Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Page 159

Yahiko's voice came from afar. You barely opened your eyes and saw the orange-haired youth leaning over from the adjacent rocking horse, his brows slightly furrowed.

The sunlight gilded him, making him look like a god who had stepped out of an ancient mural.

"Don't you like it?" Yahiko's voice was filled with genuine concern.

You want to answer, but you can only manage a muffled nasal sound. You try to force a smile, wanting to give the other person a reassuring one, but even this simple action seems beyond your capabilities.

"It's been like this lately..." you murmured, your voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the music, "I'll feel better after a little sleep..."

Before you could finish the last word, your head tilted slightly to one side, and your black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, swaying gently as the carousel spun.

Yahiko's brows furrowed even more. He reached out to touch your shoulder, but was stopped mid-air by a chakra thread that suddenly appeared.

"Don't disturb her." Scorpion's voice came from behind, deep and restrained. His outer shell gleamed coldly in the sunlight, but his gaze was unexpectedly gentle.

Yahiko withdrew his hand and sighed helplessly, "She hasn't been behaving herself lately."

The members of Akatsuki, who were originally having their own fun, all turned their attention to you as you slept.

Deidara jumped off his rocking horse and ran to your side in a few quick steps. "What's wrong, you wicked girl? Hmm?" His voice rose a few decibels with urgency, and his blond hair shone brightly in the sunlight.

"Shh—" Xiao Nan put her index finger to her lips, a warning glint in her purple eyes, "Let her sleep."

Deidara immediately covered his mouth, his movement so large that he almost knocked over Rin's rocking horse next to him.

He tiptoed closer to you, leaned down to observe your sleeping face, and the tips of his ears turned red at a visible speed.

"She's so pretty... um..." the boy murmured unconsciously.

Chapter 145 Amusement Park (2)

These words were like a fuse being lit; Sasori's chakra threads silently wrapped around Deidara's collar, pulling him away abruptly.

Kisame had somehow appeared on your other side, his massive body forming a barrier; even Kakuzu, who was standing some distance away, took a half-step in that direction before abruptly stopping.

"Don't crowd around her." Lin jumped off the pink rocking horse and squeezed into the increasingly dense crowd. "The air isn't circulating anymore."

The music box melody flowed out like a clear spring, and the stained glass on the carousel's ceiling refracted the sunlight into colorful spots, showering everyone with light.

"Yahiko, can you take a picture for me?" Konan sat sideways on the snow-white unicorn, her light purple-blue hair fluttering in the wind, her fingertips lightly touching the unicorn's golden horn.

Nagato sat on the adjacent wooden horse, his fingers unconsciously stroking the armrest, but his gaze passed over Konan and remained fixed on you, who was fast asleep.

“Of course.” Yahiko took out a camera from his ninja tool bag, his eyes still glancing at you leaning on his shoulder.

The girl's warm breath seeped through his clothes, causing the tips of his ears, beneath his orange hair, to turn slightly red.

With a "click," the camera captured Konan's rare smile, and also captured Deidara's distorted expression in the background.

The blond boy writhed as if sitting on a bed of nails, the clay bird being molded into various shapes in his palm.

"This is way too childish, huh!" he complained for the umpteenth time, his voice low but still carrying a sharp, explosive edge. "It's practically for three-year-olds!"

Hidan, legs crossed on the opposite wooden horse, had somehow transformed his Bloodstained Scythe into a comical marshmallow. "Exactly! It needs some blood and screams to be exciting!" he licked his lips, suddenly realizing Deidara's gaze wasn't on him, but rather...

"Hey!" Hidan followed Deidara's gaze, his silver eyebrows raised high. "Are you mesmerized by Lord Jashin?"

Deidara whirled around, his blond hair standing on end. "What nonsense are you spouting, huh!" Just as he was about to retort, Yahiko's warning look made him swallow his words, and he could only purse his lips and continue torturing the clay in his hands.

As the carousel completed its third rotation, Shisui slightly closed his eyes. The music drowned out the familiar sounds of clashing weapons and screams, and for a moment, he felt as if he had returned to the summer festival in the Uchiha clan's territory.

Kisame keenly noticed the unconscious upward curve of his lips, and the shark-faced man paused in his head-scratching motion.

"Sharingan kid can actually laugh?" Kisame muttered to himself, then awkwardly clung to a pillar as the rocking horse bounced up and down with a jolt.

His body was almost twice the width of the little wooden horse, his knees were pitifully tucked in, and his shark muscles were huddled together in a small ball hanging on the horse's neck.

Zabuza's situation wasn't much better; the executioner's sword was forcibly held upright in front of him, like a ridiculous sign.

Haku covered his mouth and chuckled. After being glared at, he immediately put on a well-behaved expression, but when Zabuza turned around, he secretly used Ice Release to add a snowflake decoration to the wooden horse.

"What are you doing?!" Zabuza exclaimed as his wooden horse transformed into an ice sculpture by the time he realized what was happening.

"It...it suits you very well..." Bai said, suppressing a laugh as he handed over a pair of ice mirrors.

The mirror reflected Kisame's distorted expression. "I look like a sea monster from a fairy tale!"

"Quiet." Scorpion's voice suddenly broke in, and Hiruko's tail swayed dangerously. "You're disturbing her."

Only then did everyone notice that you were slightly frowning in your sleep. Yahiko immediately adjusted your position to make you more comfortable, a move that drew a disapproving click of Deidara's tongue and a hostile stare from Sasori.

Kakuzu's abacus clattered incongruously. He sat on the outermost wooden horse, his eyes fixed on the ticket price list. "2000 taels per person...that's for everyone..." His green pupils contracted sharply, "...just for ten spins?!"

"You could jump down and save money," Hidan suggested with a wicked grin. "It's only spun three times already, maybe you can get a refund..."

Kakuzu really considered the suggestion for two seconds, until he noticed the staff's wary gaze. He continued calculating with a gloomy face, but suddenly noticed a strand of your black hair falling and fluttering in the wind, glistening in the sunlight. He unconsciously slowed down his counting of money.

Orochimaru's wooden horse stood alone in the corner, its golden vertical pupils staring blankly into the distance, oblivious to the merriment around it.

His fingers unconsciously traced some kind of talisman on his knee until Kimimaro softly reminded him, "Lord Orochimaru, your snake has escaped."

A small white snake was wrapped around the rainbow mane of the rocking horse, swaying happily to the music. Orochimaru expressionlessly stuffed it back into his sleeve and continued to daydream.

As the carousel completed its fifth rotation, Itachi's black hair was blown by the wind. His gaze remained fixed straight ahead, yet for a fleeting moment he caught your unconscious gesture of clutching Yahiko's clothes. His Sharingan flickered slightly before returning to its calm state.

"Hey, Itachi-san," Kisame suddenly leaned closer, lowering his voice, "Don't you think this scene is a bit eerie?"

Itachi didn't answer, but gestured for him to continue.

“I mean,” Kisame gestured around, “the entire Akatsuki is sitting on a carousel… if word gets out…”

“It’s better than being seen playing in the sand,” Itachi said casually, his gaze sweeping over the sandcastle that had somehow appeared at Deidara’s feet.

Deidara immediately shielded the artwork with his body, saying, "This is art, yeah!"

"Is she very tired lately?" Nagato finally spoke, his voice low.

Yahiko shook his head. "The workload is normal." He gently brushed the stray hairs from your face. "But since last week..."

"Chakra overdraft?" Sasori suddenly interjected.

"No, not." Yahiko looked down at the peaceful sleeping face. "More like..."

"We're cursed!" Hidan interjected excitedly. "Want to try the Jashin Cult's purification ritual? Guaranteed to be exciting!"

Everyone simultaneously glared at him with death stares, and Hidan sheepishly shrank back, "Just kidding..."

“There has never been anything like this in the territory of the Kaguya clan.” Kimimaro said softly, a rare blush appearing on his pale face. He carefully touched the glass bead embedded in the wooden horse’s eye, as if it were some fragile treasure.

Haku turned his head, his icy eyes reflecting Kimimaro's rarely vivid expression, "If only I could have joined Akatsuki sooner."

Kimimaro's fingers paused for a moment, his approving gaze reflected in the glass bead.

"Hey! You two!" Hidan's loud voice shattered the tranquility. "Stop touching it like a bunch of girls! What's so interesting about this broken wooden horse?!"

"Hahahaha! One more song!" Tsunade's spirited voice suddenly rose, standing on the rocking horse seat, holding a sake bottle in one hand and waving the other, her golden hair flowing like gold in the sunlight. "Jiraiya! Next one!"

Jiraiya's cheeks were flushed, whether from the alcohol or excitement, it was hard to tell. He patted the carousel's neck and clapped along to the rhythm, "Youth~ is like a carousel~ spinning and spinning, never stopping~"

Sasori ignored the noise around him. His outer shell opened slightly, revealing several chakra threads that were probing the transmission mechanism at the bottom of the wooden horse according to his thoughts.

His eyes gleamed with obsession, and his lips moved silently as he analyzed the meshing angle of each gear.

"Ingenious deceleration device... the balance of the main shaft is comparable to that of a puppet's joints..." He was completely immersed in his mechanical world until Deidara's loud laughter pulled him back to reality.

"Hahaha! You're actually obsessed with carousels, huh!" Deidara pointed to the partially dismantled base in front of Sasori. "Want me to blow it up for you and see what's inside?"

Sasori's chakra threads tightened instantly. "If you dare touch me, I'll use your bones to make new gears."

"Tanuki...it's time to wake up." Yahiko's voice was lower than usual.

You slowly opened your eyes, your pupils still misty with tears. You subconsciously rubbed against the "object" you were using as a pillow, until you heard Yahiko's soft laughter and suddenly woke up.

"I-I'm sorry!" You hurriedly straightened up and raised your hand to fix your hair, only to find that Deidara, Sasori, Itachi, Shisui, and even Nagato were watching you, either openly or secretly. Your fingers froze in mid-air.

"Did you sleep well?" Xiao Nan handed over a glass of chilled juice at the right moment, cleverly blocking part of the view.

You took the cup, water droplets from your fingertips sliding down your slender wrist and into your sleeve. "Thank you. I feel like I had a very long dream..."

As you sip your drink, you don't notice Deidara staring blankly at his own damp lips.

"Hey! Look over there!" Hidan suddenly shouted, breaking the awkward atmosphere. He excitedly pointed to the towering pendulum ride in the distance, "That's what you call an amusement park ride!"

The giant pendulum was swinging in an astonishing arc, and the tourists on it screamed.

Deidara's blond hair instantly stood on end. "This is it! Yeah!" He grabbed your wrist. "You wicked woman, let's go together!"

Before you could react, Sasori's puppet strings had already wrapped around Deidara's hand. "Let go, Deidara, she just woke up and this isn't suitable for her."

"What's it to you! Huh!"

Your black hair was slightly lifted by the wind, but your feet were already moving involuntarily toward the giant swing, a move that drew the attention of everyone in the Akatsuki organization.

"Hey, you've got some nerve, you little devil!" Deidara followed behind you with a grin, hands in his pockets, his blue eyes gleaming with excitement. "Don't get scared and start crying later, okay!"

You glanced at him lazily, a slight smile playing on your lips. "Who's going to cry is still up in the air."

"The evil god is still as fearless as ever!" Hidan, wielding his three-moon scythe, rushed to your side, his eyes filled with fanatical worship.

The staff opened the gate, and you walked to the front row seats. Just as you were about to sit down—

"Wait!" Tsunade suddenly spoke up, taking a step forward to take your right side. She puffed out her proud chest and tried to remain calm, saying, "As a medical ninja, I have to ensure your safety."

Lin also mustered her courage, her pink kimono fluttering lightly to your left like a butterfly, "I...I also want to protect Tanuki-sama!" Her voice trembled, but she firmly grasped the armrest.

"Hey, what's going on here..." Jiraiya scratched his white hair and sat helplessly next to Tsunade. He complained, but his eyes kept glancing in your direction. When he saw the girl rubbing her eyes sleepily, his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Yahiko sighed, sitting in the back with Konan and Nagato, his fingers unconsciously tapping the safety lever. "She's been acting so strangely lately..."

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Jiraiya's forehead. He chuckled dryly, "Hahaha, this kind of thing is nothing to ninjas...right?"

Tsunade glanced at him sideways, "If you're scared, it's not too late to jump now."

Jiraiya: "..."

The mechanical roar of the giant pendulum gradually increased, and the taut sound of the steel chains seemed like a harbinger of some danger.

At first, you were still a little drowsy and confused, but the moment the pendulum suddenly swung high into the air...

"Whoa—!!"

Lin's scream pierced the air instantly. She squeezed her eyes shut, her slender fingers almost crushing the armrest. She curled up in her seat like a frightened animal, her face pale to the point of being almost transparent.

"Tanuki—!!" Tsunade's voice was even louder than her usual bold tone. Her long golden hair danced wildly in the wind. She screamed and instinctively reached out to grab your arm, as if that would give her a sense of security.

The sudden feeling of weightlessness jolted you awake. Your fair cheeks flushed slightly from the shock, and you instinctively bit your lower lip, gripping the safety bar tightly with your fingers. Your heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of your chest.

"This, this is too—" Before you could finish speaking, the giant swing suddenly plummeted again, the strong centrifugal force almost suspending your body in mid-air, causing you to tilt uncontrollably to one side.

"Aaaaaah—!!" Deidara, who had been smugly proclaiming "This is true art" just a moment ago, was terrified by the violent shaking. His blond hair stood on end, and he clung to Sasori like a frightened cat, crying out, "H-Help! Ugh!!"

Sasori's Hiruko shell crackled and popped under Deidara's grip. Veins bulged on his forehead as he gritted his teeth and growled, "Let go...you idiot!"

"No!! I'll die! Ugh!!" Deidara hugged Sasori even tighter, practically hanging on him.

Scorpion took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to stab him with his poisonous needle.

His gaze involuntarily drifted to your location, where you were being violently thrown back, your slender neck gleaming like jade in the sunlight, your black hair flowing freely, breathtakingly beautiful.

Scorpion's fingers twitched slightly, and the puppet strings silently extended, gently catching your wrist just as you were about to slip.

You paused, then turned to meet the scorpion's gaze hidden beneath the puppet, a grateful smile unconsciously spreading across your lips.

"Sasori! You actually secretly—" Deidara spotted this scene with his sharp eyes and yelled angrily, but the next second he was swung around by the pendulum and became dizzy, so he could only continue to hold Sasori and wail.

Chapter 146 Amusement Park (3)

"Jashin-sama—!!" Hidan's scream drowned out everyone else's. Far from being afraid, he excitedly raised his hands, his silver hair dancing wildly in the wind. "More! More excitement!!"

Beside him, Kakuzu's face was even more ashen than a dead man's, and this money-grubbing ninja was now shedding real tears.

"Five thousand taels... seven thousand taels... nine thousand taels... the cost of this broken machine just one rotation is enough to buy three kunai!" His cries were so mournful that it sounded like he was attending his own funeral.

Xiao Nan's scraps of paper drifted helplessly through the air. She tried to remain calm, but her slightly trembling fingers betrayed her inner fear.

A piece of paper is quietly stuck to your back, as if that will give you a little sense of security.

"..." Itachi and Shisui sat in the back row, their eyes closed, their expressions as calm as if they were meditating.

"Did you feel it?" Shisui asked softly.

"Hmm," Itachi replied calmly, "Centrifugal force is indeed very suitable for training balance."

The two were so calm that they didn't seem to be playing on a giant swing, but rather like they were participating in some kind of spiritual practice.