Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

She was breathing rapidly, her chest heaving. "Everyone says so! But who can tell me how to forget? How to keep living?"

You waited quietly for her to calm down, and then you saw the marks on Tsunade's wrist. They were marks from repeated kunai cuts. Your ninja instincts immediately told you that they were shallow but dense, unlike some kind of...training? More like suicide.

“What is truly powerful is not hatred, but…” you paused, as if searching for the right word, “but hands like yours, which, even when in excruciating pain, still choose to save lives.”

Tsunade stared blankly at the young yet weathered woman before her, a certain emotion welling up from the depths of her heart.

She suddenly realized that for the first time in five years, someone was not seeing her as a weak person in need of rescue, but rather as... a fellow traveler.

When I left the tavern, it was already late at night. The starry sky of the Land of Earth was exceptionally bright, and the Milky Way stretched across the sky like a shimmering ribbon.

In the cool night breeze, you take off your cloak and gently drape it over Tsunade's shoulders.

"I'm not cold," Tsunade said, without rejecting the warmth. The cloak carried a faint, reassuring scent of bitter medicine.

"I know," you smile, "but I want to do it."

Stroll along the quiet street, the moonlight intimately intertwining your shadows.

"So you understand how I feel," Tsunade said softly, unconsciously moving closer to you.

“Not entirely.” You stopped and turned to face Tsunade. “Everyone’s pain is unique. I just… hoped to share your burden.”

Standing under an ancient cherry blossom tree, even though it wasn't the blooming season, moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on Tsunade's face.

You raised your hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally gently brushed away a non-existent flower petal from Tsunade's hair. This action brought you so close that you could feel each other's breath.

A dull ache from the hangover throbbed gently in her temples. Tsunade opened her eyes and instinctively looked at the spot beside her—it was empty.

"Tanuki?" Tsunade sat up, her voice hoarse from sleep. The room was quiet, with only the occasional chirping of early birds outside the window.

Her gaze fell on the bedside table, where a bulging dark blue money bag was pressing down on a folded piece of paper.

Tsunade's heart sank suddenly. An ominous premonition gripped her breath. She grabbed the note, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Tsunade, this money isn't charity, it's a bet. I bet you can find your true self."

The edges of the note were wrinkled, as if it had been clenched and unclenched many times. Tsunade stared at the sharp handwriting and felt a sharp pain in her chest.

Grabbing the purse, its heavy weight made her instantly realize the amount inside—enough to pay off all her gambling debts, with some to spare.

"What a joke..." Tsunade suddenly threw off the covers and found her clothes neatly folded on the pillow, with a small purple wildflower on top.

It's the same kind you touched on the street yesterday; the petals still have morning dew on them, clearly they were just picked recently.

Suddenly, the sound of rain began to fall outside the window. At first, it was just a few raindrops, but soon they became a continuous drizzle. Tsunade hurriedly put on her clothes and rushed out of the room without even tying up her hair.

The wooden corridor creaked under her hurried footsteps.

"Boss lady!" Tsunade yanked open the curtain at the front desk, startling the middle-aged woman who was arranging flowers, who nearly knocked over the vase. "When did that black-haired woman with me leave?"

"That young lady left before dawn," the landlady said, patting her chest. "She specifically told me not to wake you, saying you needed to rest..."

Before she could finish listening, Tsunade rushed into the rain. The icy rainwater instantly soaked through her clothes, and her blonde hair clung wetly to her cheeks and neck.

She went to the casino first, roughly pushed aside the thugs blocking her way, only to find that the debt had indeed been fully paid off.

"It was a beautiful woman with dark hair who came to pay," the casino owner recalled, stroking his beard. "She arrived just as dawn was breaking, and her eyes were chillingly cold..."

Tsunade went to the tavern from last night, to the market, and even to the mission office in the Land of Earth, but there was no trace of you.

The rain was getting heavier, and there were few pedestrians on the street. The occasional passersby looked at the blonde woman, who was soaked to the bone, with strange eyes.

"You can't even say goodbye in person...?"

Water droplets fell on the letter paper, blurring the last stroke of the character "奴" (slave). Tsunade touched her cheek in surprise, only to find that it was her own tears.

When Tsunade returned to the inn, her face had returned to its usual languid expression, with only a few traces of moisture remaining at the corners of her eyes.

When Shizune pushed open the door carrying a pink piglet, Tsunade was standing in front of the mirror combing her long hair. Sunlight filtered through the rain curtain, casting a hazy glow around her.

To Jingyin's surprise, the adult's back looked much more upright than usual, as if he had unloaded some invisible burden.

"We're setting off today," Tsunade suddenly said, her eyes meeting Shizune's in the mirror. "To the Land of Tea."

Shizune opened her mouth as if to say something, but Tsunade stopped her with a raised hand.

One of the three legendary ninjas took out a dark blue money pouch from her chest and gently shook it; the clinking of gold coins was crisp and melodious.

“Someone showed me the right path.” A genuine smile appeared on Tsunade’s lips. This was the first time Shizune had seen the adult with such an expression in many years. “And… I owe her a formal thank you.”

The ruins of the abandoned building were still burning, and black smoke swirled upwards as if to devour the entire sky. Deidara stepped on the rubble, his boots crushing charred wood chips, a wanton smile on his lips.

"Hmm—this explosion was full of artistry!" He stretched, the warmth of the clay still lingering on his fingertips. The satisfaction after the explosion made him feel lightheaded.

He hummed an off-key tune, hands in his pockets, and swaggered toward the village.

The moment he stepped into the village, a tall, slender figure silently blocked his way.

A long black robe with red clouds fluttered slightly in the wind, and the belt accentuated the sharp curves of your slender waist. Your lips were slightly pursed, and there was a hint of impatience between your brows.

Deidara paused, but his smile deepened.

"Hey! You wicked woman over there, you're blocking my way!" He deliberately raised his voice, crossed his arms, raised his chin slightly, and glared at you provocatively.

Your brows furrowed even more, a hint of coldness flashing in your red eyes. "Why is it you again?" Your voice was filled with undisguised annoyance.

"Huh? 'Again'?" Deidara spread his hands exaggeratedly. "This is the first time I've ever seen such an arrogant woman like you, hmm!"

You sneered, too lazy to argue with him, and turned to leave. But Deidara wouldn't let it go, and with a flash, he blocked your way, the clay spider silently slipping from your sleeve into your palm.

"In such a hurry to leave? Are you scared?" He tilted his head, laughing unrestrainedly.

Deidara flashed his fangs, "I always run into you when I'm creating art, could it be..." He suddenly leaned forward, his blond hair brushing against your nose, "...that you have a crush on me?"

As the kunai flashed with a cold light, Deidara leaned back to dodge and smelled the crisp scent of mint.

Chapter 115 Dependence

"Yesterday you raided Sunagakure, and today you're coming to Iwagakure?" He deftly twirled a lump of clay in his fingers, as if playing with an interesting toy. "You wicked woman, you've got quite the appetite, haven't you?"

Your gaze turned cold. "I don't have time to waste with your nonsense." You turned to leave, your boots crunching over the gravel.

Deidara didn't back down; instead, he smiled even more brightly. "Oh, are you angry?" He deliberately dragged out his words, and the clay at his fingertips began to deform, gradually shaping into a bird with outstretched wings.

"I just can't stand your cold, aloof attitude. What, you want to fight?"

"Looking for death?" Your voice was low and deep, your left hand already pressed against the scythe behind your back, your knuckles slightly white, and anger surging in your chest.

You hate being provoked, and you hate this guy's frivolous attitude even more, but there's something in his eyes that you can't decipher—like he's deliberately trying to provoke you, or maybe... he's enjoying it?

“This is your last warning,” you say coldly, “Get out of the way.”

Deidara narrowed his eyes, the clay bird in his palm fluttering as if about to take flight. "If you won't let me, what can you do about it?"

"Hmph, what are you looking at! Get the hell away from me!" Deidara roared irritably at those around him, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

The villagers' panicked flight brought a smug smile to his lips, but when he turned his gaze back, it was fixed on the figure opposite him.

"You're always causing trouble!" You don't want to waste time, but you also don't want to be bothered by this madman.

Deidara grinned, his golden hair billowing in the wind, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Ha! That's more like it!"

He suddenly flung out a lump of clay, his fingers deftly kneading it together. In the blink of an eye, a clay bird took flight and swooped down toward you.

Your Sharingan flashed slightly, and your figure vanished from the spot. The next instant, you appeared behind Deidara, your scythe drawing a cold arc, aimed straight at his back.

"Tsk!" Deidara leaped forward, barely dodging the attack, but a piece of his clothes was sliced ​​off by the sharp blade.

He turned around, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, which then turned into excitement. "I didn't expect you to be so capable, you wicked woman!" He licked his lips, as if he had discovered an interesting toy.

You didn't answer, you just stared at him coldly, the sickle in your hand tilted slightly, the blade reflecting the setting sun with a blood-red light.

"However, that's far from enough!" Deidara quickly formed hand seals, opened his mouth abruptly, and spat out a large lump of clay. The clay twisted and expanded in the air, eventually transforming into a giant clay snake that bared its fangs and lunged at you.

Instead of dodging, you slammed your scythe into the ground and formed hand seals, unleashing "Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"

The ground shook violently, and a thick earthen wall rose up, forcefully blocking the impact of the clay snake. The next second, a deafening explosion rang out, and smoke and dust spread, obscuring the view.

Deidara squinted, searching for your figure in the smoke. "What a coward!" he sneered, but before he could finish speaking, a chill ran down his spine.

Who are you calling a coward?

"Finally getting serious?" He raised his hand, the small mouth in his palm slightly open, a miniature clay spider perched on his fingertip, ready to explode at any moment.

“You know what,” Deidara suddenly spoke, his voice lower than usual, “you look especially handsome when you’re angry, hmm.”

These words exploded your reason like a detonator. You exerted force suddenly, and the kunai flashed with a cold light, but only severed a few strands of Deidara's golden hair.

At the same time, all the clay spiders fall off you, turning into harmless debris.

"You—!" Your pupils contracted. These spiders weren't going to explode at all; you'd been tricked.

Deidara had retreated to a safe distance and was playing with the few strands of hair that had been cut off. "Giving away hair on our first meeting, you're too enthusiastic, you wicked woman~"

"You're really annoying." Your voice was close to his ear, your warm breath brushing against his earlobe, your arm encircling his shoulder, the cold blade of the scythe gently pressing against his Adam's apple.

Deidara stiffened, then chuckled softly, "Interesting..." He leaned back deliberately, feeling the warmth emanating from his back, "So this is the position the wicked woman likes?"

"You're sick." Just as you were about to pull away, your wrist was suddenly grabbed.

The two stared at each other intently, their reflections shimmering in each other's deep blue and crimson eyes. Deidara could clearly count your long, delicate eyelashes.

Deidara gently shook the clay spider on his fingertip. "But you didn't really kill him, did you?"

You paused for a moment, then abruptly sheathed your sword, turned, and left.

He watched your retreating figure and suddenly shouted, "Hey! You wicked woman!"

You paused, but didn't turn around.

Deidara smiled and pulled a lump of clay from his pocket. With a few deft pinches of his fingers, a delicate clay rose bloomed in his palm.

He tossed it gently, and the rose landed precisely at your feet. "Next time we meet, don't let me off so easily!"

You glanced down at the rose, a barely perceptible smile playing on your lips, then stomped on it and disappeared around the corner without looking back.

Dragging your weary body through the base gate, your fingers still bore traces of undried blood, and your Sharingan was slightly burning from overuse.

You opened your mouth, wanting to say something, but the next second, your legs suddenly lost strength, and you fell forward.

Your body crashed heavily to the ground, your black hair falling loose and obscuring your pale face.

At the end of the corridor, Kimimaro walked slowly, his white robes floating like a ghost in the shadows. He had never liked you, always feeling that your scarlet eyes held too many secrets, making you unfathomable.

But at this moment, seeing you collapse without warning, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Tsk."

He stepped forward and grabbed Hidan, who was passing by. "Hey, this guy's passed out. Come check on him."

Hidan, who was chewing on a blade of grass, was startled by the sudden tug and mumbled indistinctly, "What are you doing, really..."

But when he looked down and saw who it was, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the blade of grass in his mouth fell to the ground with a thud.

"Lord Evil God!"

His exclamation exploded in the corridor, the echo reverberating as if even the air itself trembled for a moment.

The next second, a dark green figure swept past like a gust of wind, and Shisui instantly appeared beside you, his Sharingan eyes spinning rapidly, his gaze fixed on your pale face.

Zhi Shui's voice was deep and tense. His fingers gently brushed aside the stray hairs on your forehead, and when his fingertips touched your cold skin, his heart clenched.

Without the slightest hesitation, he bent down and scooped you up in his arms, your long black hair falling from his arms and swaying gently with his steps.

His voice was unquestionable, and the people around him instinctively made way for him.

Lin followed closely behind, her fingers already gathering medical ninjutsu chakra, her brow furrowed. "Chakra depleted, and there are external injuries..."

Inside the room, Zhishui carefully placed you on the bed, her movements so gentle it was as if she were afraid of breaking you.

Hidan stood at the door, unusually quiet, just staring at your face, muttering under his breath, "Lord Jashin, please be well..."

Kimimaro leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his gaze sweeping coldly over everyone in the room before finally settling on Shisui. "You seem quite concerned about her."

Shizuku didn't answer, but just silently stared at your face, her fingers unconsciously clenching.

The air in the room seemed to freeze, with only faint breathing sounds and the faint sound of wind outside the window remaining.

Xiao Nan stood beside Lin, holding a snow-white handkerchief between her fingers, occasionally wiping the fine sweat from Lin's forehead as she focused on the treatment.

Her movements were slow and gentle, as if she were afraid of disturbing the medical chakra flowing in Lin's hands.

"Hang in there a little longer..." Lin murmured softly, the emerald green medical light shimmering in her palm, slowly repairing the damaged meridians in your body.

Hidan, exhausted from all the commotion, rested his head on Kakuzu's shoulder and fell into a deep sleep, emitting soft snores.

Kakuzu, unusually, did not push him away, but merely glanced at him sideways before letting him lean against him.