were not alone. That was clear.
"But!" I looked at Aoki, my heart racing, my breath quickening, as if there was a weight I couldn't release.
My eyes widened involuntarily, filled with a fear that was beginning to overflow.
My hands clenched at my sides, trembling slightly.
I wanted to say something, something that could change everything, but the words were trapped in my throat.
I knew they were stronger than you, Aoki! I knew that very well.
Yet, I couldn't say it.
I knew that if I fought them alongside Aoki, we would lose.
It was all my fault! If only I hadn't been injured when ambushed by Konoha's Anbu, if only I hadn't met Aoki, Tetsu, and Ajisai, maybe they wouldn't be in danger like this!
Why? Why did everything have to end like this? After losing my mother, my father, must I now lose someone else? Someone I considered a friend?
Ah! Do I... Do I still see Aoki as just a friend? No, I know... I know that since a few days ago, since we started spending time together, I began to feel deeper feelings.
Feelings that were more than just friendship.
But I held those feelings tightly, burying them deep in my heart.
I knew who I was—Mei Terumi, an Anbu from Kirigakure.
I was a ninja, a trained agent.
And Aoki? He was from Konoha, from the Land of Fire.
We came from two different worlds, and now Kirigakure and Konohagakure were at war.
I was here on a mission—an infiltration, gathering information from the Konoha side.
Because of that, even though I was starting to have feelings for Aoki, I kept them buried.
I could only consider Aoki a friend. Nothing more. That was what I had to do, even though I knew my heart said otherwise.
Yet, despite all that, I couldn't let Aoki face that Anbu alone.
I couldn't let my friend—yes, my friend fight alone.
The look in my eyes trembled involuntarily.
Fear and confusion blended into a single, perplexing feeling.
My heart raced, as if the whole world was waiting for the answer I would take.
Aoki then took a deep breath, releasing the pent-up tension.
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[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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