"You guys are strong," Dosu remarked, looking at Sasuke and Satoru on the other side.
Just dealing with Uchiha Sasuke alone was already beyond his capability, not to mention the mysterious white-haired teenager standing behind him.
This boy had easily blocked Kin and Zaku and immediately grasped the principle of their techniques. There was no doubt—he wasn't an ordinary person. In fact, he might be even trickier than Sasuke Uchiha.
Even if they held their ground, there would be no outcome in their favor.
Dosu made a quick decision. He glanced up at Satoru and Sasuke and stated plainly, "You guys are strong. We can't win."
He pulled out the Earth Scroll from his pocket and placed it on the ground. "Take this as compensation," he added, stepping back.
"Let's go," Dosu ordered his teammates, and the three began retreating swiftly.
Staying here any longer was too dangerous. They needed to leave before the other team changed their minds.
"Wait a minute! Why did you attack us?" Sakura shouted after them.
Dosu's gaze landed briefly on Satoru in the group. His tone was light but revealing. "Didn't your companion already figure it out?"
Without waiting for a response, they disappeared into the trees.
Sakura was puzzled. "Figured it out? What does that mean?" she murmured, following Dosu's earlier line of sight. Her eyes rested on the eye-catching white-haired Satoru.
"What's going on?" Sakura asked, still confused.
Satoru, cradling a squirrel yearning for freedom in his arms, replied nonchalantly, "My guess? Sasuke must've racked up quite a bit of hatred, provoking multiple ninja teams at once."
Sakura's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered their terrifying earlier encounter—Orochimaru. Could it be him again? Was this attack also related to Sasuke?
But why? Why was Orochimaru so obsessed with hunting Sasuke?
"Damn it," Satoru muttered, rubbing his chin with a dissatisfied expression. "I wanted to save my strength, but all this excitement is doing the opposite."
Sasuke and the others glanced at Satoru, puzzled.
Sasuke's sharp eyes narrowed, and he frowned. "Bastard, second..." He stopped himself mid-sentence, recomposing his tone. "What are you doing?"
Satoru wasn't paying attention to Sasuke's irritation. His focus was locked on the squirrel in his arms.
"You've had enough to eat," Satoru said, speaking to the squirrel. "It's time to share this with others who need it."
He reached for the pinecone in the squirrel's paws, but the small creature protested fiercely.
"Squeak! Squeak!" the squirrel cried, gripping the pinecone tightly.
"How rude of you, little guy," Satoru sighed in mock exasperation.
The squirrel's cries became even louder, its tiny paws trembling as it clung to its prize.
"Hey, what kind of world is this where even squirrels have no respect for sharing?" Satoru lamented dramatically, his expression shifting to one of exaggerated melancholy.
"Bastard, what the hell are you doing?!" Sasuke snapped at him again.
Naruto tilted his head, watching the exchange with wide eyes. "Is Mr. Bandage hungry?" he wondered aloud, puzzled.
Sakura covered her face with one hand, utterly embarrassed. For the first time, she found herself appreciating Naruto's antics. Sure, Naruto caused trouble, but at least he didn't outright test the limits of sanity like this.
If Satoru were her teammate permanently, she would probably lose her mind. This was unbearable.
"There's no other way," Satoru said with a heavy sigh. "I've burned too much energy, and since I can't cook here, I have no choice..."
Before he could finish, Sasuke cut him off.
"Fine," Sasuke said curtly, exasperated. "What do you want to eat?"
Satoru's face lit up as he listed items with the enthusiasm of someone reading a menu at a five-star restaurant: "Sweetened three-color dango, strawberry milk, supreme chocolate cake..."
The more Satoru rattled off his list, the darker Sasuke's expression became, his mood plummeting visibly.
Finally, Sasuke said coldly, "I don't have any of those things."
He paused before continuing ominously. "However, I do have bitter gourd balls, chili milk, and... coriander-flavored sugar gourds."
Satoru's face fell, his earlier enthusiasm replaced by sheer horror. "What... what is this? Are you sure these are for humans?!"
The last item, especially, made him shudder. "Coriander-flavored sugar gourds? Who in their right mind would eat something like that?!"
He shook his head fervently. "Absolutely not. I refuse!"
"How about grilled fish?" Sasuke suggested at last. "We can use local ingredients, and it'll be quick to prepare. If we pickle it, it can even be stored as reserve food."
"Is a sweetened version of grilled fish possible?" Satoru asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice.
Sasuke's smile was cold. "Plain grilled fish. Take it or leave it."
A dark aura seemed to emanate from Sasuke as he spoke, and the atmosphere around him grew stifling.
"Fine, plain grilled fish," Satoru relented with a sigh. "As long as it's not coriander."
Sasuke smirked faintly, shaking his head as he turned to prepare the meal. Behind him, the squirrel in Satoru's arms trembled slightly, clearly yearning for freedom.
Sakura looked at the scene, her face twitching with suppressed frustration. Sometimes, she wondered if Naruto wasn't so bad after all.
>>>>>
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