Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Page 346

A group of students had already gathered in the rehearsal room, most of them dressed in comfortable practice clothes, chatting or warming up in twos and threes.

In the crowd, you only recognized one familiar figure.

Tian Tian was practicing her steps with a pair of golden bells when she saw you walk in, and her face showed obvious surprise.

"Uchiha-kun?" Tenten put away her bell and walked over, her tone filled with curiosity. "Why did you also sign up for the festival parade?"

"I found it interesting." Your reason was so frank and straightforward that no one could find fault with it, nor could they discern your true intentions.

Tian blinked, and although she felt that the reason was a bit out of place for you, she didn't pay much attention to it.

With her cheerful personality, she quickly adapted to her role as a senior member, enthusiastically asking, "Have you decided which part of the parade you want to participate in? The requirements and performance styles are different for each part."

Which part? You're stumped. You're only thinking about signing up for the parade and know nothing about the specifics.

Seeing the fleeting look of confusion in your dark eyes, Tian Tian immediately understood.

"Oh, you don't know? Let me explain!" Tian Tian pulled you aside and explained as if she knew it all by heart.

"The festival procession generally consists of five parts: first, the advance procession clearing the way and maintaining order; then, the solemn and dignified procession of priests; followed by the Kagura performance, featuring various blessing dances;"

"Followed by a procession of ornately decorated floats and stage stands; the grand finale is the procession of the divine palanquin, symbolizing the descent of the gods to bless all living beings."

"Which part is the most popular?" You asked the core question directly, with a clear objective.

"Of course it's Kagura's performance!" Tenten answered without hesitation, her face filled with longing.

"Various kinds of blessing dances are the most attractive to the audience and can best showcase personal charm! This year I chose the lion dance, which is responsible for driving away evil and bringing good fortune to everyone!" she said, while making a majestic lion gesture, her eyes sparkling.

"Dance...is there really so many different kinds?" You felt a pang of regret because of the lack of information; things seemed more complicated than you had imagined.

“Yes!” Tenten nodded vigorously. “There are many kinds of Kagura dances, such as the Ono dance to pray for a bountiful harvest, the Lion dance to drive away disease, and the Deer dance to symbolize harvest and vitality, etc… However,”

She changed the subject and said with some regret, "The positions for clergy are now full, so the most important Kagura dance can't be performed."

Her gaze swept over you, noting your upright posture and smooth lines. Although your temperament was aloof and melancholic, your physique and natural coordination were undeniable.

Tenten had a sudden inspiration and suggested, "Uchiha-kun, you have such an outstanding aura and a great figure, why don't you... try dancing the deer dance? Although it's a bit different from your personality, that's precisely why the effect might be even more amazing!"

The deer dance symbolizes a bountiful harvest; its powerful movements are full of wild beauty...

It sounds like it doesn't require much facial expression management, focusing more on the control of strength and rhythm, which might be more suitable for you than those dances that require smiling.

"I understand." You nodded, accepting Tian Tian's suggestion.

It saves you the trouble of making your own choices, since your goal isn't to enjoy the process, but the result: gain popularity and win prizes.

"Oh, right," Tian Tian said, clapping her hands as if she had just remembered something, a bright smile on her face.

“I know a teacher who is very good at the Deer Dance! She is a ninja from the Inuzuka clan. Her movements are very powerful and she has a very good grasp of the essence of the Deer Dance.”

She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said with a hint of sharing a secret, "And it just so happens that this weekend is Ya's birthday. If we visit her with a gift and are sincere, she might be so pleased that she'll recommend you for the position of High Priestess of the Deer Dance!"

It's obvious that you're particularly interested in this march, which makes her more willing to offer help.

"Is there anything special about the High Priestess of the Deer Dance's identity?" you caught the key phrase.

Your intuition tells you that this identity might be a key part of the plan.

"Of course it's special!" Seeing your interest every day, I explained even more enthusiastically.

"Being the high priest isn't just about standing at the front of the procession. First of all, you have a lot of freedom; you can freely interact with the onlookers on both sides of the road!"

Unaware of your inner thoughts, Tian Tian excitedly added, "More importantly, as the High Priest, your presence will be extremely strong! The entire Deer Dance team will largely be led and driven by you."

"If it weren't for the extremely high difficulty of the High Priest's movements, which demand exceptional strength, endurance, and expressiveness, the level of attention she receives would be no less than that of the universally admired Kagura Shrine Maiden!"

Strong presence...the focus of the entire event...

These words are like the final piece of a puzzle, completely completing the blueprint of your plan.

What you need is attention, a sense of presence, to be seen and remembered by as many people as possible, and to attract so-called popularity.

Free interaction, coupled with a strong sense of presence.

This means you can strategically seek attention and favor, instead of passively waiting for judgment.

You look up at Tian Tian, ​​who is still happy.

This time, your gratitude is no longer just a superficial politeness, but carries a real weight.

"Tian Tian, ​​thank you. If you ever need any help in the future, please feel free to come to me."

Feeling a little embarrassed by your sudden, formal thanks, Tian Tian waved her hand, a bright yet slightly shy smile on her face. "Oh, don't be so formal! We're friends, helping each other is only natural!"

Kiba Inuzuka grabbed his bag and prepared to rush out almost the instant the bell rang, most likely because he was in a hurry to take Akamaru on their daily patrol.

He had just taken a step when a fair hand precisely grabbed the back of his collar.

"Hey! Who is it? Can't you see where you're going..." Ya turned around unhappily, but his angry question stopped abruptly when he saw who was behind him, stuck in his throat.

A girl who usually keeps a distance from everyone, with eyes so cold they can freeze the summer sun.

At this moment, you are frowning slightly, and the knuckles of your fingers gripping his collar are turning white from the force, but your expression remains as calm as ever.

"Nagi?" The impatience on his face was instantly replaced by surprise and a hint of barely perceptible delight, and his voice unconsciously lowered, "Why are you stopping me?"

Before all the students in the classroom had left, several people had already turned their curious eyes over.

You're not used to being watched like this, so you let go of her hand, your gaze shifting slightly to the window frame beside you. "Um... what do you like?"

The question was so abrupt that I was stunned for a moment, my brain racing.

This guy, who's too lazy to even talk to anyone, suddenly came up to him and asked what he liked. Considering his birthday was coming up, a highly probable answer exploded in his mind like fireworks.

Kiba Inuzuka's eyes lit up instantly, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, with a hint of roguishness and an undisguised surprise.

He deliberately moved closer, able to smell the faint scent of soap in your hair, and asked a series of questions in his usually loud voice, with a hint of mockery.

"Huh? Why are you asking this? Do you have a crush on me?" His voice rose at the end, his smugness almost overflowing. "Could it be—because of my birthday present?"

His voice indeed drew more sidelong glances and whispers from the students who hadn't left yet.

Your brow furrowed even more. I didn't expect Kiba Inuzuka to be so narcissistic and blunt, directly piercing through that thin veil and making it known to everyone.

You take a deep breath, force yourself to turn your gaze back, and meet those bright, gleaming eyes that seem to say, "Just admit it," in a tone that tries to salvage the situation.

"...Birthday present." It was as if he were just completing a to-do list.

Chapter 333 Summer Festival Dance (7)

But to Ya, those four simple words were tantamount to an admission.

His smile grew even brighter, radiating the pride and satisfaction of being noticed by someone he cared about.

He crossed his arms, and Akamaru barked twice at his feet, seemingly cheering on its master.

"Oh—a birthday present." Ya drawled, his eyes scanning your forced composure, deliberately teasing you.

"I'm truly honored that the proud Uchiha clan would go to the trouble of preparing a gift. However, when it comes to gifts, surprises are always the best approach; asking directly is just too boring."

He took another step closer, exuding a hunting-like pressure, and watched as you subconsciously leaned back slightly, clearly pleased.

"Or... why don't you guess? If you guess right, you get a prize; if you guess wrong..." He drawled, giving a wicked laugh, "...you'll have to grant me one request."

The jeers around you grew louder, and you felt like you were on a hot seat, caught in a dilemma.

You recall the first day of school, when this boisterous boy stood on the podium, holding Akamaru, and loudly announced his hobby.

"Is it dog food or beef jerky?" Based on this meager memory, you tentatively gave two answers that seemed to best fit Kiba Inuzuka's character.

"Nothing's right! Uchiha Nagi, are you deliberately trying to annoy me?" Kiba Inuzuka immediately jumped up, his cheeks puffing out as if he had been greatly insulted.

Your silence means you truly couldn't guess.

The significance of giving a gift lies in its practicality or the recipient's explicit expression of desire. However, your knowledge of Inuya's preferences, apart from ninja dogs and food, is almost entirely blank.

Continuing to guess is simply a waste of time.

You chose the most efficient solution—to admit defeat.

"What are your requirements?" You showed no resentment, no curiosity, only a calm desire to finish quickly and end the conversation.

Seeing how decisive you were, Ya was secretly pleased, but he still pretended to be calm and deliberately said, "Why don't you try to guess again? Don't say I'm making things difficult for you."

He wants to see if you will react differently.

"...No." Your answer was firm and decisive, without even the slightest hesitation.

Seeing your utterly hopeless expression, where any request would be better than continuing to guess, Ya found it strangely...cute? He quickly shook off this absurd thought.

Knowing when to stop, Kiba Inuzuka quickly explained, "It's not difficult at all! It's very simple, it's just... just taking a picture with me!"

After he finished speaking, he looked at you nervously, afraid of being refused. After all, you are someone who often misses even group activities, so asking you to cooperate with taking photos sounds like a pipe dream.

"Take a photo?" You don't quite understand what this request means.

To you, this seems even more intangible than preparing a physical gift. "When will we take the photos?"

"Right now!" Kiba Inuzuka, afraid you'd change your mind, disregarded all etiquette and dragged you towards the photo studio. Akamaru excitedly followed at your feet, barking.

You didn't struggle, you just followed passively, still finding the equation "birthday gift = photo" somewhat unbelievable.

When I arrived at the photo studio, luckily the owner hadn't closed yet.

The store is decorated in a warm and inviting style, with various styles of samples hanging on the walls.

Kiba Inuzuka had clearly planned this all along. Pointing to one of the example images, his eyes gleamed, and he asked in a tone that was both embarrassed and expectant, "Hey, Uchiha, what...what do you think of this pose?"

Looking in the direction he pointed, in the example picture, a man and a woman are embracing tightly, their cheeks close together, smiling brightly, with ambiguous bubble effects in the background.

Your gaze lingered on the photo for two seconds, then slowly shifted back to Ya's face. Your dark eyes remained calm and unwavering as you earnestly asked, "Do you want to die?"

There was no threatening tone, not even any emotional fluctuation; it was as natural as asking about today's weather.

But it is precisely this calmness that makes the destructive power of this statement increase exponentially.

Kiba Inuzuka's face instantly turned bright red. He jumped back half a step, angrily retorting, "If you don't like it, you don't like it! Why are you being so fierce!"

He felt his little secret thoughts had been ruthlessly exposed and trampled on, and Akamaru's ears drooped.

Finally, under the landlady's amused gaze, you chose the most normal-looking pose for a group photo, standing side by side against a simple backdrop.

"Alright, you two, look at the camera! Boys, you can smile more, and girls... um, young lady, could you soften your expression a little?"

"Yes, it's that feeling, a mix of admiration and secret liking..." the proprietress tried her best to guide him.

He grinned at the camera, revealing a wide, youthful smile.

You, on the other hand, need to follow the instructions and, as someone who has a crush on someone, slightly tilt your head and gaze at Ya's profile.

On your first attempt, your gaze is as if you are observing an object.

"No, no, young lady, your eyes need to have emotion! It's a crush, you know? It's that feeling of wanting to get close but not daring to, secretly watching him!" the proprietress shouted.

On your second attempt, you tried to recall, but your eyes remained vacant, even carrying a hint of research.

"Try again! That look is too cold!"

The third time, the fourth time...

The proprietress was almost ready to give up, and Kiba Inuzuka's smile was starting to falter. He secretly glanced at you and saw that you were still expressionless, which made him feel a little disappointed.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly awkward, you seemed to take a deep breath.

When I closed my eyes and opened them again, my dark eyes had truly changed!

It lacks the shyness and sweetness of a typical young girl in love, but possesses a gentle tenderness.

The contrast between your gaze and your overall cold demeanor creates an eerie charm.

That one glance!

The proprietress keenly captured the moment and pressed the shutter.

"OK! Perfect!" The proprietress looked at the finished product and nodded in satisfaction.

In the photo, Kiba Inuzuka, with his sunny and cheerful laughter, and the melancholy girl beside him gazing at him tenderly, create a highly dramatic scene.

When Ya received the photo, she stared at it with an expression she had never seen before. She was stunned at first, then couldn't help but break into a silly smile. She held the photo like a treasure, grinning from ear to ear.

Looking at him like this, you recalled the trouble he had caused before and couldn't help but mutter to yourself, "Childish."

"What did you say?" Tooth immediately raised his head and looked at you warily.

"It's nothing," you denied without batting an eye, blatantly lying.