Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

He turned to Itachi and held out his hand, "Let me carry her on my back, you must be exhausted."

Itachi took a slight step back, shook his head, and said in a low voice, "Shisui-nii, I'm fine. Be careful of Danzo." He still held you firmly on his back.

You silently watch all of this, observing the complex emotions in their eyes that they cannot completely conceal—shock, pity, anger... Your face remains expressionless, as if those gazes are not directed at you.

But where no one could see, the hands bound by shackles had their nails digging deep into their palms, the seeping blood staining the cold metal inside, bringing waves of sharp pain.

You loathe that look, that gaze that makes you feel like a weakling who needs pity, a victim of injustice!

I loathe my current wretched state, bound by shackles, powerless to resist, and only able to escape by relying on others.

All of this is thanks to Danzo.

Danzo looked at Shisui and the Anbu who had suddenly appeared, a sinister glint in his eyes, but he didn't seem surprised. He sneered and fixed his gaze on you again.

"The Anbu arrived just in time... Hmph, I didn't expect you monster... Besides seducing Uchiha brats, you also have the ability to call for reinforcements? I underestimated you."

These words are extremely malicious, clearly implying that you used some dishonorable means to attract rescue, and attempting to sow discord and humiliate you.

You kept your eyes downcast and remained silent, as if you hadn't heard a thing.

Just as the atmosphere reached its peak of tension, an even more authoritative voice, carrying an undeniable authority, resounded from behind the crowd, "Danzo! What exactly do you want!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in the Hokage robes, strode in, his face ashen, surrounded by a group of Konoha high-ranking officials.

The torchlight danced on everyone's faces, reflecting a variety of expressions: anger, coldness, calculation, and deep-seated worry.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze swept over you, whom Itachi had carefully lowered. When his eyes fell on the shackles, his face turned ashen and his eyes showed anger, but he did not reveal much surprise.

So... the Hokage... knew about it.

He even tacitly accepted the inhuman control and confinement that Danzo and Root exerted on you.

This realization made all three of them feel a chill run down their spines.

The Hokage, whom they had always been loyal to and whom they believed represented order and justice, seemed to have a deep crack in his glorious image at this moment, revealing the cold and cruel reality beneath.

Despite being the center of everyone's attention, you remained unusually calm, not even glancing at Hiruzen Sarutobi. You simply lowered your head slightly, letting your messy black hair cover most of your face, making it impossible to see your expression.

You already knew.

From the moment I can remember, I have lived in surveillance, control, covetousness, and fear.

In your eyes, every single one of Konoha's high-ranking officials is nothing more than executioners in different guises.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's seemingly gentle indulgence is essentially no different from Danzo Shimura's naked greed.

One plays the good cop, the other the bad cop; both are there to better control your 'dangerous' power.

It is the greatest naivety to expect to receive genuine justice or protection from them.

"Danzo!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's roar broke the suffocating silence as he turned his attention to his old rival, attempting to steer the situation back under control.

"Barely taking away a child who was adopted by the Hokage without permission! Do you have any respect for Konoha's laws?! Are you planning a rebellion?!"

Danzo Shimura snorted coldly, refusing to back down, and slammed his cane heavily on the ground. "Rebellion? Hiruzen! You're the one who's blinded by power! You know better than I how dangerous this monster is!"

"To hand her over to some clueless commoner brat? That's the greatest irresponsibility towards Konoha! She should be kept under strict surveillance by Root! Until she is completely controlled or destroyed!"

"Danger? I think you've been blinded by greed and fear!" Hiruzen stood his ground, his voice rising slightly with excitement.

"Years ago, you forcibly imprisoned her deep within the Root. The consequences of that 'experiment' going out of control... have you forgotten?! Do I need to remind you of the terrible price the Root paid for it?!"

These words were like a fatal switch, instantly striking Danzo.

His eyes widened suddenly, his pupils contracted sharply, and a very clear, even... look of fear flashed across his face, as if he were recalling some extremely terrifying scene.

Years ago... that sealed-off, top-secret underground laboratory... the eerie golden light shooting into the sky... the ninja instantly disintegrated and melted away...

The building structure that was erased without a trace... and that little black-haired girl standing in the middle of the ruins, her eyes vacant, radiating an inhuman aura...

That was a nightmare! The most bizarre and incomprehensible loss Root had ever suffered since its founding!

It was only after that that their methods of controlling you shifted from radical research and stimulation to this extreme suppression and blockade.

It has bound you with heavy shackles, making you afraid to easily touch that dormant power that is capable of destroying everything.

Danzo's face turned extremely ugly. His lips moved a few times, but in the end he couldn't say anything in rebuttal and just fell into a deathly silence.

That lesson was so profound that he couldn't deny Hiruzen's accusations.

Protected in the center by them, you kept your head down the whole time, your clenched fists so tightly that your nails dug even deeper into the wounds on your palms, and warm blood was slowly dripping down the edges of the cold shackles.

Pain keeps you awake.

It also makes the darkness in your heart grow colder and more... resolute.

The squabbles at the top, the hostility at the bottom, the protection of one's allies... in your eyes, all of this is just a different facet of the power struggle.

What you truly care about is that brief, pure warmth that belonged to Sakura Haruno.

And this warmth will become the only driving force that supports you to keep going and ultimately tear apart all this hypocrisy and constraints.

The heavy shackles dragged on the ground, making a faint but unsettling metallic scraping sound.

Shisui, Kakashi, and Itachi surrounded you, temporarily ignoring the Hokage and Danzo who were still arguing fiercely not far away, and focused all their attention on how to untie the restraints on you.

The chains on the ankles and wrists, though sturdy, were not unbreakable.

Shisui drew out a sharp kunai, precisely attaching chakra to the tip of the blade. With a few crisp "clanging" sounds, the metal chains binding his limbs snapped and fell heavily to the ground.

When their gazes fell upon the black collar around your neck, which was covered with strange sealing spells, all three of them frowned deeply.

A considerable amount of time had clearly passed; the skin around the collar even showed slight redness and signs of wear.

Its structure is complex and precise, clearly a product specially made at the root. Forcibly removing it might trigger something bad, or even harm you.

Just as they were deep in thought about what to do, you, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke very softly, your voice carrying a weakness that was completely different from your usual coldness, "I'm cold."

The voice was very soft, yet it brushed against the hearts of the three boys present like a feather.

Itachi Uchiha reacted the fastest. Without even thinking, he almost instinctively took off his dark blue Uchiha clan robe.

He gently but quickly draped the choker over your slender shoulders, covering most of your body, especially the glaring black collar, completely enveloping you.

The coldness might be an illusion.

But the desire to cover the shackles around his neck—symbols of shame, control, and a wretched past—was genuine.

Shisui and Kakashi's gazes briefly met Itachi's. The three of them tacitly refrained from piercing this thin layer of pretense, their emotions of heartache and helplessness flowing silently between them.

Just then, the argument between Danzo and Hiruzen, which was not far away, seemed to have reached a fever pitch. Danzo's sharp and malicious voice rose again and came through clearly, emphasizing your "danger" and "inhumanity" in every word.

Your lowered eyelashes trembled slightly, and you suddenly stood up slowly, wrapping your coat, which still carried the warmth of the boy's body, tighter around you.

His gaze passed over the three people protecting him and calmly looked at the center of the argument.

In a moment that caught everyone off guard, you drew an ordinary shuriken from Kakashi's ninja tool pouch with astonishing speed.

Without the slightest hesitation!

"Whoosh—!" A cold light tore through the air, making a whistling sound. Under the astonished gazes of everyone, the shuriken pierced Shimura Danzo's right eye with perfect accuracy.

"Ughh ...

A piercing scream of agony instantly tore through the night sky. Danzo staggered back a few steps, his withered hand tightly covering his bleeding right eye, his body trembling violently from the intense pain!

He pointed at you, still expressionless, his voice distorted by pain and rage, "You! You monster! You dare to commit violence! What are you all standing there for?! Seize her now! Kill her on the spot!"

The Root ninjas around them stood frozen in place, none of them daring to move.

Because, at this moment, the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was standing there silently.

His face was expressionless; he neither stopped nor gave orders. That silence itself was a suffocating pressure.

Amidst the deathly silence and Danzo's agonizing screams, you acted as if nothing had happened, not even glancing at Danzo, and simply walked step by step to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

You tilted your head slightly, looking at the highest ruler of Konoha, whose black eyes were unfathomable, and nodded very slightly. "If there's anything, come find me tomorrow."

After saying that, you stopped looking at anyone and ignored Danzo's venomous gaze and painful roars that seemed to tear you apart. You turned around and left.

Despite his weakened state, he exuded a powerful aura and headed towards Konoha Village.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched your departing figure, his gaze flickering with an extremely complex expression.

He nodded very slightly to Itachi, Kakashi, and Shisui.

The three of them instantly understood the Hokage's silent command.

Without any hesitation, they immediately set off, quickly following the solitary and resolute black figure ahead, like the most loyal guards, silently protecting you on the left, right, and behind.

All that remained was a scene of devastation, Danzo roaring in pain, the Konoha high-ranking officials with varying expressions, and the bewildered Root ninja.

The streets of Konoha were deserted and quiet in the dead of night, with only the cold moonlight and a few scattered streetlights illuminating the way ahead.

Kakashi Hatake parted ways midway through the journey. As an outsider, he couldn't enter the Uchiha clan's territory late at night. More importantly, he needed to return to the Hokage immediately to learn about the aftermath of the Root incident and... the higher-ups' attitude towards his retaliation.

As they walked, Shisui seemed to remember something, turned her head, and spoke gently to you, who was silent beside her.

“By the way, Nagi, that girl named Haruno Sakura is currently in our clan's territory. Chief Fugaku allowed her to stay and take refuge temporarily. Would you like to... go see her? She seems very worried about you.”

You, who had been staring straight ahead and uninterested in everything around you, paused almost imperceptibly when you heard the name Sakura Haruno.

You didn't answer immediately, but simply turned your head slightly, your dark eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the moonlight.

After a brief silence, you changed direction and headed towards the location of the Uchiha clan head's residence.

You have already given the answer.

Itachi and Shisui exchanged a glance and followed in unison.

When they arrived at Fugaku Uchiha's residence, most of the Uchiha clan members had already turned off their lights and gone to sleep, but the clan head's house still had warm lights on.

Mikoto had just gently covered Sakura, who had unknowingly fallen asleep on the living room sofa, with a thin blanket, so as not to disturb the pink-haired girl's restless sleeping face.

Sakura's face still bore traces of wet tears, and even in her sleep, her brows were slightly furrowed, clearly indicating that she had been worried about your safety.

Just then, a very faint sound of a door opening came from the entrance hall.

Mikoto looked up and saw Itachi and Shisui walking in, as well as the black-haired girl behind them wearing Itachi's coat, her face pale but her eyes calm. A sense of relief flashed in her eyes.

The slight noise of the door opening still woke up Sakura, who was a light sleeper.

She groggily opened her eyes, first seeing the gentle Aunt Mikoto beside her, then her vision blurred as she turned towards the doorway...

When her gaze fell upon that familiar figure, all her sleepiness vanished instantly!

"Nagi!" Sakura practically sprang up from the sofa instantly, rushed over without thinking, and buried her face in your arms with all her might.

"You scared me to death! Waaah... I'm so glad you're okay! I'm so glad you're okay!" Sakura's voice was thick with sobs and lingering fear, her body still trembling slightly, as if she wanted to convey all her fear and worry through this hug.

To everyone's surprise, you, who always rejected contact with others and was always cold and distant, did not push Sakura away. Instead, you reached out and hugged her back tightly.

This response stunned Sakura, who was nestled in your arms, and even her crying stopped for a moment.

Then, everyone heard you bury your face in Sakura's neck, whispering in her ear in a trembling, vulnerable voice, "Sakura... I'm scared... so scared..."

These words instantly struck the softest spot in Sakura's heart, and all her doubts were replaced by immense heartache and a desire to protect her.

"Don't be afraid! I'm here! I'll protect you!" Sakura immediately tightened her arms around her, her voice firm and powerful. "If anyone dares to bully you again, I'll... I'll throw kunai at them!"

Chapter 252 Jealousy

Standing to the side, Itachi Uchiha's usually calm black eyes flashed with a hint of doubt.

He keenly sensed that your attitude towards Sakura Haruno... seemed a little off.

It's not just the feeling of being cared for or the dependence that comes with it; it's more like some kind of... strangely sticky attachment?

Especially that word about fear... Knowing you as he does, it's not like you would say that at all.

Although Uchiha Shisui was somewhat surprised by your sudden closeness and show of weakness, he was mostly happy for you.

Perhaps this girl named Haruno Sakura has truly opened your closed heart with her enthusiasm and kindness, which is a good thing.

A gentle smile appeared on his handsome face, pleased with the friendship between the two girls.

Mikoto stood a little distance away, watching the two girls embracing tightly, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

Although she also felt that your reaction seemed a bit more intense than expected, she simply took it as a matter of surviving a disaster and needing to release her emotions.

No one could see that when you buried your face in Sakura's neck, your dark eyes, hidden in the shadows, showed no fear or vulnerability, only an almost obsessive darkness.

Sakura's embrace, the concern in her words, all the emotions she displays because of you... all make you fall for her, making you greedily want more and longer to possess her.

This warmth is the only light you can grasp in the boundless darkness and cold.