The leaves continued to fall slowly, touched by the occasional wind that carried the scent of death from the scattered bodies of the Anbu around them.
Some were already unrecognizable, organs and pieces of flesh spread like fragments of a story that had ended cruelly.
The sound of crickets and night birds became the only markers that this world was still alive.
"What's wrong, Aoki? Are you hurt? You… you're really okay, right?" Mei's voice slipped into Aoki's ears, soft yet clear.
Mei's tone sounded nervous, but also filled with concern. As she stepped half forward, her hand gripped a used bandage, her face staring straight at Aoki, though slightly trembling.
Aoki turned slowly. His eyes met Mei's. There was so much in that gaze—worry, guilt, and an undeniable sincerity. Aoki tried to calm his own heart before responding.
"I'm fine," Aoki said softly, with a thin smile that seemed like a small glimmer in the dark sky.
Mei continued to stare at Aoki. Her bluish-green eyes narrowed slightly, suspicious and full of anxiety. "Are you sure?"
Aoki nodded. "Yes. So… Mei, can you tell me what really happened?"
Mei looked hesitant. Her gaze shifted, this time towards the scattered corpses. The air between them tensed, like a bowstring pulled tight but not yet released.
Aoki knew the girl was holding a lot in her heart. Wounds that were not just physical.
Aoki didn't push her.
"If you're not ready to talk… that's okay," Aoki said gently. He reached out and stroked Mei's head slowly, his movement careful and considerate, as if touching something fragile. "I'll wait. Until you're ready."
Mei looked at Aoki. This time longer. Her breath came in slow gasps, her eyes trembling.
"I… will tell you," Mei said. Her voice nearly drowned in the night wind, but there was an undeniable resolve behind that whisper. "I don't want to stay silent anymore."
The moon crawled slowly across the sky, hanging like a cold eye witnessing everything. The soft white light of the moon enveloped their skin, making the night feel frozen, as if time had stopped ticking just to hear that confession.
The wind blew gently, carrying the faint scent of blood that had yet to dry in the sand. Mei's long, tangled hair fluttered lightly, shimmering like strands of old silk dipped in tears.
Amidst all this—among the remnants of the battle, dust, and tension hanging heavily like fog—they stood facing each other. No hurried movements. No other sounds.
Just two figures bound in silence, waiting for the first sentence to emerge.
"My name… is Mei Terumi," Mei finally said, her voice soft yet firm—as if stating her own name was a heavy confession. "I am an Anbu from Kirigakure."
Aoki squinted, his expression unchanged, but the light in his eyes sharpened. "You… are from the Land of Water?"
Of course, Aoki already knew.
After all, Aoki did not come from this world. He came from another world—from Earth. And in Aoki's original world, the name Mei Terumi was not unfamiliar.
Aoki had heard that name before. Had seen that face. On a screen, amidst chapters and episodes. A strong kunoichi from the Naruto anime—a fiction, or at least… Aoki thought so once.
And now, that figure stood real before Aoki.
Alive. Breathing. Speaking.
Reality and fiction collided in Aoki's mind, but he held back all the reactions rumbling in his chest. He simply stared back, calm on the outside, even as his thoughts began to pulse with questions he dared not voice: "What is really happening in this world?"
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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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