Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

The older woman sighed and reached out to touch her silver-gray hair. "I know there aren't many reasons in your children's world, but staying away from her is also a way to protect her. You'll understand sooner or later."

The vice dean left after saying those words, leaving Dou standing alone under the tree.

He looked down at the warm rice ball in his hand, and his mood became depressed.

Why does everyone want to stay away from you? You are so peaceful, so hypocritical, so gentle.

Dou recalled the scene when he was brought back to the orphanage from the battlefield.

At that time, he was covered in wounds and his eyes were filled with fear. The other children bullied him because he was new, taking away his food and belongings, and even cornering him to beat and insult him.

"Monsters from the battlefield!" they shouted, their fists raining down.

He huddled in the corner, thinking his life was destined to be so dark, until that figure appeared.

As I remember it, the rain had just stopped that day.

Just as he was about to receive another beating, the children suddenly quieted down and made way for him.

You stood there, dressed in a simple black kimono, with a slightly oversized uniform cloak from the orphanage draped over it.

Long, black hair cascaded down to her waist, a few strands fluttering gently in the breeze; but most unforgettable were her eyes.

It was unsettlingly calm, as if it could see through everything yet remained indifferent to it all.

"Uchiha..." a child muttered softly, his voice filled with obvious fear.

You didn't speak, but simply stared calmly at Dou with those gloomy eyes.

There was no sympathy or anger in him, as if he were watching a play that had nothing to do with him, but for some reason, Dou was deeply fascinated by those eyes.

The bullies disappeared without a trace, as if your very presence was a deterrent.

From then on, Dou noticed that you always kept to yourself, unlike other orphans who longed for attention or care. Instead, it seemed like you were actively keeping your distance from the world.

But Dou had seen you quietly feeding stray cats, bandaging injured birds, and even once, he saw you silently repairing another child's worn-out schoolbag.

Everyone fears you, but Dou only feels that you are using indifference to disguise something.

All he knows is that the moment he saw you, his heart was out of control, and even after being adopted by the orphanage director and pharmacist Nono, he would often return to the orphanage to visit you.

Today is the same. You probably haven't gotten up yet. Wait a little longer.

"You're here again."

The cold voice pulled Dou back to reality from his memories. He looked up and saw you standing in the shadows behind the orphanage's back gate, as if you were one with the darkness.

"Nagi-chan!" Kabuto hurriedly stepped forward and handed over the rice ball in his hand. "I brought you breakfast."

Your gaze fell on the rice ball, but you didn't take it immediately. Your eyes are always like that, calm to the point of being eerie, as if nothing in the world can stir your inner emotions.

"I'm not hungry," you finally said, your voice devoid of emotion.

Dou stubbornly held up the rice ball, saying, "You're always like this, you don't eat properly."

A barely perceptible sigh escaped your lips, and you finally reached out and took the rice ball.

Dou noticed that your wrists were surprisingly slender, with skin so pale it was almost transparent, and faint blue veins were visible.

"The headmistress said that everyone will be in teams during the spring outing..." Dou said cautiously, "Can I be in your team?"

You took a small bite of the rice ball, chewing with an elegance that belied your orphanage. After a moment of silence, your dark eyes gazed into the distance. "You shouldn't have come near me, Kabuto."

"Why? Because everyone says you're 'taboo'?" Kabuto's voice was filled with confusion and stubbornness. "I don't care about those things. I know what kind of person Nagi-chan is."

The corners of your mouth turned up slightly, forming an almost sarcastic arc. "You know nothing."

Just then, a few older children walked by from a distance. When they saw you and Dou together, they immediately whispered among themselves and cast glances at you with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

You seem completely unaware, but Dou notices your body tense up almost imperceptibly for a moment.

"Why are they all afraid of you?" Dou couldn't help but ask.

You turned your head, your dark eyes looking straight into Dou's eyes. "Sometimes, fear is a form of protection. They are afraid, and that's why they feel safe."

These words were completely incomprehensible to Dou, but before he could ask any further questions, you had already turned to leave.

Just then, a ball suddenly flew from a distance, heading straight for the back of your head. Just as Dou was about to warn you, you raised your hand without turning your head and caught the ball precisely, your movement so fast it was almost invisible.

You slowly turn around and look at the group of children playing with the ball. The children freeze in place, their faces showing fear.

You didn't say anything, you just gently tossed the ball back, and it landed perfectly in the hands of the child who should have been the ball's owner.

Then you keep walking forward as if nothing had happened.

Seeing this scene, Dou became even more determined. He quickly caught up with you, saying, "I know you might find me annoying, but I won't give up. I believe you're not the kind of person they say you are."

"Regarding the spring outing," you paused, without turning around, "if you insist, then so be it."

A surge of joy welled up in Dou's heart, but this feeling was quickly replaced by a strange unease.

He watched your departing figure, your slender silhouette casting a long shadow in the morning light, as if carrying the weight of the entire world.

Back in my little room at the orphanage, unlike the crowded dormitories of the other children, it was a private room located in the most secluded corner of the building.

This is what you requested; some people say it was also arranged by the hospital.

The room was so simple it was almost empty, with almost no other furniture besides a bed and a small wardrobe.

The only unusual thing was an old bronze mirror hanging on the wall. The mirror was a little blurry, but it could still clearly reflect people's images.

You stand in front of the mirror, gazing at yourself in the reflection.

Those dark eyes seemed even deeper than usual, with a faint red hue almost visible within them. He raised his hand and gently touched the mirror, as if gazing at his reflection.

"Who am I?" you asked softly, unsure whether you were asking the image in the mirror or yourself.

A slight ripple suddenly appeared on the mirror's surface. You abruptly took a step back, a hint of wariness flashing in your eyes. But quickly, the mirror returned to its calm state, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

You take a deep breath and take out a small wooden box from a hidden compartment under the bed.

Upon opening the box, inside was an exquisite kunai, its blade gleaming coldly, clearly having been frequently cleaned and maintained. The kunai's handle was engraved with an intricate pattern, unlike any known family crest.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door. You quickly hid the box back in its original place, your body tense as if facing a formidable enemy.

“Miss Nagi,” it was the vice-dean’s voice, “the dean requests your presence in her office.”

You didn't respond immediately. You tidied your expression in front of the mirror, regaining your usual indifference, before opening the door. "Is there something you need?"

The vice dean avoided your gaze and said, "We need to discuss the arrangements for the spring outing with you."

This respectful yet distant tone always felt ironic to you. You nodded and followed the vice dean through the long corridor.

Every child you encounter along the way keeps their head down and avoids eye contact, as if you were some kind of monster.

In the dean's office, pharmacist Nono was organizing documents. When she saw you come in, she gave you a gentle but slightly stiff smile.

"Nagi, please sit down." Nonou gestured to the chair opposite her. "There are some special arrangements I need to inform you about next week's spring outing."

You sit down quietly, your hands folded on your knees, your posture elegant, unlike that of a child.

“Due to certain… special circumstances,” Nono carefully chose her words, “you will be specially protected by the Anbu during the spring outing. At the same time, we hope that you will not stray too far from the group and will not have too much contact with other children.”

"Does that include pockets?" you asked calmly.

A hint of surprise flashed across Nono's face, but she quickly regained her composure. "Especially Kabuto, that kid is very innocent, and I don't want him to get involved in complicated things."

"I understand." You stood up, without asking any further questions or offering any rebuttals. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

Nono seemed to want to say something, but in the end she just nodded.

Instead of going straight back to your room after leaving the office, you went around to the orphanage's back garden.

There's a small bamboo grove here, one of the few places where you can feel at peace. You can sit on a stone bench, close your eyes, and feel the breeze on your face.

"Uchiha..." you murmured the surname silently, feeling a pang of fear.

A jumble of memories churned in my mind; some images were as clear as if they happened yesterday, while others were so blurry they seemed like someone else's experience.

You remember growing up in this orphanage, you remember the awe and fear people had for the Uchiha surname, but you can't remember your parents.

Sometimes I have strange dreams, where I see myself standing in a sea of ​​blood, surrounded by countless corpses; other times I dream of a blurry figure softly calling your name, the voice filled with longing and madness.

What disturbs you most is that as time goes by, you become increasingly unable to distinguish between dreams and real memories.

"No matter who I am..." you murmured to yourself, your voice so soft it was almost inaudible, "No matter what I've forgotten, I will find it again."

At the base of the leaf, the cold, damp air seemed to seep into one's very bones.

The flickering lights cast distorted shadows on the cold stone walls, and two figures walked silently, one after the other, down the narrow passageway.

The silver-haired boy in front of him, Kakashi Hatake, wore his headband askew, covering one eye. The other eye was lowered, revealing no emotion.

The Uchiha Shisui behind him was younger, with a still somewhat childish face, but his dark eyes already possessed a composure and sharpness beyond his years.

They had just been urgently recalled and given a brief but strange mission.

Mission objective: To secretly protect an orphan named Nagi during the Konoha orphanage's spring outing next week.

Requirements: She is not allowed to approach anyone or run away until the spring outing is over, at which point she must be safely brought back to the orphanage.

The order came from Danzo Shimura, and was beyond question; there was no explanation.

The two accepted the order and left the oppressive office. Once they were far away from the core area, with only their light footsteps and the sound of dripping water in the distance remaining in the corridor, Shisui quickened his pace slightly, stood shoulder to shoulder with Kakashi, and spoke in a low voice, breaking the silence.

"Kakashi-senpai, that orphan... is there anything special about him?" Shisui's tone was filled with pure curiosity.

It is highly unusual to have an orphan who requires two Jonin, one of whom is a recognized genius and the other, though young, has already shown his talent, to be secretly protected on a spring outing with such strange restrictions.

Kakashi paused almost imperceptibly, his exposed eye still fixed on the dimly lit passageway ahead. Silence lingered between them for a moment, and the air seemed to grow colder.

"He's just an orphan." Kakashi's voice came through the mask, flat, even indifferent, without any emotion.

Zhi Shui keenly captured that extremely subtle pause and that deliberately maintained calm.

He could tell that Kakashi didn't want to talk about the topic, so he went along with it and didn't press the matter further, simply keeping the name and Kakashi's reaction in his mind.

"Nagi"... Calm, without wind.

The name itself has a strange sense of incongruity.

Chapter 224 - Examination

Stepping out of the root base, the afternoon sun was somewhat dazzling, a stark contrast to the chill and gloom inside.

Kakashi subconsciously narrowed his eyes. After parting ways with Shisui, he should have gone to the mission hall to hand over the previous mission report or gone home to rest, but his steps seemed to have a mind of their own, and unknowingly, he walked towards the Konoha Orphanage.

Kakashi does know about Nagi.

That memory was buried in the war-torn era, when the shadow of the Third Shinobi World War loomed over everything. But for him, that time was strangely punctuated by Obito's noisy voice and Rin's gentle smile.

At that time, a secret incident occurred within the Uchiha clan that was being suppressed but still alarmed the entire upper echelons of Konoha.

A woman from the Uchiha clan became pregnant out of wedlock, and it is said that the father of the child had already died on a distant battlefield.

This would have been enough of a scandal within the clan, but the real mystery began on the day of birth.

That day, the sky was terribly gloomy, with leaden-gray clouds hanging low over Konoha. Rumbling thunder rolled, but no rain came for a long time.

Strange electric snakes occasionally tore through the sky, illuminating the deathly silent streets. Some people were horrified to discover that the Nanga River was briefly flowing backward.

Even more horrifyingly, all the cherry blossom trees in Konoha and the surrounding mountains withered and fell off overnight, as if some invisible force had drained all their vitality.

Inside the delivery room, the situation was even more horrific. The mother died in childbirth, and the midwife who delivered the baby and the maid who initially went in to help all died in the delivery room in extremely distorted and inexplicable bizarre postures, their faces frozen with extreme fear.

The news couldn't be contained in time and alarmed the higher-ups.

The medical ninjas sent in went in one batch and came out another batch of corpses.

An invisible curse seemed to hang over that bloody delivery room, devouring every life that entered it.

Even the elite members of the secret service who were ordered to investigate suffered heavy losses.

Fear spread among those in the know; it was a power beyond comprehension, chilling, desperate, and carrying an ominous aura of death.

Just when the higher-ups were almost considering taking extreme measures—this happened on the third day.

A faint yet clear cry of a newborn baby suddenly rang out from the deathly silent delivery room.

As if signaling a revelation, the suffocating atmosphere of curses receded like the tide.

The long-awaited downpour began to fall, washing away the oppressive atmosphere of the past few days.

People entered the delivery room with trepidation, only to find a baby girl lying quietly in a pool of blood amidst the mess and corpses on the floor. She neither cried nor made a sound, her pure black eyes staring blankly at the world she had just entered in such a cruel way.

That child is Nagi.