The night ensnares the forest in its dark embrace. The sky above is adorned only with small stars trapped behind thin clouds, shivering from the cold air that creeps down to the ground.
A fine mist begins to roll slowly between the trees, like ancient spirits quietly peeking from behind the shadows.
In the midst of the dense forest, a campfire flickers— the only light standing against the night. The flames dance and twist, casting silhouettes that sway on the ground and tree trunks.
The firelight reflects off the leaves, transforming the forest into a dim space filled with hushed whispers and long shadows that keep moving.
Two children lie near the fire, sound asleep on the ground covered with dry leaves and thin fabric.
Their breaths are calm, yet their small shoulders occasionally shudder from the cold that seeps in between. The blanket covering them only half conceals, revealing peaceful faces in slumber.
However, not far from them, two other figures sit in silence. They are only a few handbreadths apart, but the emptiness felt between them is like an invisible chasm.
The night bears witness to the tension that envelops the air around them—something colder than the mist and sharper than the mountain wind.
A girl sits hunched over, clutching a crumpled letter damp with tears. Her hand grips the paper like a life that is about to slip away.
Tears continue to fall from the corners of her eyes, tracing a path that moistens her cheeks down to her chin. Her eyes are swollen, red, and vacant, as she stares at the sheet as if the printed letters are cutting her heart one by one.
Meanwhile, beside her, a boy sits cross-legged with a tense body. The light of the fire casts shadows on his face, making his gaze appear like embers that have gone out.
The boy does not speak. He does not move. His eyes are fixed on the flames before him, as if trying to find words within the crackling fire.
They remain silent for a long time.
The wind blows, swaying the treetops. The campfire hisses softly as the wind touches it, scattering sparks that dance for a moment before dying in the air.
Then, the girl finally speaks—her voice soft, hoarse, as if each word that escapes tears at her throat.
"Why...? Why didn't you tell me all this from the beginning?!"
The voice breaks, not only from emotion but from the weight of sorrow too heavy for such a small chest to bear.
Mei bows her head deeper, her shoulders trembling. Her hand grips the letter tightly, the paper crumpling like her torn heart.
Aoki remains silent. His jaw tightens, his eyes no longer on the fire but slowly glancing towards Mei. Aoki's gaze is now filled with deep guilt, like a dark shadow from the past that suddenly ambushes him again.
But Aoki does not say a word. He merely lowers his face, hiding an expression that is hard to explain.
"Why! Tell me, Aoki! Tell me!!"
Mei looks up, tears flooding her face. Her voice echoes through the silent forest, bouncing off the old trees and reverberating back to her own ears.
Anger, disappointment, sadness, shock—all explode into one. Mei's reddened eyes pierce straight into Aoki's face, as if wanting to break through the last defenses of the boy.
Aoki swallows hard. His shoulders relax slightly. Then Aoki takes a deep breath—a breath that sounds heavy, not from fatigue, but filled with burdens long suppressed.
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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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