They were so skilled at hiding, more than I could have imagined.
Anger. That's what I felt. I was truly angry. Angry at someone, or perhaps a group of people from the village of Kirigakure who foolishly leaked information about this mission to Anbu Konoha.
Our mission, which was supposed to go smoothly, had now ended in an ambush that left us separated. I was injured; my shoulder still throbbed from the attack. I couldn't forget that moment—Aoki, Tetsu, and Ajisai… they shouldn't have been involved in this chaos. They shouldn't have been here, hurt because of someone else's foolish decision.
If only that information hadn't leaked, we would all have remained intact, and I wouldn't have to face this reality—I wouldn't have endangered them. This was all their fault. They were the ones who had betrayed us.
When I returned, I swore to find out who had sold our mission information. No matter who they were, or what their position was in the village of Kirigakure, I would make sure to dig up that information. I would find them, and they would feel every torment they deserved.
Ten minutes passed. Every second felt like a weight pressing down on my chest, like a stone that couldn't be released. This tension, which hung between us, was like an unavoidable shadow.
My breath grew heavier, and the air felt thicker, almost making it hard to breathe. My heart pounded loudly, as if beating in time with every step we took.
Aoki finally signaled with a slowly raised finger. A subtle movement full of meaning, without words, immediately understood by the three of us.
Tetsu, Ajisai, and I moved instantly, no sound, just the echo of our footsteps among the large trees. We ran in the silence of the night, only the dim light of the moon guiding us through the dark forest.
I stayed behind, keeping a distance between us and ensuring Tetsu and Ajisai remained safe. My body felt tense, my eyes never leaving every movement around us. I was aware that in a situation like this, anything could happen in an instant. I had to stay alert.
Suddenly, I saw something that caught my attention. Aoki stopped. Aoki's movement was so sudden, and I could feel the tension in Aoki's body, as if Aoki knew something I couldn't see.
Calmly, Aoki extended his right hand, reaching for the hilt of the katana sheathed at his waist. Aoki's fingers gripped the leather handle tightly, the muscles in Aoki's arm tensed, ready to draw the sword with lethal speed.
In an instant, Aoki drew his sword. The sound of the blade sliding from its sheath was sharp, almost like thunder slicing through the silence of the night.
The moonlight filtering through the branches reflected off the sharp blade. I could feel an aura of change around us—the sound grew louder, adding to the tension in the air.
Aoki turned, his gaze piercing through the darkness. It was not an ordinary look. Aoki's eyes were filled with determination, full of vigilance. In a moment, Aoki saw something I couldn't.
"Come out." Aoki's voice was so cold, echoing in the quiet night, piercing through all the silence that existed.
Aoki's voice—sharp and commanding—seemed to urge the darkness to reveal itself.
That was the last moment I saw Aoki in the stillness of the night before I turned my body and continued to run quickly, trying not to look back. I had to protect Tetsu and Ajisai. I had to ensure they were safe.
I ran ahead, my body feeling faster, but my heart and mind couldn't shake the image of Aoki now facing something unseen.
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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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