---
The silence after the ROOT operatives' retreat was deafening. My pulse still thundered, adrenaline refusing to settle.
Nawaki stood there, kunai trembling in his hand. "You… you just disappeared and reappeared behind her."
"Shadow Blink," I muttered, flexing my fingers as if my body still couldn't comprehend what had just happened. "It's… complicated."
The System's screen floated faintly:
Effect: Teleport up to 3 meters | Cooldown: 5 seconds
---
We exited the shrine, moving through the treetops until the familiar sight of Konoha's lantern-lit streets appeared. The village looked peaceful, unaware of the shadows beneath it.
Nawaki finally broke the silence. "Do you think ROOT will come after us again?"
"Definitely." My voice was low. "Danzo doesn't like people touching his secrets."
He sighed, then smirked. "Guess that means more training, huh?"
---
When we reached my temporary home, a figure was waiting—fiery red hair tied up in a messy ponytail, arms crossed, expression sharp.
Kushina.
"You idiots," she snapped. "You disappeared for hours, and no one knew where you went. Do you want to get killed?"
Nawaki raised his hands defensively. "Hey, it was his idea!"
I sighed. "Kushina—"
"Don't 'Kushina' me!" she interrupted, stepping closer until she was right in front of me. "You're strong, sure, but ROOT? That's suicide!"
For a moment, her anger faded, replaced by something else—fear. "Just… don't disappear like that again, okay?"
Her voice softened.
I hesitated, then nodded. "I'll be careful."
Her lips curled into a faint smile. "Good. Because next time, I'm coming with you."
---
The System chimed softly:
I blinked, staring at the floating text. Affection points? Now?
Nawaki coughed awkwardly. "Uh… I'll just… check my kunai supply." He walked inside quickly, leaving me and Kushina standing there in silence.
---
Before I could speak, the System pinged again:
Reward: ???
I clenched my fists. ROOT wouldn't stop. Danzo wouldn't stop.
And something deep inside me whispered this was only the beginning.
---
To Be Continued…
---