Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Page 152

Scorpion sneered and slid a box of exquisite wagashi (Japanese sweets) from his sleeve. "Sweets are more suitable for you."

Nagato silently handed over a cup of tea, "To cleanse your palate."

You slowly turn your head, looking for help from the others watching the scene. Xiao Nan smiles slightly, folds a paper crane, and flies it into your hand: "Choose for yourself."

Choosing either option is a dead end.

Take a deep breath, suddenly stand up, and say, "I'm going to fetch water!" Then, without looking back, you run towards the stream.

Kisame squatted by the river, his rough fingers playing with the clear stream water. He felt a void in his heart; this mundane way of preparing a picnic could not satisfy his inner desire for excitement.

His shark-like eyes narrowed slightly, and a glint of light suddenly flashed in them.

"Tsk, boring." Without saying a word, he hoisted Samehada onto his shoulder and strode toward the middle of the river, splashing water and wetting his trouser legs.

A moment later, Kisame's excited shouts echoed from the riverbank, "Haha, look what I caught! A few big, fat fish, time for an extra meal!"

He held the lively fish high in his hand, water droplets sliding down his arm and refracting into tiny sparkles in the sunlight.

Upon hearing his shout, everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed toward the riverbank.

Deidara's eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled a handful of small clay balls from his bag, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Watch this! Using this clay to fry the fish will definitely be faster and more plentiful! Hmm!"

He skillfully manipulated the clay, carefully placing it in a suitable spot on the riverbank, then quickly retreated to a safe distance, forming a hand seal with one hand—"Drink!"

With a soft explosion, a splash of sparkling water erupted on the surface, and several stunned fish floated to the surface belly up.

Deidara laughed triumphantly, turning to look at you, "How about that? Pretty awesome, huh!"

You stand on the shore, your lips twitching slightly, "...but you fried all the fish to pieces."

"Art is an explosion! Yeah!" Deidara declared confidently.

Hidan wielded his three-month scythe, its sharp blade slicing through the water.

He yelled and hurled his weapon, the scythe spinning in the air and precisely hooking a large fish.

"May the evil god protect us! We'll have grilled fish tonight!"

Amidst the splashing water, Kisame plunged into the deep water, his muscular figure appearing and disappearing in the water. Each time he surfaced, he would have a lively, wriggling fish in his hand.

"Hey! You'll scare the fish away!" Lin couldn't help but shout. Together with Xiao Nan, they unfurled the fishing net that Scorpion had given them. The two worked in perfect harmony and quickly caught several panicked little fish.

Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the grass. You lean against the trunk of an old tree, your body slightly curled up, your black hair cascading down your shoulders like a waterfall.

Finally, in this moment of tranquility, I fell into a deep sleep, my long eyelashes casting a small shadow under my eyes, my breathing light and even.

Deidara and Hidan excitedly ran over carrying a string of fish, their faces beaming with smug satisfaction.

"You wicked woman! Look at the fish I caught! Hmm!" Deidara lowered his voice, but still couldn't hide his excitement.

Hidan brandished his blood-stained three-month scythe, on which several gruesome fish were skewered. "Lord Jashin! I am the strongest!"

They were stopped before they could get close.

Bai Qingying stood in front of them, a wisp of ice crystal condensing at her fingertips, shimmering coldly in the sunlight.

“Don’t disturb Lady Tanuki,” he said with a smile, his voice gentle yet firm, “Let her rest for a while.”

Nagato stood to the side, his Rinnegan sweeping over the two of them indifferently. Although he didn't speak, the oppressive aura he exuded silenced Deidara and Hidan instantly.

The two, who were usually so talkative, actually fell silent.

Deidara pursed his lips and gently handed the fish to Konan. "Lady Konan, please help me process these fish."

Then, he tiptoed to your side, carefully sat down, and gazed at your sleeping face with his chin in his hand.

Sunlight fell on your eyelashes, gilding them with a layer of gold. Deidara was mesmerized and unconsciously reached out, wanting to touch your hair.

—The next second, he was lifted up.

Scorpion's puppet appeared behind him without his noticing, its sharp mechanical arm grabbing his collar and lifting him off the ground like a kitten.

Deidara was about to unleash a torrent of curses, but seeing your still-sleeping profile, he swallowed his anger and could only glare fiercely at Sasori, mouthing a silent roar, "Put me down! Huh!"

Sasori manipulated the puppet expressionlessly, lifting Deidara ten meters away before throwing him down like trash.

Hidan was secretly chuckling to himself, but a single look from Nagato made him shut up immediately.

An eerie silence fell over the entire camp.

Yahiko walked over quietly and gently draped a coat over you.

Shisui and Itachi were preparing ingredients not far away, the sound of kunai cutting fish meat being deliberately kept to a minimum.

Kisame, unusually, didn't shout loudly; he simply squatted by the river, silently cleaning the fish scales.

Even the sound of Kakuzu counting money was half as quiet as usual.

You stretched and yawned, gazing sleepily at the heartwarming scene before you. Yahiko was squatting by the campfire, carefully turning a grilled fish. The firelight illuminated his earnest profile, outlining its gentle contours.

"Why didn't you wake me?" You rubbed your eyes, your voice still carrying the languor of someone who had just woken up.

Yahiko turned around at the sound of his voice, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes. He handed over the golden-brown fish, its skin still sizzling with oil. "You haven't been sleeping well lately, and we didn't want to disturb you."

You take the grilled fish, your fingertips accidentally touching his. The warmth of that moment stirs your heart. You lower your head and take a bite. The fish is tender and juicy, and the perfect seasoning bursts on your tongue. "Thank you, it's nothing."

“It’s different.” Yahiko suddenly said seriously, looking at you intently. “In the Akatsuki, no matter how small your matter is, it doesn’t matter.”

This sentence made you pause in your chewing, and when you looked up to meet Yahiko's gaze, you found that those eyes, which always held a smile, were now filled with emotions you couldn't understand.

The glow of the campfire danced in his eyes, like sparks in the deep sea, both gentle and persistent.

A gentle evening breeze lifted a stray strand of your hair. Yahiko instinctively reached out to tuck it behind your ear, but stopped mid-air and ultimately withdrew his hand.

You pretended not to notice this little action, finished the grilled fish in a few bites, got up and started setting up the tent. Your movements were neat and skillful, and the tent frame was as obedient as a living thing in your hands, and the fabric was stretched flat and taut.

"Lord Tanuki is so amazing!" Lin stood to the side, her hands clasped in front of her chest, her eyes shining with admiration. "But I don't think I know how to match it..."

Her voice trailed off, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks from embarrassment.

You immediately turned your head, the afterglow of the setting sun gilding your profile with a golden edge. "I'll help you!" Your voice was softer than usual, and your hands moved faster.

Long, slender fingers deftly moved between the supports, tying each knot neatly and beautifully. Lin stood to the side, watching your focused profile, your slightly furrowed brows, your tightly pursed lips, and the thin layer of sweat on your forehead from your busy work.

Lin felt her heart beating very fast.

"Alright." You clapped your hands, looking at the tent that was standing steadily in front of you with satisfaction.

As dusk falls, the beige tent resembles a quietly blooming flower. You carefully roll up the curtain to reveal the soft sleeping bag laid out inside.

Lin's eyes lit up. "Lord Tanuki, you're so good to me..." She couldn't help but take a step forward and gently touch you with her fingers.

You smiled and shook your head, the wisps of hair on your forehead swaying gently with the movement. "You should go and rest first."

Not far away, several men's eyes were constantly following them, seemingly without them noticing.

"Lord Li Nu..."

A soft, feather-like voice came from behind you. You turned around and saw Shiro standing three steps away, her snow-white kimono looking exceptionally pure in the twilight.

He lowered his head slightly, his hair falling down and covering half of his flushed cheek.

"What's wrong, Haku?" You put the ninja tool bag aside, your voice gentle.

Bai raised his eyes, a flicker of unease in them. "I...I think I've run into some trouble." He pointed to the tent materials scattered on the ground behind him. "This...I've tried several times but haven't succeeded."

Following his gaze, you see several tent poles lying crookedly on the ground, and the tent fabric piled up crumpled to the side. You can't help but chuckle, "Setting up a tent does require some skill."

Bai became even more flustered because of your laughter, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. "Can...can you help me?"

His request was like a snowflake falling into your palm, so light you could barely feel its weight. You nodded, "Of course."

As you walked toward the scene of devastation, several pairs of eyes were fixed on it.

“Pretentious.” Scorpion snorted, his tail slapping the ground in frustration. “Last time, he pitched the entire camp’s tents all by himself.”

Deidara gritted his teeth and snapped a branch in two. "This guy, he definitely did it on purpose, huh!"

Itachi leaned against the tree trunk, seemingly calm, but the swirling tomoe in his Sharingan revealed his turbulent inner state. Shisui sighed.

Zabuza, clutching his Executioner's Blade, had an inscrutable expression beneath his mask. "The brat's grown up."

You've already crouched down to start arranging the support frame, holding a metal rod in your hand, and demonstrating to Bai, "First, we need to spread this rod out like this."

Bai immediately moved closer, their shoulders almost touching. He reached out to take the pole, his fingertips "inadvertently" brushing against the back of your hand.

In that instant, Bai felt as if her heart had been pierced by a thousand needles, a sharp pain mixed with a sweet flutter.

"Then, put this cloth over it." You continued explaining, completely unaware of the white's unusual appearance, deftly unfolding the tent cloth with fluid, effortless movements.

Bai pretended to clumsily imitate, deliberately letting the fabric get tangled around his hands. "Ah..." he exclaimed softly, looking at you for help.

You naturally reach out to help him untangle the knots, and your fingers touch again in the fabric.

White's hand was a size larger than yours, with distinct knuckles yet surprisingly soft. You were focused on solving the problem, while White greedily savored the fleeting touch.

"That's it." You hammered the last anchor into the ground and clapped your hands.

Looking at the perfectly erected tent before him, Bai felt a pang of loss; this brief moment of solitude was about to end...

"Thank you, Master Tanuki," he said softly, his voice tinged with barely perceptible affection. "I...I've learned it."

You stand up, smile at him, and say, "You're welcome. Feel free to ask me anything you don't understand in the future."

Chapter 138 Forbidden Zone

Just then, Bai pretended to trip over the rope on the ground and leaned towards you.

You reacted quickly, grabbing his shoulder and instantly closing the distance between you. Bai could clearly smell the faint minty scent on you.

"Be careful," you say with concern, completely unaware of how suggestive the position is.

His pale face instantly turned as red as the sunset, and he stammered an apology, "I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." But his hand tightened subtly, and the moment you supported him, he gently squeezed your wrist in return.

Deidara, watching from afar, nearly exploded with rage. "This is outrageous!" he hissed. "I'm going to expose this hypocrite!"

Scorpion grabbed his collar, "Don't embarrass yourself."

But Deidara had already shaken off his hand and strode towards you and Haku. He stood in front of you with a stubborn expression on his face and his blue eyes staring straight at you.

"You wicked woman!" he declared loudly, "I won't pitch a tent either!"

You raised an eyebrow at him, a hint of helplessness flashing in your eyes, "Don't think I didn't see you setting up your own tent just now, so stop messing around."

Deidara's face flushed bright red, and he stammered in defense, "I... I just threw it together casually, it's definitely not as good as yours, um!"

"Come on, don't give me that." You rolled your eyes at him and turned to leave.

"That doesn't count! Uh!" Deidara's voice cracked with urgency. "I was just throwing things together! Only if you teach me personally does it count!"

His voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a mumble.

Deidara suddenly grabbed your hand and pressed it to his chest. "Look how fast my heart is beating! Hmm!" The heart beneath his hand was indeed pounding wildly in his chest. "He must be sensing something was going to happen to the tent!"

The white figure appeared silently behind Deidara. Ice crystals spread along their clasped hands. Deidara jumped away abruptly, and the clay spider rolled to the ground.

"Everyone stop it."

Nagato's voice wasn't loud, but it froze everyone in place. His Rinnegan reflected your slightly stunned face. He twitched his fingertips, but in the end, he simply placed a bottle of water next to you.

"have a rest."

The laboratory lights reflected a dark, eerie green light between the glassware, making Orochimaru's pale skin appear as cold as jade.

His slender fingers were slowly tracing the glowing test report, his golden vertical pupils scanning the data, and a near-fanatical undercurrent gradually emerging in his eyes.

"It's... truly fascinating."

His voice was hoarse, like a snake's tongue brushing against withered leaves. His fingertips hovered over the electroencephalogram, and his mental fluctuations exhibited a peculiar frequency, sometimes as calm as the deep sea, and sometimes as violent as a storm.

Even in a state of deep sedation, the subconscious remains surprisingly active, as if another consciousness is lurking deep within.

—(Her mental state was also abnormal.)

Blood is spun in a centrifuge, and the separated cells have a much higher activity level than normal, even exhibiting a strange self-repairing ability under a microscope.

The liquid in the test tube swirled with the movement, reflecting Orochimaru's increasingly distorted smile.

"Cellular activity is seventeen times that of ordinary people... Interestingly... even interstitial cells are being assimilated."

Orochimaru stared at the data in his hand, his smile deepening. "Tanuki... who exactly are you?"

Morning light streamed through the gaps in the tent, illuminating your pale face. Your eyelashes cast shadows beneath your eyes, and your breathing was so light it was almost imperceptible, like a delicate doll whose soul had been ripped away.

Rin's medical chakra flowed through your meridians, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, failing to elicit any response.