Reiji chuckled softly.
Not a carefree laugh.
But a light laugh, like someone who truly enjoys their work.
"So…" Reiji straightened his body, scanning the crowd, his eyes shining coldly under the morning sun. "What is your choice?"
No one answered.
No one moved.
For the ninjas from the three great villages, Reiji was no longer just an extraordinarily strong child from the Uzumaki Clan.
They thought of Reiji as a little demon in human form.
And that demon… was smiling.
...
...
...
On the vast shoreline, the air carried a mix of salty sea and the scent of freshly turned damp earth.
The wind gently ushered in the sound of crashing waves, yet the tranquility of nature made the atmosphere feel even more suffocating.
A woman then stood tall in the midst of a crowd of dozens of pairs of eyes fixed on her—sharp, restless eyes, waiting for something.
The afternoon sunlight hung low on the horizon, shining through thin clouds, casting long, dark shadows on the woman's face, pale as marble.
The golden rays offered no warmth—only carving contrasts into the tense lines of her face.
This woman was one of the three main leaders of the attacking forces from Kirigakure.
Her name and reputation instilled fear, but now even that reputation could not hide the anxiety gripping her throat like an invisible fine cord.
Every breath felt heavy and labored, as if the air she inhaled was filled with fine sand piercing her lungs.
The woman's face remained beautiful—with a strong jawline and deep-set eyes—yet that beauty was wrapped in an unusual impression of fragility.
Her cracked, dry lips were slightly parted, as if hesitant to speak.
The gaze of the woman, once known to be as sharp as a misty blade, now wavered.
There was a glimmer of doubt, hidden behind her dimly shining pupils, like a puddle of water on a cloudy night.
Around her, the beach seemed to fall silent.
The tense atmosphere thickened in the air, clinging to her skin like a salt mist.
There was no sound except for the whisper of the waves and the gust of wind.
The tension settled in the sand, danced in the ripples of water, merging with the heartbeat of all present.
As if the world had stopped spinning, and all tension converged into a single point—where she stood, trapped between the past and the commands to come.
"Oh? Yes, you. What is your choice?" Reiji asked in a flat tone that only added to the pressure.
Reiji raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression neutral yet sharp, as if peeling away layer by layer from the contents of the woman's mind.
The woman fell silent for a moment.
Her eyes blinked slowly.
Her tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth, holding back the words she wanted to say.
Then she lifted her head slightly.
"Before that…" the woman said softly, almost in a whisper. "… I would like to ask, if permitted."
Silence.
The sound of small footsteps echoed in the distance, from an unknown source.
Even the breaths of the other ninjas felt restrained, waiting.
Reiji leaned slightly forward, his chin raised. "Hmm… go ahead and ask."
The woman swallowed.
Her throat moved slowly, as if battling something larger than herself.
"… If we choose to leave," the woman finally said, her voice nearly breaking, "… is it possible for us—not, for our village—to establish a relationship with the Uzumaki Clan?"
For a moment, time stopped.
The eyes of the two other group leaders turned sharply, their head movements quick like a whip.
One of them frowned, while the other narrowed their eyes with a nearly contemptuous gaze.
The tension rose instantly.
The atmosphere that had been merely stiff now began to feel hot, like air compressed within an iron vessel.
The faces of the other ninjas changed as well.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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