Chapter 21: An Unwelcome Alliance
"Ah! It's Ryouma! How are you guys doing? Run into any trouble?" Naruto greeted him cheerfully before suddenly zipping right up to Ryouma, peering at him with intense curiosity.
"You... what are you doing?" Ryouma was so startled he took a few steps back, his mind conjuring images from the anime of Naruto's... persistent focus on Sasuke. He wasn't entirely convinced the boy didn't have some strange tendencies.
"Hehe..." Naruto suddenly laughed, which did nothing to calm Ryouma's nerves.
"I knew it!" Naruto declared, pointing a finger. "Looking at how beat up you are, you must have had your scroll stolen!"
"No." Ryouma's face was a picture of deadpan disbelief, though he found Naruto's bluntness oddly refreshing.
"Hmph, then why are you here? Surely not just for a friendly chat." Sasuke's tone was icy. His gaze swept over Hinata and Kiba as they caught up. "Are you here to steal our scroll?"
His words instantly chilled the air. Hinata and Kiba, unsure of the context but feeling the sudden tension, stayed silent, looking to Ryouma for guidance.
Ryouma frowned, about to explain, but Naruto cut him off, yelling at Sasuke, "Sasuke, what's your problem?! They're from Konoha, just like us! We should be teaming up against the genin from other villages! And hey, I just thought of something—"
"Naruto, shut up!" Sasuke snapped. "This is the Chūnin Exams. Anyone could be an enemy. Besides... we can't even be sure they are really Ryouma and his team."
"Sasuke..." Sakura murmured softly, but a sharp glare from him silenced her.
"If that's how you feel... then we're sorry to have bothered you." Ryouma had his own pride. Coming to Sasuke's team for help had required a lot of mental preparation, and being met with such hostility meant he wouldn't lower himself to beg.
"Hinata, Kiba... let's go." Ryouma was the first to leap into the trees, moving away at a deliberate pace.
Thud.
Kiba nodded. He wasn't particularly close to Naruto and felt no attachment to the group. Sasuke's words had left a bad taste in his mouth. He followed Ryouma onto the tree trunk.
"Naruto-kun..." Hinata glanced at Naruto, her expression worried, then looked toward the retreating Ryouma. Hesitating for a moment, and seeing Ryouma was already far ahead, she quickly bowed to Naruto's team and hurried after them.
Ryouma slowed his pace slightly, waiting for Hinata and Kiba to catch up. "I'm sorry," he said with a faint, apologetic smile. "That was... a bit impulsive of me."
"Hah! No, Ryouma, you did the right thing this time! A man's gotta have some pride!" Kiba grinned, giving him a thumbs-up.
Ryouma's smile widened. Though he and Kiba had started off on the wrong foot, their time together had forged a solid partnership. Kiba's straightforward nature was a welcome change from the constant scheming and deception of his past life.
"Still," Ryouma said, his expression turning serious, "just because they were harsh, doesn't mean we should be heartless. Let's stop here." He dropped down to the forest floor, and Hinata and Kiba landed beside him.
"Ryouma, what's the plan now?" Kiba asked, confused.
Hinata also looked at him, not understanding his intention.
"If the people chasing us run into Naruto's team, what do you think will happen?"
"Oh... I see." Kiba nodded, a look of understanding dawning. He punched Ryouma's shoulder playfully, then asked with genuine concern, "But even if we go back to help, can we really make a difference?"
It was a valid question. On paper, Ryouma—who could smash Orochimaru's summons with a single technique—and Naruto—the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—seemed like a powerful combo. But Ryouma, knowing the plot, understood that Orochimaru was not an enemy to be taken down so easily.
"Hinata, keep an eye on them with your Byakugan."
"Yes! Byakugan!" Hinata nodded vigorously. The veins around her eyes bulged as she activated her dōjutsu. A moment later, she gasped. "What...!"
"Sasuke, you know they're the real deal! They didn't mean any harm!" Naruto argued, throwing his hands up in frustration.
"Whether they meant harm or not is irrelevant..." Sasuke replied, his brow furrowed in concentration. His eyes were fixed on a towering tree to their side. "...But I know someone who does is here." He raised his voice. "If you want our scroll, then show yourself!"
"What?!" Naruto and Sakura exclaimed in unison, whipping their heads around to follow Sasuke's gaze.
"Hehehe... You really are the one I've had my eye on..." A cold, slithering voice echoed from the tree. Orochimaru, moving with the grace of a serpent, dropped down from the branches. His long tongue flicked out, wetting his lips. "Uchiha Sasuke!"
"Hinata, what is it?!" Ryouma's heart jumped into his throat at her gasp.
"O-Orochimaru... he's found Naruto's team!" Hinata reported, her voice trembling slightly as she looked to Ryouma for a decision.
"If Lord Orochimaru is there... then we are here too!" Two figures from Orochimaru's team materialized in front of Ryouma's group, blocking their path.
"Tch, tch, tch... Boy," one of the masked Kusa-nin said, his voice dripping with condescension, "your chakra and your body are in no state to use that powerful jutsu again."
Ryouma's fists clenched. He couldn't see their expressions behind the masks, but their mocking tone was clear enough.
"Hinata, Kiba, get out of here," Ryouma ordered, his voice tight. "These two are out of your league. Go, now..."
"No." Hinata's voice was quiet but firm. She had steadied herself after the initial shock of their appearance.
"What?" Ryouma frowned, turning to her, his anxiety spiking. "Don't be stubborn! Leave! Their strength—"
"They are very strong, I know," Hinata said, offering him a small, brave smile. "But I have my Byakugan. I can still help you."
Has she... grown? Did my presence change the plot, making Hinata mature earlier?
But... this growth is happening at the worst possible time!
While Ryouma had his system, he didn't have Naruto's cheat-code ability to tap into the Nine-Tails' chakra in a moment of rage. Right now, he wasn't even sure if he could muster another Great Ball Rasengan.
Staring at the two enemy ninja, a cold dread settled in Ryouma's stomach. He was truly at a loss for what to do next.