Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

You didn't struggle, nor did you respond.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe only a few seconds, but Sasuke released you. He was panting, his chest heaving violently.

"Is that enough?" You showed no anger at being violated, nor were you moved in the slightest; there was only a detached indifference.

Sasuke's hand fell limply to his side, a bone-chilling cold spreading from his heart to every part of his body.

You don't care at all.

His touch, all his intense emotions, are nothing more than a trivial disturbance to you.

"Uchiha Nagi..."

You stopped looking at him and left him completely behind.

Stepping back into the ball, Nara Shikamaru stood still until you stood before him.

"Done?"

"I'm sorry," you said, your tone devoid of any apology, "I've kept you waiting."

Just then, the prelude to the next dance began. Shikamaru didn't say anything, but simply reached out his hand to you again.

This time, his movements seemed less composed than before.

The lights shimmered, the costumes fluttered, and other dancers were immersed in joy all around. But beneath the harmonious scene, a subtle disharmony was brewing.

Shikamaru's pace began to deviate from his usual style, making him seem less like the Nara family genius who had everything under control and more like a restless student.

His guidance was no longer smooth, carrying a subtle sense of stagnation.

During what should have been a rotating motion, his hand, which was supposed to be gently supporting your waist, suddenly and uncontrollably increased in force.

The sudden force caught you off guard, and you crashed straight into his arms.

In that instant closeness, they could feel the contours and warmth of each other's bodies beneath their clothes, and Shikamaru carried the scent of sun-dried grass.

"Sorry," Shikamaru said softly, but his arms around your back didn't immediately loosen; instead, they lingered on your spine for a few seconds.

You quickly regained your balance and subtly created some distance between you. "Watch your rhythm, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru did not respond, but his eyes darkened slightly.

The next step in the dance was supposed to be him guiding you through a smooth outward spin.

Shikamaru, however, exerted an inward pulling force, causing you not only to not spin out, but also to be pulled back by him, instantly bringing you to a position where your noses were touching.

His knee brushed against the hem of your trailing skirt, making a soft rustling sound as the fabric rubbed together.

To those around who were unaware of the situation, it might just seem like a series of minor mistakes by the dance partners.

But you can clearly sense that there is an element of deliberate intent in this.

Every mistake he made broke the safe social distancing, carrying an aggressiveness that could not be ignored.

"Shikamaru?" You looked up and met his unusually serious gaze.

The dance music then transitioned into an exceptionally tender and poignant melody, the notes like sticky honey, swirling around us.

Shikamaru seized the opportunity to speak, his voice so low it was almost drowned out by the music, "Nagi, I know this is troublesome,"

His voice carried a hint of self-deprecation, "That's not like me at all."

Another misstep and spin cleverly concealed your figures temporarily in the relatively dim shadows at the edge of the dance floor.

“I know,” he continued, speaking slowly and deliberately, each word carefully chosen. “You may have someone else you care about more.”

You didn't push him away, nor did you argue; you just listened silently, your dark eyes appearing even more unfathomable in the shadows.

Shikamaru didn't stop, as if he wanted to pour out all the words that had been building up in his heart at once: "I hate trouble, I hate complicated emotions, and I hate pointless struggles even more."

“But… seeing you come back from him makes me incredibly irritable.” He stepped back slightly. “It may sound pointless, even stupid, but I don’t want to pretend I don’t care anymore.”

Shadows enveloped the two, and music lingered in their ears.

The brief silence felt like an eternity to Shikamaru, just as he was about to think that you wouldn't give any response.

"Some troubles shouldn't have been provoked in the first place."

“Keep your distance,” you finally said, “it’s better for both of us.”

Shikamaru looked at you, at the colorful lights in the distance reflected in your eyes, and the restless flames in his heart seemed to be extinguished in an instant, leaving only cold ashes.

Shikamaru turned to the other end of the dance floor, to Uchiha Sasuke, who exuded an aura of unapproachability even amidst the noise.

"However, Nagi, some feelings don't just disappear if you ignore them."

"Can't you feel it yourself?"

Chapter 353 Cold Creek

"Of course I know..."

Your voice brushed against Shikamaru's sensitive earlobe, and then, with a gentle but firm touch, you pushed him away from the excessively close distance.

Shikamaru staggered half a step, regained his balance, but his mind was in a state of unprecedented chaos.

All the calculations, all the strategies, all the prepared countermeasures, all became useless at this moment; he could only stare blankly at you.

“My dear deskmate,” you tilt your head slightly, “you really can’t keep your composure.”

“Did I say,” you paused for a moment on his astonished face, “that I rejected your approach?”

Leaving behind this statement that could plunge any logical thinking into a vicious cycle, you left Nara Shikamaru standing alone in the same spot.

Refuse...to get close?

You didn't refuse?

But what about that "keep your distance" comment? Was it a warning? A test? Or... another form of tacit approval?

He tried to analyze every subtle expression of yours, every possible subtext in your words, only to find that all the clues pointed to a vague fog.

He hated this feeling of being out of control, hated this state of being completely manipulated by his emotions, but the uncontrollably pounding heart in his chest betrayed a glimmer of hope.

Just then, Sakura Haruno finally found an opportunity, weaving through the crowd and grabbing you as you escaped Shikamaru's sight.

Her movements carried an undeniable intimacy, yet also a subtle tension.

"Nagi! I've finally found you!" Sakura's voice was filled with excitement, but her eyes swept warily over Shikamaru, who was still frozen in place.

Naruto Uzumaki stopped his chaotic dance with Kiba Inuzuka and ran over excitedly, "Huh? What's wrong with Shikamaru?"

He followed Sakura's gaze and saw Shikamaru standing alone in the shadows, head down, showing no intention of coming over. He scratched his head, looking puzzled.

Holding Sakura's hand, you calmly glanced at Naruto, then at Shikamaru, who seemed out of sorts in the distance. You cleared your throat and explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Shikamaru has suddenly realized his rude mistake yesterday,” you said, your voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the people nearby to hear clearly, “and he is reflecting on it.”

The excuse was so lame it was almost perfunctory, but coming from your mouth, it somehow carried a strange credibility.

"Oh, I see!" Naruto exclaimed, slapping his thigh in realization. "Then he really needs to reflect on his actions! He was absolutely asking for a beating yesterday!"

He was completely unaware of how venomous his words were, his tone so sincere it was almost laughable.

Sakura's lips twitched slightly, but she wisely didn't reply. Instead, she quickly changed the subject, "I just saw a super beautiful cake tower at the ball! Shall we go eat it together, Nagi?"

"Hey! Sakura! Take me with you!" Kiba Inuzuka immediately wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck and shouted loudly, his eyes glued to him.

Choji Akimichi was also tempted by the cake, but after hesitating for a moment, he still went to Shikamaru's side out of friendship and asked in a low voice.

"Shikamaru, I went to eat cake with them... Do you really want to reflect on your mistakes here?" He was still shaken when he recalled how Shikamaru had offended everyone with his indiscriminate sharp tongue yesterday.

Shikamaru felt a throbbing pain in his temples. What kind of ridiculous excuse did you just make up for him?!

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his chaotic thoughts, trying to regain his usual composure.

He raised his head and looked at Choji, his tone returning to its usual laziness, but with a hint of gritted teeth, "Thinking about it, I'm actually not wrong."

How could he be wrong? He was just protecting what he believed in.

"Ah!" Choji's eyes widened in surprise, and he almost dropped the snacks in his hand again. "Maybe...maybe you should really reflect on your actions!"

He almost pleaded, fearing that Shikamaru would once again enter that terrifying mode of attacking everyone he met.

Shikamaru looked at Choji's cowardly appearance, and then glanced at you, who had already been half-pushed and half-led to the food area by Sakura and Kiba. His unease quickly took over.

"Are you still going to eat cake?" He didn't want to dwell on this absurd topic of self-reflection any longer, and with a hint of impatience in his tone, he strode off in the direction you had left.

Choji was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening. With a sense of relief that there was cake to eat and that Shikamaru had temporarily returned to normal, he hurried after him.

In another relatively quiet corner of the ball, Kakashi Hatake, leaning against a decorative pillar, was gazing absently toward the center of the dance floor.

Even though you are no longer there, his gaze seems to linger on the scene from just now.

"Kakashi-senpai?" A gentle but cold voice interrupted his daze.

Kakashi looked away and then at Sai, who had appeared beside him at some point.

Kakashi didn't know much about Sai, the boy who came from the Root, except that he knew that Sai was somewhat connected to the deceased Shin. Apart from that, the two had no further interaction.

He was somewhat puzzled by Sai's sudden initiative to strike up a conversation.

Sai didn't exchange pleasantries; instead, he unfolded the sketchbook he had been holding and handed it to Kakashi.

The paper depicts your image at the ball.

Kakashi looked up in surprise, a hint of astonishment flashing in his only visible right eye, which then turned into a deep scrutiny. He looked at Sai, not understanding the meaning behind his actions.

Sai closed the picture book with a smile on his face. "I've been observing you for a long time, Kakashi-senpai. It seems we're the same kind of people."

His gaze swept meaningfully in the direction Kakashi had been staring. "But will this really make her notice?"

Deep within the Sound Village, at the end of a dark corridor, Kimimaro had just finished a mission, his cheeks still covered in dirt.

He arrived silently at the laboratory door. The heavy metal door was not completely closed, and low voices could be heard coming from inside, causing him to stop in his tracks instinctively.

"...Lord Orochimaru, forbidden techniques are indeed incredibly alluring, but I still can't fully understand them," Kabuto Yakushi's voice carried his usual inquisitive tone, "Why do you place such importance on the Impure World Reincarnation?"

Inside the laboratory, eerie green lights illuminated various glass containers soaked in unidentified substances, casting distorted and swaying shadows.

Orochimaru stood in front of the central experimental table, his slender, pale fingers stroking an old scroll wrapped with strange runes.

Hearing the slight movement outside the door, his golden vertical pupils shifted slightly, and a chilling smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Hehehe... Kimimaro, standing at the door, you won't hear any interesting answers." His voice was hoarse, with a hissing sound like a snake.

Kimimaro felt a chill run down his spine, pushed open the door and entered, bowing respectfully, "Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru didn't turn around; his fingers continued to tap lightly on the cold lab bench, gesturing for the boy to come closer.

"Dou, you always use the word 'understanding' to limit your boundless vision." His tone was calm, yet it carried a condescending criticism.

He suddenly reached out and picked up a small lump of white clay used for model making from the corner of the table.

The clay was easily crushed and deformed at his fingertips, then strangely reassembled to form a rough human shape.

"Immortality..." Orochimaru stared at the twisted clay doll in his palm, his vertical pupils flashing with fanatical light.

“It’s just a boring linear continuation of time, and the Impure World Reincarnation,” he said, before he finished speaking, he exerted a little force in his palm, and the clay doll instantly disintegrated, turning into a handful of fine dust.

The next moment, with the subtle flow of his chakra, the dust seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, transforming back into human form, only its surface was covered with spiderweb-like cracks, exuding death and foreboding.

"It is to make history itself a living specimen that I can observe, disassemble, and reconstruct at will."

Orochimaru's eyes flashed with astonishing light. "When Tobirama Senju created it, he was only thinking about tactics and war values. What a waste!" His tone was full of disdain.

He suddenly turned to the side and whispered in Kabuto's ear, "And I... want to make those long-silent dead, with all their knowledge, power and secrets from their lives, transcend the barriers of time and space and use them for my purposes."

"For example, look at how Hashirama Senju's cells would struggle, adapt, and even... mutate and grow in the corpses of other powerful figures from the Warring States period."

"Or perhaps, what strange and alluring flowers will bloom on the bodies of those bloodline limit families in Kirigakure, thanks to the ancient sealing techniques lost by the Uzumaki clan..."

The pharmacist's eyes, behind his glasses, suddenly widened, and his breath hitched slightly.

He immediately grasped the deeper meaning in Orochimaru's words: "It seems that Lord Orochimaru already has a more suitable vessel in mind?"

At this moment, Kimimaro stepped forward, his voice breaking the brief silence, "My lord, the remains of the strong person you ordered us to find that meet the requirements... have been found."

Orochimaru finally put down the equipment he was playing with, turned around, and said, "Oh? Very well. Then, let's go and see... what a true strongman looked like in the Warring States period."

Kabuto Yakushi was also intrigued and followed Orochimaru.

The three of them passed through several more secluded passages and arrived at a cold, dark underground chamber.

In the center of the secret room, a simple and ancient coffin sat all alone.