Hinata had just finished putting away the last of the apples and was walking toward the forest edge. She paused near the thicket where the boys had just finished their conversation.
She could still hear the echo of their voices—Naruto's loud, despairing shout about his pants, Mini Sasuke's high-pitched giggling, and a low, dry utterance that she knew was Sasuke.
She stopped to see, peering around the leaves. She saw Naruto sprinting away, comically protective of his legs, and Sakura watching him with a serene, happy expression, standing comfortably close to Sasuke.
They looked so complete, so carefree in their shared moment. It looked less like a temporary squad and more like a family—a chaotic, boisterous, perfectly harmonious family she wasn't part of.
Hinata felt the weight of her shy, silent nature more acutely than ever. She was about to retreat when a low voice spoke right beside her ear, making her jump violently.
"They seem so like family right now, don't they?"
Hinata whirled around, clutching her chest, her eyes wide with shock. Her body tensed for a moment, startled by the sudden intrusion on her private moment.
"Are your teammates also like this when you're not on a mission? Do you… miss them?"
It was Karin.
Karin stood there, leaning casually against a tree, her expression surprisingly soft, devoid of her usual sharp edge. She seemed to understand the ache in Hinata's gaze.
Hinata took a shaky breath, the sight of Karin's unexpected empathy breaking through her immediate shyness.
"Yes…" Hinata whispered, the single word thick with genuine sadness. "I really miss my teammates. I miss Kiba-kun and Shino-kun's quiet conversations, and Kurenai-sensei's gentle guidance."
"It's hard being away from the people who know you best," Karin said softly, giving a small, sympathetic sigh. "I get it." She then gently pushed off the tree, moving with her characteristic briskness to shift the mood away from sadness.
"But we have to get clean. Ino-san is calling for the bath."
Hinata nodded quickly, grateful for the firm, yet gentle, direction. "Okay."
Karin walked a few steps away, cupping her hands around her mouth and yelling toward the main clearing where the girls were preparing the supplies.
"SAKURA-SAN! INO-SAN IS CALLING FOR THE BATH!"
A moment later, a clear, decisive voice returned the call.
"OK, COMING!" Sakura yelled back, already moving to join them.
Hinata felt a small, reluctant smile touch her lips. Despite the cold, the strange land, and the overwhelming emotions, the small rituals of normal life were a comforting anchor. She walked with Karin toward the bathing area.
Sakura quickly arrived at the main clearing, nodding to Ino, who was already gathering towels near a dense cluster of tall rocks that formed a natural screen near the waterfall's pool. Hinata and Karin followed closely.
"Alright, let's make this quick," Ino said, gesturing toward the makeshift screen. "The sun won't stay warm for long. Hinata, you and Tenten can start with the washing. Sakura and Karin, you need to treat that injury first, so you'll need the cleaner water section."
As they stepped behind the tall rocks, the girls began to undress swiftly, their movements efficient and focused. They carefully folded their outer vests and pants, leaving them on a high, dry ledge.
Sakura winced slightly as she carefully peeled off her bandages, exposing the raw gash on her shoulder to Karin's critical eye.
Tenten quickly gathered her long hair, twisting it into a tight, practical knot high on her head, securing it with a small hair stick. Ino followed suit, pulling her blonde ponytail up and away from her neck.
Sakura simply shook her head, letting her shorter pink hair fall loosely, knowing it wouldn't obstruct her movements. Hinata, with silent modesty, quickly gathered her own hair with gentle hands.
Just before they stepped out from behind the rocks towards the pool's edge, Ino placed a hand on a large, smooth boulder, then cupped her mouth. Her voice, sharp and commanding, echoed over the sound of the falling water.
"HEY, BOYS! WE ARE BATHING NOW! ANYONE WHO COMES NEAR THIS SIDE, AND DON'T TRY TO PEEK! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!"
A series of muffled, distant yells answered her from the direction of the deeper forest where the boys were sitting together.
"WE WON'T! BELIEVE IT!" Naruto's voice called back.
"Hmph!" was the only dry response from what was likely Neji.
With the warning issued, the girls quickly stepped to the water's edge and slipped into the cool, clear lake. A collective sigh of relief escaped them as the water washed away the day's grime and the lingering tension.
Following Ino's booming warning about not peeking, the four adult boys and the small child had quickly gathered their remaining dry items and retreated. The girls' commanding voices made it clear that their time by the water was officially over.
They moved away from the edge of the lake, leaving the damp, open clearing behind. Their destination was the deeper core of the woods, a spot known for its quiet isolation and thick cover, necessary for the conversation that couldn't wait.
The walk was silent and swift. The atmosphere changed instantly as they left the sun-dappled waterfall area for the dense shade of the tall pines. Here, the air was several degrees colder, and the faint, loud roar of the waterfall diminished, replaced by a low, soothing hum.
The ground beneath their feet turned from slippery rock to soft, damp earth covered in pine needles and moss.
They settled quickly into a small, sheltered pocket of the forest. The shift in environment mirrored the shift in their mood: the morning's boisterous chaos was shed, replaced by a focused, tactical gravity.
Four figures were sitting on low, moss-covered rocks, their faces grim in the dim light.
One, lean and dressed in still-damp, light attire, sat with his back straight against a boulder, his posture radiating intense, calculating focus.
Beside him, another figure, wearing a dark outfit but with more formal sleeves, was utterly still, his eyes closed, suggesting controlled patience and a deep, internal reserve.
Across from these two sat a third figure, clad in wet, bright green shorts and a soaking orange jacket draped over his shoulders. His bright hair was mostly dry, but his restless energy was contained, his face fixed with an expression of frustration and forced resolve.
The fourth boy, wearing a deep green jumpsuit, sat upright and alert, his posture radiating rigid determination.
Between the four, the fifth figure—a small child—was curled up on the ground. He was fully clothed in miniature black garments and appeared exhausted, his earlier mischief replaced by a profound, sleepy stillness.
The silence that settled over them now was not one of rest, but of preparation. The weight of their uncertain location pressed down on the group, setting the stage for the imminent, critical discussion.
"So, why have you called us here?"
The speaker was the figure in the formal, high-collared light shirt. He opened his eyes to level a sharp tactical look at the figure in the damp, dark attire which was direct and demanded an answer.
The figure in the deep green jumpsuit, ever alert and sensing the coming seriousness, immediately backed the inquiry. "Yes, I was also thinking,the longer we remain idle, the further we drift from the path of youthful perseverance!"
The figure in the orange jacket, having run himself ragged drying his pants, threw his hands up in exasperation. "Yeah! What's with the silent treatment, Teme? You've been staring at the ground for five minutes! Why were you so silent?"
'When he gets this quiet, it means something is worse it's actually stressing me out!' he thought nervously.
Sasuke's intense, dark eyes finally lifted. His gaze swept over the group—Neji's sharp focus, Lee's restless energy, and Naruto's predictable anxiety.
"I have called you here because I have to talk to you guys about something really important," Sasuke stated, his voice low and flat.
'They are all distracted by the environment. I need to know what Neji and Lee are hiding about their timeline before I bring up the Hokage faces,' Sasuke determined, his mind operating purely on suspicion and calculation.
Neji nodded, his expression severe. "Tell us. Is it something new? We have already noted the slow healing and the lack of resources."
"It's about the strange events that have occurred since we set foot on the ground near the cave pit," Sasuke clarified, his voice deliberately sharp, emphasizing the moment of entry.
Neji took the opening instantly, his gaze hard. "Good. I also had to talk about everything which has ever happened to us till now since that day."
'He is cornering us toward the cave. I must broaden the topic to 'everything'—the fire, the confusion, the Iwagakure encounter—to keep the focus off the timelinelie,' Neji concluded.
Naruto immediately slammed his fist into his palm, relieved that the silence was broken. "True! Something is really off! I mean, who loses their pants just because of their friend?! The whole thing—the paper bomb, the confusion, Sasuke's younger self's presence—it all feels wrong! The time is not in control!"
Mini Sasuke sat quietly on the ground between them, observing the conversation.
The sudden agreement from the group confirmed the gravity of the situation.
Lee, nodding vigorously, added his input. "Yes, you guys are absolutely right! Everything has been strange since the training ground!" Lee declared, his voice ringing with conviction.
The effect was instantaneous. Naruto repeated the phrase, his voice sharp with confusion. "Training ground?"
"What do you mean by that, Lee?" Sasuke demanded, his voice dropping low. His suspicion was confirmed; Lee had slipped up.
Neji, who was sitting right beside Lee, stared intensely at his teammate.
Neji's jaw tightened, and his mind raced: 'This idiot! How many times did I tell him to only mention the training ground! He just gave away our starting location!' Neji felt a profound annoyance at Lee's inability to grasp secrecy.
Lee instantly wilted under the cold focus of his teammates. His enthusiasm evaporated as he realized his mistake. He had revealed the original context—a training environment—which they were supposed to hide.
Sasuke watched the entire silent exchange: the flicker of panic in Lee's eyes and the silent, cold reprimand from Neji. 'They really are hiding something significant about where they started. Neji is trying to control the information,' Sasuke thought, his suspicion hardening into certainty.
Neji quickly jumped in, covering for Lee with forced smoothness. "Ah, he means the ground above the…" Neji paused, trying to find a safe way to pivot the conversation.
Naruto, though, was faster.
"The cave's pit! You mean the ground from where we fell down?" Naruto asked, trying to clarify the location.
Lee gratefully seized the lifeline. "Yes, yes! That only! How dumb of me to forget the pit!" Lee exclaimed, relieved the focus was off the forbidden words "training ground."
Sasuke mentally grimaced. 'This Usuratonkachi. He could have just stayed silent and let Neji finish. In that way, I could have figured out what exactly they were trying to hide about the surroundings,' Sasuke thought, frustrated that Naruto's impulsiveness had allowed Neji to successfully cover the strategic error.
Sasuke's mind was racing, ignoring the exchange completely:
'Training ground? Wait, Lee could be talking about the Forest of Death or maybe even before that, if he was training for the Second Round.....
'But why is Neji covering him up? Is Lee not trying to tell us where he was before all this started, but he told Neji? Yeah, it could be. They're concealing the information of the past to not mess up the future.'
Sasuke broke from his thoughts, realizing the silence had gone on too long. He leaned forward, about to confront Lee directly. "By the training ground you mean the Fore..."
"Indeed, the 'cave'," Neji finished quickly and forcefully, cutting Sasuke off and slamming the subject closed.
The word cave struck into Sasuke's mind, forcing him to stop. He dropped the line of questioning, his eyes going wide and distant for a brief second as the profound significance of that single word resonated through his thoughts.
The word "cave" hung in the air, but Sasuke didn't dwell on it. He chose to pivot instantly to his core evidence, the one piece of information that would demand the group's complete attention and bypass Neji's attempts at control.
"Well, to start up with the strange events," Sasuke said, his voice regaining its dangerous, low certainty. He didn't look at Neji or Naruto; instead, his gaze fixed entirely on the small, quiet figure on the ground.
"My younger self…"
Sasuke looked directly at Mini Sasuke, and everyone else—Neji, Lee, and Naruto—followed his gaze instantly.
Sasuke continued, his voice heavy with the implications of the truth. "He has witnessed an event which I never witnessed. Something that shouldn't have been seen by anyone in his time."
The tension was suffocating. Lee, whose own past was fraught with difficult events, instantly broke the silence, his training protocols failing under the pressure of the unknown.
"Don't tell me the Uchiha's massa—!"
----
AUTHOR'S NOTE
🧠 Author's Note: The Past Presence Vs The Timeline Lie
What a monumental shift in tone! We started this chapter with the soft contrast of the girls finding quiet relief in the water 🛀—a brief moment of cleansing and tranquility—but the heart of this chapter was the cold, hard Strategic Clash between the boys. The meeting was a true Information War! 🧊
The tension in that forest pocket was suffocating, and I absolutely loved writing the strategic chess match (♟️) between Sasuke and Neji. Every word spoken was calculated.
Sasuke was relentless in cornering them about the "cave pit" and the "training ground," and Neji was desperate in his Counter-Strategy to cover Lee's every slip. It was a brilliant, stressful display of intellect!
But the final move belonged to Uchiha. Sasuke using his younger self's knowledge as the ultimate leverage—the undeniable proof that something is terribly wrong with the timeline—was the perfect pivot.
And then came the terrifying climax: The Massacre's Mention 🤫! Lee's almost-spoken word ripped the veil off the entire deception. It confirmed the immense, devastating weight of the secret they are carrying.
Now that the most forbidden topic has been brought to the table—even cut short—there is no going back. The stakes have reached a catastrophic new height 💥.
What will Sasuke demand now that the topic is officially on the table? The silence is broken, and the truth is rushing out! ⚔️
Which character do you think won the Strategic Clash in this chapter? Sasuke or Neji?
TALK TO ME! 😎
Alright, shinobi! You just finished Chapter 30, which was an explosive Strategic Clash defined by The Past Presence vs the Timeline Lie! The tension in that forest pocket was absolutely suffocating. Let's unpack the core conflict! 👇
The strategic battle between Sasuke and Neji was a true Chess Match! Every single word was a calculated move—Sasuke using the Past Presence (Mini Sasuke's unique knowledge) as leverage, and Neji desperately enacting the Counter-Strategy to uphold the lie.
Tell me, who did you think was the smarter player in that mental game? Did Neji successfully save the secret, or did Sasuke win by forcing the topic onto the table? 🧠♟️
And the devastating climax! Lee's near-slip, the Massacre's Mention 🤫, was the most terrifying moment. The word was stopped, but the truth is now unavoidable. How terrifying was that silence right after he spoke?
What does it mean for the group now that the most forbidden topic has been acknowledged, even if it was instantly shut down? There is no hiding from the Uchiha's past anymore! 💥
Finally, the contrast! The girls were enjoying a brief moment of peace and cleansing in the water 🛀. What did you think of Ino's booming warning to the boys? Did that show a great shift in her leadership, establishing a clear line of control, even in chaos? 🌸
Share your deepest thoughts and wildest theories! I can't wait to read what you think about this monumental shift! ✨
📜 TEASER FOR NEXT CHAPTER:
The chilling names of the Tall Men are finally spoken aloud, 🤫
As the truth of the Naka River is pulled from the shroud. 🌊
A face carved in stone, a future that cannot be denied, 🪨
Becomes the ultimate proof where all the secrets hide. 🤯
With the facts now confessed and the history laid bare,
Can the mind survive this absolute, devastating despair? 💔
SNEAK PEEK LINES 💬
'A life was lost, and only the one who took it was left'
'the person saved a life he shouldn't have, does that mean his youthful action caused the entire timeline to break?'
"If Naruto is the person who is supposed to die."
'Is he saying that I should get out from here? Are they talking about me? Did I do something wrong?'
---
—With love, one forehead poke away from collapse,
Sakura Shinomiya 💫
---