Not long after Kabuto left, Satoru and the rest of the team began their journey to the central tower. Satoru adjusted the bandages on his arms as they moved, his thoughts preoccupied.
Kabuto's departure is only temporary, Satoru mused. His interest in Sasuke means he'll be back. What a nuisance.
He glanced at Sasuke. It's your turn to bear this "sweet burden" of Orochimaru's attention. A family tradition for the Uchiha brothers.
A faint, amused smile tugged at Satoru's lips as he thought about Sasuke's unwitting role.
"Hey, Mr. Bandage!" Naruto suddenly called out, interrupting Satoru's train of thought.
"Hm? What's up?" Satoru asked, looking at Naruto with mild curiosity.
"How do you know which way the central tower is?" Naruto asked, scratching his head. "We've been all over this dense forest, and there's no clear path. Are you just guessing?"
Sasuke and Sakura turned to Satoru, their expressions filled with skepticism. Could he really have been leading us straight this whole time?
"Didn't you look at the map before?" Satoru said, tilting his head nonchalantly.
Naruto blinked. "The map? Oh, you mean the one we glanced at for like two minutes?"
"That's the one," Satoru replied, brushing back his white hair casually. "I memorized the general direction. It's not that hard."
Naruto gawked at him. "You memorized the map that quickly? That's amazing!"
Sasuke and Sakura exchanged glances, both silently impressed. While they had a rough idea of the central tower's location, navigating the dense, obstacle-laden forest was no easy feat. Yet, Satoru had led them along a perfectly smooth path—no dead ends, no unnecessary detours, no traps.
How is he doing this? Sasuke wondered. It's as if he memorized not just the map but every potential hazard.
"Does this mean we'll reach the tower soon?" Naruto asked excitedly, his voice echoing through the trees.
"Not so fast," Satoru replied, leaping onto a nearby tree branch. "The closer we get, the more dangerous it'll become."
Sakura frowned. "You mean ambushes? By those who don't have scrolls?"
"Exactly," Satoru said, nodding. "Not just them. Even teams with scrolls but lacking confidence might ambush others to secure an advantage. Some might even set traps purely for information exchange."
"That sounds… exhausting," Naruto muttered, his earlier enthusiasm dampened.
"Be cautious," Satoru advised. "The closer we are to the tower, the more careful you'll need to be."
Night fell as the group neared the central tower. The imposing structure loomed in the distance, faintly illuminated by moonlight.
"Finally! There it is!" Satoru said with a smile. "Now's when things get serious."
Naruto cheered, raising his arm triumphantly, only to freeze mid-step. The others stopped as well, sensing a sudden shift.
"Enemies already?" Sakura whispered, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
Naruto turned and hurled a kunai into the shadows, piercing something with a sickening thud. A massive centipede slumped against the tree trunk, lifeless.
"What? Just a bug?" Naruto groaned in disappointment. "And it's gross!"
"Disgusting," Sakura agreed, shivering. "Why does it have so many legs?"
"That's a cutie compared to what's out there," Satoru said with mild disdain, his voice calm but serious. His pale blue eyes, hidden beneath his bandages, scanned the area intently. We're already caught in a genjutsu. Let's see how they handle this.
Time passed, and the team found themselves circling the same area repeatedly. Frustration mounted.
"This is ridiculous," Sakura huffed, out of breath. "Why haven't we reached the tower yet?"
Sasuke stopped suddenly, his sharp eyes catching a familiar sight. "We've been here before," he said coldly, pointing at the centipede Naruto had killed earlier.
"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at the carcass. "How did it end up here again?"
"It's a genjutsu," Sasuke said, his tone clipped. "We've been trapped in an illusion."
Satoru's lips curved slightly in approval. Good. He figured it out quickly.
As the team readied themselves, Satoru's focus shifted. He noticed not just the Rain ninjas lying in wait but also another familiar presence hidden in the forest. Kabuto, Satoru thought, smirking faintly. So, you're still observing. Typical.
From the trees, Kabuto pushed his glasses up, his sharp eyes trained on the team. I didn't plan this ambush, he thought, but it's the perfect chance to collect data. Let's see how they handle this.
The tension broke as strange, humanoid ninjas began crawling out from tree trunks, their grotesque forms surrounding the group.
"More enemies?!" Sakura gasped, her voice tinged with fear.
"Looks like we're surrounded," Naruto muttered, clenching his fists. "But I'm not backing down!"
"Heh… caught like rats in a trap," one of the enemy ninjas sneered.
"Shut it!" Naruto yelled, charging forward. His fist collided with one of the figures, only for his hand to slip right through it. He stumbled, losing his balance and falling hard to the ground.
"What the—?!" Naruto gasped, staring as the injured ninja didn't collapse. Instead, a second ninja emerged from its wound, fully intact.
"How is this even possible?" Naruto stammered, his confusion evident.
On a nearby branch, Kabuto's keen eyes tracked every movement. Interesting. Let's see what Satoru does now.
Satoru stood apart from the group, his expression calm as he observed the unfolding chaos. The enemy's strategy is clear, he thought. They're using illusions to confuse and exhaust my team before moving in for the kill.
He tilted his head slightly. They're weak, relying on deception rather than strength. This should be a good learning experience for Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.
The ninjas closed in, their sneers echoing in the darkness. "This is where it ends for you!" one of them taunted.
Satoru chuckled softly, his voice barely audible. Not quite.
In an instant, his gaze shifted toward the true enemy, hidden deep in the shadows. Let's see if they're ready for this.
>>>>>
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