"Be careful on the road, okay!" Misaki called out as they began to walk.
"We're leaving now!" Aoki replied, waving gently.
Their footsteps echoed on the dirt path leading out of the village, passing through a forest with tall trees and shadows dancing among the light filtering through the leaves. The air beneath the tree canopy felt cool, even a bit chilly.
After a while, Aoki glanced at Mei. His expression seemed calm, but deep. Mei noticed this and quickly looked back, a bit confused.
"What's wrong?" Mei asked, her face puzzled.
Aoki shook his head slowly. "Nothing. I was just thinking… should I escort you all the way to the port, or… to Kirigakure?"
Mei paused for a moment, then quickly replied. "What?! No need! Just to the port is enough! I can board the ship and go by myself."
Mei's expression was serious, but her eyes seemed a bit uncertain, as if she herself wasn't entirely sure about her decision.
"…Alright." Aoki nodded, not wanting to prolong the debate.
Aoki knew the risks were too great if he took Mei directly to Kirigakure. It wasn't just about who might be lurking on their journey, but also the fact that Aoki—someone from Konoha—was stepping into a highly hostile territory.
...
...
...
Days passed quickly. They spent ten days traveling through various regions—from sun-scorched grasslands to small towns bustling with the traffic of refugees and wandering traders.
During that time, the relationship between Aoki and Mei slowly changed. There were no direct confessions, no bold declarations, but the warmth between them began to grow quietly. Like a small ember slowly igniting, providing warmth without burning.
Mei started to be more honest. She shared stories about her childhood, about how she grew up in a harsh village, about her dream to transform the dark Kirigakure into a place to be proud of.
Mei's voice sometimes trembled as she recalled betrayal, loss, and the pressure of being a young kunoichi who had to mature too quickly.
Aoki just listened. Sometimes he simply gazed at the girl's face as night fell and they sat facing the campfire. Aoki's gaze was complex—a mix of admiration, guilt, and a desire to protect. But Aoki remained silent.
He wanted to say everything. About who he really was. About his purpose. And about the feelings that were slowly growing within him for Mei.
Yet Aoki had not found the right moment. Perhaps it was because he was afraid. Or maybe because he knew that if he revealed it… something would change.
And what made Aoki feel like a jerk the most was that— in his mind, the face of another woman also crossed his thoughts. A woman who had once been close to Aoki. A woman who had once looked at Aoki with the same feelings.
In the quiet of the night, while Aoki was awake and the others were asleep, he often stared at the sky. The stars up there seemed to mock Aoki. Welcoming the complicated feelings of a man caught between war, promises, and unspoken love.
But Aoki did not let his mind go blank. Throughout the journey, Aoki also diligently gathered the latest news.
In the last port town they stopped at, Aoki heard big news: Minato Namikaze—the Yellow Flash of Konoha—had just faced Hachibi and A, the son of the Third Raikage.
It was not just news. It was a sign. The world was moving toward something bigger and darker.
And Aoki knew… their time was running out.
Because the war was nearing its end, shortly after the Third Raikage fell in a fierce battle against ten thousand combined ninjas from Iwagakure and Sunagakure—falling not by sword or jutsu, but by exhaustion after fighting non-stop for three nights and three days.
Soon after, the Third Ninja World War finally reached its conclusion.
------------------------------
[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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