In the dense forest, under the night sky lit only by a faint moon, three small figures walked with careful steps. Tall trees towered around them, their branches rustling in the night wind, creating shadows that seemed to move as if something was lurking in the darkness.
Dry leaves and small twigs crunched beneath their feet. The sounds of night birds could be heard faintly, while the sound of crickets filled the silence. A cold gust of wind pierced the skin, carrying the scent of wet soil and rotting leaves.
Tetsu, a boy around ten or eleven years old, walked behind with a slight frown. Tetsu's slightly messy black hair swayed with every step. The simple brown kimono that Tetsu wore was already dirty from the long journey. Tetsu's black eyes stared doubtfully at the young man in front of him.
"Boss? Are you sure there's a good place to spend the night around here?" Tetsu asked in an uncertain tone, occasionally glancing around, as if afraid that something would suddenly appear from behind the trees.
In front of Tetsu, a taller boy turned his head slightly and grinned.
"I don't know," Aoki answered casually, his voice light, as if this situation was no big deal to him. "But this forest is big, maybe we can find a good place to rest."
Aoki, a boy of thirteen or fourteen, walked with more confident steps. Aoki's slightly messy black hair moved with the rhythm of his steps. Aoki's black eyes radiated calmness even though they were in an unfamiliar place. A katana sword hung from Aoki's waist, swaying gently every time Aoki took a step.
Among them, a little girl named Ajisai followed with hesitant steps. Ajisai, who was only four or five years old, had purple hair tied in a bun resembling an onion, sparkling under the moonlight. Ajisai's wide green eyes looked full of alertness. The purple kimono that Ajisai wore fluttered every time the night wind blew.
The little girl held Tetsu's arm tremblingly. "Tetsu... Be quiet..." Ajisai whispered almost inaudibly, Ajisai's voice was swept away by the song of crickets in the silent night.
Tetsu was stunned for a moment before finally holding the girl's hand gently. "I'm sorry," said Tetsu, trying to sound convincing, even though Tetsu's own heart was still filled with anxiety.
As the three of them continued walking, Aoki suddenly stopped in his tracks. Aoki's face turned serious, Aoki's eyes narrowed slightly when he heard something in the distance.
"Stop your steps."
Aoki's sudden change in tone made Tetsu and Ajisai immediately freeze in place.
"Why, Boss?" Tetsu asked in a whisper, but Aoki only raised his hand, signaling for silence.
From within the darkness, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard. The steps were hurried, like someone running to save themselves. Dry leaves fell, broken twigs were stepped on roughly.
Not long after, from behind the trees, the figure of a girl appeared.
The girl's body was tall and slender, her skin as white as porcelain contrasting with the darkness of the forest. Her sharp green eyes glinted in the moonlight, full of alertness. Her very long reddish-blond hair hung down to her ankles, styled in a herringbone pattern at the back. Her bun was tied with a dark blue ribbon, while several bangs in front of the girl's face—two short, one covering her right eye, and the other two long, crisscrossed under her chin. The girl wore a long-sleeved blue shirt and long black pants that clung to her body. However, what was most striking was the wound on the girl's shoulder—her left shoulder was covered in blood, and drops of deep red dripped from the wound, soaking the fabric of the girl's shirt.
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[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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