Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Page 127

Scorpion stood in the corner, his amber eyes slightly narrowed, his expression somewhere between shock and disgust.

"..." He paused for a few seconds, then finally spoke slowly, "Tanuki... are you sure this isn't some kind of... mental attack weapon?"

"Nonsense!" you retorted angrily. "This is a limited edition item that I bought from the 'fashion capital' at a high price!"

Shisui rubbed her temples, trying to calm herself down. "Lord Tanuki! How can you carry out a mission dressed like that?"

"Hmph, you simply don't understand." You arrogantly flicked your sleeve, nearly knocking the vase off the table. "A true strongman is invincible no matter what he wears!"

Yahiko stood to the side, his lips twitching. "Tanuki, are you sure this outfit won't... make us easy targets for the enemy during a mission?"

"That's their loss!" you declared confidently.

Rin Nohara walked up gently and touched the fabric of the clothes. "Tanuki, is this... a little heavy?"

"Heavy?" You tilted your head, then confidently spun around. "That's called 'aura'!"

Hidan was laughing so hard he was breathless. "Lord Jashin, if you went to fight wearing this, your enemies would laugh themselves to death. You wouldn't even need to lift a finger!"

Enraged, you grabbed a vase and smashed it, yelling, "Shut up! You tasteless jerk!"

Scorpion sighed, silently turned and walked towards his studio, deciding to use puppetry to make himself a pair of earplugs.

Xiao Nan patted your shoulder and said earnestly, "Li Nu, how about... I go with you to pick out clothes next time?"

"No!" you stubbornly clutch your "fashionable battle robe," "You all don't understand art!"

Everyone: "..."

The rainy season has entered its gloomiest phase, with days of torrential rain pounding against the steel pipes in an unsettling rhythm.

When Kisame comes face to face with you at the corner of the dimly lit corridor, he reflexively tenses all his muscles. The horrific experiences of the past four weeks make him instinctively want to turn around and run away.

"Good morning, Kisame-nii."

The calm greeting froze Samehada, which Kisame had raised halfway up.

He stared in disbelief, his shark-like pupils contracting sharply. The girl before him had clear, watery eyes and a familiar, languid smile on her lips—where was the trace of the manic brilliance she had displayed not long ago?

"Tanuki...Tanuki-sama?" Kisame's voice changed with surprise. "You...you're awake?"

"Why do you make it sound like I'm drunk?" Your words seem to have triggered some kind of signal.

Kisame suddenly turned around and roared in a voice loud enough to shatter glass, "Everyone out! Tanuki's back to normal!"

The entire base instantly erupted in excitement. The first to appear was Shisui, whose Body Flicker Technique left three afterimages in the corridor.

His Sharingan locked onto your face, and after confirming that the madness had indeed subsided, he leaned against the wall as if all his strength had been drained away. "Lord Tanuki... do you know how many messes I've cleaned up for you this past month?"

"Huh?" Before you could react, Xiao Nan was already beside you.

"You turned all my origami collection into kites and flew them!" Xiao Nan, usually calm, was now trembling. "And you said it was to 'help them realize their dream of flying'!"

Kakuzu looked up from the pile of ledgers, his eyes glistening with tears through the stitches. "My vault...you insisted on drawing smiley faces on every single coin..."

"The worst part was the midnight training!" Hidan, sporting dark circles under his eyes, pounced on us. "They said training under the moonlight would double our efficiency, but all they did was make us do a ritual dance all night!"

“And my laboratory!” Scorpion’s voice came from Hiruko with a rare emotional fluctuation. “You arbitrarily ‘modified’ my puppets, dressing them all in… floral dresses.”

Rin Nohara blushed and added softly, "He also designed a 'Medical Ninja Charm Robe' for me, saying he'd make posters of it and send them to hospitals around the world..."

Your expression gradually shifted from confusion to shock, finally settling on a delicate balance of embarrassment and guilt. "I...did all of this?"

Everyone exclaimed in unison, "What else?!"

You froze, a deep-seated fear suddenly surging up, the excruciating pain of a mental breakdown, the suffocating feeling of inspiration overwhelming reason, and... a loneliness that can never be understood by ordinary people.

"I'm sorry." Your voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

The casual apology startled them.

Suddenly, Shisui stepped forward and gently took your hand amidst everyone's surprised gazes. "When you had your attack, you said that this was 'the price that geniuses must pay'."

You look at your companions surrounding you. Although they are all complaining, there is no real disgust in their eyes.

Hidan suddenly raised his three-moon scythe high, "To celebrate Lord Jashin's recovery! Let's have a banquet tonight!"

"Rejected." Kakuzu immediately pulled out his abacus. "The bill for the base repairs hasn't been paid yet..."

Nohara Rin quietly slipped a photo into the bottom of the medical kit. It was a group photo of you all in ridiculous costumes, with scribbled words on the back: "The best Akatsuki member - Genius Tanuki Ryu".

Suddenly, as if remembering something important, your expression turned serious. "By the way, has Orochimaru's information been returned?"

His gaze shifted to Nagato, a hint of urgency and focus in his eyes. Nagato nodded slightly and stepped forward. "I was just about to come and talk to you about this."

As he spoke, he handed you a piece of intelligence. You took it, quickly glanced through it, and frowned slightly.

“We’ve wasted too much time.” You close the scroll. “Yahiko, Rin, let’s go.”

"Jashin-sama! I want to go too!" Hidan suddenly jumped up from the sofa, excitedly waving his March Scythe in his hand, the metal chain rattling.

He had barely taken a step when Kakuzu's black tentacles wrapped around his ankle.

"Bang!" Hidan fell face-first into the mud.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Kakuzu's mouth beneath the stitches. "With a brain like yours, you'll only cause trouble if you go."

He turned to look at you, his tone suddenly becoming respectful, "Lord Tanuki, do you need financial support?"

You wave your hand, your gaze inadvertently sweeping over the scorpion in the corner.

The red-haired boy was bent over adjusting the puppet, seemingly focused, but his knuckles were already white from the force he was using.

Hidan struggled, baring his teeth, "Hey! You old geezer!"

"Shut up." Kakuzu's tentacles tightened, pulling Hidan back to his original spot. Hidan stomped his feet in anger, but Kakuzu's gaze made him dare not be presumptuous anymore. He could only squat in the corner with his March Scythe in his arms, sulking and muttering things like, "The Jashin will punish you."

Nagato's Rinnegan shifted slightly, his gaze falling on the silent Sasori beside him. "You should go too."

Scorpion did not answer, but his figure had already turned into a blur and disappeared from the spot.

As soon as you stepped out of the base gate, the cold rain lashed your face. Just as you were about to form a hand seal to cast a water-repelling spell, you suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind you.

The three of them turned around at the same time; it turned out to be Scorpion.

He stood in the rain, his tail swaying slightly, raindrops sliding down his puppet shell, making a dripping sound.

"Scorpion?" You blinked, a smile unconsciously playing on your lips. "What brings you here?"

Scorpion slowly approached, "Tanuki, I'll go with you."

His tone was calm, yet it conveyed an undeniable firmness.

Yahiko's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He keenly sensed the rejection in Sasori's words: "I'll be with you," instead of "we'll be together."

“That’s true,” Yahiko chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of sarcasm, “You don’t have a partner right now.”

Sasori's eyes locked onto Yahiko instantly, and the chakra in the air seemed to freeze for a moment. Their gazes clashed in the rain, and invisible sparks flew.

Yahiko was provoking him, and he had no intention of backing down.

"Hey! You two—!" Lin's exclamation broke the silence.

"Ignore those two guys who've taken the wrong medicine!"

The two of them turned around at the same time and found that you had already pulled Lin's wrist and walked away. You waved your hand without turning back, your tone full of disdain, "If you two want to fight, stay here and fight slowly. Lin and I are leaving first."

Yahiko and Sasori exchanged a glance and simultaneously stepped forward to follow, neither wanting to be left behind.

Lin, being pulled along by you, couldn't help but glance back at the two people behind them with an odd atmosphere. "Lord Tanuki, they..."

"It's just men's inexplicable competitive spirit." You pursed your lips, then suddenly leaned close to Rin's ear, "Compared to that, where do you think Orochimaru is hiding? Let's make a bet? The loser buys the three-colored dumplings?"

A warm breath brushed against her ear, and Rin's face flushed red. "Eh? I... I think it might be in the Land of Fields..."

“I bet it’s the Sound Village!” you snapped your fingers excitedly. “They set up a lot of experimental bases there.”

“Speaking of which,” you suddenly turned around, your gaze shifting between Yahiko and Sasori, “what were you two arguing about just now?”

“No.” ×2

The unanimous response made the atmosphere even more subtle.

The moment you arrived at Otogakure, Kimimaro, who was patrolling in the distance, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He would never mistake that repulsive chakra.

The next second, he blew the whistle to gather people without hesitation. The sharp sound waves pierced through the rain and echoed throughout the entire Sound Village.

In less than ten seconds, five figures appeared like ghosts; the Sound Five were all present.

Kidomaru's six arms were slightly outstretched, with spider silk faintly visible between his fingers. Jirobo crossed his arms, his burly body like a high wall.

Sakon and Ukon stood side by side, a strange smile on their lips; Tayuya's flute was already at her lips, while Kimimaro, at the very front, thrust his bone sword out from his palm, its cold light gleaming.

"Long time no see, boy covered in thorns!"

You stand at the very front, a nonchalant smile on your face, as if the person in front of you is not a menacing enemy, but a long-lost friend.

Kimimaro's pupils suddenly contracted. It was that attitude again, that... complete disregard for him!

His voice trembled slightly with anger, the tip of his bone sword pointed directly at your throat, "How dare you set foot in the Sound Village again."

You tilted your head, your black hair fluttering in the wind. "What, not welcome?"

Kimimaro's breathing became noticeably heavier, and veins bulged beneath his pale skin. He almost rushed forward, if it weren't for Lord Orochimaru's strict prohibition against them acting on their own.

Just then, Yahiko and Sasori took half a step forward at the same time, standing on either side of you.

Yahiko glanced indifferently at the Sound Ninja, his voice calm yet filled with a sense of oppression, "We're just here to talk to Orochimaru about something, we don't want to fight."

Scorpion's Scarlet Amber Tail slowly rose, and red light flashed in the puppet's eyes. "But if you insist on stopping me..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the threat was obvious.

Lin stood a little behind, her medical kit already opened, holding several shuriken coated with anesthetic in her hand, cautiously observing the movements around her.

Chapter 111 Empty Chen

Kidomaru's spider silk had already silently wrapped around the nearby trees. "Lord Orochimaru didn't say he wanted to see you."

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

You suddenly laughed, a wisp of dark blue chakra flame gathering at your fingertips. The flame illuminated your delicate profile and reflected the madness in your eyes. "What a pity... I quite liked you guys."

"Slap, slap, slap"

Orochimaru slowly stepped out of the shadows, his golden vertical pupils sweeping across the faces of the crowd before finally settling on you. "Akatsuki members, have you come all this way just to bully my subordinates?"

Your Sharingan instantly transformed into the Mangekyou Sharingan, but your smile deepened. "How could that be? We're just here to invite you to join our organization!"

Orochimaru slowly licked his lips with his tongue. "What if I said... I wouldn't join?"

You suddenly reached out and placed your hands on Sasori and Yahiko's shoulders, a gesture that startled them both. "Then..."

The scythe spun in your hand, its sharp blade slicing through the air with a piercing hum. You tilted your head slightly, your black hair falling over your shoulders, a defiant smile playing on your lips. "If I win, you join the Akatsuki."

"On the contrary, I will let you do as you please."

Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils suddenly contracted, like a venomous snake eyeing its prey. "Hehehe..." His laughter was hoarse and chilling, "Since that's the case, don't blame us for ganging up on you!"

Before the words were even finished, dozens of ninjas suddenly sprang out from the shadows of the Sound Village, their kunai flashing coldly in the dim light, and surrounded you.

Your scythe clashed fiercely with Orochimaru's Kusanagi sword, sparks flying everywhere.

"Your body...is truly captivating." Orochimaru's tongue licked across the blade like a snake's tongue. "How about I 'study' it properly?"

You sneered, then suddenly flipped backward, your scythe drawing a crescent-shaped arc, forcing Orochimaru back as you swiftly formed hand seals.

A blazing fire dragon roared as it charged toward Orochimaru, only to suddenly soften and writhe like a snake to dodge the attack. At the same time, it spat out countless small snakes from its mouth, tearing at you!

"Annoying!" Your Sharingan spins rapidly, and your scythes slash into an impenetrable silver net, slicing the snakes into pieces.

"Your actions..." Orochimaru suddenly stretched out his neck, his fangs aimed straight for your neck, "You're too naive!"

You parry the attack with the scythe handle, the three tomoe in your Sharingan spinning rapidly. "That sentence..." Your knee slams into Orochimaru's abdomen. "I'll return it to you exactly as you wish!"

As Orochimaru was sent flying backward, two giant snakes suddenly shot out from his sleeve.

Your figure vanished like crows before the snake's mouth closed, and your true form appeared behind Orochimaru.

"ended."

Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils narrowed to slits as he stared at the scythe blade pressed against his throat, dripping with his own blood.

“I lost.” He laughed hoarsely, licking the blood from the corner of his mouth. “What a…exciting experience.”

Your boots are pressing down on Orochimaru's chest, your black robe with red clouds fluttering in the night wind. You lean close to him and say, "Remember, your life is mine now."