Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

"The duration isn't very restricted," he added meaningfully.

At the opportune moment, Yahiko picked up an exquisite wooden box and gently shook it, making a clattering sound that stirred the imagination. Rin's face instantly turned red to her ears, while Konan thoughtfully stroked the paper rose on her collarbone.

"This game... is a bit too exciting," Shisui commented in a low voice, his Sharingan unconsciously turning towards you.

Itachi calmly straightened his collar, but the slight trembling of his fingers betrayed his nervousness.

“There is no time limit…” he repeated the rule softly, a rare flicker of emotion flashing in his dark eyes.

A dangerous shiver ran down your spine. This game might just be a joke among ordinary friends, but for the people present who didn't understand your intentions, it was like playing with fire.

Just as you hesitated, Yahiko walked up to you and quietly slipped you a card. "Good luck," he whispered, his ear tips beneath his orange hair turning slightly red.

As you ponder the direction of the game, suddenly, the cards in your hand are snatched away by a brute force.

"Hey!" You frowned and looked up, meeting Deidara's cunning blue eyes.

"It won't make a difference if we switch cards!" The blond boy laughed freely, shoving his card into your palm without a word, his fingertips deliberately brushing against the inside of your wrist, causing a subtle tickle.

Looking down, I saw the number 9.

You take a deep breath, barely suppressing the urge to throw the cards at his face, and grit your teeth as you say, "...Childish."

Deidara smugly waved the number 7 card that had originally belonged to you, a provocative smile playing on his lips. "Maybe this card will bring good luck, hmm?"

Nagato slowly turned over the card he had drawn—the King.

He raised the corners of his lips slightly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. "In the first round, I choose to have number 1 and number 7... stare at each other for five minutes."

The air solidified instantly.

Yahiko, who had been lounging on the sofa, sat up slightly upon hearing this, tapping the number 1 card lightly with his fingertips, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

He instinctively looked in your direction, but the next second—

"Hahahaha! Didn't expect it to be me, did you!" Deidara arrogantly waved his number 7 card, laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking.

You can clearly see Yahiko's smile freeze, shatter, and finally turn into a complex expression that is a mixture of shock and anger.

He turned sharply to Nagato, his eyes filled with questioning; this was clearly not the development they had planned.

Nagato sighed almost imperceptibly, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. Deidara, this variable, had disrupted everything.

"Pfft—" Hidan was the first to burst out laughing, his silver hair trembling wildly with the laughter. "That was amazing! May the Jashin-sama bless us!"

Scorpion's lips curled slightly upward, his red hair falling down to conceal his rare good mood.

Konan and Rin exchanged a meaningful glance, while Shisui and Itachi visibly breathed a sigh of relief, though they quickly returned to their poker faces.

Kisame scratched his shark-like face, his pearl-embroidered robe rustling softly with the movement. "This is much more interesting than I imagined."

Ignoring everyone's reactions, Deidara strode up to Yahiko, his golden robe billowing behind him. "Come on, Boss~"

He deliberately used a sweet, cloying voice, his bright blue eyes widening, "Let's gaze into each other's eyes for five minutes, hmm!"

Yahiko's face turned pale and then red, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but under everyone's gaze, he could only grit his teeth and accept the punishment.

The two stood face to face. Deidara exaggeratedly widened his eyes and even stood on tiptoe to make up for the height difference, while Yahiko had a gloomy face and his gaze was like a knife piercing the blond bastard who ruined his plans.

The first thirty seconds were relatively calm, but as time went on, Deidara began to blink restlessly, and Yahiko's breathing gradually became heavier.

It wasn't out of ambiguity, but pure anger.

“Your eyelashes…are actually quite long, hmm.” Deidara tried to ease the awkwardness, but only made the atmosphere more strange.

"Shut up," Yahiko squeezed out through gritted teeth.

You notice that Nagato's gaze lingers thoughtfully on you the whole time, and when your eyes meet in mid-air, a meaningful smile appears on Nagato's lips.

The game has only just begun, and you have a feeling that what happens next might make this truth-or-dare game seem as innocent as children playing house.

"Time's up." Nagato finally announced, ending this agonizing stare.

Yahiko took three steps back as if granted a pardon, while Deidara spun around triumphantly, "Mission accomplished perfectly! Hmm!"

"Next round." Nagato retrieved all the cards and reshuffled and dealt them.

Xiao Nan gently flipped open the black card with her slender fingers. She paused slightly when she saw the golden image of the king. She raised her eyes, her lively gaze sweeping over the members sitting in a circle, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

“I require numbers 4 and 9…” She paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully with her fingertip, “to each carry the other and run a lap around the base.”

The sound of cards flipping over rose and fell. Itachi slowly raised the number 9 in his hand, his expression still as calm as a deep pool, only his slightly clenched fingertips under the light betraying a trace of emotion.

You turn over your card—the number 4.

"It's me." You get up and walk towards where Itachi is.

You stop in front of Itachi, tilting your head slightly to look at this always taciturn boy. His features are particularly distinct in the moonlight, and the shadows cast by his eyelashes obscure his unfathomable black eyes.

"Who should carry it first?" you asked, your voice hesitant. You noticed that Itachi's breathing seemed a beat slower than usual.

Itachi took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly. He had to use all his self-control to suppress the surging emotions within him.

When he spoke, his voice deliberately remained calm and even, "I'll do it."

He turned his back to you and squatted down slightly with his knees bent.

The black robe draped down with the movement, outlining the straight and upright lines of the back.

You hesitantly put your arms around his shoulders, and the next second you're pressed against his back.

The moment they made contact, they both held their breath.

Your chin rests lightly on Itachi's shoulder blade, and you can feel his taut muscles through his clothes, while Itachi only feels a cool minty scent suddenly lingering around his nose.

He slowly straightened up, supporting your knees with both hands. The touch of his palms made his fingertips tingle slightly. The skin on your calves was as smooth as silk, and the fabric of your robe was exceptionally soft.

This realization caused the weasel's ears to heat up uncontrollably.

"Are you ready?" he asked in a low voice, a few decibels deeper than usual.

"Mmm." Your response, accompanied by warm breath, brushed against Itachi's earlobe.

That small patch of skin immediately felt as if it were being burned by flames.

Itachi took a step, deliberately keeping each step steady. You were lighter than he had imagined, as if he were carrying a piece of moonlight.

But this lightness carried an astonishing presence; the strands of hair that fell gently brushed against the side of his neck with each step, the almost imperceptible touch like the most delicate static electricity, shooting up his spine.

Moonlight filtered through the cherry blossom trees in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The weasel's gaze was fixed on the corner of the corridor in the distance, forcing himself not to notice the soft curves pressed against his back.

But the more he restrained himself, the more acute his senses became. He could discern the rise and fall of your chest with each breath, and even feel your steady heartbeat through your backs pressed together.

"Is this how you usually carry out missions?" you suddenly asked, your voice tinged with amusement. "Carrying your comrades around like this?"

Itachi's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. "You are the first person of the opposite sex to do this."

The moment he said those words, he regretted it. It was too direct, almost an overstepping of boundaries. But you just chuckled softly, your warm breath brushing against his earlobe again. "Then I am truly honored."

The weasel's earlobes were so red they looked like they could drip blood.

"...Itachi, are you tired?"

Itachi's fingers tightened slightly, his voice low and calm, "...Not tired."

How could I possibly be tired?

He even wished the road could be longer and farther, so he could carry you a little longer.

As you circle back to the starting point, Itachi almost carefully bends down to let you slide off his back.

In the instant he turned around, he quickly adjusted his expression, locking those surging emotions back into his eyes.

"My turn." You flexed your wrists and slightly bent your knees, your back to Itachi.

This pose allows the robe to cling to your back, outlining your slender waistline. Itachi stands behind you, hesitating for once. The height difference makes the scene look almost comical; he is more than half a head taller than you, his long figure seemingly enveloping you completely.

"How about..." You were about to say something when you suddenly felt a weight on your back.

The raptor gently placed its hands on your shoulders, and then pressed its chest against yours.

This position forced him to hunch his back slightly, his chin almost touching the top of your head. When you straightened up, he instinctively tightened his arms, and the two bodies pressed tightly together.

So close that the raptor can feel your body temperature through the thin fabric of his clothes, so close that every breath he takes is filled with the scent of your mint.

Your neck gleamed like porcelain in the moonlight, a stray strand of hair hanging down, swaying gently with each step.

As if possessed, Itachi lowered his head, his lips stopping just inches from your earlobe, and he exhaled with restraint.

Seeing that you didn't react, he did something that even he found unbelievable: he gently touched the corner of his lips to the back of your ear, then pulled away immediately.

Like a feather brushing the surface of water, so light it's almost not like a kiss.

You paused for a moment, a slight shiver running through the skin behind your ear, but quickly continued walking forward, as if it were just a chance touch.

Itachi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but a sense of loss welled up inside him as his gaze lingered on your profile.

After running half a lap, your breathing became rapid. Itachi could feel your back trembling slightly and couldn't help but whisper, "Put me down."

"I'll be there soon..." You stubbornly adjusted your posture, a movement that caused Itachi's chin to accidentally brush against your collarbone, and a certain tender emotion suddenly struck him.

When the finish line finally came into view, you almost stumbled to a stop. Itachi immediately slid off your back and instinctively reached out to support your swaying shoulder as he turned around.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice softer than even his own.

You look up at him; his cheeks are flushed from exercise, and a few strands of sweaty hair stick to his forehead.

The eagle has never looked at you from this angle before. The slightly upward gaze makes you look exceptionally vivid, with your eyes filled with shimmering moonlight.

"I didn't expect you to be so heavy," you complained, panting, but a smile played on your lips.

The eagle stared at you, and suddenly smiled too.

It wasn't the usual polite smile, but a genuine smile that radiated from his eyes, brightening his entire face.

You were stunned. You had never seen Itachi with such an expression before. His eyes were slightly upturned, and the curve of his lips was natural and relaxed. You could even see faint smile lines.

This smile made him shed his usual aloofness and reveal a youthful vitality befitting his age.

"You..." you blinked, "So that's how you laugh."

Itachi immediately composed himself, but the warmth in his eyes had not yet faded. He reached out and gently brushed away a cherry blossom petal that had fallen onto your shoulder, withdrawing his fingertips just before they touched your skin.

"Thank you for the weight training," he said seriously, earning you a roll of your eyes in return.

When you returned to the hall, Deidara was clapping exaggeratedly, "Finally back! We thought you eloped! Hmm!"

Itachi's expression instantly returned to calm, but the red marks behind his ears betrayed him. You grabbed a cushion and threw it at Deidara, yelling, "Shut up!"

Nagato watched this scene, took a meaningful sip of tea, while Sasori in the corner fiddled with the puppet strings, his eyes darting back and forth between you and Itachi, seemingly lost in thought.

The third round of the game began, and Hidan drew the King card.

He was taken aback at first, then a big smile spread across his face, a smile so bright it was almost blinding, as if he had already foreseen the chaos that was about to unfold.

"I demand that numbers 3 and 8 come dance!"

Hidan jumped up excitedly, his Jashin Scythe swaying in his hand, his silver hair gleaming under the light.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked down to check their number plates.

—Then, the air froze instantly.

Jiao reluctantly turned over his card, and a big 3 came into view.

His face instantly turned ashen, veins throbbing on his forehead, his fingers gripping the cards as if to crush them. "Hidan! You bastard, did you do this on purpose?!"

Normally, Kakuzu detests Hidan's recklessness and unreliability, and being chosen to play such an embarrassing game this time only fuels his anger.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Scorpion slowly turned over his card—number 8.

Chapter 132 The King's Game (9)

Sasori's face instantly darkened, his brown eyes coldly sweeping over Hidan. His fingertips silently rubbed the puppet strings, as if considering whether to tie this cultist of evil god into a dumpling on the spot.

Hidan, completely oblivious to the danger, was still excitedly waving his arms, shouting, "Hurry, hurry, hurry! A bet's a bet!"

Amidst the jeers of the crowd, Sasori and Kakuzu, despite their reluctance, had no choice but to stand up.

Kakuzu continued to complain, "What terrible luck! Dancing with this guy is utterly shameful."

Sasori snorted coldly and didn't say anything, but his eyes clearly revealed his deep resentment towards Hidan.

He made a mental note of this debt.

The music started, a cheerful yet somewhat eerie melody with a distinct rhythm and strong drumbeats, as if mocking the stiffness of the two people on stage.