We make our way to the next hideout as we plan our next move.
We don't have enough evidence to declare that Sand villaige is betraying us , but the deadbody of an unregistered puppet master and a sniper rifle should be enough to put Sarutobi on edge.
Feeling ticklish around my neck, I attempt to scratch it.
A long pink strand of hair comes out.
"Hmm...."It got in when she was leaning on me at the tree top.
It looks white at first glance , to be honest. Having a girl on the team comes with its cons such as this.
Imagine if it was Naruto instead. I once came across Hinata going through Naruto's trash.
That day, I ignored her like my life depended on it.
Her hollow eyes with bulging veins looked deep into my soul for a slither of lie. I failed to hide my discomfort despite my chakra control.
I would be 3 feet deep underground with all 128 of my tanketsu full of holes if I hadn't provided her with an underware recently worn by her sunshine.
"Imagine if Hinata found it," I thought outloud.
"Found what ?"Sakura pops in as usual... just behind my ear, looking at whatever I'm holding.
I swear, if I'm looking at a poop funny, she will be there to poke at it.
"It's your hair," I clarify.
"What are you gonna do with it?"she asks with curiosity matching my deadpan . Sakura has a cheeky smile.
I use lighting chakra on the strand of hair.
It hardens and folds in on it's self after twitching 3 times.
"You will have 3 kids," I declare.
"Eh?"Sakura makes a sound with confusion while blushing. She smacks me on the head , and the hair slips away .
Speaking of hairs, I wonder where Karin uzumaki is right now.
Saw that glowing red head at the Written exams.
Our eyes actually met when I was looking at her.
She has some crazy chakra sensing. In the canon , Karin could sense people across towns.
Her unique hair is a subject of attantion, so my stare was understandable. Hence, she didn't show any hostility.
Then again, I was trying to make a friendly face as well. The one I'm doing right now.
"What's up with that wierd face, you having a constipation or something?"Naruto asks as he slurps the instant ramen.
I sigh. What's the point of having a pretty face if the only time it looks good is when I'm looking like an emo kid who has a stick up his ass.
We have moved further in and are on the 2nd day of the hunt.
We have quite a few extra scrolls in hand and are thinking of exchanging them with our classmates for information. Or, to get them out of hairy situations ,if necessary.
I would choose diplomacy over violence any day.
Our 2nd hideout of the day is also a tree trunk ,but not as grand as the previous one.
I get to the tree top with my binoculars to get a birds eye view.
I feel like Spiderman right now.
I see team 8 set up a camp at the west. Hinata is on surveillance. Our eyes met. I say hello and wave .
She does too with a smile.
"Naruto is fine . Eating ramen, "I say with sign language.
Hinata blushes a bit.
"Good to know," she also signs. "Wish you luck," she adds.
What a sweet girl who deserves every bit of sunshine the world has to offer.
To the east is the team 10.
It seems they are tailing a team of sound ninja right now....who just happened to have an unfortunate encounter with Gara.
Oh, well....I will leave them to it.
Then there is my senpai .kicking ass of a sand team as usual .
And Ten ten senpai moves around while throwing stuff at the enemies at a distance. I wonder if she read that massage that I left in her wrist seal that I made. She reminds me of Moon Knight.
Oh, yeah... I am a part-time sealer. Like , for a small price, I will be willing to do the tedious work of sealing in the thousand kunai in your goddamn scrool.
It seems the Neji senpai is looking right at me, with his arms crossed around his chest.
These Hyugas literally have eyes on the back of their heads.
I take out a small white cloth and wave it around.
An act of non aggression. He aproaves and looks away.
I huff in relief. Last thing I need is a senior on my back.
Then there is the red head.
And she is alone. What happened to her teammates? Are they dead or something?
No, it seems she is under a genjutsu, and her teammates decided to dump her.
I let my hands streach wide.
And with a swift motion, I free fall downward.
Right in the hayball that I made into a Berry Bush.
Naruto has his eyes wide open.
"Did you just jump down straight into that Bush?"he asks.
"I did," I say.
He gets on his feet and runs along the tree trunk.
"Okey, so we have a damsel in distress," I tell Sakura while looking upword.
"Who are we talking about?"Sakura asks.
"It's that red head, Karin Uzumaki," I reply. I see Naruto making the jump. But he was off the way off Mark.
He fell right on his neck, and it cracked with loud"Crack!".
Oh, ...turns out it was a clone.
"So, is she like Naruto's cousin ?"she asks.
"I got a whaaaa.....!!?!!", another clones falls to its demise.
"I have no idea. All I can tell is that she is a rare breed, and we gotta save her, "I say.
I clear my throat.
"We should save her....."I clarify to not seem like I'm ordering them around. Not to mention, calling a girl , rare breed doesn't sit well with me either as an excuse. But , there is a better reason , I just can't disclose it outright.
If Sakura or Naruto doesn't want to, I don't have any complaints. Since I failed to give a proper excuse as the team leader. By the way , when did I start doing that?
A single clone made it to the Bush at last.
"I'm down for saving people", Says Naruto as he peeks out of the haybell.
I am not sure if that's a clone or not. Is he putting more chakra in them?
"I guess we should look out for endangered species," Sakura shrugs.
Oo...ou...the real one is coming down. Well , he is off mark.
I go through a few seals.
Naruto gets stuck in vines and chakra wires , stops mid-air before his nose touches the ground for an inch.
I sigh.
I don't deserve them. Or, maybe they are just bored.
######
Again, Sakura chan is out looking around for any traps , Naruto with me while I am on genjutsu disposal.
The best way to disperse an aerial genjutsu is cast one inside one. Make a pocket of reality inside the virtual one. Keeps the caster oblivious.
Naruto will be on rescue detail.
Awaken, pacify,explain , and ensure cooperation.
If everything goes well, we will put off this in a flash.
I dangle upside down in a chakra wire while Naruto claps his hand in front of the dazed Karin.
She abruptly wakes up, and as her eyes focus on Naruto , she falls on her ass out of panic and tries to crowl away.
"Hey..hey...its okey. We aren't here to hurt you!"Naruto softly says as he sits down to her level.
"Wha....what happan! Where am I?"she asks frantically.
"You are in the middle of the forest. Someone cast a genjuts on ya' . We thought , could give ya a hand, "Naruto says.
"What....you need my scrools ? I don't have them. My teammates.... they left me here to die, "she says while pointing her kunai at Naruto .
Naruto , bless his brave soul, doesn't flinch one bit.
"We don't need your scrool. Just wanna know how you ended up in this mess. That bit of info will be enough, "Naruto says with sincerely while extending his hand to her.
"My name is Naruto, by the way," he adds with a smile.
In other words, I wanna know how a sensor like her ended up in a genjutsu. While she should be sense them from miles away.
I don't fail to blush slightly as she takes Naruto's hand.
"Humph! Just cause you saved me doesn't mean I will spill everything!"she says.
Okey, this is my first time seeing an actual tsundere.
Yosh! now it's time we bring out the grumpy one.
I lower myself to the ground. Fall like a feather on the ground right behind her. My figure casts a shadow as my red eyes meet hers.
Fear comes back to her eyes. She reflexively grabes on to hem of Naruto's jacket.
"Hei....its okey. He is...friendly, "Naruto says with slight bit doubt.
But I see Karin blushing a bit, despite the fact that she is scared of me. Now, that's confusing.
"Karin . A sensor type on top of being an Uzumaki. Your range of detection on paper is 3 miles, "I state with a robotic voice.
"How did you...".
"How did you not detect the genjutsu?"I ask as I cut her off. Her chakra rattles with anger since I'm being a complet misogynist right now.
But...I think she is liking it? Or it's just my imagination going wild.
Her emotions are like open book since that large chakra tank isn't going anywhere. It miniscule compared to Naruto ,but an Uzumaki is still an Uzumaki.
I tap my shoulder with a short axe as awaiting her response.
"How do I know you won't kill me?", she asks.
The moment she gives me the info?
Oh wow! Did give that impression? I look at Naruto.
He shrugs .
I sigh as I turn my sharingan off and seal away the weapon. Karin relaxes slightly at my gesture.
I can guess who did this.
So, I ask my brain, who the fuck is posh enough to put someone like Karin under a sleep genjutsu. Who in the fuck can put someone under genjutsu across 3 miles? Or more?
Who can put a stadium full of Jounin and chunin to sleep without being detected.
Kabuto is name that comes to mind. I'm guessing he is observing us right now.
I look around. At least I'm not seeing anything. Sakura hasn't signalled anything.
He is far.
The question is why.
"Betrayed?", I ask . Karin's eyes gets narrower.
"She just said that", Naruto reminds me.
Not by her immediate teammates, by her boss.
Is what I want to point out.
I whistle slightly as I walk around her, looking at her as if I'm checking her out.
I am checking her out. A 13-year-old girl.
I'm becoming a scumbag day by day.
"Oi....!", Naruto is glaring at me.
"Cut it out!", he orders. Oo....angry fox.
I stop whistling while waving my hands declaring my surrender.
"She is one of the invaders ", I whisper sensing invisible Sakura on my back.
"How do you know?", she asks.
"Kabuto did this to her", I try to explain in short. Naruto and Karins interaction became bgm as we discuss our next move.
"Okey, here is the thing. She is a sound ninja. As far as we have encountered almost all of them have some connections with Orochimaru. To top it off , she is an uzumaki. Some of the uzumaki's blood has healing powers , did you know?".
Sakura shakes her head in negative.
"Well, she has that. There are bite marks on her wrist. I'm guessing , that she is close associate of Orochimaru , While Kabuto is also his associate. I also guessing , Kabuto is using her as somekind of bait, to lure something or someone in. Hoping that she would die in the process. Cutting possible competition of being Orochimaru's favourite", I continue.
"That's alot of guessing , but go on", Sakura urges.
"I say we convince her that she is betrayed. Pull her to our side. Take her to sensei and make her testify of Orochimaru's plans", I say.
"That might work", Sakura shrugs.
We trun around. Now to just get her to come with us.
"All righty . We would like to offer....."
"I'm agreeing to come with you for the time being....", she says angrily while fixing her glass.
????!!!!!
I look at Naruto. The basterd wipes his nose with his thumb. That smug little womaniser. I don't know what he fed her, but it works all the well for me.
Naruto leads the way for her.
"And tell that friend of your to drop the jutsu, I can sense her", Karin says as she stomps away.
Sakura comes out of vail.
"She is getting along well with Naruto?", Sakura says.
Naruto slows down as Sakura goes forward to greet her.
"What lies did you feed her?", I ask.
"Lies ,damn no. I just told her you would agree on going on a date with her if she agrees to cooperate", Naruto says with smug smile.
Wha...oh ....my god.....
"What ....did you say?", I ask.
"I didn't say nothin', she is the one who asked for it. I just accepted for ya", he shrugs.
I feel my face twitch.
"You...seem happy....?", Naruto asks confused.
Oh my god....I get to date Karin. The red headbeauty of the Narutoverse.
Holy fuck...my luck is turning around atlast.
I hold on to Naruto's hand with both my hands.
"You are the brother that I was separated from since birth!", I declare.
"Ha.ha... Happy to help", he says with a wry smile.
Allright... I just have to keep doing that misogynist persona.
It will be hard.
But what's a bit acting when there is such an opportunity .