Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

"You clearly said I was childish!" Kiba Inuzuka pointed at you angrily.

You corrected me in a statement of fact, saying, "What I said is the truth."

Kiba Inuzuka snorted, stopped arguing, and went back to admiring the photos with amusement.

You silently cross the time-consuming, laborious, and meaningless task of taking a photo of your teeth as a birthday present off your mental to-do list.

Chapter 334 Summer Festival Dance (8)

Kiba carefully tucked the photo into his pocket, a silly grin still on his face, but his excitement had finally cooled down a bit.

Although he is sometimes narcissistic and impulsive, he is not entirely without guile.

He scratched his spiky short hair, looked at you beside him, and asked directly, "By the way... why did you suddenly ask me what kind of birthday present I like?"

He doesn't consider himself the kind of person who would make you take the initiative to care about his birthday.

This guy usually finds it troublesome to even glance at someone else, so his sudden thoughtfulness must have some other reason.

You didn't hide anything; your purpose was very clear: "Ten-tien said that the Inuzuka clan has ninjas skilled in deer dance, and that visiting them on your birthday would be twice as effective."

"Skilled in deer dance? Oh! You mean Aunt Claw!" Fang immediately realized, then looked you up and down with some surprise. "You're going to participate in the festival parade? And you chose the deer dance?"

This news surprised him even more than if you had asked him about the gift.

He could hardly imagine that this gloomy and aloof girl would dance such a vibrant and wild dance in a parade that was the focus of everyone's attention.

You nodded, confirming his guess.

Upon learning the reason, the slight disappointment that Ya had felt due to ulterior motives vanished instantly, replaced by an excitement and pride of being needed.

He casually patted your shoulder, and when he touched you, you could feel your instant stiffness, but he pretended not to notice and made a loud promise.

"So that's what it was about! Don't worry! Just wait for my good news on your birthday! Auntie Claw loves me the most! I'll help you solve this problem!"

Your face clearly showed doubt at Ya's confident promise.

Being so bluntly questioned, Kiba Inuzuka immediately jumped up and down, "Hey! What kind of look is that! I mean what I say!"

In an attempt to amplify the weight of his words, and also driven by a deep-seated obsession, he blurted it out in a moment of impulsiveness.

"Here's what I'm saying! If I help you get the position of High Priestess of the Deer Dance, at the Summer Festival Ball... could you... be my partner?"

After he finished speaking, he looked at you with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, his cheeks slightly flushed.

The High Priestess of the Deer Dance... a ball partner...

You look so confident in your teeth, it seems you really have a good chance of making this happen.

Your identity as the High Priestess of the Deer Dance is crucial to gaining popularity.

However, the dance partner...

“I already have a partner.” You replied decisively, leaving no room for negotiation. “Find someone else.”

You promised Shikamaru, and you won't change your mind.

His hopes were dashed in an instant, and Ya's shoulders slumped, his face filled with dejection, like a large dog drenched in rain.

Undeterred, he tried a less desirable approach, asking with a slightly pitiful tone, "Then...then at least during the fireworks festival...is that okay? We could watch the fireworks together, you haven't made plans for that, have you?"

Fireworks festival? You think back, Shikamaru only made a dance appointment and didn't mention the fireworks festival, so you really didn't have any other plans.

"...Okay." You nodded, which meant you agreed.

This is just a partnership for a period of time, and has nothing to do with emotions. As long as it can bring me the identity of the High Priestess of the Deer Dance, this deal is worthwhile.

"You said yes?! That's great!" Afraid you might change your mind, Ya immediately extended her little finger, insisting on making a pinky promise. "Pinky promise, for a hundred years, no take-backs!"

His movements carried the naivety and earnestness unique to young people.

Looking at the little finger extended in front of you, you hesitated for a moment, but still stretched out your cold finger and gently hooked it.

The moment their fingertips touched, it felt as if a faint electric current had struck his teeth; his fingers trembled slightly, his ears turned red, and an indescribable flutter surged in his heart.

He immediately let go, and to hide his panic, he picked up Akamaru at his feet and ran towards home without looking back, shouting as he ran.

"Uchiha Nagi! Wait for my good news!" The voice echoed through the streets at dusk, carrying youthful vigor and an unwavering promise.

You watched him disappear around the street corner before turning and walking towards the villa.

The moment you push open the door, you are greeted by warm lighting and the feeling of home. But you see Sakura looking distressed, lying on the coffee table in the living room, with a piggy bank and some loose bills and coins in front of her.

Her pink head rested on her arm, her other hand listlessly fiddling with the money, muttering to herself as she counted it, her brows furrowed tightly.

"It's still not enough to have the whole place to myself..." Sakura sighed, not even noticing you were back right away.

"What's wrong?" you asked softly as you walked to her side.

You've always entrusted Sakura with the subsidies you earned from your secret missions, never asking how they were used, and you've never seen Sakura worry about money like this.

Sakura heard the voice, looked up, saw it was you, and a forced smile appeared on her face, but the worry did not disappear.

She sat up straight and explained, "I heard you're going to participate in the festival procession; dancing the deer must be tiring."

"I was thinking that after the parade, you could relax and soak in a hot spring to unwind. Also, since Sasuke treated us to dinner last time, I wanted to reciprocate..."

"So I wanted to book that newly opened hot spring hotel so everyone could have a great time without having to squeeze in with others, but..."

She pointed to the pile of money on the coffee table, which was clearly far from the cost of booking the entire venue, and sighed, "The difference is too great..."

Her tone was filled with disappointment and helplessness, and her bright green eyes dimmed slightly. She genuinely wanted to create a beautiful memory for everyone.

You listen quietly, your gaze falling on Sakura's dejected face, then sweeping over the pile of loose change, making Sakura so distressed, making her so disappointed... This won't do.

You immediately made a decision in your mind.

"Wait for me." You only said these two words, and before Sakura could even react, you turned around again, walked straight out of the house, and your figure quickly disappeared into the night.

Where are you going? What are you going to do? Sakura stared blankly at your disappearing figure, her heart filled with doubt, but also with a faint, inexplicable expectation.

The Inuzuka family mansion was filled with the unique aroma of dinnertime food, mixed with the faint scent of animal hides and sunshine from the ninja dogs.

The table was set with simple home-style dishes, the most eye-catching of which was a large plate of specially made dried meat, which was Ya and Akamaru's favorite.

Today, however, Kiba Inuzuka seemed to have a nail under his butt, hurriedly shoveling rice into his bowl, ignoring the plate of fragrant jerky, his speed as if he were in some kind of race.

His older sister, Hana Inuzuka, sat opposite him, carefully grooming a puppy. Seeing her brother's unusual behavior, a clear look of surprise appeared on her gentle face.

She put down the comb and asked with concern, "Ya, what's wrong today? You won't even touch your favorite jerky?"

This is very unusual. Normally, this guy would argue with Akamaru over the last piece of jerky.

"Mmm...mmm!" With his mouth full of rice, he mumbled an answer, struggling to swallow before finally managing to say, "I need to go see Auntie Claw later! It's urgent!"

As he spoke, he scooped up another large spoonful of rice and stuffed it into his mouth. However, he ate too quickly and choked. His face turned red, and he pounded his chest forcefully.

"Oh dear, eat slowly!" Inuzuka Hana was startled and quickly got up to pour him a glass of warm water, handing it to him and gently patting his back.

"Auntie Claw isn't going anywhere, why are you in such a hurry?" She looked at her brother's disheveled appearance, and her doubts deepened.

Aunt Claw is a senior ninja in the clan, especially skilled in some traditional ritual dances. She has a straightforward personality. Although Ya usually respects her, he wouldn't be this anxious.

He swallowed several mouthfuls of water, finally catching his breath. He wiped his mouth, and thinking about what he was about to do, an uncontrollable smile of excitement and anticipation spread across his face.

"I'm going to help with something very important! If I succeed... she... she promised to watch the summer festival fireworks with me!" Just saying those words made his heart race, as if he could already see that cool, aloof figure standing beside him under the dazzling fireworks in the night sky.

Seeing her younger brother's unusually infatuated expression, Hana Inuzuka's keen intuition as an older sister immediately made her guess what was going on.

She put down her water glass, placed her hands clasped on the table, leaned forward slightly, and asked with a teasing and inquisitive smile, "So... you have a girl you like?"

When his sister directly exposed his secret, Ya's cheeks instantly flushed red. He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, his eyes darting around, but he still admitted it ambiguously with a hint of pride.

"I think so..."

As he spoke, he carefully pulled the still-warm photograph from his pocket, as if presenting a treasure, and handed it to his sister, his tone brimming with undisguised pride, "Look! This is her! Uchiha Nagi!"

Inuzuka Hana curiously took the photo, and when her gaze fell on the girl in the photo, a hint of amazement flashed in her eyes.

The girl in the photo has an exceptionally beautiful face, with long black hair and skin so pale it's almost transparent. What's most striking are her eyes, which, even in a still photo, contain a kind of unfathomable calmness, forming a stark contrast with her younger brother next to her, who is smiling brightly in the sun.

This girl has such a unique aura, and she's too beautiful. A hint of doubt crept into Hua's mind: could a girl like this really like her clumsy, silly younger brother?

Ya keenly caught the suspicion in his sister's eyes, and immediately, as if his tail had been stepped on, he hurriedly explained, "Sister, don't think nonsense! She definitely cares about me! Look, she comes to my birthday party!"

He tried to use attending the birthday party as evidence to prove his special place in the other person's heart.

His eagerness to prove himself only confirmed Inuzuka Hana's suspicions to the more mature Inuzuka Hana.

Attending a birthday party out of friendship or camaraderie is a perfectly normal thing and doesn't prove anything.

My silly younger brother is clearly deceiving himself, getting completely absorbed in this.

Looking at Kiba's confident yet slightly apprehensive expression, Inuzuka Hana sighed softly in her heart.

She did not choose to expose this fragile facade.

A young man's infatuation is the purest and most beautiful emotion. Even if it is just a one-sided longing, as long as it makes him happy, that is enough.

Why shatter his fragile illusions?

"Okay, okay, she cares about you." Inuzuka Hana smiled gently, following his words, and handed the photo back to him. "Then eat quickly, and go find Aunt Claw after you finish eating. Remember to say hello for me."

Gaining her sister's approval gave Ya a huge boost, making her even more motivated.

He quickly ate the remaining rice in his bowl, put down the bowl and chopsticks, and rushed out without bothering to clean up. He even remembered to pick up Akamaru, who was still under the table, staring longingly at the jerky.

"Sister, I'm leaving!" Before the words were even finished, she had already rushed out of the restaurant like a gust of wind.

"Woof woof! Waaah..." Akamaru, who had been forcibly taken away, was still not full and let out a pitiful whimper in Kiba's arms, stretching his little paws in vain toward the dining table.

"Kiba! At least make sure Akamaru is full before you talk!" Inuzuka Hana hurriedly chased after him out of the restaurant, but only saw the swaying curtain at the entrance and the sound of running footsteps gradually fading away.

"Sigh, this brat..." Inuzuka Hana stood at the door, shaking her head helplessly, but with a doting smile on her face.

She turned back to the dining room, looked at the plate of almost untouched jerky on the table and Akamaru's half-eaten dog food bowl, resignedly began to clean up, and carefully prepared dinner for her younger brother, who was likely too busy to eat, and poor Akamaru.

Chapter 335 Summer Festival Dance (9)

Beneath Konoha's seemingly peaceful surface, the risks and pressures are multiplying as the summer festival is about to open to the entire ninja world.

Kakashi Hatake had been in the tactical planning room attached to the Hokage's office for several hours, with a map of Konoha Village and densely packed personnel deployment markings spread out in front of him.

Only when the last ray of daylight outside the window was swallowed by the night did he rub his throbbing temples and put away the finalized patrol plan scroll.

Once the highly focused mind relaxes, the neglected physiological needs immediately flare up.

A dull, cramping pain in his stomach reminded him that he had missed dinner.

He leaned back in his chair, contemplating whether to grab a quick bite at Ichiraku Ramen or go home and cook some instant miso soup. His gaze inadvertently drifted to the window, where he spotted a familiar figure on the street.

You are being pestered by Naruto Uzumaki. He has his hands clasped together, his face full of pleading, and his voice can be faintly heard from a distance.

"Nagi-chan! Nagi-chan! Please reconsider! I really want you to be my summer festival dance partner~"

You didn't stop walking, seemingly already used to Naruto's entanglement, or rather, you weren't really paying attention at all.

"Uchiha Nagi." Kakashi opened the window and called out lazily.

You turn around at the sound and meet Kakashi's slightly tired gaze; you were just looking for him.

"That weird old man is ruining things again!" Naruto muttered in dissatisfaction, but still followed you to the building where Kakashi was.

"Strange old man?" Kakashi's lips twitched involuntarily beneath his mask.

He considered himself to be quite dashing, even if he wasn't young, so how did he become a weird old man in Naruto's eyes? The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's taste is truly worrisome.

He decided not to argue with a child and turned his attention back to you, asking in a natural tone, "Have you eaten?"

You shook your head.

“Perfect timing, I haven’t eaten either.” Kakashi lightly leaped down from the window and landed in front of you, greeting you naturally, “Let’s go, I’ll treat you to Ichiraku Ramen.”

"Really? That's great!" Naruto immediately forgot about being called a weird old man, cheered, and rushed towards the ramen shop.

Inside Ichiraku Ramen, the warm lighting and rich aroma of bone broth dispelled the chill of the night.

Naruto has an amazing appetite; he quickly finished a bowl of signature ramen. He patted his still slightly flat stomach and looked at Kakashi with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Kakashi smiled knowingly, waved his hand, and ordered two more bowls for him.

"I didn't expect the weird old man to be such a nice guy!" Naruto said, squinting his eyes with satisfaction as he slurped his noodles.

Kakashi: "..." This praise sounds so awkward.