Aoki then handed the bottle to Mei, who took it with a small nod.
Mei also gargled silently and passed the bottle to Tetsu. The boy looked awkward, his eyes occasionally glancing at Aoki and Mei, but Tetsu continued to gargle as instructed.
Finally, Ajisai received the bottle. The little girl gargled in a slightly noisy and careless manner, then spat onto the ground while looking at the bottle with an unmasked curiosity.
The morning air began to warm slowly. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating patterns of light on the damp ground.
The forest around them was still filled with the sounds of crickets and the rustling of the wind. There was a tranquility in that place, a tranquility that felt fragile—like it could shatter at any moment.
Aoki took a deep breath. "Time to eat," he murmured more to himself.
Aoki then unrolled another scroll, this one larger. Four cups of instant noodles appeared in an instant, followed by a large metal thermos.
Aoki opened the thermos lid, and hot steam immediately wafted out, filling the air with a faint warmth. He opened the lids of the noodle cups, pouring water into each one, then closed them again and waited.
Three minutes later, Aoki handed out the cups one by one—first to Mei, then Tetsu, followed by Ajisai, and finally to himself.
They ate in silence, the sounds of disposable chopsticks scraping, slurping broth, and the whisper of the wind forming the only melody of that morning.
For them, instant noodles in the middle of the forest were a luxury. There was no campfire, no table, but there was warmth. And warmth, in the world of ninjas, was something that could save lives.
After eating, Aoki pulled out several bottles of mineral water from the last scroll. He handed them out one by one. Ajisai drank quickly, spilling a little on her chin, while Tetsu drank slowly, his eyes never leaving Aoki.
Once everything was finished, Aoki straightened his back and looked at Mei, who was wiping the remnants of broth from her lips with a tissue. Aoki's gaze was sharp, but not out of anger. More accurately, it was serious. Deep.
Mei noticed this. She lifted her head, and their eyes met.
"What's wrong, Aoki?" Mei asked, her tone unchanged, but her body tensed slightly.
"We might find it hard to stay in touch after this," Aoki said quietly. "So I want to give you a Kuchiyose. A creature that can connect us whenever."
Mei's eyes widened for a moment, then a smile blossomed like a new dawn. "Really? That's amazing! Thank you, Aoki!"
Aoki did not respond. He simply bit his right thumb, fresh blood appearing immediately. Then Aoki smeared the blood on his left palm and quickly formed a series of seals—Tiger, Boar, Dog, Dragon, Bird.
With a single thrust, Aoki pressed his hand to the ground.
A soft thud was heard. The seals glowed on the ground, and white smoke exploded into the air, spreading in all directions.
"Haaah... what is it?" A woman's voice echoed from behind the mist—soft and teasing, like a silk whisper in the ear—yet clearly laced with a lazy annoyed tone. "Meow~... disturbing my sleep this early... such poor timing..."
Then, from behind the smoke, emerged a creature radiating a mysterious and graceful aura. A dark blue fox, its fur shimmering in the morning sunlight. The fox's eyes—golden like little suns—looked at them one by one. Two long tails trailed behind the fox, each tipped with black as if dipped in ink. A large scroll was tied between the two tails, vibrating lightly every time the fox moved.
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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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