Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Sasori's puppet strings silently wrapped around Kakashi's wrist. "Don't move, unless you want this little princess's head to be moved."

Kakashi hugged Yuki tightly, his Sharingan scanning the four of them warily.

When he looked into your eyes, a look of shock flashed across his face. "Uchiha?"

You didn't answer, your gaze falling on the unconscious Xiaoxue's face, tears still clinging to the corners of the girl's eyes.

What do you want?

“Cooperation.” Yahiko pointed to the signal flare rising in the distance. “The Wolf Fang Avalanche troops will be here soon. You can’t escape with the wounded.”

Kakashi's mind raced. With Yuki unconscious, he had almost no chance of winning against the combined attack of the Akatsuki and the Yuki ninja.

Chapter 106 Hexagon

“The hexagonal crystal,” Scorpion said coldly. “We know it’s in the little princess’s hands.”

Kakashi's muscles tensed. How could these people know about the Snow Country's secret treasure?

You suddenly stepped forward and gently touched Xiaoxue's forehead. Kakashi instinctively wanted to back away, but was surprised to find that the girl's tightly furrowed brows relaxed under your touch.

"She's been poisoned by the Ice Release technique." Your voice was soft. "If she doesn't receive timely treatment, it will damage her internal organs."

Kakashi looked down and noticed that Yuki's lips had turned an unnatural bluish-purple. A wave of self-reproach washed over him; he hadn't even realized that the enemy had secretly poisoned her.

“Our temporary base is ahead.” Yahiko turned and led the way. “Save the child first, then we can talk about the deal.”

Kakashi hesitated for a moment, but finally followed the Akatsuki.

He noticed that you were always walking beside him, your Sharingan subtly observing Xiaoxue's condition, while Sasori's gaze was fixed on him, that scrutinizing look reminding Kakashi of the lights in the Anbu interrogation room.

Hidan hooked his arm around Kakashi's shoulder, his breath hot against his ear, "Don't worry, the little princess will be alright~ After all... our Tanuki-sama loves little girls the most!"

The temporary base was an ice cave temporarily dug by Scorpion's puppets. You took Xiaoxue and placed her flat on the blanket, forming hand seals.

A soft red light emanated from your palm, slowly enveloping Xiaoxue's entire body. The frost receded at a visible speed, and the girl's breathing became steady.

Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief, only then feeling the stinging pain in his left arm wound. He tore off his headband and prepared to bandage it simply, but then he saw you already walking over with a medical kit.

"Let me do it." You pulled Kakashi's arm without saying a word, the movement surprisingly gentle.

Scorpion snorted coldly from the side, the puppet's fingers unconsciously opening and closing. Yahiko gave him a warning look, "Now, let's talk about the hexagonal crystal."

Your fingers traced the lines on Kakashi's arm, the sensation of chakra threads stitching the wound reminding him of Rin's treatment.

At such close range, he could smell the faint scent of cedar in your hair, see the shadows cast by your eyelashes and the collarbone that was faintly visible through your neckline.

"I don't know anything about hexagonal crystals," Kakashi said honestly. "My mission is simply to protect Princess Yuki and ensure her safe departure from the Land of Snow."

You turn to Kakashi, your Sharingan staring directly into his eyes. "The coup d'état was for the hexagonal crystal, which should be with Princess Yuki."

As if in response to your words, Xiaoxue let out a soft hum and slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the strangers surrounding her, she instinctively shrank into Kakashi's arms.

"Don't be afraid." Kakashi patted her back gently, his voice unusually tender. "These are... temporary allies."

Xiaoxue timidly looked up, her gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on your face. She suddenly reached out and gently touched the corner of your eye. "Sister's eyes...are so beautiful."

You instinctively grasp Xiaoxue's hand, but the moment you touch it, you feel something burning hot on the girl's neck.

"This is...?"

Xiaoxue pulled a necklace from her collar. The hexagonal crystal gleamed faintly in the dim ice cave. Almost simultaneously, the entire cave shook, and Xue Ren's shouts came from afar.

"We've found them!"

Sasori's puppets instantly deployed into a defensive formation, and Yahiko grabbed Kakashi, "Take the princess out the back door!"

You stood still, your Sharingan fixed on the hexagonal crystal, and deep within its shimmering depths, you saw a familiar pattern.

Kakashi noticed this too, and countless questions were conveyed in your silent gazes.

"Kakashi..." your voice was cold, "Take me with you."

This was not a request, but a call from some destiny. The maniacal laughter of Wolf Fang Avalanche echoed from outside the cave, "Sharingan Kakashi! Hand over the princess and the crystal!"

Hidan excitedly waved his scythe, "Finally, some fun!"

Yahiko glanced at you, then at Kakashi. "It seems our cooperation will have to be extended."

Scorpion's fingers twitched slightly, and the puppet strings gleamed coldly in the darkness. "Troublesome."

Xiaoxue tightly gripped the hexagonal crystal, while her other hand somehow grabbed the hem of your clothes. Two Sharingan users flanked her, protecting her from the middle.

The air inside the cave seemed to freeze. Wolf Fang Avalanche's gaze swept back and forth over the four members of the Akatsuki, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Behind him, more than twenty Snow Ninja stood ready, but they could not hide the fear in their eyes.

"So you're the Akatsuki who take on bounty missions, right?" Wolf Fang Avalanche tried to remain calm, but his voice trembled slightly. "Hurry up and capture Kakashi and Kazahana Koyuki!"

The only response he received was the howling wind inside the cave.

Hidan exaggeratedly picked at his ear. "Hey, who's this old man talking to?" He turned to Yahiko. "Boss, when did we switch to being thugs?"

Yahiko's lips curled slightly, but he did not answer, though his eyes were already locked on Wolf Fang Avalanche.

Scorpion's Crimson Amber silently unfolded, the puppet's joints emitting a teeth-grinding clicking sound. He stood half a step behind you, his posture seemingly casual, yet he perfectly protected you and Princess Snow in a blind spot from the attack.

Cold sweat beaded on Ruthless Avalanche's forehead. "You...are you going to betray us?!"

His voice began to tremble, and he unconsciously took a half step back. The Snow Ninja's formation behind him also began to stir. Against the Akatsuki, numerical superiority was a joke.

"You dare to order me and Lord Jashin around?" Hidan suddenly sprang to his feet, his blood-red scythe drawing a deadly arc.

The three Snow Ninja in the front row didn't even have time to form hand seals before their heads flew into the air, their blood splattering on the cave walls like an abstract painting.

"I thought they were so arrogant," Hidan laughed loudly, stepping on the still convulsing headless corpse, "turns out they're just a bunch of cowards! Hahahaha!"

Kakashi's Sharingan twitched slightly. He had imagined countless ways to break through, but he never expected this situation to occur. The vicious Akatsuki members had become his temporary allies.

What surprised him even more was that the Uchiha girl, who was called "Lord Evil God," seemed to have a special status among this group.

"Tanuki, what do you think we should do?" Yahiko asked softly.

Your gaze shifted from Xiaoxue's pale face to Langya Avalanche, and the tenderness in your eyes instantly froze into ice. "Killing them shouldn't require my personal intervention, right?"

These words were like a switch being flipped; Hidan charged into the enemy ranks with a strange cry, each swing of his scythe bringing up a spray of blood.

Yahiko's figure flickered like a ghost, each strike precisely hitting the vital points of the Snow Ninja.

Scorpion's puppets weaved through the crowd, reaping lives with poisonous stings and sharp blades, while Scorpion himself didn't even bother to move an inch.

Wolf Fang Avalanche finally realized that something was wrong. He quietly formed hand seals, preparing to use Ice Release to escape, but he was devastated to find that the cave entrance had been blocked by a golden barrier at some point.

"Kakashi," you suddenly tilted your head, a playful smile playing on your lips, "aren't you going to lend a hand?"

Your voice wasn't loud, yet it strangely pierced through the clamor of the battle. Kakashi saw a glint in your eyes—a dangerous, provocative, yet inexplicably captivating light.

Even knowing that getting close might lead to a fall, one still can't help but want to get closer.

"Please look after the princess," Kakashi finally replied.

Among many choices, he inexplicably believed that this Uchiha girl he had never met would protect Yuki, perhaps because of her eyes that were exactly like Obito's, or perhaps simply because he had no other choice at the moment.

You seemed satisfied with the answer, and held Xiaoxue's cold little hand, "These are your enemies, are you afraid?"

Xiaoxue's body trembled slightly. Through you, she could see the horrific scene of Hidan pinning a snow ninja to the wall and ripping open his chest, hear the sound of Yahiko's water-style attacks shattering bones, and smell the sweet, fishy odor of the poisonous mist sprayed by Sasori's puppets.

All of this should have terrified her, but at this moment, the hands holding hers felt surprisingly warm.

The girl buried her face deep in your black robe, tears silently soaking the fabric. These were not tears of fear, but rather the release of long-suppressed grief and anger.

You gently patted Xiaoxue's back, your movements clumsy yet tender.

As the battle neared its end, Wolf Fang Avalanche was kicked into a hole by Hidan.

In the center of the cave, his right arm had vanished, and his Ice Release armor was shattered like glass shards.

He struggled to crawl toward the cave entrance, but halfway there, Kakashi's kunai was pressed against his throat.

"Where is Naraku?" Kakashi's voice was as cold as the frozen ice of the Land of Snow.

Wolf Fang Avalanche grinned, revealing his bloodied mouth. "That guard? We've already—"

Before he could finish speaking, Scorpion's puppet strings suddenly wrapped around his neck, suspending him in mid-air.

"Too noisy," Scorpion said calmly, flicking his finger as the Thread Blade severed Wolf Fang Avalanche's spine.

Kakashi frowned at Sasori, who simply shrugged indifferently, "You'll have other sources of information."

The cave fell silent again, leaving only the lingering stench of blood in the air. Hidan, still savoring the taste, flicked the blood droplets off his scythe. "That's it? I wasn't done yet!"

Yahiko walked up to you, knelt down to be at eye level with Yuki, and asked, "Your Highness, can you tell us about the hexagonal crystal?"

His voice was gentle and polite, a stark contrast to his ruthless and decisive demeanor just moments before.

Xiaoxue timidly lifted her head from your embrace, her fingers unconsciously touching the crystal around her neck.

“Father said…this is the key to open the altar.” Xiaoxue’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz. “Only those with the bloodline of the Windflower Clan can use it.”

"Hey, Kakashi!" Hidan suddenly came over and put his arm around his shoulder. "How about it? The Jashin Cult isn't bad, is it?"

The silver-haired Jonin stiffly dodged, only to see you watching this scene with a half-smile. Your Sharingan had returned to normal, but its subtle allure remained undiminished.

"Thank you for your help," Kakashi said cautiously, "but we should continue on our way."

"What's the rush?" Hidan grumbled, "We finally found some fun!"

Yahiko pressed down on Hidan's shoulder. "Kakashi's right, the pursuers could arrive at any moment." He turned to you. "What are your plans, Tanuki?"

You help Xiaoxue to her feet, but unexpectedly, the girl tightly grips the hem of your clothes and refuses to let go.

"It seems the princess trusts me quite a bit." A slight smile curved your lips. "Why don't we go together?"

Scorpion suddenly stepped forward. "Too dangerous." His voice was cold and hard, but his gaze was fixed on your clasped hands with Xiaoxue's. "Our mission is complete."

“Scorpion is right,” Yahiko said thoughtfully, “but…”

"But what?!" Hidan interrupted, "I think the little princess is quite cute, let's take her along!"

Kakashi's gaze swept back and forth among the group, finally settling on you.

You seem to sense his gaze. "Kakashi, what do you think?"

The cave suddenly fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on the silver-haired Jonin.

Kakashi felt a strange pressure, especially when Sasori's amber eyes swept over him coldly.

“I…” he paused, “as long as the princess is safe, I’ll do anything.”

Xiaoxue suddenly spoke, her voice soft but firm, "I want to be with Sister Tanuki."

This title stunned everyone present. Hidan exaggeratedly clutched his chest, "Wow! You've already recognized her as your older sister so quickly?"

Scorpion suddenly stepped forward, his mechanical prosthetic limb making a slight clicking sound. "Someone's coming."

His puppets quickly formed a line at the cave entrance, "at least several hundred people, their chakra reactions are different from the small fry from before."

Kakashi quickly formed hand seals and activated his sensory ninjutsu. "It's the elite Snow Village force, and..." His expression suddenly became extremely complicated, "...the person of Fuuka Nata."

Xiaoxue's body trembled violently, and her fingernails dug involuntarily into your arm.

"What's next?" Kakashi broke the silence.

"Of course... I'll go and meet that usurper Lord Futao." You straightened your black robe and said casually.

Looking at this group of dangerous and contradictory individuals, Kakashi suddenly felt that perhaps Yuki would be safer with them... than with him?

He nipped the absurd thought in the bud as soon as it surfaced.

The wind on the snowfield suddenly stopped.

The moment the six stepped out of the cave, it seemed as if only two colors remained in the world: pure white snow and the deep blue armor of the hundred elite snow ninjas behind Feng Hua Nu Tao.

Nu Tao stood at the very front of the formation, his mink cloak motionless in the still air, his eyes burning with an arrogant confidence of victory.

“I never expected,” Nu Tao’s voice was like a dull knife scraping across ice, “that the famous Akatsuki organization would be full of treacherous people.”

Yahiko took a half step forward, his orange hair concealing a calm smile. "Lord Ryutō, you flatter me. This is simply a transaction of money for a service; what is there to trust or morality?"

Feng Hua Nu Tao's face twisted for a moment. He suddenly raised his hand, and the Snow Ninja behind him formed hand seals in unison. Ice Release chakra condensed into countless tiny ice crystals in the air.

“Since that’s the case,” Nu Tao spat out through gritted teeth, “then let’s all go to hell with Feng Hua and Zao Xue!”

The killing intent of winter suddenly erupted, and the power of a hundred snow ninjas simultaneously unleashing their ninjutsu caused the entire snowfield to tremble. A blizzard was formed out of thin air, and ice spikes poured down like a torrential rain.

"Go to hell?" A light, airy voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "Let's see if you have the ability."