Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Kabuto keenly sensed this abnormality, his steps slowing involuntarily, a sense of foreboding rising within him. "Headmistress...?"

Nono stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder, her voice softer than usual, yet carrying a heavy tone, "Go, Kabuto, have a good chat with her."

"Reminiscing?" Dou's heart sank; the use of this word was far too unusual.

Nono seemed to sense his unease. After a moment of silence, she finally delivered the heavy news: "Nagi has been officially adopted. The formalities have been completed, and the Hokage has stamped his approval. In three days, the person who adopted her will come to pick her up from the orphanage."

The news struck Dou like a thunderbolt, leaving him momentarily blank, as if his limbs and bones had been frozen solid, and his blood had congealed.

You're being adopted? You're leaving the orphanage?!

He asked mechanically, almost instinctively, his voice hoarse and unlike his own, "Nagi-chan...does she know about this?"

Nono shook her head, her tone tinged with helplessness. "They probably don't know yet. I only received the officially stamped adoption application form this morning."

"Who is it?!" Kabuto suddenly raised his head, his eyes behind his glasses filled with urgency and a hint of barely perceptible panic and hostility. "Who wants to adopt Nagi-chan?! Is it someone from the Uchiha clan? Or..." He thought of Shimura Danzo, who always stared at him with greedy eyes.

Seeing Kabuto's excited expression, Nonou sighed heavily. "Kabuto, the information about the adoptive parents... is confidential. I can't tell you."

As the dean, she had to abide by the decisions of the higher-ups, even though she knew how cruel it was to Kabuto.

Kabuto's heart sank to the bottom. Even information had to be kept secret, which meant that the person who adopted you was definitely extraordinary, and it also meant... he might never see you again!

Without any hesitation, he dashed out of his house like an arrow, running with all his might towards the orphanage.

The wind howled in his ears, his heart pounded wildly in his chest, but he only felt cold all over.

Why now of all times? He's not strong enough yet, not qualified to stand by your side...

He burst through the door, panting heavily, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, looking utterly disheveled.

You were sitting quietly reading by the window when the sudden noise startled you. You looked up and saw Kabuto panting by the door. A look of surprise flashed in your dark eyes; you rarely saw Kabuto so out of sorts.

"The...the headmistress said..." Dou gasped for breath, her chest heaving, and blurted out the devastating news, "She said you've been adopted! Someone will come to pick you up from here in three days! Is it true?!"

Upon hearing this news, your expression remained unchanged; you simply closed the book in your hands calmly.

Not surprising, after the Cloud Village incident, you had a feeling that the Konoha leadership wouldn't let you continue to be 'idle' in the orphanage.

But who will adopt you?

Danzo? It's highly likely, but that old fox Hiruzen Sarutobi probably won't easily let 'Root' completely take you.

Uchiha? The possibility is extremely slim. The Uchiha clan is struggling to survive and has a tense relationship with the village. The Hokage would never allow another uncontrollable factor to be added to the powerful Uchiha bloodline.

Suddenly, the image of Hyuga Neji, whom you met in the alley yesterday, flashes through your mind, along with the complex emotions in his pure white eyes.

It seems most likely that the Hyuga clan is the most likely candidate: neutral, powerful, and in need of some kind of checks and balances.

Seeing that you remained silent for a long time, your face still bearing that unchanging icy expression, Dou felt even more anxious and saddened. He quickly added, "Moreover, the director said that the information about the person who adopted you is confidential!"

You then slowly spoke, "I understand, thank you."

The reaction was too calm, too indifferent, as if the matter had nothing to do with you. This utterly indifferent attitude made Dou feel an indescribable emptiness and panic.

He couldn't help but take a step forward, his voice trembling and choked with emotion, "Nagi-chan...aren't you...aren't you sad at all? Don't you have any...feelings?"

How can you remain so indifferent when you're about to leave your familiar surroundings for a completely unfamiliar family and face an unknown future?

You seemed somewhat puzzled by his question, tilting your head slightly to look at him.

Dou was afraid you'd misunderstand him as accusing him, so he hurriedly explained, "No! I mean... won't you be scared or uncomfortable living in a new environment? What if... what if that family treats you badly..." His words trailed off.

Because you are quietly watching him, your unfathomable black eyes piercing through all pretense, reaching the deepest fear in his heart that even he himself dares not look directly at.

“Kabuto,” your voice was soft, “who is truly afraid?”

"I...I..." Dou was speechless for a moment. All his thoughts, all his panic, all his fear of being abandoned, all his vulnerability of losing that last bit of connection, were laid bare and exposed under those calm black eyes.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word; his cheeks flushed slightly from the embarrassment of being seen through.

Chapter 239 - Confusion

Seeing Dou's panicked and helpless state, you remained silent for a few seconds before speaking again. Your tone was still calm, but it was like a light illuminating his despairing heart: "No matter who adopts me, you will still be able to see me."

A simple sentence, without any fancy words or even a trace of warmth, yet it was like the most solid promise, instantly shattering all the fear and gloom in my heart.

Does this mean you've accepted him? Does it mean he can continue to get close to you and follow you? You promised you wouldn't cut off contact.

A wave of immense joy washed over him, instantly washing away all his worries and anxieties. Dou's eyes lit up. He knew that although you were aloof, you never lied, and you always kept your word.

"I...I remember! Nagi-chan!" Kabuto's voice trembled with excitement as he nodded vigorously, a smile returning to his face.

At this moment, even more intense than the wildly beating heart in my chest was the vine of 'love' that was rapidly growing in my heart.

Kakashi Hatake lay dormant silently, his Sharingan not activated, but all his senses focused on that familiar window.

Not long after Kabuto rushed in, Kakashi's superhuman hearing picked up on the fragmented conversation.

"...was adopted...and left three days later..."

You were adopted? Who? When did this happen? Why didn't he hear a word about it? Was it Danzo? Or... the Uchiha? Or some other force coveting the secrets within you?

Countless questions instantly flooded his mind, bringing a strange sense of anxiety.

Kakashi's gaze unconsciously drifted into the room, where the boy named Kabuto was speaking excitedly, even with a slight sob in his voice, his face full of youthful, undisguised worry and longing.

Seeing Kabuto's wholehearted devotion to you, and his panicked state over the possibility of separation, Kakashi's brows furrowed tightly beneath his mask.

A sense of unease, which he himself had never delved into, quietly entwined around his heart like tiny thorns.

In that brief moment of distraction, the girl who had been sitting quietly inside the house suddenly raised her head and looked straight into the woods where he was hiding.

Despite being quite a distance apart, and despite his confidence that his concealment technique was flawless, Kakashi's heart skipped a beat.

"You've found me again!" This feeling of being completely exposed sent a thin layer of cold sweat down his back.

He almost subconsciously tensed all his muscles, and even the flow of chakra was briefly disrupted.

Fortunately, you only glanced in that direction, without any hint of investigation or warning, as if it were just a casual glance, and then naturally looked away, returning your gaze to the Yakushi Kabuto who was still excitedly talking in front of you.

Kakashi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt an even deeper sense of powerlessness. In your presence, all his experience and pretense seemed to have become a joke.

Inside the main residence of the Hyuga clan, however, the scene was completely different.

The usual orderliness was replaced by a suppressed panic. The clan leader was in a state of confusion, and the core elders had solemn expressions as they talked in hushed tones. Clan members were frequently summoned and then quickly sent away.

"How could it be lost? Look again! Have you searched every place we've been?!" Hiashi Hyuga's voice, filled with suppressed anger and anxiety, echoed in the hall.

The crucial application form for adopting Uchiha Nagi, which was personally approved by the Hokage, mysteriously disappeared after he brought it back.

If this chart were to fall into the hands of Danzo Shimura or Fugaku Uchiha, the consequences would be unimaginable. It would not only completely disrupt the Hokage's balance of power, but could also bring enormous trouble to the Hyuga clan.

"We've searched repeatedly, Chieftain! It's definitely...gone..." the clansman in charge of the search reported nervously.

"Useless!" Hiashi, unusually losing his composure, growled. He forced himself to calm down, rubbing his throbbing temples. "Immediately send men, using the most covert methods, to investigate whether there's anything unusual happening at Root or the Uchiha clan's territory today! Especially regarding that table! Go now!"

The clansmen obeyed and hurriedly left. Rizu sat back down in his chair, exhausted, his heart filled with coldness.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's plan to achieve a three-way balance of power by having the Hyuga adopt Nagi Uchiha was completely thrown into chaos before it even began, all because of this lost watch.

He now only hopes that the form was accidentally destroyed, rather than falling into the hands of any party.

In the corridor outside the hall, Hinata timidly peeked out, watching her clansmen hurry by with solemn expressions. Her pure white eyes were filled with confusion and a hint of unease.

She whispered to her cousin, Neji, who was standing by the corridor window, also gazing at the chaotic scene in the courtyard, "Brother Neji... has something serious happened in the clan?"

Hyuga Neji withdrew his gaze and looked at the innocent and gentle eldest daughter of the main family beside him.

A complex emotion flickered deep within his pure white eyes: indifference to his family's scheming, mockery of fate's cruel tricks, and even a...secret sense of relief.

He lowered his head slightly and replied in a cool voice, "It is fate that is helping the bluebird that should have soared high, preventing it from having its wings broken and being imprisoned in a magnificent cage."

He doesn't want you to be adopted by the Hyuga clan. He knows all too well the rules of the main family and the shackles of the branch family. You shouldn't be imprisoned in the Hyuga's cage.

In his view, the loss of that table might be a good thing.

Hinata looked at Neji with a mixture of understanding and confusion. She didn't quite understand what the bluebird and the cage specifically referred to, but she vaguely sensed that this matter seemed to be related to the girl in black who had saved her.

A slight sense of loss welled up in her heart, and a vague intuition told her that the girl would probably never have the chance to become her family.

She was destined to only be able to watch that unique figure from afar, carefully hiding the stirrings and longings that she herself had not yet fully understood in the softest corner of her heart.

In the cozy living room of the Haruno family home, the air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies, mixed with the smell of ink.

Sakura sat upright, her face tense, her little hand gripping the pencil, carefully filling in her information on the ninja academy application form spread out on the table.

Her father, Haruno Chō, and mother, Haruno Mebuki, sat on either side of her, like two dutiful examiners, watching their daughter's important life event with loving yet slightly nervous eyes.

"Name... Haruno Sakura... Gender... Female... Date of birth..." Sakura read it softly, afraid of writing a single word wrong.

Just then, a clear and slightly urgent knocking broke the silence inside the room.

Sakura instinctively wanted to put down her pen and run to open the door, but her mother, Haruno Meibuki, gently pressed her shoulder down.

"Sakura, keep filling it out. Focus, Mom's going to open it." As she spoke, Yabuki stood up, straightened her apron, and walked towards the entrance with a gentle smile on her face. She thought it was a neighbor coming to borrow or deliver something.

When she opened the door and saw the scene outside, the smile on her face froze instantly.

Outside the door stood three ninjas, dressed in standard Konoha Jonin vests, their expressions serious and their auras heavy!

They stood ramrod straight, their eyes sharp, exuding an aura of seasoned combat experience that clashed with the warm atmosphere of the residential area.

Haruno Meifuki's heart leaped into her throat, her voice unconsciously tinged with trepidation and respect, "E-Gentlemen...what brings you here? May I ask what brings you here?"

She quickly racked her brain, trying to recall if her family had gotten into any trouble recently. Sakura had also been very well-behaved...

The leading Jonin stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over Meibuki, and asked in a businesslike tone, devoid of any emotion, "Excuse me, is this Sakura Haruno's house?"

"Yes, yes!" Meibuki nodded hurriedly, but her heart sank even more, and her voice trembled. "She...she is my daughter. Did Sakura...did she do something wrong? She's just a child..." She subconsciously thought that the child had caused the trouble.

"No need to be nervous." The Jonin leader's expression remained serious, but his tone softened slightly. "We are not here to demand an explanation, but rather to inform you on orders from higher-ups: Sakura Haruno is to go to the Konoha Orphanage in three days to pick up the child she has adopted. Please be on time."

"Wh...what?!" Haruno Mebuki wondered if she had misheard. Her expression completely broke down, her eyes widened, and her voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief.

"You mean...you want Sakura...Sakura to go to the Konoha orphanage to pick up...to pick up the adopted children?! Really? Are you sure you didn't mispronounce the name! Haruno Sakura? My daughter Haruno Sakura!"

Her gasp instantly echoed throughout the entire living room.

Haruno Chika, who was supervising his daughter filling out the form, and Sakura, who was biting her pen, were both startled by this earth-shattering news. The father and daughter looked at each other, then stood up at the same time and quickly walked to the entrance to see what was going on.

When Sakura's small figure appeared at the door, Haruno Mebuki seemed to have grasped a lifeline, pulling her daughter to her side and excitedly confirming with the Jonin.

"My lords! Look! Look! Sakura herself is only five years old! She's adopting an orphan?! What... what kind of joke is this?! There must be some mistake! There's absolutely a mistake!"

Several Jonin, who were used to seeing all kinds of storms, looked at the little girl with pink hair and big green eyes full of confusion and helplessness, and when they heard Haruno Meifuu's excited words, they were all unusually silent for a moment, and a crack appeared in their mask-like serious expressions.

The orders they received were indeed bizarre, but they were merely executors of the mission and had no right to interfere with high-level decisions.

The leader, steeling himself, maintained a professional demeanor, his tone becoming even more ambiguous: "We are simply following instructions from higher-ups; the specific reasons cannot be disclosed."

"High-ups? Which high-ups?!" Haruno Chiu couldn't help but exclaim, his brows furrowed. "This is absurd!"

The Jonin leader paused for a moment, seemingly feeling that he couldn't give an explanation without mentioning the specific name, and could only vaguely add, "...It's the Hokage's intention. The formalities are complete, and the Hokage's seal has been affixed."

Now it was Haruno Hō and Haruno Mebuki's turn to cry out in shock, "Ah?! Hokage-sama!"

The couple was completely stunned, their minds a jumbled mess.

The Hokage? Hiruzen Sarutobi? Why would he let a five-year-old child adopt another orphan?! What is the deeper meaning behind this? They couldn't figure it out at all, and felt that the world had suddenly become incredibly magical.

Standing between her parents, Sakura, upon hearing the words "Lord Hokage," "stamp," and "procedures," suddenly remembered the old man at the orphanage gate urging her to sign a form that day!

That table that seems very important!

Her face turned pale instantly, and her emerald green eyes filled with panic. She quickly raised her little hand and anxiously explained to the Jonin.

"Uncle! Uncle! I remember now! That day...that day at the orphanage, an old man asked me to sign a piece of paper! He said whoever brought it to me should sign it! I found that form! It wasn't for anyone I wanted to adopt! It has nothing to do with me! You should go find that old man!"

Sakura was so anxious that she became incoherent, trying to explain this absurd misunderstanding.

After listening, the Jonin leader simply shrugged helplessly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation, "I'm sorry, Sakura Haruno, we don't know the specifics of what happened."

"But now it's all in black and white, the Hokage's seal is clear and unmistakable, this adoption relationship is legally established and there's no room for change. Even if the Hokage himself were to change his mind, it wouldn't be void."

The law is established... and cannot be invalidated...

These words struck Sakura and her parents like a heavy hammer blow.

"H-How could this happen..." Haruno Mebuki felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, the world spinning around her, her legs giving way, and she fell backward.

"Yabuki!!" Haruno Chō was terrified and quickly grabbed his wife to prevent her from falling to the ground.

"Mom! Mom, what's wrong?!" Sakura was also terrified and rushed to her mother's side, her little face filled with fear and worry.

The Jonin looked at the chaotic scene before them, almost to the point of collapse, and their expressions became even more awkward. The mission had been delivered, and they didn't want to stay any longer.